Communities of practice exhibit a two-way feedback loop

There’s a two-way feedback loop between communities of practice and the organization to which they belong:

1. The organization chooses to nurture and support specific communities of practice over others, depending on which capabilities the organization needs.
2. Through their work, communities of practice may also inform the organization’s strategic direction or uncover new avenues to explore.

The organization must limit itself to supporting the community of practice without being overly prescriptive, as that would restrict its efficacy: communities of practice work best when they form organically.

References

• The Systems Thinker – Communities of Practice: Learning as a Social System - The Systems Thinker