Barriers to managerial learning: lessons for rapidly changing organizations

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the barriers to managerial learning in rapidly changing organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The material presented in this paper is based on a focus group methodology designed to solicit the input of managers operating in dynamic organizations on the subject of factors that influence their ability to learn and develop.

Findings

The study identified ten recurring barriers that prevent managers from learning and developing that included such factors as time pressure, lack of awareness, little or no performance feedback, lack of self‐reflection, and egos, among others.

Research limitations/implications

Learning is difficult for most managers in normal times, let alone when their organizations are changing at a previously unseen pace. This study identified factors that damage the ability of managers to learn. This subject matter warrants further exploration as organizational structures, levels, and industries may influence the outcome of the findings.

Practical implications

Key implications of these findings include: individual managers must take more responsibility for their own learning; superiors must play a larger role in management development; and senior leaders must create systems to support learning.

Social implications

When organizations and societies change, people at all levels must learn and develop to operate in these new environments. Without this learning and alignment, performance will suffer.

Originality/value

Organizations, in many cases, wrongly assume that their leaders will acquire the new skill‐sets necessary to perform in an optimal fashion. The very factors that drive organizational change are the same factors that create barriers to managerial learning.

Citation

Longenecker, C.O. (2010), "Barriers to managerial learning: lessons for rapidly changing organizations", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 8-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281011069763