Lessons Learned - Creating the Right Atmosphere

Introducing investigation and lessons-learned processes into an organization is typically accompanied by numerous dilemmas. One of the most central dilemmas relates to people: how do we ensure that the lessons learned process is conducted in the right atmosphere to prevent employee concerns and a lack of cooperation on their part?

Below are several small tips that can be helpful in this regard:

1. Targeted Training: Teaching the objectives of lessons learned and emphasizing their practical goals in the field of action.

2. Management Spirit: Senior management discussion to clarify expectations from the investigation process.

3. Softening: Demonstrating investigations in completely different organizations, such as basketball.

4. Persuading Benefits: Demonstrating internal lessons learned in the organization that yielded practical benefits.

5. Using a Structured Method: Utilizing forms and templates for the investigation process, which include questions. These questions should not hint at "who did" but rather at "what was done."

6. Implementation: Accompanying initial investigations by a knowledge management person whose role is to ensure that, during the lessons learned process, the right atmosphere is maintained, and that actions are discussed, not people.

7. Participation: The executing party is a member of the lessons learned team. At an advanced stage and in appropriate operations, a situation of self-investigation.

And most importantly, exercise great sensitivity. We are dealing with people.

---

Want to know more about lesson learned?

Here are some articles you might find interesting:

• Reusing Lessons Learned

• Integrated Methodology for Lessons Learned

• Unleashing Creativity: Bridging Frameworks for Effective Lesson Learning