Meeting this quote from Reg Revans the first time, affected me like lightning is slamming somewhere. It immediately scorched all the old thoughts around and made the place for the new. I worked as a consultant for a long time, telling managers and organizations what and how they should do while assuming that this was not the best direction. I felt it, but I didn’t know what else could fill the gap. Action learning gave me the answer. I felt completely liberated when other group members didn't want to solve my problems for me but they kept asking openly with sincere interest. The answers just poured in. I could hardly wait to step into the field of actions. After all it was no longer strange that those of my solutions proved to be innovative, durable, and effective. I started to introduce action learning to my clients and did counselling less often. I enriched my trainings with action learning not only in the knowledge transfer phase, but also in the follow-up phase.
The methodology of action learning facilitation was developed by British professor Reg Revans. While no precise definition can be given — in fact, according to Revans, it would work specifically against effectiveness — the driving force behind the method is the fundamental urge of people to focus on what they know and not on what they don’t. All of this requires self-examination, asking questions, and looking deep into ourselves. The core of action learning is relatively simple. According to Revans’s theory, learning is the sum of programmed knowledge and effective questioning.
One of the characteristics of action learning is that the group members change the roles of topic owner and coaches to maximize individual development in group form. In action learning, not only the topic owners get closer to their answers but also the other group members acting as coaches. They also have the opportunity to make their individual learnings conscious.
The action learning groups are supported by a competent and trained facilitator. Group members have the opportunity to process their own individual or organizational topics and take an active role in the development of others with coaching approach.
The methodology is based on one of the amazing features of humans: we already have all the necessary answers, these are just waiting to be discovered. Action learning helps people to build on their resourcefulness with the help of other group members.
