Why Learning - Oriented Leaders Thrive
When organizations face complexity, some leaders freeze, some react, and some lean in with curiosity. For Ryan Smerek, associate professor with Northwestern’s Master of Science in Learning and Organizational Change (MSLOC) program, that third response is at the heart of what he describes as a “learning orientation.”
A longtime researcher of workplace behavior and leadership effectiveness, Smerek explored this topic in his book Organizational Learning and Performance and in a Psychology Today article: “What Are the Benefits of a Learning Orientation?”
In the piece, he outlines how a learning orientation—the tendency to approach challenges as opportunities to grow—has wide-reaching implications not just for individual performance, but for team dynamics and organizational change.
“In organizational psychology, the desire to be an ‘interested person’ is most commonly labeled having a ‘learning orientation,’” Smerek wrote. “A high learning orientation is approaching any situation with the motivating question: What can I learn?”
At MSLOC, we see this every day: students, alumni, and faculty modeling a mindset that treats complexity not as a threat, but as an invitation to learn.
What Is a Learning Orientation?
A learning orientation isn’t about what you know, it’s about how you approach what you don’t.
It reflects a belief that skills can be developed, feedback is valuable, and challenges are essential to growth. This contrasts with a performance orientation, where success is measured by how competent one appears rather than how much one learns.
Leaders with a learning orientation:
- View mistakes as data
- Invite feedback and reflection
- Stay grounded in uncertainty
- Model curiosity and interest in others
These are principles not just of great leadership, but of sustainable, people-centered change.
How We Teach Learning Orientation at MSLOC
Whether through our master’s program or professional certificates, MSLOC intentionally cultivates a learning orientation as a leadership competency.
Students engage in:
- Reflective practice through coaching
- Real-world experimentation with client-based projects and scenarios involving change
- Interdisciplinary learning drawing from organizational psychology, systems thinking, and design
- Peer learning communities that normalize openness and growth
You can’t lead change unless you’re willing to learn. And you can’t support others in transformation unless you’ve practiced navigating it yourself.
“Changing your learning orientation is possible by being intentional about what you can learn in any situation versus being concerned with superficially demonstrating competence,” Smerek says.
A Mindset That Sticks
The most effective leaders we see across industries, whether in tech, healthcare, education, or the social sector, don’t have all the answers. But they do have a habit of inquiry.
A learning orientation empowers them to coach rather than command, and to build resilient teams. It's also what enables MSLOC students and alumni to thrive in roles that demand more than competence—roles that call for adaptability, reflection, and emotional intelligence.
Explore Learning Orientation with MSLOC
Interested in developing your capacity as a learning-centered leader or coach?
Whether you're exploring our MS in Learning and Organizational Change or certificate programs, you'll find a curriculum built to deepen your self-awareness and strengthen your toolkit.
MSLOC is:
- Rooted in behavioral science and real-world practice
- Designed for working professionals and emerging leaders
- Committed to systems thinking and adaptive leadership
Read the full article from Psychology Today:
“What Are the Benefits of a Learning Orientation?”