As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The problem presenter consistently waits until lasts to read their version of the problem.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member finally asks the question that you knew would bring the whole situation to light. The rest of the team responds but is confident that’s not where the real problem lies.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member attempts to do a process check for you, but handles it abruptly. For instance – instead of checking without judgement, they turn to another team member and say – “I’ve observed significant tension from you, what’s the impact of that on the team?” The other team member gets angry and says – “I wasn’t tense! Now I am!”
Optimizing the Power of Action Learning
The third edition of Optimizing the Power of Action Learning is the seminal book about Action Learning. The book covers both the theories and principles behind Action Learning, as well as multiple examples from organizations around the world.
Can be purchased from Amazon or by contacting any of the authors Mike Marquardt, Shannon Banks, Peter Cauwelier or Choon Seng Ng.
What’s Your Question ?
Wondering what questions to ask? This unique book catalogues 630 questions in different categories and invites the reader to use it as a workbook by completing the list in each family of questions.
Can be purchased from Amazon or by contacting Choon Seng Ng.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A team member does a process check.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team has reach consensus on the problem and the goal but is having trouble transitioning to the solution phase.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
At the start of the session a participant gets up and closes a door.
For ThoughtWorks, talent is the source of the enterprise’s growth and competitive advantage. ThoughtWorks’ AURORA-Leader Development Program used Action Learning as a core method to build a talented team with excellent capabilities, broader vision and connection with the culture and mission.
During the 6 month program, trainees follow a cycle around real scenarios, learning, practice and retrospect. Each of them receives the support from a mentor, an external WIAL Action Learning coach, and the BU head.
Action learning allows trainees to think about and explore the macro issues facing senior leaders at the company’s strategic and organizational level, and at the same time work on their individual leadership development. Action learning helps us to solve real organizational problems and evaluate the corresponding results. After 2 successful years, the third AURORA starts this year !
“The more complex the problems are, the more significant improvement in trainee’s leadership capability can be observed.”
Song Zhang
Managing Director
ThoughtWorks China
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The team is working on a porch with windows around three sides. As the session starts two participants stand up at the same time. One walks to one side of the room and closes a window, the other walks to the other and opens a window.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The session has been going for a long stretch and participants start stepping out to use the bathroom.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The participants have been directed to participate in the Action Learning session but believe it’s a waste of time.
Lyreco is one of the world’s leading B2B distributors of Office and Workplace products with a strong and growing ecommerce presence complementing its traditional channels. Operating in Europe for over ninety years, Asia has been one of the growth markets for the past two decades. Due to rapid growth over in Thailand, the local leadership team were searching for a way to confront many of the internal challenges resulting from rapid expansion.
Action Learning was identified as a key tool and over a six-month period, two groups of directors and managers attended foundation courses in Action Learning in either Thai or English. Seven potential coaches were selected from the earlier cohorts who were trained to become Certified Action Learning Coaches (CALC). Within the first year, the CALC at Lyreco were holding regular cross-functional Action Learning sessions with a wide selection of attendees from Lyreco in Thailand.
There have been many benefits, even in the first year; Action Learning has clearly promoted work related interaction between the departments at the different geographical locations in Thailand and all the participants are learning from each other about what is happening and planned for the future in their departments and Lyreco as whole.
The Action Learning group members are learning to ask powerful questions and it has created a format where people “have’ to ask work related questions, where previously it may have been seen as culturally inappropriate or insensitive to ask questions.
The company has clearly begun to develop a learning culture and whilst the Action Learning is helping to solve problems, we see this as a by-product, as the improved inter-departmental cooperation and openness to ask questions amongst our employees producing learning and better understanding is already a real benefit.
“Whilst there is still work to change the perception of some employees of Action Learning from a short-term program to becoming being part of our DNA, I am confident that the benefits of Action Learning will continue to impact everyone who has been exposed to it whether they remain at Lyreco or continue their career elsewhere.”
David RECORD
Managing Director
Lyreco Co., Limited Thailand
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
A year earlier there was a merger in the organization. All fun elements had been stopped – picnics, team outings and were replaced with ridged procedures. The team was tasked with determining was to bring back fun in the work place. The top HR person on the team is convinced it can’t happen and derails every idea.
As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
The teams has been working on fleshing out a breakthrough solution to a problem that has been haunting the organization for years. A long term employee stops by just long enough to tell them it won’t work.