By Michael J Marquardt                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Change and chaos are all around us. Technology and globalization                                                                                      
has transformed the lives in which we live and the world in                                                                                           
which we work.  Organizations and individuals are forced to                                                                                           
continually adapt and change.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Corporations that change too slowly will not survive for long in                                                                                      
the 21st century. They will quickly become dinosaurs unless they                                                                                      
continuously learn about and quickly respond to their changing                                                                                        
environment (customers, technology, political upheavals, etc.)                                                                                        
But where does a company find time to learn and develop                                                                                               
long-range capabilities for change when the day-to-day problems                                                                                       
must be solved and critical crises must be met?  Today's                                                                                              
organizations are too busy fighting alligators to find time to                                                                                        
drain the swamp.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Unless - they can find a way to fight (act) and drain (learn)                                                                                         
simultaneously.  Learning and acting must become concurrent                                                                                           
since too many demands and too little time prohibit focusing                                                                                          
exclusively on one or the other.  The days when workers,                                                                                              
especially leaders, can be absent from the action to concentrate                                                                                      
solely on learning are over.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
What's the answer to this every growing challenge?  For a                                                                                             
growing number of organizations, the answer is action learning.                                                                                       
The ability of action learning to solve problems in real time                                                                                         
and, at the same time, build the capacity of individuals and                                                                                          
teams enables organizations to thrive in the 21st century.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
What exactly is action learning?                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Action learning is both a process and a program.  It involves a                                                                                       
small group of people solving real problems, while at the same                                                                                        
time focusing on what they are learning and how their learning                                                                                        
can benefit each group member and the organization as a whole.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
Action learning program derives its power and benefits from six                                                                                       
interactive and interdependent components.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
1. A problem Action learning is built around a problem (be it a                                                                                       
project, a challenge, an issue, or task), the resolution of                                                                                           
which is important to an individual, team and/or organization.                                                                                        
The problem should be significant, be within the responsibility                                                                                       
of the team, and provide opportunities for learning. Why is the                                                                                       
selection of the problem so important? Because it is one of the                                                                                       
fundamental beliefs of action learning that we learn best when                                                                                        
undertaking some action, which we then reflect upon and learn                                                                                         
from. The main reason for having a problem or project is that it                                                                                      
gives the group something to focus on.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
The focus of an action learning problem may be an organizational                                                                                      
or departmental issue, an individual's management issue or an                                                                                         
individual's developmental issue.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Examples of such problems could include reducing turnover in the                                                                                      
workforce, improving information systems and reduction in                                                                                             
paperwork, increasing sales by a predetermined amount, etc.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
2. An action learning group The core entity in action learning                                                                                        
is the action learning group.  The group is composed of 4-8                                                                                           
individuals who examine an organizational problem that has no                                                                                         
easily identifiable solution. Ideally, the make-up of the group                                                                                       
is diverse so as to maximize various perspectives and to obtain                                                                                       
fresh viewpoints.                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
The number 4-8 is desirable because research has shown that                                                                                           
under 4 members does not provide enough diversity, creativity                                                                                         
and challenging dynamics, and above 8 members results in too                                                                                          
much complexity as well as in limiting each individual's                                                                                              
airtime, a important aspect of action learning.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
The group, sometimes referred to as "fellows in opportunity" or                                                                                       
"comrades in adversity" should include among its members people                                                                                       
who care about the problem, know something about the problem and                                                                                      
have the power to carry out the recommendations of the group.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
3. A process By focusing on the right questions rather than the                                                                                       
right answers, action learning focuses on what one does not know                                                                                      
as well as what one does know.  Action learning tackles problems                                                                                      
through a process of first asking questions to clarify the exact                                                                                      
nature of the problem, reflecting and identifying possible                                                                                            
solutions, and only then taking action.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
The process and procedure of asking questions rather than                                                                                             
immediately providing solutions unfreezes the group and defuses                                                                                       
defensiveness. The ability to ask the right questions when                                                                                            
everything is uncertain and nobody knows what to do next is when                                                                                      
out-of-box creativeness emerges.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Action learning programs provide the essential time and space to                                                                                      
stand back and reflect, to unfreeze thoughts, to rise above                                                                                           
everyday problems, to bring things into a common perspective.                                                                                         
Reflection generates mutual support on the part of the group as                                                                                       
they listen intently and draw out each other's experiences and                                                                                        
practical judgements. This questioning-reflection process also                                                                                        
encourages the viewing of each other as learning resources.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
4. A resolution There is no real learning unless action is                                                                                            
taken, for one is never sure the idea or plan will be effective                                                                                       
until it has been implemented. Only by testing their ideas in                                                                                         
practice will they know whether or not their ideas are effective                                                                                      
and practical, whether any issues have been overlooked, what                                                                                          
problems might occur as a result, what to do differently in the                                                                                       
future, and how they can be applied to other parts of the                                                                                             
organization and other parts of one's life.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Therefore members of the action learning group must have the                                                                                          
power to take action themselves or be assured that their                                                                                              
recommendations will be implemented.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
5. A commitment to learning Solving organizational problems                                                                                           
provides immediate, short-term benefits to the company. The                                                                                           
greater, longer-term, multiplier benefit, however, is the                                                                                             
learning gained by each group member and how the group's                                                                                              
learnings can be applied on a systems-wide basis throughout the                                                                                       
organization. The learning that occurs in action learning has                                                                                         
greater value strategically for the organization than the                                                                                             
immediate tactical advantage of early problem correction.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
6. A group facilitator Facilitation is important to help the                                                                                          
group slow down their process in order to allow sufficient time                                                                                       
to reflect on learning.  A facilitator may be a working group                                                                                         
member or an external participant.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
The facilitator is very important in helping participants                                                                                             
reflect both on what they are learning and how they are solving                                                                                       
problems.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Power of action learning The strength and success of action                                                                                           
learning is built upon how well these elements are employed and                                                                                       
reinforced.  Each and every one of the six components is                                                                                              
necessary to create the optimum capacity and potency of action                                                                                        
learning.  Interwoven as such, action learning programs can                                                                                           
catapult individuals, teams and organizations into much higher                                                                                        
levels and frequencies of success.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
Perhaps action learning's most valuable capacity is its amazing,                                                                                      
multiplying impact to equip individuals, teams and organization                                                                                       
to more effectively respond to change                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Fresh thinking and new learning are needed if we are to avoid                                                                                         
responding to today's problems with yesterday's solutions while                                                                                       
tomorrow's challenges engulf us.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
About the Author:                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Prof. Michael Marquardt is a Professor of Human Resource                                                                                              
Development and Program Director of Overseas Programs at George                                                                                       
Washington University. He also serves as President of Global                                                                                          
Learning Associates, a consulting firm assisting corporations to                                                                                      
become successful global learning organizations. Prof.                                                                                                
Marquardt will be conducting workshops on Action Learning on 31                                                                                       
October and 1 November 2002. Those interested may call MIM                                                                                            
(03-21654611, e-mail: enquiries@mim.edu) for more details.