Action learning briefing (1)

Action Learning Briefing:

Promise & Pitfalls

Action Learning: Promise & PitfallsObjectives

Review definitions & genesis Discuss why Action Learning & the Promise Review models plus typical content & design Know the pitfalls/success factors (lessons

learned) & some accelerators Review typical participant learnings

WORKING ON BUSINESS PROBLEMS IN TEAMS

FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES

Centerpiece: A real business problem or opportunity

© 2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.

Action Learning Definition

WORKING ON (REAL, IMPORTANT) BUSINESS PROBLEMS

(OR OPPORTUNITIES) IN (DIVERSE, CROSS-ORGANIZATION) TEAMS

FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES(TO IMPROVE THE BUSINESS & DEVELOP

PARTICIPANTS)


Expanded Action Learning Definition

What is Action Learning?A dynamic tool used to:

• Drive strategic change

• Transform the organization

• Accelerate development

• Achieve business breakthroughs

• Develop leadership capabilities

• etc.Develop participants

Address significantbusiness challenges

Working onauthentic, urgent business problems/opportunities in diverse, cross-organization teams to improve thebusiness and developparticipants

Results

Learning

Action

Action Learning Genesis

Not GE, American or new UK roots - 1945 Founding father - Reg Revans Rapid increase in use


Primary Differences Between Action Learning & A Task Force

Explicit learning & development goals A significant education component A diverse team

Why Action Learning

Can be powerful Puts Executive Development “At the Table” Demonstrable impact Provides motivation to learn – not theoretical Easy to sell But…

Without effective program management & facilitation it can become

ActionLearning

But…

Action Learning


Address significant business

challenges

Develop leadership, teaming & business tools, techniques &

skills

AL The Promise

Multiple potential benefits: Develop individual capabilities

Accelerated development Leadership, teaming & business skills

Develop organizational capabilities More innovative & entrepreneurial Cross-organization collaboration (without sacrificing

autonomy) Other

Important work gets done Building a sense of the total enterprise


Action Learning Framework

Evaluation Implementation

Sponsors

ParticipantsTeams

Projects

RolesProgram

AL Typical Program Content

Work / business planning tools & techniques Innovation & entrepreneurship Team building - jump starting teams Project specific / JIT education Benchmarking Time management & delegation Senior executive dialog


AL Typical Design

©2002 Executive Development Associates. All rights reserved.

Session One Session Two

Project introduction & selection

Work planning tools & techniques

Team building Project specific / JIT

education Innovation &

entrepreneurship Set learning / develop-

ment goals Test project work plan

Mid-point progress review

Assimilate & synthesize work

Create, test & improve presentations• What learned? • Findings &

recommendations• Implementation plan

Presentations to sponsors

Debriefing & planning next steps

3 - 6 Month Timeline

3 - 5 Days 2 - 3 Days

1 ½ Days

Teams do projects

Team Structure Example

Team 18

Participants

Action Learning Program – 24-32 Participants

Team 28

Participants

Team 38

Participants

Team 48

Participants

Sponsor Sponsor Sponsor Sponsor

AL Team & WorkshopMake-Up Options All experts. No experts. Stakeholder(s) Implementers Max - mix One big team or multiple teams Team size Recommend: approx. 3 teams, on 3 different projects Recommend: Sponsor selects 1-2 “implementers” for the

team. Max-Mix criteria set. Participants select projects based on interest and learning potential

Team leadership


Participant Selection and Time ExpectationsHow should participants be selected? Based on potential? What they can learn, or need to learn? What they can contribute?

Time expectations: 25% or so in typical design How manage their real job? How manage their manager expectations? Full time for several weeks instead?


AL Sources of Projects

Participants Program, e.g., projects to implement agendas

created Strategic plan & challenges Sponsors Assessments/surveys Top management slate Key question: Provide choice or assign?

Implications for: Ownership, commitment, implementation


Strategic Challenge Choices Start with the Business Context

Consider the Context of the Business Situation

Select Challenges

Clarif y Stretch Goals f or the Business

Defi ne “From-To” Challenges

I dentif y the Key I nitiatives

Assess Leadership Learning Needed

STRATEGI C CHALLENGE POSSI BILITIES

Project Selection Criteria

Linked to strategy: directly address marketplace challenges, operating priorities, performance

Promotes desired change or new capabilities Broad enough to be challenging but focused enough to

allow solution (avoid world hunger) Not too political Not redundant with other initiatives (unless parallel efforts

seen as desirable for innovation) Appropriate for level of participant Requires participants to think/act differently Exciting and challenging to participants A passionate sponsor with implementation authority Within business line or cross business?

Action Learning Project Examples

Initiated decision to make major acquisition Created a new leadership institute Designed and launched global supply chain development

initiative Designed a collaborative process for long-term strategic vision

development and deployment Reorganized multiple country and regional operations to

maximize efficiency, enhance productivity, and speed growth Introduced initiatives to build knowledge management,

globalization of operations Developed new product management process Created a process for attracting and retaining technology partners Recommended improved strategic utilization of an acquisition

Sponsorship

An effective sponsor makes the connection between achieving the project goal and the development goals

Drives commitment through public and private support Ongoing coaching and constructive feedback to teams Emphasizes action and learning

Models and reinforces desired leadership behaviors Provides “air cover” for the team Supports members with their managers (often is a level

above their manager) Ensures implementation of the approved recommendations Provides whatever extraordinary resources are needed Keeps the team on target Attends all face-to-face events

AL Common Pitfalls & Perils(Lessons Learned) No feedback/communications on what action was

taken Scope too large Not aligned with strategy Political land mines “Action” overwhelms “learning” Just another task force Lukewarm, arms-length sponsor(s) Workload & boss interference No implementation, or ineffective handoffs A hammer looking for something to nail


AL Critical Success Factors(Lessons Learned) Challenging but doable project Active top management involvement Trained, passionate sponsors with implementation

authority Balance “action” & “learning” Explicit learning goals & frequent debriefings Facilitation Implementation planned up-front Communicating progress & results Realistic expectations – success defined


Action Learning Accelerators

On-line communications / work system Sponsors get coached Team process coaches Access to faculty / consultants Use graduates in future classes Peer feedback Sponsors involved in selecting some team

members Managers get coached


Balancing Action & Learning

Make it explicit program objective, = importance

Set specific learning/development goals (individual & team)

Review progress at all project reviews Include in all presentations Build in reflection time Team coaches/consultants After Action Review

AL Decision Options

No decisions made, recommendations only Made in program by senior management Made outside the program

Implement within area of responsibility Teams find the decision makers and sell Other people implement

Plan for implementation upfront Sponsors select some team members with

implementation in mind Make implementation part of the program design


What AL Participants Typically Learn Entrepreneurial mindset & skills To create, test & sell a business plan The power of cross-business teaming (to work

collaboratively across boundaries) Accelerated problem solving & decision making How to overcome the immune system More about the total business & a sense of engagement How to jump-start new teams To appreciate & leverage differences Giving & getting feedback To manage their time & delegate That shared leadership can work

Action Learning – Keeping it In Perspective – The Strategic Challenges are for Learning

“I am far less interested in people having the right answer than in their thinking about issues the right way. What criteria do they use? Why do they think the way they do? What alternatives have they considered? What premises do they have?”

Harvey Golub, former CEO American Express

Action Learning – Another Design

Creating & Testing Project Business PlansCreating & Testing

Project Business PlansLeadership CapabilitiesLeadership Capabilities

Implementing Approved Project

Business Plans

Implementing Approved Project

Business Plans

Learning & practicing leadership capabilities

Confidential feedback & development planning on 360 Leadership Inventory

Preparation for business project process

Reviewing marketplace realities

Setting & reviewing learning / development goals

Building project teams Developing, testing &

presenting project business plans

Approving or rejecting projects

Business project implementation

Debriefing individual & team learning vis-a-vis development goals

Summarizing & presenting results

After Action Review Forming self-directed

development teams

SEGMENT ONE SEGMENT TWO SEGMENT THREE

Three Days Four Weeks Three Months

On-line Work & Communication ThroughoutExecutive Coaches

Action learning briefing (1)

Business

learning action

action learning genesis

action learning briefing

development leadership

diverse team

business breakthroughs

business context

big team