Leading Organizational Learning

Chapter Fifteen

Learning at the Top

How CEOs Set the Tone for the

Knowledge Organization

James F. Bolt

Charles Brassard

Chief executive officers sit atop huge knowledge creation and dis-
tribution systems within their organization. They have the power
to shape these systems and integrate them within the operations of
the company. Their decisions influence what investments will be
made in technology and in people to set knowledge into motion
throughout and outside their organization. Sharing with their peo-
ple a compelling vision for how knowledge can be a source of com-
petitive advantage for the company, and implementing the
operating systems that will deliver on this vision are key levers for
CEOs. More important, however, the beliefs, commitments, and
behaviors of CEOs toward learning and knowledge sharing are
what will ultimately drive changes in the culture of the organiza-
tion and produce sustained results. This is because CEOs are the
most watched people in any organization. What they do sends
ripples down the whole line. Understandably, without a clear state-
ment of shared values and a continuous demonstration of how
learning and sharing knowledge contribute to delivering the cor-
porate strategy, CEOs cannot create the momentum needed to fully
leverage the collective intelligence of the organization.

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