Action learning is a method that was created in the 1940s. Its creator is prof. Reginald Revans. He considered traditional teaching methods ineffective and was looking for a way to solve problems and develop at the same time.

So the method is to solve problems in teamwork. The added value is also the development of leadership skills, creativity and cooperation with other people.

Thanks to working with the action learning method, you can solve the problems that consume the company in a much shorter time, take up demanding challenges and help the management team develop competences. This shows group work from a completely different side.

People participating in such meetings not only deal with what is happening in the company, but also train, improve their skills and develop.

Action learning consists in meetings of small groups of employees (they should consist of 6 to 8 people) with a moderator (this person should be a certified coach, because action learning is a coaching method).

At the meeting, specific and real problems of the company are presented. All members of the group have time to speak on a given topic (depending on their function, it is from a few to several minutes).

So people who really care about solving a given problem meet, it is not a purely theoretical situation. Each of them presents their opinion on a given issue and can discuss it with the rest of the participants.

Thanks to this, the problem is not only presented, but also analyzed from many points of view. The Group makes specific decisions and undertakes to use the developed solutions.

However, the whole process of action learning does not end with the statements of all participants, because after them a series of questions is asked to dispel all doubts.

The series of questions we mention above should begin with the following words:

• Who…?
• What…?
• When…?
• Where…?
• How much…?
• How many…?

A discussion containing these questions should be led by a facilitator whose job should be to ask the right questions to stimulate discussion among participants.

People participating in action learning should be guided by principles that are supposed to make this way of solving problems really effective.

First of all, as we have already emphasized, the problems must be real, not purely theoretical. Participants are supposed to solve real problems.

What’s more, it is also important that they must commit to implementing the solutions they develop during the meeting into their activities.

Participation in such meetings must be active to be effective – for everyone attending them. In addition, each of them is responsible for the solutions they introduce to their work.

Action learning is recognized as one of the most effective problem solving methods in companies. It is used regardless of the size of the enterprise. What makes it so effective and recommended by experts?

Thanks to the fact that the meeting is supervised by a qualified coach, he is able to conduct it in such a way that it is as effective as possible. He can steer the conversation on the right track, ask the right question and make the participants take an active part in it.

Thanks to the fact that the group works on real problems, and not on theoretical issues, solutions can be put into practice right away. Participants thus gain not only competence, but also experience. What’s more, they commit themselves to implement the solutions right away, thanks to which the effects are immediate.

Participants learn cooperation, active listening, increase their creativity, expand their skills, thanks to which they become better leaders.

As you can see, properly conducted meetings using the action learning method can be extremely helpful not only for managers who will gain leadership skills, but also for the entire company. It is worth thinking about introducing them.

Source:https://poradnikprzedsiebiorcy.pl/-action-learning-tym-jest-i-na-czem-polega

Projekt otrzymał dofinansowanie z Norwegii poprzez Fundusze Norweskie 2014-2021, w ramach programu „Dialog społeczny – godna praca”.