USAID Learning Lab

In this episode, the series finale, we hear from some of our thought leader contributors about the keys to the future of organizational learning in development. Today’s contributors are: - Gwen Hines, until recently the Director for International Relations, DFID - Kerry Albright, Chief of Research Facilitation & KM, UNICEF - Thom Sinclair, of CGAP, funded by the MasterCard Foundation and housed at the World Bank - Tony Pryor, Senior Advisor, USAID/PPL Listen as we discuss promising practices in the areas of collaborating, learning and adapting.

Episode 6 of Leaders in Learning focuses on how organizations are integrating intentional learning into their day-to-day work. The three leaders contributing to this episode are: - Karen Mokate, Chief of Knowledge Management at the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) - Clive Martlew, Lead for Leadership and Learning at the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) - Alison Evans, Chief Commissioner for the UK’s Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) The three themes that emerged during the conversation are: - Approaches need to be systematic, intentional and resourced. - Learning and KM approaches will only become sustainably integrated if there is a supportive culture. - Sustainability depends on clear and effective processes and tools.

The focus of the fifth episode in the Leaders in Learning series is one of the most challenging questions that we routinely face: What is the role of formal and informal leadership in creating a learning organization? This episode builds on previous episodes in connecting components of leadership and effective learning organizations, a key connection that we see consistently. The contributing thought leaders for this episode are: - Thom Sinclair, Gateway Academy Team Lead at the Consultative Group to Address the Poor (CGAP) housed at the World Bank - Rob Cartridge, Head of Global Knowledge at Practical Action - Chris Collison, a leading independent KM and OL consultant

The focus of this episode, our fourth in our Leaders in Learning series, focuses in on something we’ve touched on in previous episodes, particularly episode 2: what aspects of an organization’s culture contribute to its learning capacity? The contributing thought leaders for this episode are: - Chris Collison, a world-renowned independent consultant - Clive Martlew, Lead for Leadership and Learning at the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) - Rob Cartridge, Head of Global Knowledge at Practical Action

The focus of Leaders in Learning episode 3 is on one of the most challenging questions that we as leaders in organizational learning face on a regular basis, namely, "what is the role of evidence and data in organizational learning efforts?" The contributing thought leaders for this episode are: - Alison Evans, Chief Commissioner for the UK’s Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) - Kerry Albright, Chief of Research Facilitation and Knowledge Management at UNICEF - Duncan Green, Senior Strategic Advisor for OXFAM

Leaders in Learning is a 7-part podcast series hosted by Stacey Young, Senior Learning Advisor and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting Team Lead in USAID’s Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning; and Piers Bocock, Chief of Party for the USAID LEARN contract. The series draws on interviews that Stacey and Piers conducted with a variety of thought leaders in organizational learning and knowledge management in the international development sector. In episode two, Piers and Stacey reflect on their conversations with Duncan Green, Gwen Hines, and Karen Mokate (pictured with Piers and Stacey, right) on the topic of why learning matters in international development. They frame learning as a tool for addressing complexity, improving the way teams and organizations work, and, most importantly, achieving better development results.

Leaders in Learning is a 7-part podcast series hosted by Stacey Young, Senior Learning Advisor and Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting Team Lead in USAID’s Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning; and Piers Bocock, Chief of Party for the USAID LEARN contract. The series draws on interviews that Stacey and Piers conducted with a variety of thought leaders in organizational learning and knowledge management in the international development sector. The first episode provides an overview of the series, including its purpose, theory of change, and the lineup of the experts whose interviews provide the food for thought in each episode.

In the fifth and final episode in the Inside Out series, we discuss a topic that we’ve touched on throughout the series: Pause and Reflect. Taking the time to Pause and Reflect is an essential CLA practice that leads to evidence-based decision making and adaptation. First, we’ll explore evidence that group reflection leads to learning and decision-making. Next, we will discuss two opportunities for USAID staff and partners to use Program Cycle processes to pause and reflect. In our third segment, we discuss some of the ways that our team has built Pause and Reflect moments into the way we work. While this series is wrapping up, we’ve got another one in the works! Listen until the end of this episode for a preview of our upcoming series, Leaders in Learning, which will be released starting in mid-June 2018.

Evidence-based decision-making is a powerful tool for transforming USAID from the Inside Out. In this episode, we’ll talk about where we see this happening in other industries, and why it can be challenging at USAID. We will also discuss two examples of innovative learning initiatives at USAID missions.

Is your organization creating a learning culture? Do you pause and reflect? Have you implemented evaluation recommendations? Are you collaborating with local partners to build self-reliance? If so, we want to hear about it, and about the other ways you’re collaborating, learning and adapting for better development results! Enter the 2018 Collaborating, Learning and Adapting Case Competition. To learn more, visit: https://usaidlearninglab.org/cla-case-competition Music by Ethan Finley at True Resonance Productions

In this episode, we discuss look at evidence from the business sector on the negative effects of over-collaboration. Next, we reflect on the way our teams collaborate and then talk about six strategies for strategic collaboration and what they look like at USAID.

In this episode, we’ll discuss the key ingredients in a learning culture. First, we define what we mean by a learning culture. Next, we look at research that examines the relationship between CLA and measures of staff satisfaction and empowerment at USAID. And in our third segment, we talk about a successful staff empowerment initiative at a USAID mission.

If change starts with people, then what should we consider when building collaborative, learning-focused teams? When development isn’t a linear process and success depends on much more than a set of technical skills, what kinds of skills and qualities should you look for when hiring? In this episode, you’ll hear from three development practitioners with insight on this question. (And if you’re wondering how to build a learning culture on your existing team, we’ve got you covered. Be sure to tune in to our next episode, which is on this very topic.)

USAID Learning Lab is back with a new podcast series called From the Inside Out: Achieving Better Development Outcomes through Collaborating, Learning and Adapting. Our four-episode pilot series, Collaborating, Learning and Adapting at USAID, provided an overview of the concept of CLA and featured deep-dive CLA case studies. This new series was designed to empower USAID staff and partners with evidence, tips and tools to collaborate, learn, and adapt in their day-to-day work. Listen as Stacey Young, Senior Learning Advisor and CLA Team Lead in USAID’s Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning, Ian Lathrop, Communications Manager on the USAID LEARN contract, and Amy Leo, Communications Specialist on the USAID LEARN contract, discuss evidence on these topics from development and other fields, and reflect on their own work experience.

Introducing: From the Inside Out! A new series from USAID Learning Lab. Subscribe to find out when new episodes are released.