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Establish Action Learning Projects

IN THE BOOK Linkage Inc.’s Best Practices in Leadership Development Handbook,¹⁶ the authors conclude that action learning is one of the most popular ways to foster leadership development. Essentially, action learning is a process of approaching an organizational problem with a learning perspective. With action learning there is critical and scheduled reflection of the learning associated with the project. Participants solve real organizational problems and develop and grow in the process. There is no classroomlike venue.

Action learning can accelerate learning, develop cross-functional relationships, and, most important, demonstrate a return on investment. Organizational problems or issues that could constitute action learning projects may include workforce turnover, improving processes or systems, increasing sales, resolving problems between departments, reorganization of a department or unit, increasing productivity, or visioning new areas of focus.

One important point to note is that you will need to be a champion of this process. In addition, be sure to allow time for reflection while the team is working on the project and upon completion. After all, it is through review and reflection that much of the learning occurs.

At a health-care organization in the midst of implementing new policies and procedures, organizational executives chose to use the action learning approach and the results were positive. The executives identified a number of individuals at various levels in the organization to serve on selected committees tasked with solving organizational issues. Of course there was a focus on learning as they went along. Each executive sat on one of the committees and helped them “fast-track” decisions and solutions. This approach not only fostered an increased level of support throughout the organization, it was a new and different approach—less “top-down” than decisions made in the past. In addition, it built relationships between executives and employees who may not have worked together otherwise.