When we talk about creating learning centers, there are five important characteristics that 21^st century learning leaders must understand and possess. The five characteristics are: perception and insight, motivation, emotional strength, cultural innovation, and participatory influence. Let’s take a brief look at each.

Perception and insight

Cultural assumptions are unconscious beliefs and values that are shared by the members of an organization. These values help to determine behavior, perception, thought, and feelings of the members of that organization. Because they are unconscious, the learning leader must learn to be perceptive in understanding the concept of cultural issues. This includes knowing how to analyze, impact, and/or change any dysfunctional elements of a culture. 

Learning leaders must be self-motivated purpose-driven people, motivated by their commitment to the well-being and success of both the organization and its members. This commitment to the organization becomes the impetus for initiating the often painful process of confronting cultural issues associated with one’s own organization, and beginning the arduous task of cultural and human behavioral changes that are accomplished through unfreezing, intervention, and refreezing (Daft, Marcic, 2011). Schein states that these leaders must learn to skillfully communicate their dedication and commitment to members without regard to their own personal success (Schein, 2010).

Emotional strength

People resist change for many reasons. They may believe the change will conflict with their own self-interests in some way. They may lack clarity about the change. There may be levels of uncertainty regarding the change. Some may worry that the change may differ from their own goals and plans (Daft, Marcic, 2011). 

Attempts to change a company culture will most likely produce some level of anxiety as predictability is removed. A leader could become the target of discontentment and criticism. For this reason, learning leaders must be thick-skinned, emotionally skilled, and capable of bearing the targeted abuse, and always ready to re-communicate the well-being of the organization as the primary reason for the proposed change (Schein, 2010).

Ability to Change the Cultural Assumptions

Any cultural assumption that is being targeted for replacement, must be replaced or redefined by the learning leader, with a new innovative value or concept, which must be skillfully reiterated to members. The leader must therefore not only possess the ability to know what is culturally inadequate, but he or she must also have the ability of deciding what the proper assumption should be, and successfully ensuring that the new assumption is properly embedded into the culture (Schein, 2010).

Participatory Influence

The learning leader must be fully engaged in the process with others in the organizational community, by learning to genuinely listen to their concerns and solicit their insights, ensuring them that their concerns are important to him. Schein states that the end result of cultural change is that the assumption is redefined in the minds of its members, which will require full and active participation on their part. This will require skillful relationship management on the part of the learning leader, and humility in recognizing that he or she does not possess all the answers (Schein, 2010).

References

Daft, R.L., Marcic, D.  (2011).  Understanding management 7^th edition.  South-Western Cengage Learning.  Mason, OH 45040.

Driskill, G.W., Brenton, A.L.  (2011).  Organizational culture in action a cultural analysis.workbook 2^nd edition.   Sage Publications, Inc.  Thousand Oaks, CA 91320.

Schein, E.H.  (2010).  Organizational culture and leadership fourth edition.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  San Francisco, CA  94103-1741.