The document discusses the power of experiential learning for executive development. It argues that the most powerful learning experiences for executives are challenging situations that take them out of their comfort zone. Three context shifts that facilitate experiential learning are taking on a new role, collaborating with colleagues, and working with peers in other organizations. For learning to be effective, it must be guided, adaptive to new insights, and focused on organizational needs. An experienced guide can help learners reflect on and conceptualize their experiences.

1. The Power of Experiential Learning in
Executive Development
A Formicio Point of View

2. Describe your most powerful learning experience
Think about your most powerful
learning experience, one where you felt
you’d really grown as a result.
Note down:
 The context?
 What did you learn?
 How did it feel at the time?
 What was the learning process?
 Could you have achieved the same
learning outcomes another way?
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3. Very few people – particularly senior executives – cite
formal training as their most powerful learning experience
Very few people give:
 their time at university
 a conference they attended
 a training course
as powerful learning experiences.
In the vast majority of cases people refer
“I hear and I forget, to a time when they faced a really
I see and I remember, challenging situation, one that took them
I do and I understand.” out of their comfort zone and stretched
Confucius, 551-479 BC them both intellectually and emotionally.
This was a learning experience.
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4. Experiential learning can be orchestrated by putting people
in a different context – one that they find challenging
 When people find themselves in a
new context – for example a new job
or assignment – they often find that
the competencies they have
developed and used over many years
fall short and new ones need to be
developed quickly.
Learning only occurs  It’s the experiences that the new
when people are out of context can create that leads to
their comfort zone.
learning.
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5. Three of the most powerful context shifts for experiential
learning...
When people:
1. Take up a new role or assignment –
particularly when it is a stretch compared
with what they have done in the past.
2. Have shared experiences with
colleagues – particularly when
“For the things we have developing a new organisational
to learn before we can capability or solving a specific problem.
do them, we learn by
doing them.”
3. Collaborate with peers in other
Aristotle, 384-322 BC
organisations – particularly when
exploring a specific issue that is of
importance to their organisation.
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6. Three principles for effective experiential learning
1. Guided – the learner is guided through
the learning experiences in a way that
maximises learning.
2. Adaptive – the learning process is not
defined in detail at the outset but
adapts to what is being learned and
how, whilst at all times keeping sight of
the target outcomes.
3. Anchored – in an organisational need.
At all times the learner is motivated to
improve their organisation through
what they learn and apply.
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7. Features of the three most powerful context shifts for
experiential learning...
An exploration with peers: A challenging appointment:
 Focused on understanding  That is a stretch
a specific topic or issue  Builds on existing
 Involving 8 to 10 competencies
organisations Guided  Requires new
 Comprising briefings, Adaptive competencies to be
Anchored
meetings, research and successful
virtual discussions  Supported by a mentor
 Time-boxed Shared experiences with
colleagues
A learning journey with colleagues:
 Focused on developing an organisational capability to solve a specific problem
 Involving 8 to 10 people
 Comprising a blend of briefings, action learning, study tours, discussions and
experiential visits
 Lasting several months to allow for experimentation and reflection
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8. In experiential learning the guide has a unique role to play
An experienced learning guide:
 Asks questions, not only to draw individual
answers, but also to encourage
fundamental insight into the issue at hand.
 Regularly reviews what has been learnt and
adjusts the learning accordingly.
 Ensures that the learner is actively involved
in the experience.
 Helps the learner spend time reflecting on
“I know that I am the experience.
intelligent, because I  Helps the learner use analytical skills to
know that I know conceptualise the experience.
nothing.”
Socrates, 469-399 BC  Helps the learner use the new ideas gained
from the experience.
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9. Conditions for learning success
The learner must:
 Be willing to move out of their
comfort zone.
 Be willing to be actively involved in
the experience.
 Be able and have time to reflect on
the experience.
“People are much more
likely to act their way
 Possess and use analytical skills to
into a new way of conceptualise the experience.
thinking, than think  Possess decision-making and problem-
their way into a new solving skills in order to use the new
way of acting.”
Richard Pascale, 1938-
ideas gained from the experience.
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10. Our point of view on learning revisited
1. People – particularly senior executives – learn
most when facing a really challenging situation,
one that takes them out of their comfort zone and
stretches them both intellectually and emotionally.
2. Learning experiences can be orchestrated by
putting people in a new context that they find
challenging.
3. Three of the most powerful context shifts for
experiential learning are: when people are
appointed to a new job/assignment; when people
have shared experiences with colleagues; when
people collaborate with peers in other
organisations.
4. Learning experiences need to be guided, adaptive
and anchored.
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11. We hope you found our point of view helpful
We encourage you and your leadership
colleagues to develop a shared point of
view on the best approach to experiential
learning for your organisation.
It will take time and you won’t all agree at
the outset, but it will be of great value in
the longer term.
The Formicio Team
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12. This is an Insight Presentation by Formicio
We are thought partners and advisers to business and technology leaders
around the world. We help our clients make informed choices, build
capability and deliver sustained business change.
Through a combination of learning and consulting we help our clients:
 Build innovation and organisational capability.
 Succeed with the most complex transformation programmes.
 Transform IT organisations to meet the challenges ahead.
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13. For further information contact...
David Trafford
david.trafford@formicio.com
+44 (0)20 7917 2993
www.formicio.com
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