According to the authors, the only response to face an uncertain climate of rapid, unsettling change to organization is the positive willingness to learn and meet change head-on. Its shows how learning to learn is the best tool for growing beyond the victim mentality. It is about individual relevance and organizational survival and offers hope and optimism, and frames what to most of us and our organizations is a crucial choice. This book alsoedly advocates the positive and affirming choice of individual and organizational freedom, and supports that adocacy by offering concrete, practical advice, and guidelines. Using detailed examples and engaging case studies, Noer describes four categories that characterize how individuals and organization respond to change :
- The Overhelmed, who withdraw from change or conflict
- The Entrenched, who cling to the past and to behaviors that are no longer effective
- The BSers, who try to con themselves and others with lots of swagger and little substance
- The Learners, who positively engage in change, constantly learning new and more relevant skills
Based on the image of the learner as the attainable ideal, Noer would like to help those who pursue the learning path to develop and maintain learning organizations that are responsive to change and appealing to the insightful, adaptive employees who will ensure the firm’s survival. Employees and organization must have had the essence of leadership, which is the ability to facilitate transitions from the old-paradigm bureaucracy to a more flexible and self-directed workplace.