As experienced practitioners, we all know the power of Action Learning and the positive working conditions created in an Action Learning session. However, what if I told you that this was tied to the wiring of our brains? If I were 20 years younger today and picking a degree, I would choose neuroscience. What we’re learning now about the brain and its implications for life are amazing. Given my belief in the importance of these findings, I have studied applied neuroscience and worked hard in recent years to make connections between this new understanding about the brain and the way I think about talent and leadership. Read More

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This is the second part of a very comprehensive article that looks at why questions, and by extension Action Learning, are so powerful for individuals and teams. In part 1 in the previous newsletter, Shannon Banks introduced the SCARF model and explained Action Learning creates safety around Status, Certainty and Autonomy. In this second part, Shannon looks at Relatedness and Fairness and then shares how she has adjusted her coaching profession by applying the SCARF model. For us to do our best, most creative, and effective work, we need to be in what David Rock calls a “toward the state,” not hindered by fear or threat. Read More

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The Action Learning coach brings the power of individual coaching to the group level, but is even more powerful because Action Learning groups work only on real problems requiring real solutions. The action learning coach not only establishes rapport with the group members but also builds empathy and trust between group members. Through the Action Learning process the group members’ self-awareness is not only raised by the coach, but also by virtue of the process. Rather than setting goals for the group, the coach leads the group to set its own goals. Read More

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WIAL Philippines was invited to pilot test the e-Course and Blended Learning Program. It was very timely – the materials were ready just in time for our scheduled 4-day Intensive. We were stoked to test the new format, and contribute to this huge milestone for WIAL. We were even more excited because this was to be our first certification program in close to 2 years, given the global pandemic. And so we wanted to re-launch with a bang! This article presents the personal insights about the experience from the point of view of Cristina Alafriz (MALC mentor) and Audrey Arayata (CALC Candidate). Read More

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Problem presenters play a key role in the success of our action learning programs. Not only should they bring real and urgent challenges to work on for which they have accountability, they can role model strong questioning to ensure the team is performing at their best. As coaches, one of our responsibilities is to prepare problem presenters for this essential work. I learned the importance of this the hard way. It was 2009 and I had just received my coaching certification. I was piloting an action learning program at Microsoft, where I worked as a leadership development consultant, and we selected a number of senior leaders. Read More

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Over the years respective Governments of the Caribbean Region have outlined their vision for a Transformed Public Sector. Earlier this year, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in one of his Speeches on Public Sector Transformation noted: A transformed public sector is dynamic, innovative, and responsive to the needs of citizens and businesses, and embraces technology to improve productivity at work. It is constantly measuring itself, and improving, and sees the citizen as the customer to be served. But why aren’t we having the public sector transformation we envisage in spite of the passage of time? Read More

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Robust reflection is one of the core principles of Action Learning. Deliberate reflection on life’s rich experiences allows us to systematically learn from them. In this article, I’ll share some hopefully useful learnings I’ve had as a passionate Action Learning advocate and practitioner over a number of years. My sincere hope is that these learnings, gained from great successes and spectacular failures, might help WIAL affiliates, coaches, and of course our clients. I would invite anyone who is committed to enhancing their selling skills to very seriously consider the questions-based “SPIN” selling process. Read More

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In recent years, I’ve begun to wonder whether the name of our method, Action Learning (AL), is confusing our clients and the public. It is not surprising, for example, that clients see AL as a form of experiential training. That conclusion would be especially natural for US clients who have preferred experiential training methods over the standard lecture-style training for several decades. When answering the above question, I have often replied that they are both important and that coaches should make an effort to balance learning with action. Further, we have required teams to end each AL session with action steps. Read More

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The Business Leadership Program at the College of Business (COB), Rikkyo University was awarded at the Action Learning Global Forum 2014 in India for its distinctive approach that develops students’ leadership by using action learning. WIAL Japan reported this successful achievement. Prof. Higano mentioned that by implementing action learning, he was not only able to encourage students’ independence, but also was able to build up the culture at COB. He stressed the high evaluation that the program is receiving even from outside of the university. Read More

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WIAL Brazil does not want to be indifferent to such important sociological dynamics within the country. Therefore, it decided to start a Scholarship Program for Brazilians of African Descent, opening space to welcome one qualifying participant in each Action Learning Certification class held in Brazil. This initiative dialogues with WIAL’s global objective of promoting greater social equality and income conditions for those who want to use Action Learning to help make the world a better place. WIAL Brazil supports potential black leaders with the purpose of developing a more egalitarian culture within the country. Read More

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The first in a series of articles that looks at each of the five of WIAL’s Solution Spheres: the power of Action Learning to develop breakthrough solutions. Breakthrough ideas don’t come from brainstorming. Forcing the brain to come up with a great idea, just in time for when it’s your turn to speak up, does not work. The brain needs to be triggered, and then given time to relax and reflect. That is the power of questions in the Action Learning session. During the problem discovery phase, open-ended questions allow the team members to look at the problem from different angles. Read More

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Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) is known as one of the world’s largest conglomerates. CP Group operates across many industries ranging from industrial to service sectors and is organized in 8 Business Lines covering 13 Business Groups. This year, All Coaching Academy –the internal coaching unit in the CP Group – was asked to design and deliver a session around group reflection for the leadership program of CP-All Public Company Limited – the operator of the ubiquitous and famous 7-Eleven convenience stores in Thailand. The leadership program is called “Talo Kae Klang” (Mid-level Entrepreneur). Read More

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As a leadership development consultant, I’m always on the lookout for new tools and techniques to help my clients and their companies to collaborate better. communicate clearer and achieve more. This led me to discover Action Learning in 2014, a tool that I immediately used for our clients with great results. This led us to create WIAL Philippines a year later, today one of the top 10 affiliates in the world in terms of the number of coaches. Just like with Action Learning, I saw the power potential behind Strengths. I decided to become a Strengths Coach and was surprised by how much it resonated for our many clients. Read More

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The importance of developing individual leadership skills is further been emphasized by asking questions about individual leadership skill development before team and organizational development in the post-session debriefing process. A problem with this debriefing practice became obvious to me when I noticed that it took much more time to debrief individual, as compared to team or organization, development because of the time it took to address the develop goals for every member of the team (which usually included feedback from other team members). Read More

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I am a coaching associate with Emerging World. Emerging World delivers immersive experiences for global corporations to bring out the best in their people. It enables people to see the world from different perspectives to shift their businesses and help to shape a better future. I returned to Nairobi for my 3rd time in May as part of program called ‘Go with Maersk’. 56 Maersk new and emerging leaders from 26 countries joined some senior Maersk leaders to spend the week assisting local socially based organizations (partners) and communities around Nairobi to improve the conditions and skills to bring change. Read More

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