It started as just a simple demonstration of what action learning is all about. But after the session, clarity, and certainty for a full-blown mission that could potentially help improve the lives of many Ukrainian mothers and children refugees started. Read More

Research confirms that when people feel safe within a team they will perform better; they willingly take risks, actively contribute, and work hard knowing that they can depend on the others in the team to support them and put in as much effort. In a business context, this is called ‘team psychological safety’ (TPS) and it is the key to high-performance teams. But how is TPS measured and what can leaders do to promote higher levels of TPS within their teams? Peter Cauwelier at TEAM.AS.ONE, Action Learning team coach, has a solution that brings measurable improvements in psychological safety and performance. Read More

For the last 2 years I’ve been studying for my Masters in Coaching and Mentoring with Oxford Brookes, which I completed and successful passed in September 2021. My research looked at the use of Action Learning within Team Coaching. I wanted to share with you some of the findings from my research. In this article I share with you what a team coaching model using action learning could look like. Read More

How could a problem that’s been around for years be solved in 90 minutes? How could different groups, who might have been at loggerheads in the past, work together to solve a common problem? The answer may be summed up in two words: Action Learning (AL).  I’ve been a professional coach for years, and while I can work with individuals, working with groups has never been my cup of tea as an introvert. What I didn’t know was that I did not need a personality transplant to be able to work with groups. I just needed to learn a powerful tool that enabled people to work together, without requiring me to do the heavy lifting. Read More

Do you know the percentage of people who consider themselves engaged at work? According to Gallup World Poll with data collected in 155 countries between 2014 and 2016, only 15% of the workers consider themselves engaged at work, that is, who feel committed to their work and motivated to be highly productive for being involved and enthusiastic about the work they do. Gallup also studied the positive impact of engaged workers on business and presented in the State of the Global Workplace report indicators. Read More

Action Learning is powerful for finding breakthrough solutions to complex problems and to embed leadership development in the normal working practices. Results on these two dimensions are often very clear and visible. Building high-performance teams is one of the “solutions” that Action Learning brings, but here the results are more often anecdotal testimonials from team members about better listening and better ‘connections’ with the others in the team. How can we go beyond anecdotal evidence and really “measure” how a team’s strength evolves when applying Action Learning? Read More

I was fascinated by the book “Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work … and What Does.” written by Susan Fowler (Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc. San Francisco) The author corroborates the notion that the ‘Carrot and Stick’ approach does not work and it is best to develop intrinsic factors to motivate people to do better. Of course, extrinsic rewards work to a point, but how far can an organization go in advancing pay, extending benefits, and offering incentives to enhance output. The fact is, motivation via bonuses, recognition as an employee of the month, highest achiever, or flex time to accommodate an employee’s personal need. Read More

An organization is only as effective as its leaders. The Washington Post reported that 4.3 million people left their jobs in January of 2022. At the same time, hiring the right talent is competitive, so it’s important to create a sense of attraction that brings people to you and helps them want to stay in the organization. A 2022 LinkedIn Global Talents report found that professional development is a key driver in retention, and a December 2021 Gallup article opined leadership development as a critical part of helping organizations thrive. Read More

One of the most powerful questions I’ve been asked within the Action Learning community is this: HOW HAS ACTION LEARNING CHANGED YOUR LIFE?? Michael Marquardt, founder of Action Learning, asked me this question 3 years ago during the WIAL Global Conference in Shanghai. It was during a break, in between sessions. I was stunned, yet surprised myself with an instant and heartfelt answer. Then Michael built on my answer, with a response that struck me to the core and dramatically shifted my perspective about the real power of Action Learning. Read More

In 2016-2017, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) launched six action learning teams in its Leadership Excellence and Achievement Program (LEAP). Projects ranged from improvements to hiring processes to streamlining mandatory training for attorneys, to developing agency-wide professional development programs. The six teams were led by trained Action Learning coaches using the WIAL method of action learning. Projects concluded in July 2017 with each team providing final reports to their agency executive sponsor as well as learning briefings for the DOJ Chief Human Capital Officer. Read More