A culture of change starts with learning – are you ready to lead it?
Why is developing orgnanisational competence a strategic question? Learning is part of a broader activity system. That’s how Professor Yrjö Engeström summarized it nearly 40 years ago (1987, 2001). And his view still deserves attention in today’s working life.
Learning is not just individual change, it reshapes the entire system
Engeström’s activity theory and expansive learning model highlight that workplace learning happens within a larger activity environment. This includes tools, rules, communities, and division of labor, not just individuals.
Learning doesn’t simply change people. It changes how the whole system works.
That’s what makes workplace learning complex – but also powerful. When learning targets the organization as a whole, it opens the door for deep, meaningful change.
Workplace structures can support or suppress learning
Workplaces don’t always make space for learning.
Researchers (e.g., Marsick & Watkins, 1990) talk about informal learning that happens through conversations, experimentation, and reflection. But when the culture discourages openness, learning from mistakes or giving feedback, this kind of learning stays shallow.
Psychological safety is essential for learning to take root. As Amy Edmondson (1999) has shown, it’s the foundation of any team’s ability to grow.
Learning needs direction, space and structure
So what can organizations do?
Learning doesn’t just happen by accident. To take root and spread, it needs direction, support and systems – structures that make learning visible, purposeful and part of everyday work.
In companies where competence development is truly strategic, learning is directly linked to the organization’s future direction and business goals. But here’s the challenge: many business leaders don’t actually know what kind of skills they need or what they themselves should learn.
That’s where clarity comes in. Once you define focus areas and metrics for learning, it becomes a managed process, not just a wish. You might be thinking: “We already have development discussions, assessments, and personal learning plans. Isn’t that enough?”
Well, yes, and no.
A culture of change is built on curiosity and courage
A truly change-driven organization requires constant curiosity, the ability to challenge the status quo, and the courage to evolve.
In this kind of culture, learning isn’t reactive, it’s proactive. It looks ahead. It enables strategic agility.
That means leadership, structure, and everyday practices must support experimentation, information-sharing, and collective sense-making.
In a culture of change, learning isn’t just possible. It’s essential. It’s how organizations stay relevant. It’s how they build the future.
The spotlight turns to leadership – are YOU ready to change?
When learning is built into your strategy, processes, roles, and everyday habits, it’s no longer a side activity, but at the heart of your organization.
And in this culture, learning doesn’t just happen.
It becomes inevitable.
