Learning While Doing in the Human Services: Becoming a Learning Organization Through Organizational Change

Abstract

Making mistakes during organizational change is surprisingly easy despite extensive “lesson learning” in the professional change management literature. Human services leaders overseeing organizational changes such as integrating a new model or evidence-based practice must prepare to monitor and adjust their course. The “learning while doing” approach relies on data and on adjusting the implementation plan and the underlying ways of doing business. This article describes one agency's successful large-scale administrative, program, and practice change that resulted in better outcomes, stronger infrastructure as a learning organization, and a set of lessons with implications for change management in child welfare and other human services organizations.

Keywords:

• child welfare
• foster care
• leadership
• learning organization
• management
• organizational change
• organizational learning
• program evaluation

Acknowledgments

The authors deeply appreciate the support from the staff, administration, and families at Casey Family Services. Opinions presented do not necessarily express those of Casey Family Services or the Annie E. Casey Foundation.