Action learning is a collaborative process that allows small groups to tackle real problems while learning dynamically. It enhances leadership skills, fosters team cohesion, and promotes a culture of continuous learning and innovation within organizations. Successful implementation of action learning involves skilled coaching, diverse team membership, and strong support from top leadership.

1. What
is
Ac*on
Learning?
• A
process
that
involves
a
small
group
working
on
real
problems,
taking
ac*on,
and
learning
while
doing
so
• A
powerful
management
tool
that
creates
dynamic
opportuni*es
for
individuals,
teams,
leaders
and
organiza*ons
to
successfully
learn
and
innovate
• Ac*ng
your
way
to
learning

2. Components
of
an
Ac*on
Learning
Program
• Project,
challenge,
task,
or
problem
• Group
of
4-­‐8
people
with
diverse
perspec*ves
• Reflec*ve
ques*oning
and
listening
•
Development
of
systemic
strategies
and
implementa*on
of
agreed-­‐to
ac*ons
•
Commitment
to
learning
• Ac*on
Learning
coach

3. Benefits
of
Ac*on
Learning
• Develops
leadership
competencies
• Solves
complex
and
important
problems
• Builds
high
performing
and
cohesive
teams
• Creates
learning
cultures
and
learning
organiza*ons

4. 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
solu*on
• Opportuni*es
for
self-­‐reflec*on
as
well
as
suppor*ve
specific
feedback
from
team
members
• Ac*on
learning
uniquely
able
to
incorporate
all
four
dimensions
of
leadership
development
– Important
to
individual
– Opportunity
to
prac*ce
– Feedback
– Reflec*on

5. Breakthrough
Problem
Solving
• Gaining
fresh
perspec*ves
and
new
ways
of
seeing
issues
• Systems
Thinking
which
involves
the
ability
of
seeing
“wholes
”
rather
than
parts,
rela*onships
rather
than
linear
cause-­‐effect
paTerns,
underlying
structures
rather
than
events
and
paTerns
of
changes
rather
than
snapshots
• Macro
and
micro
views
• Generate
“breakthrough”
insights,
solu*ons,
and
effec*ve
strategies

6. Builds
Great
Teams
• Ac*on
learning
builds
teams
with
high
performance,
con*nuous
improvement,
and
respecVul
caring
• Sharing
responsibility
and
accountability
on
real
problems
builds
strong
team
unity
and
success
• Powerful
norms
assure
high
high
levels
of
performance

7. Changes
Organiza*onal
Culture
and
Creates
Learning
Organiza*ons
• Ac*on
learning
groups
are
models
of
learning
organiza*ons
• Organiza*ons
are
now
able
to
adapt
to
change
more
quickly
• Every
event
is
a
learning
opportunity
• Learning
is
connected
to
all
business
goals
and
becomes
part
of
the
corporate
culture

8. Where
and
How
I
have
Implemented
Ac*on
Learning
around
the
World
• Sony
Music
• MicrosoX
• Na*onal
Bank
of
Dominica
• United
Na*ons
Environmental
Program
• Fraser
&
Neave
• Constella*on
Energy
• Morgans
Hotel
Group
• Humana
Health
Systems
• Krones

9. Sony
Music
• Quarterly
one-­‐week
leadership
development
programs
(Fast
Forward)
for
21
leaders
• 3
corporate
problems
selected
by
top
leadership
and
presented
on
Monday
• Challenge:
Replacing
income
lost
by
consumers
moving
from
purchasing
LPs
to
downloading
tunes
• Ac*on
Learning
Team:
Sony
High
Poten*al
leaders
• Breakthrough:
Premiere
Service
Agreement

10. MicrosoX
• Top
5%
develop
leadership
via
ac*on
learning
• Single-­‐problem
ac*on
learning
– SeaTle
–
Corporate
problems
such
as
Xbox
and
Bing
– Washington,
DC
–
World
Bank
– Peru
–
Teacher
educa*on
• Mul*ple-­‐problem
ac*on
learning
– 4-­‐5
leaders
who
meet
every
2
month
to
help
each
other
on
their
problems

11. Na*onal
Bank
of
Dominica
• Challenge:
Corporate
culture
of
poor
customer
service
• Ac*on
learning
team
of
employees
and
customers
• Breakthrough:
50
ideas
that
changed
the
culture
and
business
of
the
Bank

12. United
Na*ons
Environmental
Programme
• Challenge:
Design,
fund
and
build
a
headquarters
building
for
1200
employees
that
would
achieve
energy
neutrality
and
showcase
innova*ve
design
and
technology
• Ac*on
learning
team
of
7
from
within
and
outside
UNEP
• Breakthrough:
Building
opened
12
months
later
by
UN
Secretary
General

13. Fraser
&
Neave
• Challenge:
Building
a
culture
of
innova*on
• Ac*on
Learning
team
of
internal
HR
• Breakthrough:
iTAL
culture
throughout
organiza*on

14. Constella*on
Energy
• Challenge:
Developing
a
work
schedule
that
met
social
and
transporta*on
needs
of
miners
and
the
legal
and
economic
needs
of
the
company
• Ac*on
learning
team
of
miners,
senior
administrators,
and
pizza
man
• Breakthrough:
Within
6
hours,
the
development
of
a
strategy
that
met
all
requirements

15. Morgans
Hotel
Group
• Challenge:
Retaining
high
occupancy
rate
while
hotel
undergoing
reconstruc*on
• Ac*on
learning
team
of
senior
managers
from
several
hotels
• Breakthrough:
Several
crea*ve
strategies
resul*ng
in
high
occupancy
during
construc*on
and
even
higher
aXerwards

16. Humana
Health
Systems
• Top
50
leaders
in
Human
used
ac*on
learning
to
solve
top
problems
of
organiza*on
• Six-­‐month
program
• Leadership
skill
iden*fied
and
prac*ced
during
and
between
sessions
• Internal
ac*on
learning
coaches
developed

17. Krones
BoTling
• Krones
Leadership
Academy
established
to
provide
leadership
development
via
ac*on
learning
to
business
partners
• Focus
on
raising
line
efficiency
at
boTling
plants
• Problem
Analysis
• Project
Improvement
• Total
Project
Management
• Leadership
follow-­‐up
at
sites
of
distributors
and
suppliers

18. Ten
Cri*cal
Principles
for
Successful
and
Powerful
Ac*on
Learning
1. Urgency
and
Complexity
of
the
Problem
2. Ques*ons
and
Reflec*on
3. Mindset,
Value,
and
Antude
of
Ac*on
Learning
Members
4. Skilled
Coaching/Facilita*on
of
the
Ac*on
Learning
Team
5. Integra*on
of
Learning
into
The
Ac*on
Learning
Projects
6. Establishment
of
Clear
and
Enforced
Norms
7. Formula*on
of
Explicit
Timelines
and
Expecta*ons
for
the
Ac*on
Learning
Team
8. Power
and
Responsibility
Allocated
to
The
Ac*on
Learning
Teams
9. Diversity
of
Membership
within
the
Ac*on
Learning
Teams
10. Commitment
and
Support
of
Top
Leadership
to
Ac*on
Learning

19. 1.
Urgency
and
Complexity
of
the
Problem
• Select
real-­‐*me,
urgent
business
problems
• Approach
the
problem
with
the
understanding
that
mul*ple
strategies
are
possible
• Review
and
reframe
the
problem
statement
before
searching
to
solu*ons
• Provide
a
clear
*me
frame
for
when
the
solu*ons/strategies
will
be
presented
and/or
implemented
• Select
problems
that
will
generate
learning
opportuni*es
for
individuals,
groups
and
the
organiza*on

20. 2.
Ques*ons
and
Reflec*on
• Focus
on
ques*ons
rather
than
answers
• Reflect
on
what
is
asked
before
asking
the
next
ques*on
• Frame
ques*ons
with
a
curious
and
breaking-­‐new-­‐ground
antude
• Ask
lots
of
“what
if”
ques*ons”
and
play
out
scenarios
with
the
problem
sponsor
• Ask
basic
ques*ons
to
determine
the
real,
root
and/or
systemic
problem
before
jumping
to
conclusions
• Ask
fresh
ques*ons
to
develop
fresh
perspec*ves
and
challenge
assump*ons
• Explore
poten*al
issues
embedded
in
each
ques*on
asked
• Understand
the
power
of
simple
ques*ons
• Use
ques*ons
and
reflec*on
to
develop
leadership
and
team
competencies

21. 3.
Mindset,
Value,
and
Antude
of
Ac*on
Learning
Members
• Be
bold
to
share
and
test
ideas
• Be
prac*cal
minded
• Do
not
view
other
par*cipants
as
compe*tors
• Listen
to
other
par*cipants
with
respect
• Keep
an
objec*ve,
unbiased,
and
open
mind
when
discussing
solu*ons
• Increased
self-­‐management
from
the
outset
• Develop
a
commitment
to
project
outcomes
• Focus
on
systems
thinking
• Expect
breakthrough
ideas
and
strategic
ac*ons

22. 4.
Skilled
Coaching/Facilita*on
of
the
Ac*on
Learning
Team
• Provide
skilled
coaching/facilita*on
to
assure
learning
as
well
as
ac*on
• Create
a
safe
environment
for
par*cipants
to
ask
ques*ons
• Provide
power
to
the
coach
so
that
the
urgency
of
ac*on
is
balanced
with
the
importance
of
the
learning
• Help
par*cipants
“in
the
moment”
to
understand,
learn
and
apply
• Enable
and
encourage
par*cipants
to
provide
useful,
posi*ve
feedback
to
each
other
rela*ve
to
leadership
and
team
skills
• Develop
consensus
on
policies,
guidelines,
principles,
and
standards
• Resolve
conflict
in
a
*mely
manner
and
see
it
as
an
opportunity
to
develop
individual
and
team
skills

23. 5.
Integra*on
of
Learning
into
the
Ac*on
Learning
Projects
• Ensure
*me
for
learning
as
well
as
problem-­‐solving
during
all
ac*on
learning
sessions
• Adopt
a
systema*c,
holis*c
approach
to
learning
• Encourage
adap*ve
and
genera*ve
learning
in
the
face
of
challenges
and
emerging
issues
• Build
on
exis*ng
knowledge
and
capabili*es
• Reflect
on
and
immediately
apply
the
learnings
during
and
aXer
the
ac*on
learning
sessions
• Develop
a
learning
support
network
inside
and
outside
the
business

24. 6.
Establishment
of
Clear
and
Enforced
Norms
• Establish
a
few,
but
clear
upfront
norms
and
expecta*ons
• Con*nuously
improve
the
norms
• Help
group
members
be
aware
of
how
the
norms
improve
performance
and
break
through
thinking
• When
working
virtually,
be
sure
to
establish
the
norms
that
will
ensure
the
quality
of
these
sessions
by
capitalizing
on
technology
• Develop
norms
to
handle
poten*al
difficul*es
such
as
absences,
tardiness,
mobile
phone
use,
conflict,
and
par*cipa*on
• Consider
the
norm
of
“statements
only
in
response
to
ques*ons”
to
enable
stronger
group
cohesiveness,
beTer
listening,
and
more
crea*vity

25. 7.
Formula*on
of
Explicit
Timelines
and
Expecta*ons
for
the
Ac*on
Learning
Team
• Establish
specific
dates
for
selec*on
and
implementa*on
of
strategies
• Be
clear
whether
the
ac*on
learning
team
will
be
only
presen*ng
strategies
or
will
also
be
implement
the
recommended
ac*ons
• At
the
end
of
each
session,
iden*fy
ac*ons
to
be
taken
by
individuals
and/
or
groups
between
ac*on
learning
sessions
• Develop
detailed
strategies
with
*meframes
and
expecta*ons
• Expect
implementa*on
of
individual
learnings

26. 8.
Power
and
Responsibility
Allocated
to
the
Ac*on
Learning
Teams
• Provide
adequate
power
and
responsibility
to
the
group
so
as
to
achieve
break
through
problem-­‐solving
• Expect
a
high
level
of
effort
and
energy
• Boundaries
and
other
limita*ons
should
be
clear
at
the
outset
• Provide
access
as
necessary
to
the
people
who
have
the
power,
passion
and
knowledge
• Experiment
and
pilot-­‐test
different
ac*ons
and
determine
the
best
ac*on
to
solve
the
problem
• Assess
opportuni*es
for
short-­‐term
and
long-­‐term
strategies
that
impact
en*re
organiza*on
• Adopt
a
business-­‐impact
perspec*ve
in
developing
poten*al
solu*ons

27. 9.
Diversity
of
Membership
in
Ac*on
Learning
Teams
• Carefully
plan
for
the
membership
of
ac*on
learning
teams
• Seek
wide
diversity
of
members
rela*ve
to
backgrounds,
disciplines,
gender,
and
ethnicity
• Consider
members
from
outside
the
organiza*on
or
outside
the
community
in
order
to
obtain
freshness
of
perspec*ves
and
ideas
• Establish
cross-­‐func*onal
and
cross-­‐
hierarchy
teams
• Create
norms
that
encourage
par*cipa*on
by
junior
and
outside
members
• Recognize
the
advantages
of
diversity
in
achieving
crea*ve,
break
through
ideas

28. 10.
Commitment
and
Support
of
Top
Leadership
to
Ac*on
Learning
• Engage
the
top
management
from
the
beginning
and
keep
it
engaged
throughout
• Keep
leaders
informed
of
the
progress
and
success
of
the
ac*on
learning
teams
• Carefully
plan
and
deliver
the
strategies
developed
to
top
leadership
• Provide
suppor*ve
corporate
culture
and
reflec*ve
environment
• Clarify
doubts
and
determine
boundaries
with
the
problem
sponsor
• Encourage
par*cipa*ve
and
team-­‐oriented
leadership
in
presen*ng
strategies
• Focus
on
strategic
partnership
with
key
stakeholders
• Provide
resources
and
support
for
implementa*on
of
strategies
• Create
panel
discussions
to
facilitate
rich
exchanges
between
par*cipants
and
stakeholders

29. Ac*on
Learning
–
The
Key
to
Powerful
Successes
for
Your
Organiza*on
• Ac*on
learning
marvelously
incorporates
all
the
essen*al
elements
for
solving
complex
problems
of
the
21st
century
• Improves
the
capability
of
the
organiza*on,
the
competence
of
the
group,
and
the
ability
of
the
individual