Action Learning

Action Learning
A method of personal, managerial and
organisational development

“Freedom from teachers, from any

form of printed syllabus or regulations,
from any fixed institution, or even
from any literature save the most
occasional… not even a case study or a
business game” (Reg Revans)
 Action Learning

A method of personal, managerial and

organisational development
 Action Learning
A way of learning from our actions, and
what happens to us and around us, by
taking time to question, understand and
reflect, so that we gain insight and
consider how to act in the future.

Weinstein 1999
What is action learning ?

A continuous process of learning and

reflection supported by colleagues, with
the intention of getting things done.

McGill and Beaty 1994

What is action learning ?
Action learning is an approach to the development
of people in organisations which takes the task as
the vehicle for learning. It is based on the
premise that there is no learning without action
and no sober and deliberate action without
learning.

Pedler 1997
 Action Learning allows
individuals to:
 learn from experience
 share that experience with others
 have other colleagues’ challenge and support
 take that challenge and implement it
 review with those colleagues the action taken
and the lessons that are learnt.
Revans 1998
 Things to avoid in an action
learning set:
 Imposing your values and opinions on
others
 Giving advice
 Being judgmental
 Criticising or trivialising what the person
is presenting
Benefits of action learning
 Increased confidence
 Increased self awareness
 Ability to approach situations from a
broader and more political perspective
than in the past
 More proactive than reactive in problem
solving and decision making
 Benefits of action learning
 More reflective than emotional in tense situations
 Better at listening
 Move into new jobs more quickly and effectively
 Achieve goals faster than expected
 Developing and stimulating others in the organisation
 Principles of action learning
 Adults learn best when they are actually
involved in their own learning about a
current life situation
 Adults who voluntarily choose a learning
experience usually learn more readily

Emblen and Gray 1990

Learning happens at three
levels:

About the
About
issue being
oneself
tackled

About the process

of learning itself
Principles of Adult Learning

 Warmth and light (support and challenge)

 Listening
 Reflection
 Questioning
 Feedback (giving and receiving)
 Learning

Learning must be

L≥C equal to or greater

than the rate of
change

Revans 1982
 What happens during an
action learning set ?
Time Presenters Role Supporters Role

Beginning Describing Observing

listening
Middle Exploring Questioning
Questioning Challenging
Listening Reflecting back
Thinking Offering ideas

End Exploring future Asking what if?

actions Challenging
  Presenter to find
action points
 Five main elements of action
learning
 The individual – voluntarily joins the group
 The set – a group of 5/6 people who meet
regularly
 The issue or task – each person brings what
they want to work on
 The processes – the challenge, support
 The facilitator – helps the group as it works
and learns
Revans 1991
 Differences in approaches to
learning
Traditional learning
 Historic case studies
 Individual focused
 Learning about others
 Study of other organisations
 Planning
 Input based
 Past orientated
 Low risk
 Passive
 Theories
Action learning
 Current real case studies
 Group based learning
 Learning about self/others
 Study own organisation
 Planning and doing
 Output/result based
 Present/future orientated
 High risk
 Active
 Practical application
Adapted from Margerison (1988)
Action Learning Equation
P Programmed knowledge –
expert knowledge,
knowledge in books, what we
do because that’s the way it

P+Q
has always been done
Q Questioning – the aspect of
previous experience is
useful /relevant, or just

=L what we don’t know

L Learning – the result of
combining the two
 Problem Presenters Should
 Prepare for meetings
 Be clear what they want to achieve from their
“airspace”, what they will do to ensure this
and what they will ask of the set
 Structure their time
 Tell the set what they want and point out
what isn’t helpful
 Set Members Should be:-
 Listening and attending
 Learning not to
interrupt
 Conveying interest and
empathy
 Being supportive
 Challenging
 Asking helpful questions
 Being clear what they
are about to say/asking
and considering whether
it is helpful to the
presenter
 Providing information
where required
 Offering insight and
ideas (right time, right
way)
 The Kolb Learning Cycle

Stage 1: Having an
experience
Stage 4: Stage 2:
Planning the Reviewing
next steps the
Stage 3 : Concluding from experience
the experience

Kolb 1984
Facilitation Questions
 Can we stop for a moment and check how we are
doing?
 How do you feel about what is going on?
 How helpful was that comment?
 Perhaps it would be more helpful to turn that
comment into a question?
 What questions does that raise?
 Which question was most helpful, and why?
 Why has everyone ignored … statement?
Facilitation Questions
 Everyone seems a little tired – shall we
take a break for a few moments?
 Perhaps we should check our ground rules?
 What are we trying to do here?
 How can we help … move on?
 How can we make this set more effective?
 What does that mean?
 Is that helpful?
 Closing a Session
 A member of the set takes notes throughout
which will be revisited at the next session
and are kept securely in the meantime

 An action plan is drawn up for each presenter

which they will take away and act upon before
the next session
 Reg Revans Quotes
 "It is development of the self, not
merely development by the self“

 "Thus, we may more accurately describe

action learning as development of the
self by the mutual support of equals..."