CIPD - Action learning

Revised July 2009

This factsheet gives introductory guidance. It:

looks at what action learning is and how learning takes place
indicates where action learning may be used
examines how action learning set meetings operate
considers how to ensure that action learning works well
includes the CIPD viewpoint.

What is ‘action learning’?

Action learning has been a well-regarded method of learning since Reg Revans¹ introduced the concept shortly after the Second World War. It is a method of collaborative learning where a small group of learners (an ‘action learning set’) meet regularly to reflect on real work issues. Its basic philosophy is that the most effective learning takes place when we are faced with a real problem to solve.

Action learning can therefore enhance the way in which people learn, drawing on actual practice, and using the experience of members working together to apply new ideas to each members’ role. Its effectiveness can be measured through the changes made to their work and working environment, and the practical results that will be the outcomes of learning.

Set members also report learning about how they learn: they can consider and experiment with alternative styles of learning and doing and receive feedback and new ideas from others, thus increasing their capacity to respond to new situations. Members also learn how things are done elsewhere and can develop new ideas and build on current good practice.

Essential elements of action learning

Equality

The process of action learning presumes that all set members are equals with:

common aims of working for their own development and to achieve progress on their own and joint issues
the willingness to learn from their own and others' activities
the willingness to offer their experience, prior knowledge and ideas to the set as a whole
the ability to act as peer coaches and co-consultants to one another.

There is no ‘leader’ or ‘expert’: members co-consult and help one another, though they may decide to bring in knowledge or outside expertise to meet specific needs. Set members may be peers or members of an existing team working together on a common project or a change programme.

Real work

All action learning is based on real work. This may be the day-to-day work and issues of the members of the set or it may be a special project. They may focus on individual issues, helping group members make changes to their current or future roles, or tackle joint projects, often working across functions. In the early work that Revans carried out, set members swapped roles, and then brought issues from their new responsibilities to the set.

Styles of learning

The learning that occurs includes social learning as members of the set work out new ways of tackling the tasks they face. Pooling their varied experience and knowledge, together with new insights gained from skilled questioning, creates new knowledge and action. Action learning also has a reflective element – members are asked to reflect on their experience and learning, and most well structured sets will build in some form of discussion and recording of this learning.

Different styles are included: the concentration on real tasks helps in an active and pragmatic way, discussions within the set bring in theory, and reflection is encouraged.

As a learning set’s work evolves members develop skills of collective and individual reflection and peer coaching. The more the set focuses on individual and collective learning rather than directly seeking pragmatic answers, advice or quick fixes to the issues they face, the more members can develop a greater understanding of the process of analysing and solving problems.

Other elements that may be included

Action learning sets are often facilitated. This means that external facilitators may be brought in to ensure that the process works well, and the reflective aspects of learning are emphasised. Facilitators can also ensure that equal air time is given to each member and that opportunities to learn or innovate are taken up. Facilitation may be useful for those new to the action learning process, but it is not essential for those familiar with and motivated to use the technique.
Input on theory or knowledge. Particularly when action learning sets are being set up within a programme or at the early stage of the process when members are being introduced to new tasks or ways of working, an ‘expert’ or a trainer may temporarily join the set to give some information or input or to explain the action learning set process.
Sponsorship. Inside organisations a strong motivation to learn and to achieve project work can be provided by a senior organisational sponsor who helps to promote the set’s learning and achievement of tasks. A sponsor may also encourage the set to approach important stakeholders and help them learn about organisational politics. The presentation of their work and learning to the sponsor can be a very acceptable way of finalising the set’s work and recognising their achievements.

Where is action learning appropriate?

Action learning works where individuals have some responsibility for the introduction of new ways of working or the achievement of complex tasks. It is especially useful where learners have to learn how to work across functions in an organisation or across organisations. It is a technique for developing talent - 49% of organisations in our Learning and development survey used action learning sets and the proportion is slowly increasing. It has its place in talent development programmes and is seen as the most effective technique by 13% of respondents. See also the AXA case study within the survey report on how action learning is part of a company talent development programme.

Go to the Learning and development survey results

Action learning can also make a major contribution to organisational change by freeing up inflexible or traditional thinking and finding new solutions to respond to changing environments. It can be used to introduce or reinforce a new style of leadership or to help members understand or implement their part of a general change programme.

For some examples of a range of topics that action learning sets can cover, see the case study on Christian Aid in our Helping People Learn area.

Go to the Christian Aid case study

Learning sets can be:

Part of a more general programme: for example a talent or management development or an academic qualification in management. For an example of this use of action learning sets see our case study on Just Born’s High Performance Leadership programme.
- Go to the Just Born case study
Stand alone: offering a learning experience in itself. For example KPMG offered action learning sets and projects to a number of emerging leaders in order for them to identify the skills they would need for the next level of management.
- Go to the KPMG case study
Reinforcement or follow on for learning from a programme: focussing on the transfer of learning to the live challenges of the workplace.

Learning set meetings

Learning sets meet at regular intervals to share current experience on their work. Generally the process will involve:

each set member in turn presenting issues
colleagues helping the issue holder to explore their issue and the assumptions or barriers that surround it
the use of intelligent questioning and co-coaching methods with the aim of helping each member think about, analyse and see their issue from different perspectives
the group generating ideas and potential solutions
time to reflect on what has been learned about the issue and the process of learning.

A facilitator can help with managing the process, drawing attention to group processes, behaviours and feelings and monitor individual and collective progress. Without a facilitator the set needs to take up these responsibilities for itself.

Ground rules for action learning sets

Action learning sets become confidential support groups where individuals feel able to share their learning (and their ignorance) and act as a coach to their peers. It is therefore necessary to build strong relationships and ground rules set at the initial meeting can provide a foundation for success, such as:

confidentiality of the discussions
each member's responsibility to learn and to help the development of others
sharing ‘air’ time
using project management techniques for working on joint outputs.

Issues with action learning sets

Timing: there is a need to pace the meetings - about once every month to allow progress on tasks assigned without losing momentum, but this can be hard to organise because of competing pressures or geographical diversity. Such problems can be overcome by a facilitator or HRD professional ensuring that meetings take place, allowing that not all members of the set need to be present at every meeting, or by organising virtual meetings over the telephone or by videoconference.
Sustainability: sets often start with a great deal of enthusiasm but over time the motivation may diminish, the pressures of daily work interfere or members change roles. Having a programme organised in advance with an overall time limit, or using the role of the sponsor to add importance to the work of the set, or strict deadlines for project achievement can help overcome these issues.
Sponsorship: can provide clarity, structure and priority to projects so long as the sponsor does not over manage.
Concentration on the task rather than the learning: some groups, particularly in cultures of task achievement may get carried away with the implementation of their tasks and concentrate less on the reflection and process of learning. Facilitation can help overcome this issue.

Evaluation

Action learning is a highly effective means of learning, with low cost. Sponsors and set members have expecations of outcomes such as task accomplishment and developing the capacity to learn or to lead. For more on the value of learning see our factsheet on training and learning evaluating.

Go to our Evaluating training and learning factsheet

The only costs that arise are those of external facilitation and the opportunity cost of the time spent in set meetings. The outputs in terms of projects achieved, new ways of tackling problems and so on can be assessed and reported on, and can produce quantifiable savings.

Less financially quantifiable will be the learning achieved by the set members, and the new knowledge that sets create through the process of social learning. However, this can be gathered by questionnaires or by asking sets to report on their learning as well as their achievements.

The widespread use of action learning within an organisation can provide a strong stimulus to self-directed learning, and potential in-house facilitators can emerge from initial action learning sets. Organisations can develop a self-sustaining network of action learning sets which can prove a highly cost-effective way of continuing learning and development.

For a case study on self directed learning see the Vestas Blades UK Ltd case study in our Helping People Learn area.

Go to the Vestas Blades case study

CIPD viewpoint

Action learning is a technique that takes as its starting point the learner and their real work. In that sense it fits neatly with the CIPD’s work on supporting, accelerating and directing learning.

Go to our Supporting, accelerating and directing learning factsheet

Unless action learning set members request some formal input, they themselves create all the subject matter and the process of their learning, which increases the motivation to learn.

Experiential and social learning of this sort has value for both individuals and organisations in increasing the capacity to carry out a wider range of real work more effectively and increasing the capacity to learn.

References

Reg Revans (1907– 2003) is widely credited as the person who used and developed action learning in Europe. A physicist by training, Olympic athlete and practical manager, he was the first professor of industrial management at the University of Manchester from 1955-65. From the 1970s to the mid-1990s he travelled widely as a passionate advocate of action learning. His vision was of practical business people learning from each other, creating their own resources, identifying their own problems and forming their own solutions.

Action learning