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The Program on Social and Organizational Learning (PSOL) is offering a unique program of study through the Coaching and Organizational Learning certificate program. This is a not-for-credit certificate designed to help participants become more effective actors in their professional and personal lives. To create the course GMU collaborated with New Field Networks, a professional organization that has been training and certifying coaches for more than fifteen years.
"Coaching is about becoming a different observer of the world," said Professor Mark Addleson, PSOL director and coaching certificate course instructor. "This program provides the framework for participants to do just that. Organizations are really a network of conversations, and this certificate develops capabilities for those working for organizational change and offers ways to look at connections within their organizations."
The program is grounded in contemporary thinking that includes the biology of cognition, the philosophy and ontology of language, and body movement studies. It encourages participants to become observers of themselves and their learning processes, as well as the learning processes of others. The instructors promote exploring and challenging existing personal and organizational belief systems and link experiential learning and academic study.
This is the third year for the certificate program. Twenty-two participants, mostly mid-career professionals representing project leaders, HR professionals and organizational development consultants, began their studies in March. They will meet for five modules, which consist of four or five days of classes in a row, over nine months. In between the modules, the students work with coaches and in study groups, for a total of 130 hours of study.
"This program was an attempt
to come at organizational learning from a different perspective,"
said Professor Addleson. "The world is undergoing enormous changes,
and we need to have ways to manage that. It really is about letting people
get on with that."