Enspire Learning Blog

Everybody has questions about the recent recession. Whose fault is it? Who has suffered the most? How long will it last? How could we have prevented it? And, most importantly, what do we need to do to make sure it doesn't happen again?

Amit Mukherjee wrestles with this last question in an article recently published in Chief Learning Officer Magazine, "Lessons from the Early Days of Lean. He contends that modern corporations have, for better or for worse, been drawn into an increasingly complex series of global networks. These networks made sure that the effects of the recession spread rapidly. Corporate failure to adapt managerial practices to this system has made it difficult for many organizations to recover.

These organizations will need to fundamentally rethink how they perceive and implement management training if they are to stand a chance of surviving this recession. Managers have traditionally been responsible for planning and execution, but the growth of global networks and remote employees have made it highly difficult for them to assess and respond to problems. Management training should encompass not only planning and execution strategies, but also sensing, responding, and learning capabilities.

Mukherjee concludes by suggesting that management development programs should focus on the policies, strategy, structure, and culture of networked companies. But how do we make sure managers both understand and retain the lessons of these programs? This is an open question with many answers, but many organizations are turning to management simulations. Since past training has not prepared managers for this globally networked system, they are essentially operating in a foreign environment. Simulations have the ability to plunge managers into a setting that reflects their organization's policies, strategy, structure, and culture. Plus, the learner feels more comfortable; he or she can "learn by doing" without fear of facing serious repercussions. Of course, using simulations as part of your management development program is only the tip of the iceberg. New learning programs frequently coincide with a need to rethink organizational needs, and this is exactly what we're seeing happen today.