From the days of Descartes and Newton, or even from the days of the Greek gang of three (Socrates, Plato and Aristotle) we have been analytical or reductionist in our thinking. We break problems down into parts and assume that if all the parts are right then the whole will be right. It was from the time of Einstein and the study of subatomic physics that we began to realise the importance of interconnections and interdependences. It is not so much the parts but the forces that underpin their interrelationships that determines our natural world.

With learning we are still prone to be reductionsit in our thinking. We see learning as a challenge for the individual. But we omit to recognise the learning potential of the whole - society or the organisation. Arie de Gues, Peter Senge etc see companies as living entities, where the parts, us humans, combine to create a dynamic whole.

Might we use the brain as an analogy

Intelligence of a brain is a function not only of the capability of each brain cell but also of all the neural connections between the cells. When developing intelligence we see the brain as a whole. The analogy is that it is the same with organisations? The organisation's capability is a function of the whole which includes the ability of the individual and the effectiveness of all the links between individuals.

The DLN therefore recognises two customers.

• The Individual member whose aim is to increase their own understanding and effectiveness
• The Organisation with its culture, systems design, communication, knowledge management, improvement culture etc

For further development of the above theme see: articles: