Constraints on Organizational Learning During Major Change at a Mental Health Services Facility (Rowe, Boyle, 2005)

Research performed at Sunnybrook, a mental institution in Australia provides information about what not to do and guidelines for better managing major change.

Too many changes at once, in my opinion. Downsizing the number of staff and patients to fit into new facilities and physically relocating; moving to a team approach for patient care; and change in philosophical orientation.

The change was top down, led by the CEO and orchestrated by the Australian government based on an industry wide need. This type of change always magnifies the FUD factor (fear, uncertainty, doubt)

Characterizations of organizations that build learning cultures- (McGill & Slocum, 1993):
Clear and consistent communication
Openness to experience
Encouragement of responsible risk taking
Willingness to acknowledge failure and to learn from it

Constraints to learning faced at Sunnybrook
1. Preoccupation on the change process and less attention to the roles of stakeholders – people want to know how the change will affect them, their daily routines, their wellbeing, what is in it for them

2. staff feared dismissal for making mistakes. This is somewhat understandable because patients can die when mistakes are made, a learning organization puts structures in place so people can proactively examine and improve business practices.

3. avoidance behavior learned through punishment was more stable then behavior learned through rewards. For new learning to occur, a process of de-conditioning to overcome the fear of future punishment must commence.

4.History of punishing rule-breaking. Change necessitates the loss of control by the administration. Common defenses people with learned anxiety employed: a) not to hear the change message; b) deny the message applies to them; c) rationalize that management doesn’t understand the situation

5. communication patterns – before the change, leaders issued orders, workers carried them out