26th March 2008
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Action learning
- A powerful way for leaders to learn from other leaders.
- A simple yet powerful tool for personal and professional development.
- A structured networking opportunity with a small group of people giving you the environment to ask questions, seek answers, gain support and expect challenge.
- A process where people become mentors to each other–
learning with and through each other. - The chance to learn from, and be supported by, a skilled facilitator.
- The opportunity to work on real problems and implement solutions –
management development which is learning by doing.
In an action learning set participants are able to raise difficult questions, discuss sensitive issues, and share their learning in a supportive environment, secure in the knowledge that ‘what’s said in the room stays in the room’. An action learning set can be with peers from your organisation (see in-house sets for organisation development ) or a mixed set where you can work with peers from different sectors and different professional backgrounds (see action learning sets for senior managers and chief executives).
Where does it come from?
Action learning was developed in the 1940s by Reg Revans when he set up management development programmes for the National Coal Board. Reg Revans died on the 8th January 2003. In the 96 years of his extraordinary life he was an astrophysicist, Olympic athlete, educational administrator, university professor and international management consultant to industrial and commercial organisations.
His original training as a scientist enabled him to devise a new process for management development recreating the benefits of the research laboratory where colleagues share and compare problems, ideas and solutions. He called it action learning.
In creating the practice of action learning for the National Coal Board Reg Revans enabled managers to learn from each others’ best practice. He allocated them groups which he called action learning sets where they could gain support and confidence from peers and introduce new ways of working. He was able to demonstrate that action learning was successful by measuring coal pit productivity – membership of an action learning set improved the pit’s performance.
Action learning has developed in the last sixty years as a method for individual and organisation development . As a process action learning can be challenging and informative. Within organisations Reg Revans described it as “the upward communication of doubt” – an opportunity for individuals to engage in learning and identifying action which could make a positive difference to the organisation’s effectiveness. Reg Revans was, for example, one of the first to introduce to the National Health Service the idea that nurses, doctors and administrators needed to listen to and understand each other. He uses action learning sets to create this opportunity.
In the last sixty years action learning has developed in many different forms. For more information you can contact the International Foundation for Action Learning
Action Learning Associates
In recent years, action learning has been further developed by Ruth Cook, founder and Director of Action Learning Associates.
Ruth’s insightful approach with action learning continues to transform lives and workplace cultures with inspired thinking and real life solutions. All colleagues at Action Learning Associates are experienced facilitators, who work to a specified process that follows these principles.
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