Action Learning Should be Part of Your L&D Strategy Now

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Action learning is an effective way to solve problems and promote learning.

Working ‘on’ the business is a common phrase in modern leadership language. We hear it all the time, and for good reason.

It means focusing on strategy, competitive advantage, and growth. It is a vital part of effective leadership and management practice and success.

Working ‘on’ the Business

The concept of working ‘on’ the business is somewhat special. Typically, it is exclusively the work of organisational leaders, but it doesn’t have to be that way, and nor should it be.

We can see evidence of this in effective continuous improvement practice. Particularly in workplace health and safety.

Organisations that take a consultative, collaborative approach across different levels of the business consistently report better improvement outcomes than those with a more closed approach to continuous improvement.

Action learning is more than a creative way to learn. It is an effective way to innovate.

It creates a new way to solve problems and create action and change.

Action learning is also an effective way to facilitate others in an organisation to work ‘on’ the business in a structured, consistent way.

What is Action Learning?

Action learning is an effective approach to solving ‘real’ problems, or develop real ‘whole of business’ opportunities that involves collaboration, reflection, and action.

It’s a proven development methodology, viewed as way of transforming culture, and promoting learning, and driving performance improvement, innovation and growth.

Action learning starts with questioning and reflective listening.

Reg Revans developed the concept in the 40’s. It started with him in his lab. Reg recognised the importance of the need to ask the ‘silly’ questions and not to make out you had all the answers.

Fundamentally, action learning emphasises learning from each other’s experiences rather than from experts. It is based on the premise we can solve problems through our own experience and learning.

Action Learning Groups

Action learning involves forming a group to focus on a project, or problem. The group (typically 5 -7 people) meet regularly over a pre determined period. That can be anything from eight weeks to twelve months.

Group membership is on a voluntary basis, and ideally across different areas, and levels of the business. The project ideas are determined by the self-led group.

Groups work particularly well when they are led by a champion of the particular cause.

Here’s An Idea

Action learning emphasises learning from each other’s experiences.

Once a problem, or project has been identified by the group the process starts. The group ask questions to clarify the problem. The group then reflect collaboratively, identifying possible solutions, before only then taking action.

Action learning: clarify, question, act and learn

Reporting by the group is part of the learning and project process. For example, they may report back to a nominated peer group. They may also provide an executive presentation, where ideas can be progressed. How far groups progress ideas will be dependant on the project and group.

For example, a group may determine a workable idea and progress it only as far as concept stage. Some groups may take an idea through to implementation and change.

There is no learning without action…there is no action without learning”

R.Revans

Action learning is a creative way to learn. It is also a creative way to create action and organisational change.

Action learning encourages new, and different thinking. The process challenges members to think about how things are done. And also how they could be done differently, more effectively.

Action learning groups though are for more than problem solving and innovation. As the name suggests, they are also for learning.

Why Choose Action Learning?

Action learning is an asset to every learning and development (L&D) strategy.

The aim of a action learning group is to problem solve and implement organisational change, and to use that change as a means for learning. The group collectively learn from the collective process.

The concept of action learning involves both support, and challenge processes. Members use a range skills from active listening to critical thinking skills as part of the collective process.

A Strategy with Benefits

Action learning provides more than creative solutions and innovation to business, it supports organisational, and individual learning and development.

Leading organisations are learning organisations. To be competitive in the current environment, organisations need to continually learn and improve. Action learning is an effective way to do this.

Action learning is how an organisation can learn.

It promotes organisational agility and adaptability. The process promotes flexibility in thinking, improving problem solving capabilities, leading to organisations being more agile, and responsive.

By nature, action learning improves collaboration and team cohesion as people work together clarifying the problem, and identifying solutions. It also provides an opportunity to collaborate in a different way with the senior leadership team and other areas of the business.

Make Action Learning Part of Your L&D

Action learning groups can take various forms, and can look a little different for every L&D program. Many organisations run action learning groups under the banner of ‘continuous improvement’ groups.

Continuous improvement tends to make sense to more people than ‘action learning’, and it also says a lot about what the group is about. It is more than learning, it is about doing things better and change.

Whatever you call it, or how your program looks, it should have structure with clear deliverables. And most importantly involve collaboration, reflection, and importantly, action. The essence of action learning.

Remember it was Revans, the man behind action learning that famously said, “There is no learning without action…there is no action without learning”

If action learning isn’t already of part of your L&D strategy, it should be.