One of the central challenges in implementing lessons-learned processes is the cultural challenge. Why? because it involves people.
Addressing this challenge should be done in a way that prevents employee concerns and increases their cooperation. The key message that should accompany the activity is marketing every mistake as a learning opportunity!
The message will be implemented by separating lessons from debriefings. The process will emphasize managing and externalizing lessons, not the debriefing itself, which includes the event cases. The debriefing is a means, not an end!
Several tools will help create a learning and lessons-learned organizational culture:
Management Commitment - Connection of the organization's leadership to the process, not just at a declarative level, but through active participation: Lead by example. Collaboration can be achieved by leading the debriefing, including investigating cases originating from management.
Accompaniment in Lessons Learned Processes - Ensuring a positive atmosphere and emphasizing that no one seeks blame. This includes, among other things, not mentioning names in debriefings and highlighting that cases are investigated, not people.
Careful Investigation of Successes - Emphasizing lessons learned as a learning process in terms of success replay and avoiding repeated mistakes. It's important to ensure that successes are indeed debriefed.
Dissemination of Lesson Outputs - Spreading debriefing results creates visibility and allows horizontal sharing of the process's benefits. High-quality lessons that can be applied across the organization will motivate participation in the process.
Targeted Training - Learning the objectives of lessons learned and emphasizing their practical applications.
Softening - Demonstrating the implementation of lessons learned in familiar and non-threatening content areas, such as sports and aviation.
Persuasion through Examples - Showing lessons learned processes that created real employee advantages, such as changing work processes, improving production, etc.
Sharing and Transparency - Throughout the process, the investigator and process participants partner. A dialogue aimed at addressing emerging resistances allows participants to express their concerns about the process. The emphasis is on "laying out the cards" and answering concerns by an authoritative manager.
Using a Structured Method - Including forms and templates for the investigation process, using questions that focus on the overall picture, "emphasizing what was done" rather than "who did it".
In summary, no one likes to be under criticism. The path from lessons learned to "blame" is extremely short. Using the cultural tools outlined will pave an alternative route and enable an effective and efficient lessons learned process in the organization, ultimately improving performance.
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