Action Learning Final

8/3/2019 Action Learning Final

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Action Learning

Learning And Development

12/1/2011

Group-7

Anurag Anand

Debojyoti Saha

Mahima GoyalSaurabh Kumar

Taniya Banerjee


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ACTION LEARNING IMPLEMENTATION

Action Learning is a process of bringing together a group of people with varied levels

of skills and experience to analyze an actual work problem and develop an action plan. Prof

Reg Revans first introduced and coined the term in the 1940s. Action Learning is described

with the formula L=P+Q where Learning (L) occurs through Programmed Knowledge (P)

and insightful Questioning (Q). Action learning typically comprises of experiential learning,

creative complex problem solving, acquiring of relevant information, and co-learning group

support.

Fig. 1 Action Learning System

Training Design in Action Learning Implementation:

Clarify the objective The first step in the Action Learning Process is to clarify the objective

to the Action Learning Group and presentation of the problem or the task to the group

Group Formation The group can consist of volunteers of appointed people, and can work on

a single organizational problem or each other's departmental problems

Analyze the issue(s) The group is presented with a problem and they have to identify

actions for resolving them. The presentation of problem is done by problem owner

Reframing of problem: After a series of questions, the group will reach a consensus on the

most critical and important problem the group will work on

Determining goals: Once the key problem is identified, the group seeks consensus for the

goal.


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Develop action strategies: Most of the time and energy of the group will be spent on

identifying and pilot testing, of possible action strategies.

Take action Between Action Learning sessions, the group implements strategies developed

and agreed by the group

Repeat the cycle The cycle of action and learning is repeated until problem is resolved or

new directions are determined.

Capturing the learning: Documentation of learning process and lessons learned after each

phase

Fig. 2 Step by Step Execution of Action Learning

CASES IN POINT

CASE 1

Organization: General Electronic

Prevailing Condition: Prior to 1986, GE's leadership programs consisted primarily of

lectures, case studies, computer simulations and outdoor activities. Curriculum included

modules on leadership, teamwork, global competition, and business strategy.


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Change Agent: CEO Jack Welch soon recognized, however, that leadership learning was not

sufficiently intense and impactful in developing the new GE leaders. GE therefore decided to

move from a model that was based on individual cognitive learning to one that was based on

action learning, involving real problems, real team challenges, and real risks.

Training Objectives of GE Leadership Program

GE Leadership Programs now have four key objectives each of which were deemed

as best achieved through action learning.

Enable participants to learn, apply and receive feedback on business conceptsand skills applied to real GE business issues

Provide help on important issues to GE businesses Help participants develop leadership and team skills essential to leading and

working in high-performing, multifunctional business teams

Assist participants in developing personal action plans for applying newbusiness and leadership skills in their work settings

Training Design for Implementation of Action Learning

Team Building Stage

Action learning teams are built around GE problems that are real, relevant, and

require decisions. Formats may vary, but typically, two teams of 5-7 people who come from

diverse businesses and functions within GE work together on the problem.

Problem Identification Process

Before the course begins, GE staff works with the businesses being studied to define

the issues and compile a dossier of pertinent market, customer and financial information on

each issue that the participants review as they begin the program.

Team Building Exercise

The first week of the leadership program is spent in a variety of team building

exercises as well as receiving briefings on the projects that the leaders will be involved with.

Problem Analysis Process


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During weeks 2 and 3, the teams begin developing plans, asking questions of key

managers, and carry out a variety of diagnostic activities.

Final Presentation of Problem Analysis

In the final week, participants make their presentation to the business leader (client)

who provided the project. At this presentation, the business leader brings along a team of key

players who are involved with the critical issues of the project.

Key Learning

GE builds into the action learning model opportunities for to reflect upon and receive

feedback on leadership and teamwork.

A SAMPLE ACTION LEARNING PROJECT IN GE

A GE action learning project that was held in Heidelberg, Germany, focused on

potential new GE markets in Europe. The first week was spent gaining an overview of GE

operations in Europe. During the second week, the focus shifted to projects from GE's plastic,

lighting, and electrical distribution and control businesses. One action learning team looked at

the lighting strategy for Europe, reflecting the sharp rise - from 2 to 18 percent in only 18

months -in GE's share of the western European consumer lighting market, mostly

resulting from the acquisition of other organization.

CASE 2

Organization: KPMG-Action Learning Implementation in a Corporate Social

Responsibility Framework

Company Overview

KPMG is a leading business advisory firm with over 9,400 staff in the UK and100,000 worldwide. It offers clients audit, tax and advisory services.

Change Agent

Emma Grundy, KPMG Learning and Development Manager and part of the team

responsible for the program, believed that a project-based approach was more appropriate

than the classroom-based course. She believed classroom training can cover practical steps as

well as theoretical knowledge, but the learning only really comes to life when it is used it in a

real situation.


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Training Objectives

Managers were selected to develop new skills by working in teams on an external

project in the community. The UK firm embarked on a new project to prepare managers for

Motivation of people in their teams To embrace diversity To recognize that people approach problems with different perspectives

Target Participants

The participants on the event were current managers. Many had joined the firm on

graduation and gained a further technical qualification, qualifying as an auditor or tax

advisor. They had been working for about 8 years after graduation. They are 'emerging

leaders': the top 10 - 15% of a particular year group and their next role will involve

managing a large, diverse team of people and moving up to senior manager level.

Training Design

The event outlined tested participants' skills using a corporate social responsibility

project. Sixty emerging leaders were split into three groups each charged with creating a

development day for 40 sixth-form students from schools in Reading. The KPMG learning

and development team interviewed teachers, pupils and other stakeholders to prepare theway. It was then up to emerging leaders to work with facilitators, conduct training needs

analysis, design and deliver.

Training Implementation Stages

Problem Definition

Students from different schools and backgrounds wanted sessions on topics such as:

Self-esteem Problem-solving Interviewing Team working Making an impact


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Planning Steps

The event began with two days of planning, where the brief was explained,

participants presented their training needs analysis and their outline for the development day

and the subsequent review day. The learning and development team covered topics such as

'learning styles', 'coaching young people' and 'managing virtual teams' to help the teams focus

their thoughts. At the end of the two days, each group had a plan of how they were going to

pull their design together ready for the arrival of the sixth-formers in two months' time.

Execution Strategy

The next stage involved action learning in sets. In the intervening two months participants

were required to:

Focus on the needs of the students, not the teachers, Project manage the exercise, Design a program that met those needs. Market it at the school, for example, by

addressing the school assembly,

Organize enrolments. They needed to have 40 delegates for their event but eachschool had more than 40 students in the relevant year group,

Arrange caterers, Organize transport to get the students to and from the event.

Diverse Strategies employed by the participants

One group working with an all-boys school realized the importance of combiningmental activity with physical; they chose a rocket-launching exercise, where students

had to complete certain exercises to allow them to buy apparatus for building a

rocket-launcher. The team that sent their rocket furthest won.

Other groups incorporated sessions on career planning, interview techniques and teambuilding.

Feedback and Appreciation

However, each group delivered an event that met user requirements and the feedback

was positive from all the students. KPMG received feedback after the event last year from the


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teachers, who said there was such a buzz on the coaches - unlike anything they'd seen on

previous 'corporate' events.

Training Outcomes and Learning

The purpose of the event was to challenge the KPMG staff and draw out the learning

to turn it into positive experiences to take back to the workplace. People felt more motivated

when they were involved in the project. Sharing how they felt led to a lot of honesty amongst

the teams as they broached issues such as whether or not they had let their team down or

taken more/less of the burdens during the action learning stage on themselves. In particular,

the review revealed that all participants had been able to:

Identify the specific skills they would require as senior managers, Practice these skills in a non-work environment and receive feedback, Stretch them and move out of their own comfort zone Achieve learning through the use of a real, practical community project

Translation of Training Objectives to Learning

They had achieved these advances because the process required them to:

Self-manage their teams, Allocate the tasks fairly amongst themselves, Take responsibility, Stick to their schedule and hit the critical points.

As managers they learnt that they need to engage people more to ensure that project

outputs are reached. This has also been true in the ongoing learning sets. Those who took the

process seriously have asked for input from learning and development professionals intosessions and the budget to allow them to invite speakers/complete diagnostics because they

want to develop themselves further.

Constraints and limitations of the approach

This project-based approach to action learning is complex and difficult to manage.

KPMG's learning and development team identified a number of issues that needed to be

considered to ensure that student needs were met and KPMG staff enjoyed a good learning

experience. These include time pressure, bonding between team members, time for face-to-


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face contact due to geographical spread, applying the learning to their daily roles and

ensuring participants stretched themselves and worked on their development needs.

Conclusions

Emma Grundy emphasizes that good action learning can be hard to achieve. To be

successful it must:

Aim to bring about personal and organizational change, Be based in a real project connected to the business' objectives, Receive high-level sponsorship, Push participants out of their own comfort zones, Be supported by good facilitation to relate the learning back to the workplace, Offer participants a memorable experienceUnder the right circumstances action learning based on an external project can be very

effective. Participants have to consolidate all their skills and produce tangible results, but

once they know they can do it, they can embed the learning elsewhere.

CASE 3

Organization:Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

Organization Scenario:

FDIC had developed its first comprehensive training curriculum for managers who

seek leading-edge approaches to management training. Decisions about what became the

Management Excellence Program were being guided by a committee of corporate Executives

the Management Education Policy Committee (MEPC). The Committee developed a

management competency model, based on data gathered from surveys, interviews and

questionnaires.

The data revealed that many organizational issues and problems were preventing even

the best managers from being able to perform to their fullest potential. These were

summarized for the MEPC as organizationaleffectiveness issues that had impact across the

Corporation. The MEPC recognized that these types of problems could not be solved by

training.


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Many were longstanding issues that our traditional bureaucratic organization had been

unable to resolve. The MEPC felt that FDIC management had to break through its divisional

stovepipes and begin focusing on the Corporation as a whole. Given the nature and impact of

the organizational issues identified, the Committee decided on a key management training

principle: use cross-divisional teams to address issues of corporate-wide significance. The

MEPC determined that the executive and manager levels of the Management Excellence

Program curriculum should include experiences that enhanced managements ability to

address organizational issues. Collaborative problem-solving across divisional boundaries

would promote the development of a corporate perspective. As a result, the training team

created organizational effectiveness components for the training with action learning

principles in mind.

The Executive Core Program training emphasizes working together as part of a 12-15

person cross-divisional team. The team recommends solutions to a difficult organizational

issue posed by an FDIC corporate officer serving as the program sponsor. To address the

glacial progress of the bureaucratic decision-making process, the MEPC determined that the

sponsor must make on-the-spot decisions regarding the recommendations. They looked at

the General Electric Work-Out model in determining how to structure the organizational

effectiveness component of the Executive Core training.

HOW ACTION LEARNING IS USED AT THE FDIC

The FDIC uses action learning techniques in two ways:

As a principal component of core training for executives and managers through theManagement Excellence Program.

As an organizational problem-solving method, referred to as Accelerated DecisionMaking, which is facilitated by the FDICs training and consulting organization.

Executive Development

As part of the curriculum design for the Executive Core Program, the one and one-

half day action learning module provides a practice field for participants to experience a

model for improving organizational effectiveness, while enhancing their individual skills. Six

weeks before the session, participating executives receive a challenge from the corporate

officer sponsoring the session. To prepare for the action learning experience, they read


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background materials and gather necessary data. Then, in the relative safety of the classroom,

participants generate solutions to the real-world issues.

Participants report that having the opportunity to try out the method on a real and

significant FDIC issue builds both understanding of the process and conviction that it is an

effective tool they can apply for resolving their own issues. Success in the classroom can be

translated to success on the job. For example, an executive in one of the earlier classes took

the problem solving method from the action learning module back to his regional office and

instructed his staff in applying it to the issue of consolidating two functional offices,

including his own, from different locations.

Success of Action Learning Program

Previous methods usually had resulted in poor morale and a drop in productivity. By

involving the affected staff in identifying and working through all of the issues before making

the changes, the effort was substantially more successful than earlier office consolidations.

One factor contributing to action learnings value in the executive training is the

perceived importance of the issues given the executive participants by the corporate officer

who serves as sponsor. Another factor, which has surprised participants and sponsors alike, is

the ease, with which the corporate officers can make decisions after comprehensive, reliable

analysis has taken place, with the pros and cons of alternative actions carefully weighed and

presented. Real changes emerge as the sponsor accepts, then implements, the participants

recommendations.

Other examples of changes resulting from the action learning modules of Executive Core

Program sessions include:

Restructuring the FDICs executive committees to streamline corporate decisionmaking.

Establishing the basis for the Corporations downsizing necessitated by theimprovements in the banking industry.

Revising a new performance management system to ease managers burden andincrease employees perception of the systems fairness.


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Manager Level Variations

At the mid-manager level, participants engage in a variation of the action learning

method used in the Executive Core Program. Instead of a corporate officer sponsoring the

issue, participants come prepared to discuss organizational issues that they believe interfere

with their performance as managers. The participants review all the issues, sort and evaluate

them, then select three issues for which subgroups develop recommendations to senior

management. Participant group representatives meet with the Chief Operating Officer after

the training session to discuss the recommendations, then report back to their fellow

participants.

Some issues raised and addressed by these groups have included:

Given the extent to which certain divisions and offices are being downsized, how canthe FDIC provide for more cross-divisional training and employment opportunities?

How can the FDIC preserve its diversity while undergoing significant downsizing? How can the FDIC increase the levels of decision-making authority delegated to the

field while retaining accountability and credibility with the banking community, the

Executive Branch and the Congress?

Organizational Problem-Solving

Applications of the Accelerated Decision Making method to organizational problems outside

of the management training sessions have focused on two categories:

Improving business processes to streamline or reduce costs and Confronting new challenges

or initiatives that require fresh perspectives, an adaptation created to respond to new

corporate requirements.

Streamlining business processes is a classic use of action learning.

Examples at the FDIC include:

Improving the invoice processing and payment system, which resulted in savings ofseveral thousands of dollars per month as well as the creation of an automated invoice

tracking system with an executive information system feature.


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Revamping the time and attendance system, which yielded detailed plans for short-term automation of time sheets and long-term plans for a fully-automated paperless

system.

Streamlining the work-order process used by facilities management staff, which spedup responses to customer problems and created an automated tracking system

enabling customers to determine the status of requests.

In recent years, like most other organizations, the FDIC has been forced to undertake

significant new challenges and initiatives. In response, Accelerated Decision Making

methodology was developed to address different types of issues.

Examples of new initiatives to which the FDIC has applied action learning techniques

include:

Developing a strategy for decentralizing functions of the Division of Administrationto several regional locations.

Developing a corporate-wide parking policy to replace a dozen inconsistent regionalpolicies.

CASE 4

Organization: Motorola

Company Overview

From a modest beginning in United States, the corporation has grown to produce

approximately $30bn in annual revenue with 130000 employees located in 45 countries

around the world. It has accomplished this growth by focusing on its primary business- the

enhancement and development of the electronics communication industry. The corporation is

unique as there is a huge role which action learning plays within in.

Business Scenario

In the dynamic environment, Motorola has been dealing with continual renewal and

rapid changes. The training of the workforce has become a natural setting for the

development and practice of industrial training methods and concepts. Training is focused on

preparing Motorola employees to adapt and develop their knowledge and skills to meet the

business goals of the future. To carry out this charter, Motorola develops all levels and types


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of training-(management, engineering, quality and so on) required by the Motorola business

units. Motorola University provides training consulting services to external distributors,

partners and customers through 12 learning centres across 22 countries.

Change Agent

In the setting of continual renewal, the concepts of action learning have become an

effective means of generating consensus and focusing the work of the organization. In the

late 1980s Motorola had invested heavily in technologies in paging and cellular products and

services. A very successful educational program titles Rise To The Challenge had increased

the awareness of the corporations leaders to the fact that heavy penetration of the global

markets would be required to meet the goal of becoming the leader in both the paging and

cellular markets. Even the Senior Executives had recognized the opportunity. The

decentralized structure of Motorola had enabled the corporation to quickly react to changes in

technology and markets.

Implementation of Action Learning Steps

Deborah King-Rowley, Motorola Universitys Director of Executive Development,

was given the challenge of developing an education intervention to focus leadership of all

Motorola sectors and functions in a joint effort to plan and implement Motorolas strategy in

Asia/PAC. Her proposal centered around action learning titles Senior Executive Program

(SEP)

Needs Analysis of the Action Learning Process

The concepts proposed were adopted by the senior leadership of the corporation and

implemented over next several years. Since then the processes of SEP have been used to

provide the framework for numerous Motorola corporate initiatives. These initiatives include:

Doing business in Asia/PAC Motorolas role in the communications industry Entry into emerging markets Management of regulatory standards Becoming a premier software company Brand Management


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Project Definition

The project addressed by an SEP is selected and defined by the President and CEO in

collaboration with the Motorola Management Board. Each project represents a major

corporate issue that crosses all Motorola business and functions and lends itself to a cross-

organizational plan and collaborative solution. A member of the Office of the CEO and/or the

Motorola Management Boards is identified as the champion for each SEP team, sets the

expectations for the team and provides the interface with the Motorola Management Board.

Target Audience

Selection of the SEP Team

The selection of the SEP team is one Team members are selected from candidates

nominated by their business units and reviewed by the Corporate Management Board. The

selection criteria include the proper mix of experiences, responsibilities, organizations and

functional representation.

While several team members are selected for their knowledge of the issue that will be

addressed, the majority have limited expertise in the topic. One of the goals of the SEP is to

educate an ever increasing number of the corporations executives on the issue.

The team includes both line and functional executives. Participation in an SEP has

become a valued opportunity for executives since it recognizes the individuals ability to

participate in the planning and implementation of the corporation business strategies. It will

also provide expose to top management and the opportunity to develop new networks with

corporate leaders. Generally one executive is given the responsibility for coordinating the

initial meetings and logistics of the team.

SEP Operations and Logistics

The SEP team manages itself in addressing their task. They determine their own work

schedule, goals and timelines. The team also determines how they will measure and report

their progress and how they will facilitate and manage their work. Through their connections

to the businesses they have the ability to draw on resources beyond the team members

themselves. The SEP will continue to function until the assigned goal has been achieved.


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SEP Education and Learning

Learning interventions are scheduled for the SEP team as their needs dictate. The

learning is provided in form of external speakers, team training, research, reading,

benchmarking, etc., at the time that it is needed to support the work of the SEP.

The learning addresses both developing the abilities of the team to work together to

achieve a common goal and increasing the teams knowledge of the issues they have been

asked to resolve. Learning takes place throughout the entire project.

The concepts of the SEP are to resolve corporate-level issues, develop corporate wide

strategies and drive change are effective when the appropriate team members are assigned,

their goals are clearly defined and adequate support is provided. In its most effective form,the training is cascaded down through the various levels of the organization. At each new

level the training is supported and facilitated by the managers at higher levels

Training Outcomes

In Motorola the SEP teams often establish the policies, practices and behaviors that

must be changes to achieve the goals. Action learning is also used to help employees

impacted by the transition to take ownership of the processes and methods that will be

required to implement the changes at different levels of the organization.


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Conclusions

Action learning in Motorola has proven to be an effective means of defining and

resolving very high level corporate strategic issues. The results of action learning are greatly

enhanced when the issue is clearly defined. Action learning embedded in a larger process of

strategic problem solving can be a powerful tool for renewing and establishing new direction

for the organization.

Action Learning Final

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