Organizational Learning
PROJECT
Meyer Organizational Learning + Learning Week
Portland, OR | 2018 - 2020
CLIENT / PARTNER Meyer Memorial Trust
ROLE Learning + Design Strategy Consultant, Project Design Lead + Manager, Facilitator, Visual Designer
SUMMARY + PROCESS
Project was part of Meyer’s new CEO’s overall plan and commitment to create a robust learning organization and connect culture, strategy and practices to achieve Meyer’s goals as a mission-based foundation. It consisted of two distinctive but connected subset of learning work:
Learning Week
Learning Week was a dedicated space for staff to listen, learn, be challenged and gain insight into the foundation’s work. Drawing on movements for change, cross-sector voices, community partners and their own experiences, together they explored the theme of risk + advocacy to deepen their analysis and engagement.
Conceptualized and organized a deeply collaboration-based, intensive learning experience for all staff as part of CEO’s vision
Used participatory, human-centered design to lead process for cross-departmental committee, CEO and consultant in co-designing learning agenda and program and in planning over several months
Facilitated sessions to understand staff needs and desires to design an inclusive experience
Co-designed and co-led final workshop to envision shared future state
Meyer Tribe Visits
Partnered with CEO and Communications Director who led a year-long listening and learning tour for staff and board to deepen learning and relationship with Oregon’s Native/tribe communities:
Created worksheet to capture insights from visits and curated ongoing learning sessions on topic
Co-edited institutional report to document Meyer’s journey
Facilitated a group sensemaking session at the conclusion of visit to bring learnings together across all teams and their work
photo: Fred Joe
IMPACT / OUTCOME
Organizational knowledge and data gained on Native/tribe histories and present realities were used to inform Meyer’s strategy to increase grantmaking support for Native/tribe communities throughout the state.
In addition to creating stronger alignment across teams, Learning Week and Meyer’s years-long learning and reimagining process catalyzed major shifts in Meyer’s mission, strategy and culture including: adopting a justice-based framework and an explicitly anti-racist, intersectional feminist approach throughout their work and moving towards participatory-based grantmaking.