Sorry, this page is no longer available

We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Creating a Team Culture of Continuous Learning

Alan Barstow, Ph.D., Dana Kaminstein, Ph.D., Amrita V. Subramanian, and Ramya Kumar, MSOD, SHRM-SCP, Prosci Certified

There is mounting concern that organizational groups and teams often fail to learn from their past experiences. It’s pertinent to address this issue as groups and teams are often the main ways that work gets done in organizations.

In this course, we examine the main reasons that groups and teams are often ineffective, which include:

• The lack of organizational structures and support for teams and groups

• The lack of understanding and emphasis on learning

• Misaligned reward structures

So, what can be done to create an enabling learning culture in teams?

In this course, we examine the main reasons that groups and teams are often ineffective, which include:

• The lack of organizational structures and support for teams and groups

• The lack of understanding and emphasis on learning

• Misaligned reward structures

So, what can be done to create an enabling learning culture in teams?

This course emphasizes practical and impactful ways to begin to address this state of affairs. Through the use of stories, scenarios with actors simulating different team issues, examples and dialogue, you learn how to:

• Understand teams in their larger organizational context

• Diagnose the learning strengths and barriers to learning on teams

• Identify ways to develop a team and group that continually learns and impacts the larger organization positively

• Create an organizational environment that encourages learning and innovation

Enroll now

Or subscribe to Coursera Plus

And get unlimited access to Coursera

Two deals to help you save

Save money when you learn. Here are two deals and offers that may be relevant to this course.

All coupon codes, vouchers, and discounts are applied automatically unless otherwise noted.

Valid until July 14

Coursera Plus Annual

Work toward what's next for your career with access to 10,000+ programs. Discover emerging skills and save.

Valid until August 30

Google AI App Builder

Learn how to use Gemini API and API Studio with a three-course series from Google DeepMind

What's inside

Syllabus

Week 1: Introduction to Framing & Systems Thinking

Thank you for joining us. In this module you will learn to step back and re-frame your point of view, and apply systems thinking in everyday situations in order to help your team to be creative and innovative. Our goal is to enable you to learn through real-life stories, practical scenarios illustrated by actors, on-going conversations, suggested readings and links rather than lectures and instructions. So, come join us at the table, bring your own experiences with you, and be part of the conversation! Check out this NY Times story before you begin: (https://www.nytimes.com/video/business/100000004807604/the-power-of-outsiders.html?smid=fb-share) This story illustrates many of the important points of this course: the importance of thinking about the whole system, the value of including different, outside perspectives (not just experts), and - even when you and your team come up with a breakthrough idea - accepting that it is a difficult challenge to spread the idea and make change happen.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Examines the barriers to learning in groups and teams, which is standard in industry

Investigates ways to enhance organizational culture for learning and innovation

Provides a comprehensive study of group and team learning for positive organizational impact

Diagnose learning challenges faced by groups and teams in the workplace

Taught by experts in their field: Alan Barstow, Ph.D., Dana Kaminstein, Ph.D., Amrita V. Subramanian, and Ramya Kumar, MSOD, SHRM-SCP, Prosci Certified

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.

Save

Reviews summary

Building a team learning culture

According to learners, this course offers a highly practical and insightful approach to fostering continuous learning within teams. Students particularly appreciated the unique format utilizing scenarios and dialogues rather than traditional lectures, finding the content directly applicable to real-world team challenges. Key frameworks like Systems Thinking and the Ladder of Inference were highlighted as valuable tools for diagnosing and addressing team dynamics. While some noted it requires active effort to translate concepts into practice, the overall sentiment is that it provides a strong foundation for developing more effective and innovative teams.

Highly relevant for managers and team leads.

"As a team lead, I found the content directly relevant to challenges I face daily in fostering collaboration and learning."

"Recommended for anyone in a leadership position looking to improve team performance and adaptability."

"This course is a must for managers who want to build high-performing, learning-oriented teams."

Introduces powerful diagnostic concepts.

"Systems Thinking and the Ladder of Inference are powerful tools introduced here that I immediately started using."

"The frameworks provided gave me new ways to think about team dynamics and diagnose underlying issues."

"Learning about how to re-frame problems through systems thinking was particularly impactful."

"The course's emphasis on key concepts like framing and diagnosing problems was very beneficial."

Learners appreciate the non-traditional style.

"The use of scenarios and actor simulations made the abstract concepts much easier to grasp and relate to."

"I loved the dialogue format and the real-life stories; it felt more engaging than typical lectures."

"Moving away from standard lectures to conversations and examples was a refreshing and effective way to learn."

"The scenarios illustrating common team issues were incredibly helpful for understanding the material."

Provides tools directly applicable to work.

"The concepts and frameworks taught are immediately applicable to my team and leadership role."

"I learned practical ways to diagnose problems and foster a learning environment within my group."

"This course gave me tangible strategies I could use to improve communication and effectiveness in my team."

"Excellent course with practical insights that can be applied in day-to-day work interactions."

Needs conscious effort to implement concepts.

"While the ideas are great, translating them into actionable steps for my specific team environment required significant thought."

"The course provides frameworks, but learners need to do the work to figure out how to apply them effectively."

"Don't expect a simple checklist; this course challenges you to think deeply and requires effort for implementation."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Creating a Team Culture of Continuous Learning with these activities:

Review foundational concepts in organizational behavior

Show steps

Strengthen your understanding of fundamental principles underlying team behavior and dynamics.

Browse courses on Organizational Behavior

Show steps

Access textbooks, online resources, or attend workshops to review key concepts.
Focus on topics such as motivation, communication, conflict resolution, and leadership styles.

Identify a mentor with expertise in team learning

Show steps

Seek guidance and support from an experienced professional to enhance your team learning journey.

Browse courses on Mentorship

Show steps

Identify potential mentors through professional networks, industry events, or online platforms.
Reach out to individuals who align with your learning goals.
Establish a mentorship agreement outlining expectations and goals.
Schedule regular meetings for guidance, feedback, and support.

Read "The Fifth Discipline" by Peter Senge

Show steps

Build a foundation in systems thinking and learning organizations to enhance your understanding of team learning dynamics.

View The Dance of Change on Amazon

Show steps

Purchase or borrow a copy of the book.
Dedicate time for daily reading, aiming for 20-30 pages per session.
Take notes and highlight key concepts while reading.
Reflect on the book's ideas and consider their applicability to your team learning.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Join a peer learning group for team development

Show steps

Connect with peers to share experiences, insights, and best practices in team learning.

Show steps

Search for existing peer learning groups or create your own.
Establish group rules and guidelines for effective collaboration.
Facilitate regular meetings for discussions, knowledge sharing, and mutual support.
Encourage active participation and feedback from all members.

Conduct team simulations with different scenarios

Show steps

Engage in practical simulations to develop your team's ability to navigate challenges and make informed decisions.

Browse courses on Conflict Resolution

Show steps

Identify specific team challenges or scenarios to address.
Create a simulation plan outlining roles, objectives, and timeframes.
Facilitate the simulation, providing guidance and observation.
Conduct post-simulation debriefing to analyze team performance and identify areas for improvement.

Develop a team learning plan

Show steps

Create a roadmap for your team's learning journey, outlining goals, strategies, and evaluation plans.

Browse courses on Team Development

Show steps

Establish team learning objectives and goals.
Identify team strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth.
Develop a learning plan outlining specific strategies and activities.
Assign roles and responsibilities for implementing the plan.
Establish a system for monitoring and evaluating progress.

Contribute to open-source projects focused on team collaboration

Show steps

Gain practical experience in team-based software development and contribute to open-source communities.

Browse courses on Open Source

Show steps

Identify open-source projects that align with your skill set and learning goals.
Review project documentation and contribute to discussions.
Submit pull requests with code contributions or documentation improvements.
Collaborate with project maintainers and other contributors.

Develop a team learning case study

Show steps

Document and analyze a real-world case of effective team learning to enhance your understanding.

Browse courses on Case study

Show steps

Identify a team that has demonstrated successful learning outcomes.
Conduct interviews and gather data to understand their learning strategies and processes.
Write a case study report outlining the team's challenges, interventions, and results.
Share the case study with peers or within your organization to promote learning.

Career center

Learners who complete Creating a Team Culture of Continuous Learning will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Team Leader

A Team Leader leads and manages a team of employees to achieve organizational goals. This course may be useful to a Team Leader as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Team Leader

Project Manager

A Project Manager plans, organizes, and executes projects to achieve organizational goals. This course may be useful to a Project Manager as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst analyzes business processes and systems to identify opportunities for improvement. This course may be useful to a Business Analyst as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst designs and develops computer systems to meet the needs of an organization. This course may be useful to a Systems Analyst as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Analyst

Data Scientist

A Data Scientist analyzes data to identify patterns and trends. This course may be useful to a Data Scientist as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Curriculum Developer

A Curriculum Developer designs and develops educational programs. This course may be useful to a Curriculum Developer as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Curriculum Developer

Education Consultant

An Education Consultant provides guidance and support to educational institutions and organizations. This course may be useful to an Education Consultant as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Education Consultant

Organizational Development Manager

An Organizational Development Manager helps to improve the effectiveness of an organization by developing and implementing strategies for improving employee performance. This course may be useful to an Organizational Development Manager as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Organizational Development Manager

Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

An Industrial-Organizational Psychologist applies psychology to the workplace to improve employee productivity and satisfaction. This course may be useful to an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

Management Consultant

A Management Consultant helps organizations to improve their performance by providing advice and support on a range of issues. This course may be useful to a Management Consultant as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Organizational Psychologist

An Organizational Psychologist studies the behavior of individuals and groups in the workplace. This course may be useful to an Organizational Psychologist as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Organizational Psychologist

Training and Development Manager

A Training and Development Manager plans and implements training programs to improve employee skills and knowledge. This course may be useful to a Training and Development Manager as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Training and Development Manager

Human Resources Manager

A Human Resources Manager oversees all aspects of human resources for an organization, including recruitment, training, development, and employee relations. This course may be useful to a Human Resources Manager as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Learning and Development Specialist

A Learning and Development Specialist designs and delivers training programs to help employees improve their skills and knowledge. This course may be useful to a Learning and Development Specialist as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Learning and Development Specialist

Instructional Designer

An Instructional Designer creates and develops training materials and programs. This course may be useful to an Instructional Designer as it provides insights into how teams can learn from their past experiences and improve their performance. The course also provides practical tips on how to create a learning culture within a team.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Creating a Team Culture of Continuous Learning.

The Bully-Proof Workplace: Essential Strategies,...

Save

Classic in the field of organizational learning. It provides a comprehensive overview of the key principles and practices of learning organizations. It must-read for anyone who wants to create a team culture of continuous learning.

The Bully-Proof Workplace: Essential Strategies,...

Kindle Edition

The Disruptive Innovation Set (2 Books)

Save

Provides a framework for understanding why large organizations often fail to innovate. It valuable read for anyone who wants to create a team culture that is open to new ideas and willing to take risks.

Creating a Team Culture of Continuous Learning

Two deals to help you save

What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Building a team learning culture

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses