1. Exploring Action Learning for Group Development
WROE, Module 5
With gratitude for the material provided by Michael Marquardt, WIAL Master Coach

2. 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 adapt, learn and innovate
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 2

3. Components of an Action Learning Program
Project, challenge, or task
Team of 4-8 people with diverse perspectives
Reflective questioning and listening
Developing Strategies and taking action
Commitment to learning
Action Learning coach
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 3

4. Copyright WIAL, 2008. All rights reserved
Two Ground Rules
Statements only in response to questions; anyone can ask questions
Action learning coach has authority to intervene whenever he/she identifies learning opportunities
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 4

5. Copyright WIAL, 2008. All rights reserved
“No learning without action; no action without learning” – Reg Revans (1998)
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 5

6. The Importance of Taking Action
At the end of every session: the learning coach focuses on action by asking the individual or team what action(s) they will take as a result of the work in the session
Testing ideas in the real world determines if strategies are effective and practical
Push for developing a prototype of a solution, not just a “white paper” – Merely recommending diminishes creativity and commitment
Deep and real learning occurs when reflecting on real action
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 6

7. Copyright WIAL, 2008. All rights reserved
Great Questions
Cause focus or stretch
Create deep reflection
Challenge taken-for-granted assumptions
Involve courage in asking
Lead to breakthrough thinking
Support, yet challenge
Generate action
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 7

8. End

9. Appreciative Inquiry in Questioning (Cooperrider, 2001)
Power of positive inquiry
First, find what has worked well, has gone well
Second, explore what can be improved; why and how?
What good reasons do people have to object to an idea and how can these objections be addressed?
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 9

10. Contrast with typical Problem-solving Teams
Learning and team development as important as solving the problem
Groups charged with implementing as well as solving real problems
Membership not reserved to experts or involved people
Questions precede answers; dialogue over discussion and debate
Learning coach with power
Actions and strategies requiring systems thinking
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 10

11. 1. Problems/Challenges for Actions Learning
Important and Urgent to the organization or individual - not a made-up exercise
Unimportant problems diminishes creativity, commitment and learning
The more complex in nature, the more powerful and valuable is the Action Learning
Problems should be feasible and within the authority and/or responsibility of group
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 11

12. Copyright WIAL, 2008. All rights reserved
2. Action Learning Team
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
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 12

13. Copyright WIAL, 2008. All rights reserved
Team Members
Can be volunteers or assigned
Need to feel commitment to and stake in getting problem solved or task completed
Understanding of problem or task but expertise is not necessary or even desirable
Must be given the power to implement or recommend good solutions
Should have some familiarity with context
Diversity on a number of dimensions is desirable
Commit to attending all meetings
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 13

14. Copyright WIAL, 2008. All rights reserved
3. Questioning and Reflective Process
Power of Questions
Promotes Creative problem- solving, critical thinking, and systems thinking
Build group cohesiveness, listening and respect
Increase reflection, learning and change
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 14

15. Power and Role of Questions
Assures working on the right problem and not symptom – counteracts the “bias to premature action” common in teams
Develops a shared understanding of the problem – the Fable of the blind men and the elephant
Questioning each other is only way to get agreement on the problem
Develops understanding of the context as well as the content of the problem
Seeds of solutions reside in questions
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 15

16. Appreciative Inquiry in Questioning (Cooperrider, 2001)
Power of positive inquiry
First, find what has worked well, has gone well
Second, explore what can be improved; why and how?
What good reasons do people have to object to an idea and how can these objections be addressed?
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 16

17. Attributes of Team 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
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 17

18. Copyright WIAL, 2008. All rights reserved
Choosing a Problem
Should be important and urgent – ideally “mission-critical”
Should be a problem not a “puzzle”
Problems are often proposed by the organization – if so, the coach needs to work closely with sr. leadership
Not redundant – i.e., no other group working on
Have clear outcomes
Assure that effort will be made to implement good solutions
Appropriate scope and scale
Problem is appropriate for Action Learning
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 18

19. Reasons Why People Do Not Ask Questions
Negative psychological experience with asking or answering questions that has generated a fear and discomfort with questions
Lack of skills in asking or answering questions
Lack of experience or opportunities
Lack of training
Lack of modeling or mentoring
Corporate cultures and working environments which discourage questions, especially those that challenge existing assumptions and policies
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 19

20. Power and Benefits of Action Learning
Solves complex problems and challenges in a systems-thinking approach
Promotes holistic rather than reductionist thinking
Builds powerful teams
Enables individuals and teams to learn while working
Creates a organizational culture that can handle change and learns
Develops leadership competencies
Develops systems thinking and creativity
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved 20

21. Team Development The GRPI Model Mission Interactions (relationships)
GOALS (what)
Do we have clarity?
Do we have agreement?
What are our roles and responsibilities?
ROLES (who)
How we do our work?
(Norms, rules, procedures)
PRACTICES (how)
How do we work together in mutually supportive ways?
Interactions (relationships)
Copyright WIAL, All rights reserved
(Beckhard,1969) 21