How can you use action learning to develop effective leaders?

In my company, we implemented action learning by creating groups of emerging high-potential leaders across various functions and allowing them the opportunity to work on real-world business and organizational challenges. We called this the second circle. I am always amazed at what people are capable of when you allow them the freedom to solve problems and remove artificially defined boundaries

From my experience in managing projects and people, I mainly believe in learning while moving, which means that in order to learn you have to "jump into the water and start swimming". Of course, this does not mean that you have to do things without basic knowledge, but once you have it, start doing it and learn from mistakes along the way. In order to maximize learning from doing, it is useful and even required to do this in teams so that everyone can contribute their professional strengths

The best way to create effective leaders is to involve them in the day-to-day activities, projects and let them par-take in decision-making. This will improve their self-worth, confidence and make them accountable for their own actions and the people they lead. This is a good way to identify future leaders for mid-senior positions as well. When you implement and learn in real-time it helps the supervisors to assess their competency, skills and knowledge. Also, involving them in cross-functional teams-projects helps a lot and boosts morale, collaboration and teamwork.

I do a lot of this kind of consulting work, acting as an advisor to work groups assigned responsibilities to identify workplace improvements of some sort, pilot those ideas and develop recommendations based on findings. It works extremely well as we work to co-create solutions, while team members learn along the way. Action learning provides benefits to the organization, they don’t need to hire a ream of consultants, and the individual who gains the benefit of hands on coaching and indirect training from the advisor.

Action learning begins in our early lives with our mothers. When one has a strong bond to a Teacher, much if learned and transferred. Learning is a process of receiving, planting, watering, and having light provide the rays of growth all inside on one's mind. Learning for some is fast and for others it is slow. The Role of a Master Teacher is as Mother with an infant or child. Mother's and Master Teacher's instinctively know their child/student and know how they learn. Learning styles develop in early infancy and childhood. Learning can be apart of one's culture and goals or not. Having support is vital, but some will learn by themselves even from just dreams, experiences, books and have no formal help. Learning is an Action itself

Action learning is actually very important hidden method to create successful empire because it is less common and even the higher management of renowned brands don't consider it as an essential tool.. Let's discuss how we could practically implement it..for me i would prefer potential candidates of my company to dive into the real world scenario..solve real times case studies and come up with out of the box ideas . I will also suggest them to keep themselves fully equipped with latest R&D Techniques and Methodology so that we would have effective future leaders in the market.

Action learning provides the framework to learn from experience, from actions taken, through questioning and reflection. Psychological safety is key to ensure action learning is effective in and of itself! On the outcome side, will be managers who have greater understanding of how their actions link up to consequences in the context of their company. This learning can instil incredible confidence, in their own abilities to take the lead, to deliver results and to carve action paths that meet goals, making it a virtuous cycle of next gen leader-development.

Yes - action learning is a great way to develop people, solve real business problems and build stronger connections between leadership and the rest of the organization. I've seen it work well in some of the orgs I've worked in/consulted for. I'm surprised it isn't used more often.

A good example of applied action learning is to create courses and activities around your organizations competencies and the mission-vision-value statements. If leaders continue to see these things reinforced in all of the courses and content they participate in, in some way shape or form, it creates a consistent message and culture throughout the organization. All development tools should be coming from those core values and competencies.

Imagine yourself as the zoo keeper of leadership development. Much like zoo animals need a safe and encouraging environment to learn and adapt to new surroundings, your leadership group requires a culture that encourages experimentation and accepts the occasional misstep. Just as zoo animals need the freedom to explore their enclosures and learn from their experiences, your team should be granted the space to experiment and occasionally falter. Guide your team, reflect on their actions, and encourage them to apply their newfound knowledge to their work and share it with others. This way, your leadership development zoo becomes a thriving ecosystem of growth and learning.

In 1991, I created what is now being called 'action learning' when I created a learn-by-earning university for building brands. It was a 'university' without classes. The only marks they got were what that select group of four, later eight people earned as they learned. All the 'graduates' of that program are in leadership positions now. I still continue to run that learn-by-earning program which has evolved along with the ways brand-building communication has evolved. The biggest advantage is that I learned along with the people I was coaching to ride the brand-building motorcycle confidently.

The benefits of action learning for leaders are profound. It's like a turbo-boost for professional growth. When leaders face real-world challenges, collaboratively devising solutions, and reflecting on the outcomes they hone decision-making, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. It also nurtures a culture of adaptability and innovation, vital in today's dynamic business landscape. Leaders become more empathetic, understanding the nuances of diverse perspectives. Arguably most importantly, it instills a mindset of continuous improvement. Regardless of industry, action learning empowers leaders to thrive amid complexity. It's a game-changer, fostering excellence and driving organizations toward success.

As a behavioral analyst for over 10 years, I know that everyone interacts with one another differently which can present challenges. I use the Predictive Index behavioral tool to overcome these challenges. Of all the ones I have personally used I like this one the best for work life and individual growth. Especially when pairing a mentor or coach! Having one another's driving traits such as extrovert, dominance, patience, and structure gives a coach so much more to build from right out of the gate. Also helps those who are self unaware.

Developing effective leaders through action learning is like writing a compelling book. Align action learning with your organization's goals and values, creating a narrative that fits the mission. Just as writing requires experimentation and accepting drafts, leadership development by doing is futile in a culture that fears failure. Encourage leaders to embrace each attempt as a valuable chapter in their growth story. Select diverse, motivated characters for your story. Like different characters enrich a novel, diverse teams bring unique perspectives to problem-solving. Remember, every success and failure contributes to a more engaging leadership journey. Celebrate each chapter as a step closer to leadership excellence.

Start with strong facilitation to keep the process on track. Embrace open communication and trust within your team, making it easier to deal with conflicts. Encourage reflection, ensuring everyone learns from the journey. Lastly, have patience; Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither are great leaders. These steps help you harness the power of action learning and turn challenges into stepping stones for growth.

Action learning (AL) worked powerfully when designed strategically. -Identify the AL project purpose & how it is aligned with company MVV. -What is working well in cross-functional teams and what is expected more or something new? -Has the team been exposed to cross-function roles and coaching in the past? -Level and competency mapping of the identified cross-functional team members. -How AL project contribute to team's career paths? -Time-resource budget along with their primary OKRs and review system. -The AL project should be real real-time business challenge in line with the stakeholder's consensus. -Coach/facilitator who understands business nuances and team dynamics. -Periodic tracking, open feedback, review and reward mechanisms.

Just remember that a behavioral tool can help provide a starting point for a group or individual when trying to decide the type of activities that can be successful for the personality types you are working with! I personally use the Predictive Index and my organization loves it! It's a fun way to learn more about each other and how to work more effectively together. Then you can plan activities that suit the group.