Action Learning Briefing
Transcript of Action Learning Briefing
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Action Learning Briefing:
Promise & Pitfalls
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Action Learning: Promise & Pitfalls
Objectives
Review definitions & genesis
Discuss why Action Learning & the Promise
Review models plus typical content & design
Know the pitfalls/success factors (lessons
learned) & some accelerators
Review typical participant learnings
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WORKING ON BUSINESS PROBLEMS
IN TEAMSFOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES
Centerpiece: A real business problem or opportunity
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
Action Learning Definition
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WORKING ON (REAL, IMPORTANT) BUSINESS
PROBLEMS
(OR OPPORTUNITIES)IN (DIVERSE, CROSS-ORGANIZATION) TEAMS
FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES
(TO IMPROVE THE BUSINESS & DEVELOP
PARTICIPANTS)
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
Expanded Action Learning
Definition
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What is Action Learning?
A dynamic tool used to:
Drive strategic
change Transform the
organization Accelerate
development Achieve business
breakthroughs Develop leadership
capabilities etc.
Develop participants
Address significantbusiness challenges
Working on
authentic, urgent business
problems/opportunities in diverse,
cross-organization teams to
improve the
business and develop
participants
Results
Learning
Action
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Action Learning Genesis
Not GE, American or new
UK roots - 1945
Founding father - Reg Revans Rapid increase in use
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© 20002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
Primary Differences Between
Action Learning & A Task Force
Explicit learning & development goals
A significant education component
A diverse team
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Why Action Learning
Can be powerful
Puts Executive Development ³At the Table´
Demonstrable impact Provides motivation to learn ± not theoretical
Easy to sell
But«
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Without effective program management
& facilitation it can become
ActionLearning
But«
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Action Learning
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
Addresssignificant
business
challenges
Develop leadership,teaming & business
tools, techniques &
skills
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AL The Promise
Multiple potential benefits:
Develop individual capabilities Accelerated development
Leadership, teaming & business skills
Develop organizational capabilitiesMore innovative & entrepreneurial
Cross-organization collaboration (without sacrificing
autonomy)
Other Important work gets done
Building a sense of the total enterprise
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
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Action Learning Framework
Evaluation Implementation
Sponsors
Participants
TeamsProjects
RolesProgram
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AL Typical Program Content
Work / business planning tools & techniques
Innovation & entrepreneurship
Team building - jump starting teams Project specific / JIT education
Benchmarking
Time management & delegation
Senior executive dialog
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
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AL Typical Design
©2002Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
Session One Session Two
Project introduction &
selection
Work planning tools &techniques
Team building
Project specific / JIT
education
Innovation &
entrepreneurship
Set learning / develop-ment goals
Test project work plan
Mid-pointprogress
review
Assimilate & synthesize
work
Create, test & improvepresentations
� What learned?
� Findings &
recommendations
� Implementation plan
Presentations to spon-
sors Debriefing & planning
next steps
3 - 6 Month Timeline
3 - 5 Days 2 - 3 Days
1 ½ Days
Teams do projects
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Team Structure Example
Team 1
8
Participants
Action Learning Program ± 24-32 Participants
Team 2
8
Participants
Team 3
8
Participants
Team 4
8
Participants
Sponsor Sponsor Sponsor Sponsor
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AL Team & Workshop
Make-Up Options
All experts. No experts.
Stakeholder(s)
Implementers
Max - mix One big team or multiple teams
Team size
Recommend: approx. 3 teams, on 3 different projects
Recommend: Sponsor selects 1-2 ³implementers´ for theteam. Max-Mix criteria set. Participants select projectsbased on interest and learning potential
Team leadership
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
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Participant Selection and Time
Expectations
How should participants be selected?
Based on potential?
What they can learn, or need to learn?
What they can contribute?
Time expectations:
25% or so in typical design How manage their real job?
How manage their manager expectations?
Full time for several weeks instead?
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
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AL Sources of Projects
Participants
Program, e.g., projects to implement agendas
created
Strategic plan & challenges
Sponsors
Assessments/surveys
Top management slate
Key question: Provide choice or assign?
Implications for: Ownership, commitment,
implementation© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
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Strategic Challenge Choices
Start with the Business Context
Consider the Context of the Business Situation
SelectChallenges
Clarify Stretch Goals for the Business
Define ́ From-Toµ Challenges
Identify the Key Initiatives
Assess Leadership
Learning Needed
STRATEGIC CHALLENGE POSSIBILITIES
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Project Selection Criteria
Linked to strategy: directly address marketplace challenges,operating priorities, performance
Promotes desired change or new capabilities
Broad enough to be challenging but focused enough toallow solution (avoid world hunger)
Not too political
Not redundant with other initiatives (unless parallel effortsseen as desirable for innovation)
Appropriate for level of participant Requires participants to think/act differently
Exciting and challenging to participants
A passionate sponsor with implementation authority
Within business line or cross business?
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Action Learning Project Examples
Initiated decision to make major acquisition
Created a new leadership institute
Designed and launched global supply chain developmentinitiative
Designed a collaborative process for long-term strategic visiondevelopment and deployment
Reorganized multiple country and regional operations tomaximize efficiency, enhance productivity, and speed growth
Introduced initiatives to build knowledge management,globalization of operations
Developed new product management process
Created a process for attracting and retaining technology partners
Recommended improved strategic utilization of an acquisition
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Sponsorship
An effective sponsor makes the connection betweenachieving the project goal and the development goals
Drives commitment through public and private support Ongoing coaching and constructive feedback to teams
Emphasizes action and learning
Models and reinforces desired leadership behaviors
Provides ³air cover´ for the team
Supports members with their managers (often is a level
above their manager) Ensures implementation of the approved recommendations
Provides whatever extraordinary resources are needed
Keeps the team on target
Attends all face-to-face events
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AL Common Pitfalls & Perils
(Lessons Learned)
No feedback/communications on what action wastaken
Scope too large
Not aligned with strategy Political land mines
³Action´ overwhelms ³learning´
Just another task force
Lukewarm, arms-length sponsor(s) Workload & boss interference
No implementation, or ineffective handoffs
A hammer looking for something to nail
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
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AL Critical Success Factors
(Lessons Learned)
Challenging but doable project
Active top management involvement
Trained, passionate sponsors with implementation
authority Balance ³action´ & ³learning´
Explicit learning goals & frequent debriefings
Facilitation Implementation planned up-front
Communicating progress & results
Realistic expectations ± success defined
© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
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Action Learning Accelerators
On-line communications / work system
Sponsors get coached
Team process coaches Access to faculty / consultants
Use graduates in future classes
Peer feedback Sponsors involved in selecting some team
members
Managers get coached© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
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Balancing Action & Learning
Make it explicit program objective, =importance
Set specific learning/development goals(individual & team)
Review progress at all project reviews
Include in all presentations
Build in reflection time
Team coaches/consultants
After Action Review
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AL Decision Options
No decisions made, recommendations only
Made in program by senior management
Made outside the program Implement within area of responsibility
Teams find the decision makers and sell
Other people implement
Plan for implementation upfront
Sponsors select some team members with
implementation in mind
Make implementation part of the program design
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© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.
What AL Participants Typically
Learn
Entrepreneurial mindset & skills
To create, test & sell a business plan
The power of cross-business teaming (to work
collaboratively across boundaries) Accelerated problem solving & decision making
How to overcome the immune system
More about the total business & a sense of engagement
How to jump-start new teams
To appreciate & leverage differences
Giving & getting feedback
To manage their time & delegate
That shared leadership can work
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Action Learning ± Keeping it In Perspective
± The Strategic Challenges are for Learning
³I am far less interested in people having theright answer than in their thinking aboutissues the right way. What criteria do they
use? Why do they think the way they do?What alternatives have they considered? Whatpremises do they have?´
Harvey Golub, former CEO American Express
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Action Learning ± Another Design
Creating & Testing
Project Business Plans
Leadership
Capabilities
Implementing
Approved Project
Business Plans
y Learning & practicing
leadership capabilitiesy Confidential feed-
back & development
planning on 360
Leadership Inventory
y Preparation for
business project
process
y Reviewing
marketplace realitiesy Setting & reviewing
learning / development
goals
y Building project teams
y Developing, testing &
presenting project
business plansy Approving or rejecting
projects
y Business project
implementationy Debriefing individual
& team learning vis-a-
vis development goals
y Summarizing &
presenting results
y AfterAction Review
y Forming self-directeddevelopment teams
SEGMENT ONE SEGMENT TWO SEGMENT THREE
Three Days Four Weeks Three Months
On-line Work & Communication ThroughoutExecutive Coaches