Action Learning Benefits
Action Learning grew from the work of Professor Reg Revans at Salford University. He realised from his wartime experience that a group of people brought together to work on what they do not know is often a powerful instrument for discovery and learning.
Action Learning ranges in practice from groups in which the facilitator is there purely to enable the group to function well to situations where the facilitator adds content to the point where they are close to being trainers.
Our own view, borne of much experience, is much nearer the former. The whole purpose is to draw out the ideas, resources and experience latent within the group. Nevertheless, our facilitators also have organisational development expertise and it appropriate sometimes to offer nuggets of information or experience from elsewhere.
In essence, at Management Futures we see Action Learning as a powerful way of working in small groups with other people in similar roles in order to work on the real issues of each individual, thereby improving individual and collective effectiveness. Each person in the group takes it in turn to present a real life problem to the group and the group as a whole works on it.
The benefits specifically include
- AL is aimed at developing a skilled response in the person whose issue is being worked on as well as in the other members of the set.
- A vehicle for problem solving and self discovery
- It is a way of finding solutions to ‘wicked problems’ – those which defy common sense or obvious solutions because every solution seems to cause another problem
- It is suited to situations where the stock of uncontested knowledge is small and where practice leads theory and where self-awareness is critically important
- Experience teaches that it works best with mpore senior rather than less senior people, possibly reflecting the more complex nature of their problems
- Cost effectiveness since facilitation of the group can be passed on to the members over time
Our experience of Action Learning
- Training of 40 AL facilitators and learning champions for the Avon, Glos and Wilts Strategic Health Authority
- Running ALS for the Public Health Directors national course for three successive years
- Running ALs for 100 newly trained mentors in the South London Strategic Health Authority
- ALS as part of four-year leadership development programme for executives in Highlands and Islands Enterprise
- ALS for new senior managers in a large country authority
- ALS 250 people on our open coaching skills courses
- ALS for senior managers on Channel 4, Lifescan Scotland and Birmingham University coaching skills courses
- ALS for BBC Resources leadership programme over many years.
The facilitation of action learning is a basic tool of all of our consultants.