What difference does collaborating, learning and adapting make to development? - USAID (2017)
This USAID note summarizes the findings of a foundational literature review of academic and gray literature answering key
learning questions:
• Does an intentional, systematic and resourced approach to collaborating, learning and adapting contribute to
organizational effectiveness? To development outcomes?
• If so, how? And under what circumstances?
• How do we measure the contribution?
The note provides 12 findings
- Strategic collaboration improves performance
- Donor staff success linked to using locally led approaches
- Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) are positively and significantly associated with achieving
development outcomes when incorporated into program management and designed to support learning
and decision making. - Using evidence to make decisions is more likely to occur when decision makers themselves
demand, define and interpret evidence. - Taking the time to pause and reflect on our work is critical to learning and improving
performance. - Adaptive management contributes to sustainable development particularly when it has
leadership support, public support and an adequate investment of time. - Individuals who are curious, have “growth mindsets,” and are able to empathize with their
colleagues are generally better able to adapt to changing circumstances. - Leaders are essential to creating a learning culture, the foundation of learning
organizations. - Continuous learning is linked with job satisfaction, empowerment, employee engagement
and, ultimately, improved performance and outcomes. - Quality knowledge management systems have a significant impact on project performance.
- Teams that have high levels of trust and are considered safe for interpersonal risk-taking
tend to be better at learning and adapting. - Managing adaptively is more likely to improve outcomes when decision-making autonomy
is placed as close to frontline staff and local partners as possible.