The first phase of the programme was started in May 1998 and the second phase in October l998. The approach was chosen to facilitate a change of culture to lifelong learning in line with the organisation’s strategic direction and local business strategy. It was initiated and run by senior line managers and presented as an opportunity for volunteers.

The two programmes covered 114 participants across two divisions in the following roles:-

The approach now forms part of Ericsson’s learning and development strategy in the UK. It is already an integral part of the company’s two-year graduate scheme and is planned for the management leadership programme.

• We have an environment of continuous learning and development that fosters lifelong learning for our employees
• We have people who proactively take initiatives
• Ericsson shall have a Research and Development organisation set for speed and flexibility

Local Objectives:-

• To encourage people to take charge of their own development so that we would avoid the situation where people were waiting passively for others to organise courses or learning activities
• To get the most out of the time that people were investing in learning activities
• To provide an approach to learning that people would enjoy, was collaborative, highly visible and where people would take a creative approach to identifying sources of learning

• Designing and developing the programme
• Briefing sessions
• One-day off-site workshop
• Six Learning Group meetings over a period of 10 months with external Learning Group Advisers
• Half-day reflection at the end of the programme

• Focus groups with participants
• Questionnaire based survey of participants

Research conducted by Robert Lines, a Senior Line Manager within Ericsson, for his MBA (1998).

Achievements

• People working with others to pursue learning goals: 88% of respondents stated that set members had helped to generate ideas and solutions to problems they had encountered in their learning goals.
• People viewing their careers in terms of learning and development
• People taking a proactive approach to their future direction
• Evidence of a change in approach to responsibility for learning against Kotter’s (1996) mental habits:

1. Honest assessment of success and failures, especially the latter
2. Aggressive collection of information and ideas from others
3. Propensity to listen to others
4. Willingness to view life with an open mind
5. Risk taking and a willingness to push oneself out of comfort zone

• People focussing on longer-tem goals and objectives as well as ‘day to day’ fire-fighting
• Increased networking, coaching and support between people

“… it (SML) will build a different type of culture where people are responsible for their own futures as opposed to thinking ‘My manager knows what I need to learn – I’ll just wait for him or her to let me know’. ‘Empowerment’, that’s the word I was looking for.”
From a Software Designer:

“I was surprised it worked. In the early days I couldn’t see how a bunch of people from different areas would be able to help other people learning different things. But I guess with SML you don’t always need to be told the answer. Sometimes people suggest something that leads you to the solution indirectly. Often just the opportunity to discuss an issue makes you realise that you knew the answer all the time.”

From another participant:

“I feel that I have benefited from an increase in confidence that I can change things and learn. I guess it has made me more positive about trying new things.