How Learning and Development can learn from Ecology

Ever heard of the term “the edge effect”? If you’re like me and you don’t work in ecology, you may not have. I hadn’t until very recently.

In ecology, the edge effect refers to the increase in species variety and in population density at the boundary between two different habitats or ecosystems.

Pretty cool, right?

You might wonder why an L&D professional is writing about ecological boundaries. When I first encountered this concept, I couldn't shake the feeling that it applies directly to adult learning in organizations. After taking time to let the idea simmer, the connections became clear: the edge effect is what happens, or should happen, when different skill sets and perspectives intersect.

 The Edge Effect in Ecology (Source: Deep Green Permaculture)

Where the Edge Effect Happens in L&D

Imagine two distinct groups within an organization as habitats, where "species" represent skills:

• Group A (e.g., Software Engineering): Deep technical expertise, systems thinking, logic-driven problem-solving.

• ·Group B (e.g., Product Management): Market orientation, stakeholder negotiation, concise messaging.

Figure 1: Creating hybrid competencies at the intersection

When these two groups meet at the boundary, they don't just share knowledge; they create new hybrid competencies. Because humans are a social species, these newly acquired skills don't stay at the boundary. They spread back into the broader team cultures. This applies to cross-team communication, leadership development, up-and-down mentorship, and cross-cultural collaboration.

Figure 2: Skills spreading reciprocally into both ecosystems

Where Organizations Fall Short

Too often, L&D programs treat learning as a one-way street. One group is expected to adapt to the "ecosystem" of another, without any reciprocal learning.

Figure 3: The missed opportunity of one-way skill transfer

We see this frequently:

• An offshore team is trained on how to work with headquarters, but headquarters receives no training on collaborating with the offshore team.

• Developers are taught business communication skills, but project managers aren't taught basic technical foundations.

• Mid-level managers are trained to think strategically, but executives aren't exposed to the daily operational realities of frontline teams.

One-way skill transfer misses the entire benefit of the edge effect. The richest innovation and learning occur at the intersection where both sides adapt and exchange ideas.

The Takeaway

Next time you design a learning program, take a step back and ask:

Are we building a one-way pipeline, or are we leveraging the edge effect? 

Look for boundaries where two distinct groups meet, and design learning environments that encourage reciprocal growth.

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If you want to read more about the edge effect in ecology:

Landry, J., et al. (2021). Trends in studies of edge influence on vegetation at human-created and natural forest edges across time and space. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 51(6), 837–853. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2020-0308

If you want to read more about it in learning and innovation:

Edmondson, A. C., & Harvey, J.-F. (2018). Cross-boundary teaming for innovation: Integrating research on teams and knowledge in organizations. Human Resource Management Review, 28(4), 347–360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2017.03.002

Ernst, C., & Chrobot-Mason, D. (2011). Boundary spanning leadership: Six practices for solving problems, driving innovation, and transforming organizations. McGraw-Hill / Center for Creative Leadership.

Qi, L., Li, Y., & Wang, X. (2022). Innovation in boundary-spanning technology M&A: A fuzzy-set analysis of diversity dynamics. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 766166. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.766166