McCombs School of Business | Ms. Customer Obsessed Entrepreneur
GRE 300, GPA 3.4
Harvard | Ms. Craniofacial
GRE 313, GPA 3.7
Foster School of Business | Mr. Mediocre Scores, Great WE
GRE 309, GPA 2.7
NYU Stern | Mr. Risky Analyst
GMAT 740, GPA 2.4
Kellogg | Mr. AVP Healthcare
GRE 332, GPA 3.3
USC Marshall | Mr. Senior Consultant
GRE 320, GPA 3.36
Wharton | Ms. MBA Aspire
GMAT 700, GPA 3.1
Harvard | Mr. Fitness Startup
GMAT 750, GPA 3.20
Harvard | Ms. VC Hopeful
GMAT 730 (Target), GPA 3.3
Cornell Johnson | Mr. Global Technological Solutions
GMAT 710, GPA 3.7
Kellogg | Mr. MBB Private Equity
GMAT TBD (target 720+), GPA 4.0
Stanford GSB | Mr. Healthtech
GMAT 740, GPA 3.0
Columbia | Mr. Education Leadership
GMAT 680, GPA 4.0
Harvard | Ms. 2+2 ENG Entrepreneur
GRE 322, GPA 3.82
USC Marshall | Mr. Colombian Healthcare
GMAT 720, GPA 3.25
Harvard | Mr. Half-letic
GMAT 720, GPA 3.45
Harvard | Ms. Retail Forever
GRE 320, GPA 3.5
Harvard | Mr. Life Science Consultant
GMAT 700, GPA 3.73
Wharton | Ms. Investment Banker
GMAT 720, GPA 8.65/10
Harvard | Mr. Doctor Going VC
GMAT 700, GPA 3.5
Wharton | Mr. Petrophysicist
GMAT 720, GPA 3.5
Berkeley Haas | Mr. Robotics Entrepreneur
GMAT 770, GPA 3.7
Harvard | Mr. Navy Supply
GMAT 730, GPA 3.8
Duke Fuqua | Mr. Tech Innovator
GRE 317, GPA 3.65
Tepper | Ms. Project Manager Muffy
GMAT 500, GPA 2.89
NYU Stern | Mr. Finance Manager
GMAT 660, GPA 2.6
USC Marshall | Ms. Innovation Driver
GMAT 590, GPA 72%
Stay informed.
Sign Up!
PQ Logo
Today's Featured Schools
Cornell Johnson Logo
University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
Toggle navigation PQ Logo
Today's Featured Schools
Today's Featured Schools
Cornell Johnson Logo
University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
  • Search for:
  • Sign In
  • Register
  • News
    • MBA News
    • Archives By Category
  • Rankings
    • Rankings Home
    • Poets&Quants Top 100 MBA Ranking
    • Poets&Quants International Top 50 MBA Ranking
    • Poets&Quants Best Online MBA Ranking
    • Best MBA Programs For Entrepreneurship
    • Fantasy MBA Ranking Game
  • Schools
    • MBA Programs
    • Executive MBA Programs
    • Online MBA Programs
    • Specialized Masters Programs
    • Gies Business | Partner Publisher
    • Insider’s Guides to the Top Business Schools
    • School Videos & Deep Dives
  • Admissions
    • MBA Admissions News & Advice
    • MBA Admissions Consultant Directory
    • MBA Watch
    • Handicapping Your MBA Odds
    • Calculate My MBA Odds
    • Making Your MBA Happen With Fortuna Admissions
    • MBA Watch Video Assessments
    • More Videos & Admissions Advice
    • Podcasts By P&Q
  • GMAT / GRE
    • Test Prep Advice & News
    • Test Prep Resources From Manhattan Prep
  • Students
  • Jobs
  • EMBA
  • Online MBA
  • Masters
  • Events
    • Poets&Quants preMBA Networking Festival
    • CentreCourt MBA Admissions Festival
    • CentreCourt Specialized Masters Admissions Festival
    • Backstage With Poets&Quants: Top Online MBA Admissions Event
    • Backstage With Poets&Quants: UNDERGRAD Business Admissions Event
  • Videos
  • MBA Watch
Poets&Quants on Twitter Poets&Quants on RSS Feed Poets&Quants on Facebook Poets&Quants on YouTube Poets&Quants on LinkedIn Poets&Quants on Soundcloud
  • News
  • Rankings
    • Top 100 MBA Ranking
    • Top 50 International MBA Ranking
    • Top Programs For Entrepreneurship
    • Top Online MBA Ranking
    • All MBA Rankings
    • Fantasy MBA Ranking Game
  • Schools & Programs
    • MBA Programs
    • Executive MBA Programs
    • Online MBA Programs
    • Specialized Masters Programs
    • Gies Business | Partner Publisher
    • Insider’s Guides To Top Schools
  • Admissions
    • Admissions News & Advice
    • Admissions Consultant Directory
    • MBA Watch
    • Handicapping Your MBA Odds
    • Calculate My MBA Odds
    • Admissions Advice | Fortuna
    • MBA Watch Video Assessments
  • MBA Watch
  • GMAT / GRE
    • Test Prep Advice & News
    • Manhattan Prep Resources
  • Students
  • MBA Jobs
  • Executive MBA
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Events
    • preMBA Networking Event
    • MBA Admissions Events
    • Online MBA Admissions Events
    • Masters Admissions Events
  • Videos & Podcasts
  1. Home
  2. Admissions News & Features
  3. How To Learn Our Way To Success

How To Learn Our Way To Success

by: Willie Pietersen, Professor of the Practice of Management at Columbia Business School on July 23, 2020 | 0 Comments Comments 129 Views
July 23, 2020

success during a crisis

“Darwin asserted that if anyone or anything is to survive in this world, it must learn to adapt.” – James Simon

Human progress depends on our ability to learn and adapt. All the major advances in history have involved a process of discovery, much of it based on trial and error. The graphic below describes the four revolutions that have ushered in the modern era. *

The agrarian age lasted for about 10,000 years, the industrial age for 200, the information age for 50, and the conceptual age is a mere 20 years old. We can sum up recent progress in one word: acceleration. Our challenge is to cope with increasing disruption and change. As Virginia Rometty, the former CEO of IBM, put it: “In the future, the most important quality any worker can possess will be the propensity to learn”.

Learning in a crisis

At times of crisis, our ability to learn rapidly becomes the overriding factor for success, and often of our survival. However, the specific learning techniques we apply must match the situation we face. In other words, we must learn strategically. Crises fall into two basic prototypes – Episodic Crises and Emergent Crises. As described below, each demands its own unique method of learning.

Episodic crises

These are sudden, catastrophic, and short-lived events, but they leave an aftermath of destruction. Examples are natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, or occurrences like the terrorist attacks on 9/11.

The main form of learning required in these situations is the After-Action Review (AAR). It is a simple but powerful methodology, responding to these questions: What was meant to happen? What actually happened? Why did it happen? How can we prevent it from happening again?

The US military has perfected this technique and applies it rigorously after every engagement or simulation. I have participated in a number of simulations at the US Army War College and have been struck by the unwavering ability of the facilitators to arrive at “ground truth,” which is often painful to acknowledge. The process requires intellectual and moral honesty, a relentless pursuit of root causes, a “no blame” mentality, and delivery of specific plans to address any problems. The learning is then disseminated across the entire military system, thus producing a shared process of improvements over time.

Some years ago, on a visit to Tokyo, I woke up in the middle of the night in my hotel room with my bed shaking. It was pronounced but unthreatening, and in a way quite pleasant. Some beds have vibration as a feature, and I wondered whether this bed had been activated by mistake. After a few minutes the shaking stopped, and, undeterred, I went back to sleep.

The next morning, I heard the dramatic news. Tokyo had been struck by a major earthquake the night before. But my hotel, apart from some broken crockery, was unscathed. So were the vast majority of buildings in Tokyo. Japan has learned systematically from a long history of earthquakes and has devised creative methods of constructing virtually “earthquake-proof” high-rise buildings that have saved thousands of lives.

It is chilling but noteworthy that every time there is a plane crash, aviation gets safer. The industry is relentless in its quest to identify the root causes of failures. Once the diagnosis is complete, the learning is rapidly shared across the industry. The statistics on airline safety testify to the success of this approach. In 1959 there were 40 fatal accidents per million departures in the US. Today, there are 0.1 per million, despite the vast increase in air traffic.

After the appalling tragedy on 9/11, an AAR was conducted by an impartial national commission. The investigation revealed a harsh reality – the failure to synthesize early warning signals that had been identified in different parts of the sprawling US intelligence system. With the benefit of a holistic picture, this catastrophe could potentially have been prevented. The result of this finding was the creation of the Director of National Intelligence, whose job it is to coordinate information picked up in the numerous intelligence agencies and thereby keep the nation safer.

Every organization can master the AAR method of learning from its successes and failures. This is, after all, how science learns. The task always is to ensure that the value of the learning is bigger than the cost of mistakes.

To bring this down to earth, we can draw inspiration from a farmer’s homespun philosophy when his cow falls into a ditch. First, get the cow out of the ditch; then find out why the cow fell into the ditch; and finally ensure the cow never falls into the ditch again.

Emergent crises

These crises involve a relentless flow of escalating harm, where both the cause and the solutions are uncertain, and where there is no clear endpoint. The current pandemic is a prime example. Emergent crises differ from episodic crises in fundamental ways and require a totally different kind of learning.

The challenge in these cases is to make rapid choices in a fast-moving environment, with incomplete information. If the growth of the crisis outpaces our ability to adapt, chaos would ensue. This demands a process of dynamic learning and continuous recalibration as events unfold.

Learning our way through the crisis

Here, based on the best evidence, are the key learning methods to apply at both the governmental and organizational levels in an emergent crisis:

Frame the challenge

The springboard for shared learning is to frame the challenge in a clear and honest way, so that everyone can understand the nature of the problem and “the reason why” for the tough choices that will follow. Vivid metaphors and examples help to simplify the issues. Statements like, “The virus respects no boundaries,” and “When you keep yourself safe, you keep me safe,” help shape the right behaviors.

Create a dynamic measurement system

To successfully navigate a fast-moving crisis, our learning methods must involve a process of continuous assessment and re-assessment. Such iterative learning loops help us interpret ongoing changes and calibrate our decisions in real-time. The goal is to adapt to new circumstances as they emerge. This kind of fast learning is fueled by a measurement system with the following attributes:

It is selective

Measurement performs two essential functions: it communicates to everyone what is important; and it tracks progress. Good measurement systems are highly selective. They concentrate on the four to five critical drivers of performance. To measure everything is a declaration of confusion – an admission that we don’t know what is important. Think of the gauges in the cockpit of an aircraft. There is limited space. The key is to select the critical measures of performance that the pilot can absorb at a glance. Cram too many gauges into the cockpit, and you will muddle the pilot and endanger the passengers.

It is simple and consistent

Good measures make sense to everyday people and become a source of learning for them. Consistency ensures that we are always comparing like with like. Constantly changing what we measure not only causes disorientation, it arouses suspicion that we may be practicing deception.

It tracks both leading and lagging indicators

Leading indicators are our early warning system. Lagging indicators look back and tell us how we have performed. A key leading indicator in the pandemic is the rate of infection – the so-called R factor. A rate below 1 means the infections are declining and we can continue to open up. If the rate climbs above 1, this tells us an outbreak is occurring and that we need to apply the brakes and increase suppression. Watching the R factor helps us rapidly implement remedial actions before being overwhelmed. The hospitalization and death rates, on the other hand, are lagging indicators. They reflect the results of our inputs.

It measures trends, not snapshots

Snapshots tell us nothing. They are not comparative. A graphic depiction of a trend can show us at a glance whether we are heading in the right or wrong direction. Trends tell a story, reveal the need for action, and underscore the urgency of proposed initiatives. They help everyone feel part of the journey.

It disaggregates the data

Aggregated data provide nothing more than an average, and averages have only one role in life – to disguise the truth. Furthermore, it is impossible to manage an average. We can only manage its component parts, and then the average will move. To deal effectively with a pandemic, disaggregation is essential. The data needs to be classified by factors such as demographics, location, co-morbidity, behavior patterns, etc. This breakdown enables us to determine causation, isolate problems, and solve them at their source.

We tend to glorify leadership and relegate management to a secondary role. Of course, good leadership is always necessary. We need a sense of direction, clear priorities, and an inspiring message. But in an escalating crisis, that is not enough. Given the complex analytical and logistical challenges such a crisis brings, one reality emerges clearly – the need for sheer management competence. This involves not only analytical rigor, the ability to cope with ambiguity, navigate trade-offs, and make tough decisions; it requires effective project coordination, relentless follow-up, and the ability to manage messy ground-level operations.

This pandemic will inescapably cause immense health and economic damage. However, we have been forced to invent new, ingenious ways of doing things, particularly working more effectively at a distance. Many of these benefits will endure and serve us well in the future.

Twitter has already advised its employees that most of them can continue to work from home indefinitely. This will save commuting time and office expenses, reduce pollution, and, based on their experience, preserve efficiency.

We have discovered more effective ways of delivering healthcare via telemedicine. We have now seen that routine medical evaluations can be efficiently conducted via Facetime and the like. Speaking for myself, this has been a boon. To enable this, I simply needed to purchase a blood pressure monitor, a pulse oximeter, and a device that can measure my heart rhythm via my smartphone. With the aid of these inexpensive tools, my physician can monitor my vital signs without my needing to travel to a medical office and sit in a crowded room waiting to be seen. My guess is that I save about half a day by having these examinations done online. Telemedicine methods will no doubt improve even further over time and hold the promise of transforming the delivery of medical services.

Those of us who teach have had to adapt to the virtual method during this prolonged “stay at home” period. This has compelled us to reexamine our entrenched assumptions about how students learn. We have found new ways to enhance the social connections and interactivity that enrich online learning.  Of course, online methods are not the same as in-person education. But we have learned that they offer benefits such as flexibility, variety, and reach. The choice between the two models is not binary. I believe these methods will prove to be mutually beneficial. Education faces an exciting future in which we discover how to harness a dual-channel approach to create a more creative and stimulating educational experience than traditional methods have been able to deliver.

* Section headings titles courtesy A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink


Willie Pietersen is the Professor of the Practice of Management at Columbia Business School. He specializes in strategy and the leadership of change, and his methods and ideas, especially Strategic Learning, are widely applied within Columbia‘s executive education programs, and also in numerous corporations. He has served as a teacher and advisor to many global companies, including Aviva, Bausch & Lomb, Boeing, Chubb Corp., Deloitte, DePuy, Ericsson, ExxonMobil, Henry Schein, Inc., Novartis, SAP and also the Girl Scouts of the USA.

Trending

The Worst Parts Of The MBA…From MBAs

Comments

Stanford Again Tops P&Q’s 2020-2021 Ranking Of The Best MBAs

Comments

Why Thousands Of MBAs Interview With MBB Every Year. Hint: The Money

Comments

The Atrium at Boston University's Questrom School of Business

Boston University’s New $24,000 Online MBA Is A Big Hit

Comments

Tagged: Columbia Business School, Learn Your Way To Success During A Crisis, Willie Pietersen

Post navigation

Previous Article: Online GMAT Will Now Be Available Until Dec. 31
Next Article: What If Business School Really Is All About The Money?
  • Stay Informed. Sign Up! Login
    Logout
    Search for:
    Poets&Quants on Twitter Poets&Quants on RSS Feed Poets&Quants on Facebook Poets&Quants on YouTube Poets&Quants on LinkedIn Poets&Quants on Soundcloud
  • Sponsored Blogs
    Dr. Judith Silverman Hodara Fortuna

    Should Women Apply For The MBA Differently Than Men?

    by By Judith Silverman Hodara and Caroline Diarte Edwards, Fortuna Admissions (2 days ago)
    Pascal Michels director of MBA admissions at IESE

    Don’t Be Distracted By MBA Rankings: Forbes, The Financial Times & Bad Data

    by Pascal Michels, Menlo Coaching (2 days ago)
    Scott Edinburgh

    Personal MBA Coach’s Guide To MBA Planning

    by Scott Edinburgh (3 weeks ago)

    Five Ways To Stay On Track With Your Virtual School Research

    by Donna Bauman, Stratus Admissions Counseling (2 months ago)
    Alex Collazo, Admissionado

    How To Make A Delicious MBA Application Essay

    by Alex Collazo, Managing Director of Systems & Content at Admissionado (4 months ago)
  • Advice and Articles
    • How To Use Poets&Quants MBA Admissions Consultant Directory
    • How To Select An MBA Admissions Consultant
    • MBA Admission Consulting Claims: How Credible?
    • Suddenly Cozy: MBA Consultants and B-Schools
    • The Cost: $6,850 Result: B-School

Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius

The Top
MBA Rankings

  • Rankings Home
  • Poets&Quants Top 100 MBA Ranking
  • Poets&Quants International Top 50 MBA Ranking
  • Poets&Quants Best Online MBA Ranking
  • Best MBA Programs For Entrepreneurship
  • Fantasy MBA Ranking Game

Profiles of the World's
Top Business Schools

  • Alpha List of Top School Profiles
  • Babson College
  • Copenhagen Business School
  • INSEAD
  • Ohio State's Fisher College of Business
  • Rice University Jones School
  • UC-Irvine Merage School
  • University of Pittsburgh Katz School

B-School
Smackdowns

  • Chicago vs. Northwestern
  • Columbia vs. Dartmouth
  • Dartmouth vs. Stanford
  • Harvard vs. Dartmouth
  • Harvard vs. Stanford
  • London vs. Wharton
  • Michigan vs. Northwestern
  • MIT vs. Harvard
  • Wharton vs. Columbia
Sign In / Register
Stay Connected
Poets&Quants on Twitter Poets&Quants on RSS Feed Poets&Quants on Facebook Poets&Quants on YouTube Poets&Quants on LinkedIn Poets&Quants on Soundcloud

MBA Admissions Consultant Directory

Specialized Masters Program Directory

About Poets&Quants | P&Q News Archives | Privacy Policy | Advertising & Partnerships | Editorial | Contact Us

Copyright© 2021 Poets&Quants, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Website Design By: Yellowfarmstudios.com

PQ Logo

Join Today!

Poets&Quants is with you on every step of your business school journey and career path. Members gain access our premium resources, written and curated by industry experts.




Always FREE to Every Reader

  • In-Depth Insider Guides to the very best MBA programs with hard-to-find data and analysis on the latest MBA admission trends, statistics, salaries and industry choices
  • Access to P&Q's Full-Time MBA Program Directory with detailed profiles of all the top MBA experiences
  • The world's only directory of business specializations where you can compare MS programs side-by-side
  • P&Q's Online MBA Hub, articles, rankings, and search and compare directory of the best online MBAs
  • P&Q's MBA Admissions Consultant Directory
  • Almost all of P&Q's multi-media library of videos, podcasts, and webinars
  • CentreCourt MBA Admissions Events
  • Ask The Expert Columns found on P&Q's homepage
  • Access to the best admissions advice from former business school admission officials and leading MBA admission consultants

Pay Per Article Pay for only the articles you want to read. $1.49 Select

P&Q Accelerator

Accelerate with a recurring monthly subscription or single-payment quarterly subscription and add these member-only benefits:


  • Full access to in-depth articles and commentary about current MBA issues and the world's leading business schools
  • Hard-to-find data and analysis on the latest MBA admission trends, statistics and MBA salaries and industry choices
  • Member-only access to quarterly webinars with MBA admissions directors and corporate recruiters
  • Accelerator Members have the option to be included in an annual resume book compiled and sent to the largest employers of MBAs globally
  • Access to exclusive quarterly webinars with leading admission consultants who will help you get into a highly selective MBA program
  • $25 discount on all Poets&Quants events, including the Poets&Quants preMBA Networking Festival in NYC

P&Q Accelerator

$29.99

per month, recurring Subscribe Now

$59.99

per quarter, nonrecurring Subscribe Now

P&Q Insider

A single-payment annual subscription to take advantage of P&Qs extensive network and add these benefits only for P&Q Insiders:


  • Insider membership comes with all of the Accelerator benefits, plus
  • One-hour individual admissions consulting sessions with a P&Q preferred MBA Admissions Consultant
  • Monthly briefings with P&Q Founder John A. Byrne on the latest application trends, rankings, and developments at the world's top schools
  • Access to exclusive monthly hour-long group coaching sessions with the legendary Sandy Kreisberg
  • Invitation to an Insider-only annual dinner hosted by P&Q Founder John A. Byrne in New York and San Francisco
  • $50 discount on all Poets&Quants events, including the Poets&Quants preMBA Networking Festival in NYC
  • Priority for a free MBA profile assessment in our Handicapping Your MBA Odds series and other Poets&Quants events where space is limited

P&Q Insider

$397.00

per year, nonrecurring Subscribe Now


Can I cancel my membership?

You can cancel your membership at any time. We do not offer refunds, however, delivery and accompanying benefits will continue for the remainder of the current billing period. You may cancel by emailing feedback@porticopay.com or, you may notify us of your intent to cancel at any time by emailing feedback@porticopay.com.

My school/employer is a sponsor. Can I get access through a corporate account?

We have relationships with business schools and employers who are actively looking into offering community or corporate memberships. Please check back with us at a later date. We will update this page with news about partnerships like these that may offer a free or discounted membership.

Connect Me