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The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the learnings from prior interviews with thought leaders in learning organization conceptual development. Prior interviews with Karen Watkins, Victoria Marsick, Michael Marquardt, Bob Garratt and Peter Senge are included in the summary, which is an interim step as The Learning Organization continues to explore the learning organization history and evolution.

The paper summarizes prior interviews to uncover commonalities and differences in the development and evolution of the learning organization concepts as described by thought leaders.

Both commonalities and differences exist in definition, development of theory and resilience since original publication. Common threads in concept develop appear across the authors mainly in influences by Revans, Argyris and Schön. Differences also exist in how each author developed learning organization constructs.

The synthesis reveals that although the learning organization may have differing definitions, there are commonalities that tie some concepts together. Additional interviews will be continued in the exploration of the learning organization evolution.

The “Implication for practitioners” paper summarizes the articles within this issue of The Learning Organization in an easy-to-digest format for the practitioner audience. This paper aims to outline how in practice the structure and people and the interplay of both have an impact in creating a learning organization. Included in the paper is a summary of articles within this issue that outline different studies that can easily lead toward actions in practice.

The summary identifies specific elements from the articles within this issue that can applied in practice.

This issue of The Learning Organization is full of content to help practitioners think more deeply about assessing their organization and offers application of tools that can be easily applied in any organization.

The “Implication for practitioners” paper aims to outline areas where the articles can be further applied. The articles within this issue outline how structure and characteristics (or people) can provide a significant impact on developing a learning organization.

Readers can gain value in reading this summary, as it outline some of the many practical ideas outlined within the articles of this issue of The Learning Organization.

In a world of never-ending change, leaders must elevate above the battlefield and retain alignment with strategic purpose. Linking strategic foresight attitudes and activities aids leader to integrate the long and short-term. This article offers leaders elements of the US Army’s Operational Art model to easily apply when looking long and acting short-term.

Strategic foresight utilizes a scenario-based approach linked to the US Army’s Operational Art model to allow decision makers to both think more strategically and act upon the strategy day-to-day.

Strategic foresight creates both the shared vision throughout the organization and linkages to mental models that align actions. Linkage to the US Army’s Operational Art model creates an easy implementation framework.

For leaders overwhelmed with the day-to-day, linking strategic foresight attitudes and activities aids leader to integrate the long and short-term. The US Army Operational Art model provides an implementation method.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Recognition programs have proven to be a useful tool in engaging employees and helping align them around a common purpose. In this case, study the organization created a recognition program that promoted learning across the organization. The easy to follow steps provided herein can be replicated by leaders in any organization.

The case study provides a quick reflection of the steps taken by the organization to create a recognition program that linked behaviors, tactical actions and corporate strategy in a way that engaged all toward learning together.

With the new program, the organization not only improved employee engagement and alignment around four critical behaviors, the organization also witnessed employee alignment around strategic vision and revenue improvements.

Studies find that employee engagement is seriously lacking. Studies also find that employee engagement is beneficial to employee contribution and employee success. Recognition programs have been described as one method to improve engagement. This case study illustrates how an organization was able to implement such a program.

This paper aims to provide an overview of the development of learning organization concepts from the perspective of Nancy Dixon, who has been at the forefront of the learning organization discussion since the 1980s.

Through a conversation with Dixon, and a scan of some of her works, this paper discusses several topics pertaining to the evolution of the learning organization debate, from Dixon’s perspective.

Dixon’s understanding of learning organizations was influenced by concepts related to action learning where people in organizations learn through meeting and talking about their problems. What distinguishes her understanding from others in that it is built more on the perspective of psychological safety, as inspired by Amy Edmonson's work.

Dixon acknowledges that her work has had more impact on the practitioner side. Dixon maintains that learning organizations are more egalitarian and move away from hierarchy. There are ethical underpinnings to this understanding as, with psychological safety, people are willing to speak up in those situations when their voices are needed to be heard.