Industry News
Action Learning in Practice
Posted: 18/03/09Action Learning in Practice
Mary-Clare Race and Amanda Harrison
Mary-Clare introduced the concept of Action Learning. She indicated that it was a means of using psychology based techniques to enable focused discussion on work-related issues, encouraging individuals to view problems or challenges in a different way through discussion and feedback from peers, leading to more effective individual, group and organisational performance.
The concept is not new: it has been reinvented several times but has recently been reintroduced because of its effectiveness in complex working environments, for example, in healthcare. Its origins go back to 1940s, when it was devised by Reg Revans, a distinguished academic, management consultant and athlete. His work was based on research at the National Coal Board.
The process of Action Learning Sets draws on the skills of the facilitator in terms of ensuring all participants are actively involved and have opportunity to contribute to the discussion. A key aspect of Action Learning sets is that they are ‘leaderful’, the learning comes from the work experience, knowledge and skills of the members, and is not dominated or lead by any one individual.
Members are encouraged within an open, honest environment to talk about aspects of their work and the barriers or challenges they are facing. Through powerful questioning techniques, aided by the facilitator, the other members in the group are able to give input, feedback and ideas about how improvements might be made, and possible ways of overcoming the barriers, helping the individual to reframe their thinking about the issue. In this way, the group actively support and challenge one another, leading to the development of specific actions that may be taken forward to help resolve issues.
The process acknowledges:
• that the most effective solutions can result from a multi-disciplinary approach to complex issues
• that people have the capability and capacity to effect change
• resources need to be fully utilised
• that people need to be empowered to effect change
• the context and environment needs to support empowered action
The current ARUP project involves the establishment of a Clinical Leaders Network (CLN), a national programme aimed at all healthcare professionals, which uses Action Learning as the foundation for effecting change to support the achievement of the organisation’s vision. This is a large-scale programme, with around 600 individuals being engaged across England and Wales.
Arup’s activities on the project include:
• Design of events by individual participants
• Facilitation of all Action Learning Sets
• Providing feedback to individuals
• Ongoing evaluation and monitoring
• Development of knowledge
• Facilitation of skills transfer
• Personal development
The programme provides opportunity for individuals across the organisation to play a key influential role in defining and effecting change, through sharing learning, problem solving and engaging in debate with senior management representatives.
In the North East region, events have been themed around specific aspects of the vision, with members being encouraged to consider the issues they perceive in relation to these themes, from a professional, organisational and functional perspective.
The emphasis for this programme is on accelerating the process of change at a local and national level, empowering individuals to play a key role in achieving this, and promoting greater communication and participation within regions.
ARUP are playing a central role in the roll-out and success of the programme, acting as facilitators within all regions, but also on-going monitoring and evaluation of the programme, for continuous improvement and inter-regional learning. Arup’s involvement will be assessed on the basis of attendance and qualitative issues such as engendering among participants enthusiasm and a willingness to champion new ideas.