Traditional command-and-control cultures obviate learning by literally ‘commanding’ and ‘controlling’ the work, and making decisions about the work far away from it with arbitrary measures.

Traditional Culture  Improvement Culture 
I am my job The system/processes has a purpose
Functional ethic (win / lose / blame) Process ethic (cooperation for improvement)
Attention to output (causes distortion)i.e. ‘fix’ mentality Attention to process/system (what causes patterns?) ie: ‘learn’ mentality
Decisions made by management Decisions-making in the work
Design separated from processes Design from process

An improvement culture is much more than slogans. When design is in process and decision-making is in the work, using real measures, the system becomes adaptive; learning and improvement is natural and continuous.