Learning Agility: Many Questions, a Few Answers, and a Path Forward

Abstract

This article responds to and extends the commentaries offered in response to our focal article on learning agility. After summarizing the basic themes in the commentaries, we use this response to clarify points that were unclear in our original article and push back on certain points raised in a few of the responses. In particular, we reframe the rigor-relevance debate from an ''either-or'' to a ''both-and'' discussion, clarify the relationship between learning agility and ability to learn, explain how learning agility in organizations moves beyond cognition, and describe how exchanges such as the one we have collectively engaged in here are central to progressing the scientific study on learning agility and its effective use in practice.

Unravelling leadership potential: conceptual and measurement issues

“…Intelligence as a sole predictor might be insufficient when selecting on the capacity of individuals to learn and change their own behaviour regarding non job-knowledge (e.g., social or emotional) components (DeRue et al, 2012b;De Meuse et al, 2012). Recently, learning agility (i.e., to effectively learn and to apply prior learnings) has received increased academic interest, and is assumed to be key in predicting long-term leadership effectiveness (e.g., DeRue et al, 2012a;De Meuse et al, 2010, 2012Eichinger & Lombardo, 2004).…”

Developing a Conceptual Integrated Model for the Employee's Learning Agility

“…The current research aims to develop a conceptual model of learning agility through an integrative literature review. Previous studies have tried to distinguish learning ability from learning agility to prevent problems that could arise from using the terms interchangeably (De Meuse et al, 2012; DeRue et al, 2012b). The purpose of this study is to develop conceptual models by identifying what sub‐factors can capture the characteristics of learning agility.…”

“…Learning agility is defined as the ability to flexibly apply the knowledge and skills required in task performance by pursuing self‐directed learning, reflection, and feedback to address problems arising from fast change and unpredictable environments, and to perform tasks based on personal experience (DeRue et al, 2012b; Gravett & Caldwell, 2016; Hallenbeck, 2016; Lombardo & Eichinger, 2000). Therefore, this study describes the process of learning meaningful lessons from experiences through individual level learning theory.…”

The effect of implementation intentions on transfer of training

“…A third possible explanation may be that forming implementation intentions contributes to learning agility—the willingness and ability to learn new competencies in order to perform under first time, tough, or different conditions (Lombardo & Eichinger, ). De Rue, Ashford, and Myers () suggested that cognitive processes such as cognitive simulations—prospective visualization of possible future situations and developing strategies that can be applied in these future situations—enhance learning agility. Individuals can think about how they might act in a situation, forecast, and make predictions about potential future situations and through this forecasting come up with possible solutions and behavioral intentions for what they might do in that situation.…”