Action Learning -A Powerful New Tool

for Developing Leaders, Solving Problems, Building Teams and Transforming Organizations

Dr. Michael J. MarquardtProfessor, George Washington University

President, World Institute for Action Learning

What is Action Learning?

• A process that involves a small group working on real problems, taking action, and learning while doing so

• A powerful management tool that creates dynamic opportunities for individuals, teams, leaders and organizations to successfully learn and innovate

• Acting your way to learning

Action Learning - Worldwide• Sodexho• Novartis• Siemens• Boeing• Caterpillar• Microsoft• Nokia• UN Trade Organization• Hong Kong Transit• General Electric• DuPont• Samsung• American University• Constellation Energy• Goodrich• Business School of Mauritius

Power and Benefits of Action Learning

• Solves complex problems• Develops leadership

competencies• Builds powerful teams• Generates continuous,

valuable learning by individuals

• Creates a corporate culture that can handle change and learns

• Enhances systems thinking and creativity

Components of an Action Learning Program

Project, challenge, task, or problem

Group of 4-8 people with diverse perspectives

Reflective questioning and listening

Development of systemic strategies and implementation of agreed-to actions

Commitment to learning Action Learning coach

Two Ground Rules/Guidelines in Action Learning

1. Statements only in response to questions; anyone can ask questions

2. Action learning coach has authority to intervene whenever he/she identifies learning opportunities

Demonstration of Action Learning

Problem Presenter

• Take just 1-2 minutes to highlight the key elements of the problem/challenge/task for which you would like to receive some help

• Trust that the group will ask the important information and details• Be brief. If you take too long to present, the group may (a) have difficulty

coming up with questions and (b) be bored or impatient with your details• When you provide too much detail, you may create unnecessary or

irrelevant “brush” which slows down or gets in the path which the group is seeking to find

• Answer the questions asked of you as concisely as you can• You do not have to answer questions that (a) you do not have the answer

for (“I don’t know”) or (b) for which you have not yet formed an opinion (“I need to think about that question;” “I’m not sure”)

• Feel free to ask questions of other group members

Team Members• Seek to gain a group-agreed understanding of the problem by

asking questions• Make statements only in response to questions directed

specifically to you or to the group as a whole• Feel free to ask questions of other group members as well• Try to build on each other’s questions rather than just on

getting your questions answered• Listen carefully to the questions of the action learning coach

and do not resume working on the problem until he/she asks you to continue

How Action Learning Differs from Other Problem-Solving Groups

1. Learning and team development as important as solving the problem

2. Groups charged with implementing as well as solving real problems

3. Membership not reserved to experts or involved people

4. Questions precede answers; dialogue over discussion and debate

5. Learning coach with power6. Actions and strategies requiring

systems thinking

1. Problems/Challenges for Actions Learning

• Important to the organization or individual - not a made-up exercise

• Difficult, challenging problems generates creativity, commitment and learning

• The more complex a problem, the more likely that only an action learning group can develop a systemic, successful strategy

• Problems should be feasible and within the authority and/or responsibility of group

Examples of Problems for Action Learning

• Recruiting high tech workers• Developing training programs for leaders• Improving information systems• Sony Music and revenue from singers• Improving customer service• Resolving conflict between departments• Developing a new performance appraisal system• Establishing work schedule

2. Action Learning Group

• 4-8 members to maximize creativity

• From within and outside the organization

• Diverse so as to obtain fresh viewpoints (Pizza man)

• May be familiar or unfamiliar with roles and situations

• May include external resources when needed

Attributes of Group Members

• Committed to solving problem

• Carefully listening to one another

• Willing to develop and learn• Respectful of others• Constructive and supportive • Group rather than

individually focused

3. Questioning and Reflective Process

• Questions enable us to diverge and examine from a systems perspective before we converge towards solution

• Questions allow us to reflect, to listen, to be creative, and to learn

• Questions to clarify, to open up new avenues, to unpack, to offer ideas and insights, to learn

• Time and space needed to stand back, reflect, unfreeze, and gain new perspectives

Questions are Essential for Understanding and

Reframing the Problem• Assures working on the right problem and not

symptom• Fable of the blind men and the elephant• Questioning each other is only way to get

agreement on the problem• Understanding the context as well as the

content of the problem• Seeds of solutions reside in questions

Power of Questions

1. Creative problem solving and systems thinking

2. Build group cohesiveness, listening and respect

3. Increase reflection, learning and change

4. Strategies and Action

• Holistic problem-solving

• Great goals and creative solutions

• Commitment to implementation

Holistic vs. Reductionist Approaches to Problem Solving

• Seeks broad context in which to understand a problem and its potential solutions

• Aims to find unique, novel ideas that provide solution that can endure • Puts solutions in a systems framework, recognizing interdependencies • Employs many mental models – intuitive, analytical & creative• Future oriented; focuses on creating solutions that may solve other

problems

• Limits context to the problem itself

• Aims to find a single, immediate solution that “fixes” the problem

• Specifies changes only in terms of the parts of the problem

• Employs rational, empirical thought processes

• Past oriented; focuses on solving this problem

Establishing High Level Goals and Creating Optimal Strategies

• Expand the possibilities of solutions• Asking what are we seeking to accomplish• Focusing on the future creates energy and requires anticipation of the

future• Enlarges your creative space• Elevates thinking beyond obvious first answers• Actionable strategies are built on the three questions of:

– Who knows what we are trying to do? (facts)– Who cares about getting it accomplished? (interest)– Who can get it implemented? (power)

• Use of systems thinking in developing powerful strategies• Utilize various project management methodologies

Taking Action• Action learning requires action

after each session and implementation of strategies

• Testing ideas in the real world determines if strategies are effective and practical

• Merely recommending diminishes creativity and commitment

• Deep and real learning occurs when reflecting on real action

5. Focus on Individual, Team and Organization-Wide Learning

• Members take responsibility for own, group’s, and organization’s learning

• Time set aside to talk about learnings and how they can be applied systematically elsewhere

• Leveraging and linking of knowledge serves as a multiplier of action learning’s benefits

Learning Quickly and Continuously

• Learning = Existing Knowledge + Questions + Reflection

• Skill development requires (a) commitment to skill, (b) practice, (c)feedback (d) self-reflection and awareness

• Learning how to learn• Alters beliefs, values and

basic assumptions

6. Action Learning Coach• Ensure sufficient time for capturing

learnings• Help members to reflect on interactions

and implications of actions to be taken• Assure norms and processes are

followed• Create an atmosphere of learning and

reflective inquiry• Only asks questions related to learning

and problem and goal clarity• May be group member or “external”

partner although a trained, certified coach will enable the group to identify great actions and achieve great learning in a much quicker, more efficient manner

Coach Accelerates Performance and Learning

• Problem Framing Questions• Action Strategies

Questions• Group Effectiveness

Questions• Individual Learning

Questions• Organizational Application

Questions

Action Learning Coach• Describe the two ground rules• Identify the leadership skills

• Question to begin action learning session– (To problem presenter) Could you take a minute or so to tell us the problem or

task that you would like the group to help you with?• Questions at first intervention (8-10 minutes into session)

– How are we doing as a group thus far? (Ask each member for a 1-2 word assessment; i.e., okay, not okay, great, etc.)

– What are we doing well?– What could we do better?– Do we have agreement on the problem – yes or no? Why don’t we all write it

down? Is there agreement? Continue.• Questions at conclusion of session

– (To the presenter) What action are you going to take as a result of this session? Were you helped? How?

– (To the entire group) What did we do best as a group? Let’s explore how each of us demonstrated our leadership skills. What did we learn that we could apply to our lives/organizations?

• Simple actions built on numerous disciplines and theories

• Action learning uniquely able to interweave divergent perspectives

• Key theoretical disciplines:– Learning/education– Sociology/anthropology and

groups– Organizational behavior– Leadership/management– Physics, systems thinking,

engineering and chaos theory– Psychology and biology– Economics, ethics, and others

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Power of Action Learning based on Multiple Disciplines and Theories

Benefits of Action Learning • Develops leaders and

teams of leaders• Solves complex and

important problems• Develops systems thinking

and creativity• Builds teams• Creates learning cultures

and learning organizations

Leadership Development• Every leadership competency can

be developed when working with a group over whom one has no control on a problem with no know solution

• Opportunities for self-reflection as well as supportive feedback from peers who are committed to helping us develop

• Everyone is here to learn and become a team of leaders

• Action learning coach is perfect model of 21st century leader

• Action learning diminishes blind spots and expand capabilities

Framing and Solving Problems• Gaining fresh perspectives

and new ways of seeing issues

• Macro and micro views• Generate “breakthrough”

insights, solutions, and effective strategies

• Complement and contribute to other organizational operations

Systems Thinking

• Skill of seeing: “wholes ” rather than parts; relationships rather than linear cause-effect patterns; underlying structures rather than events; patterns of changes rather than snapshots

• Knowing when and how to leverage

• Identifying underlying causes and impacts

Building and Guiding Teams• Action learning builds team

performance, team learning, and individual satisfaction

• Sharing responsibility and accountability on real problems builds strong team unity and success

• Questions and shared learning build powerful caring and cohesion

• Working on agreed-to problems develops clearness of task, strong communications and commitment

Creating Organizational Change and Building Learning Organizations

• Organizations are now able to adapt to change more quickly

• Action learning groups are models of learning organizations

• Leaders assure that knowledge is captured and transferred

• Every event is a learning opportunity

• Learning is connected to all business goals

Questions/Learnings/Ideas