The Rockefeller Foundation: Mapping What Learning Means To Us
At The Rockefeller Foundation, we wanted to try something new to get our team truly excited about learning together. We started by gathering a vibrant, cross-functional group from human resources, knowledge management, strategic learning, grantee engagement, and program leadership. Guided by the Facilitator’s Playbook [link] and a facilitator from The Convive Collective, we mapped where we are, dreamed up where we want to be, and placed fake money bets on the highest-value ideas.
Two Sides of the Same Coin
We focused our energy on two areas: Sensemake and Take Action and Reflect and Adapt Together. Both shape how we analyze evidence and generate actionable insights within the foundation and with our partners. These collaborative sessions helped us see how much learning The Rockefeller Foundation is already doing across the organization, which was reassuring and motivating. By prioritizing these actions, we built a shared understanding of what a strong learning culture looks like and how to move toward it.
What We Loved
- Connecting across the foundation: a cross-functional group helped everyone see different "parts of the elephant" and broadened the coalition for learning.
- Energy from strengths: it was energizing to realize just how much great work we already have to build on.
- Shifting mindsets: defining a learning organization on a maturity spectrum - rather than a binary ‘yes we are’ / ’no we are not’ – shifted our perspective.
- Time for icebreakers: the warm-up activities gave voice to people’s hopes and doubts, creating a safe and honest space for reflection.
“Don’t assume shared mental models about learning. Unpack what learning is and why it’s important.”
What We Learned
- Get everyone energized early: take time to get leadership and teams on board with why learning matters [link to Why Learning Matters page] and how it helps them, before diving into the sessions.
- Ditch the assumptions: don't assume everyone is on the same page; take time to define what "learning", “sensemaking”, “partners” etc. actually mean for your organization.
- Let the group choose: bring everyone into the decision about which learning areas to focus on together, rather than deciding for the group.
- Provide the space for learning and reflection: reflection isn’t automatic, it requires deliberate space. Providing structured time to pause and reflect is already a win.
Learning Leader
Sarah Hanck leads Rockefeller Foundation's efforts to measure results, learn from experience, and use evidence to improve the foundation's impact on global challenges such as climate, health, food, and economic opportunity.