Action Learning: A Practical Guide For Managers

ACTION LEARNING A Practical Guide Second Edition This page intentionally left blank ACTION LEARNING A Practical Guide Second Edition Krystyna Weinstein Gower © Krystyna Weinstein 1999 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publisher. First edition published 1995 by HarperCollins Publishers This edition published by Gower Publishing Limited Gower House Croft Road Aldershot Hampshire GU11 3HR England Gower Old Post Road Brookfield Vermont 05036 USA Krystyna Weinstein has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Weinstein, Krystyna Action learning: a practical guide. – 2nd ed. 1. Active learning 2. Executives – Training of I. Title 658.4’07’124 ISBN 0 566 08097 4 Library of Congress Cataloging–in–Publication Data Weinstein, Krystyna. Action learning: a practical guide/Krystyna Weinstein. — 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-566-08097-4 (pbk.) 1. Executives – Training of. 2. Active learning. I. Title. HF5549.5.T7W387 1998 658.4’071245–dc21 98–25001 CIP Typeset in 10pt Century Oldstyle by Saxon Graphics Ltd, Derby and printed in Great Britain at the University Press, Cambridge. 3 Contents List of figures Preface Introduction Part 1 Definitions and Theoretical Background 1 What is action learning? 2 The theory and philosophy of action learning Part 2 Action Learning in Practice vii ix xi 1 3 27 55 3 The set 57 4 The action: projects and tasks 85 5 The processes in the set 109 6 The set adviser 135 7 Time 149 8 The learning 159 9 Overcoming some reservations 199 10 The future of action learning 203 11 How to design an action learning programme 213 Useful addresses References and further reading Index 225 227 229 v This page intentionally left blank 3 List of figures 1.1 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 4.1 4.2 7.1 8.1 8.2 The four Ps of action learning The Kolb and Revans learning cycles Reflections at each stage The inner learning spiral Conscious competence Sympathetic circles Types of projects Focusing on your ‘story’ Time and its value Concentric learning cycles A spectrum of confidence 9 40 41 43 46 50 86 99 153 161 188 vii This page intentionally left blank 3 Preface In the few years since the first edition of this book appeared, action learning has become almost mainstream in the field of development – both of people and organizations. And yet there are many who claim to be ‘doing’ action learning which bears only a passi