Robert B. Kaiser [email protected]Robert B. Kaiser [email protected]Practitioner Forum presented at the 20th Annual SIOP Conference Los Angeles, CA April 2005 DEVELOPING LEADERS VIA ACTION LEARNING DEVELOPING EVELOPING LEADERS EADERS VIA VIA ACTION CTION LEARNING EARNING A Primer for I/O Psychologists Integrating Action Learning into Larger Leadership Development Initiatives H. Skipton Leonard Constellation Power Generation Action Learning Process Wayne L. Whitaker Illustrating the Unique Role of the Action Learning Coach Michael J. Marquardt Action Learning Definition, History, and Process Cori Hill Download slides at: www.sbcraig.com click "downloads", select "SIOP2005"
“Action Learning is an approach to working with and developing people that uses work on an actual project or problem as the way to learn. Participants work in small groups to take action to solve their problem and learn how to learn from action. Often a learning coach works with the group in order to help the members learn how to balance their work with the learning from their work.”
Build participants’ ability to work collaboratively across boundaries with a team of colleagues Develop leadership and team skillsExpand participants’ capacity to learn and to provide real time, effective peer feedback.Discover new ways of working.Broaden knowledge of other functions, businesses and external environment.Improve capacity to learn while addressing a real business issue Deliver an added-value outcome to the organization by having a team work on engaging business issues not currently being worked on.
Why Action Learning?These are some of the reasons our clients choose it
Differences Between Action Learning and a Task Force or Seminar
Task Force / TeamAction Learning Has Multiple PurposesIn a task force learning at team and individual level is incidental and not consistently or publicly known. Priority of Reflection vs. Task FocusChallenging AssumptionsMultiple Accountabilities
Designed to develop leaders while addressing critical business issues Composed of a variety of people, not necessarily with specific expertise in that areaQuestioning, reflection and learning is a key part of the processEvery member is a leader- AL involves a team of leadersTend to generate more creative solutionsMay or may not be responsible for the implementation phaseOutcome: Business issue addressed and learning occurs
Action Learning
Instructional SeminarAction Learning Not Scripted
AL promotes all-way communication
Content driven by members’ needs in AL and organization needs in seminar.
Conducted yearly from Sept – February.Aimed at high potential “manager of manager” population. 66 participants, 16 teams, 8 action learning coaches.Participants attended a plenary session in September, formed a team, created feedback contracts, identified an initial issue, and began the search for an organizational sponsor.Participants met on average, 2-3 times per month in the months following – many times without their coach or sponsor. Marked difficulties because of time zone/geographical distances. Marked drop-off in participation during 2nd & 3rd months. Increased efforts were seen as the deadline for presentations approached.Presentations to executive sponsors in February of this year. Follow up planned to measure results and learning.
Components of an Components of an Action Learning ProgramAction Learning Program
Project, challenge, Project, challenge, task, or problemtask, or problemGroup of 4Group of 4--8 people 8 people with diverse with diverse perspectivesperspectivesReflective Reflective questioning and questioning and listeninglisteningDeveloping Developing Strategies and Strategies and taking action taking action Commitment to Commitment to learninglearningAction Learning Action Learning coachcoach
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Two Ground Rules/Guidelines in Two Ground Rules/Guidelines in Action LearningAction Learning
1.1. Statements only Statements only in response to in response to questions; anyone questions; anyone can ask questionscan ask questions
2.2. Action learning Action learning coach has coach has authority to authority to intervene intervene whenever he/she whenever he/she identifies learning identifies learning opportunitiesopportunities
6. Action Learning Coach6. Action Learning CoachMay be group member May be group member or or ““externalexternal”” partnerpartnerEnsure sufficient time Ensure sufficient time for capturing learningsfor capturing learningsHelp members to reflect Help members to reflect on interactions and on interactions and implications of actions implications of actions to be takento be takenAssure norms and Assure norms and processes are followedprocesses are followedCreate an atmosphere Create an atmosphere of learning and of learning and reflective inquiryreflective inquiry
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Power and Restrictions on Power and Restrictions on the Role of Action Learning Coachthe Role of Action Learning Coach
Has the power to intervene Has the power to intervene whenever he/she sees an whenever he/she sees an opportunity for learningopportunity for learningCombined with the ground rule of Combined with the ground rule of ““statements only in response to statements only in response to questionsquestions”” immediately and immediately and consistently transforms the culture consistently transforms the culture and therefore behavior of all groupsand therefore behavior of all groupsMay only ask questionsMay only ask questionsFocuses only on learning (individual, Focuses only on learning (individual, group and/or organizational) and group and/or organizational) and clarification of problem, goal, clarification of problem, goal, strategy or actionstrategy or action
Action Learning CoachAction Learning CoachFocus is on helping the group learn/improve, and not on helping Focus is on helping the group learn/improve, and not on helping to solve the problemto solve the problemOnly ask questionsOnly ask questions
Question to begin action learning sessionQuestion to begin action learning session•• (To problem presenter) Could you take a minute or so to tell (To problem presenter) Could you take a minute or so to tell
us the problem or task that you would like the group to help us the problem or task that you would like the group to help you with?you with?
Questions at first intervention (8Questions at first intervention (8--10 minutes into session)10 minutes into session)•• How are we doing as a group thus far? (Ask each member for How are we doing as a group thus far? (Ask each member for
a 1a 1--2 word assessment; i.e., okay, not okay, great, etc.)2 word assessment; i.e., okay, not okay, great, etc.)•• What are we doing well?What are we doing well?•• What could we do better?What could we do better?•• Do we have agreement on the problem Do we have agreement on the problem –– yes or no? Why yes or no? Why
dondon’’t we all write it down? Is there agreement? Continue.t we all write it down? Is there agreement? Continue.Questions at conclusion of session (20Questions at conclusion of session (20--25 minutes)25 minutes)•• (To the presenter) What action are you going to take as a (To the presenter) What action are you going to take as a
result of this session? Were you helped? How?result of this session? Were you helped? How?•• (To the entire group) What did we do best as a group? What (To the entire group) What did we do best as a group? What
was the quality of our questions? What did we learn about was the quality of our questions? What did we learn about problemproblem--solving? Team formation and development? Did any solving? Team formation and development? Did any of us demonstrate any leadership behaviors? What did we of us demonstrate any leadership behaviors? What did we learn that we could apply to our lives/organizations?learn that we could apply to our lives/organizations?
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Characteristics of an Effective Characteristics of an Effective Learning CoachLearning Coach
Trust the process and Trust the process and power of questionspower of questionsAbility to ask good Ability to ask good questions, especially questions, especially followfollow--up questionsup questionsIntense listening skills Intense listening skills Able to hear what is Able to hear what is not being saidnot being saidFocused and conciseFocused and concise
““HelicopterHelicopter””and and outsider perspectiveoutsider perspectiveAbility to be nonAbility to be non--judgmentaljudgmentalTolerance of Tolerance of ambiguity ambiguity Patience and empathyPatience and empathyOpennessOpenness
Facilitator vs. Learning CoachFacilitator vs. Learning Coach1.1. Focus on group process Focus on group process
and normsand norms
2.2. Makes statements based Makes statements based upon expertiseupon expertise
3.3. Focus on what has Focus on what has happenedhappened
4.4. Fosters group Fosters group dependencedependence
5.5. Employs singleEmploys single--loop loop learninglearning•• Cybernetic , actual vs. Cybernetic , actual vs.
desired learningdesired learning•• Cause and effectCause and effect
1.1. Focus on learning and Focus on learning and team performanceteam performance
9.9. Power/use of statements Power/use of statements leads to potential fear, leads to potential fear, distrust and/or defiancedistrust and/or defiance
10.10. Generates reactionGenerates reaction11.11. Added value is group Added value is group
dynamics expertise and dynamics expertise and clevernesscleverness
12.12. People and group grow in People and group grow in the manner desired by the manner desired by facilitatorfacilitator
6.6. Focus on the futureFocus on the future7.7. Trusts that group has Trusts that group has
better answers and better answers and insightsinsights
8.8. Fosters selfFosters self--confidence confidence and critical thinkingand critical thinking
9.9. Questions empower and Questions empower and create a comfortable, create a comfortable, supportive, safe climatesupportive, safe climate
10.10. Generates reflectionGenerates reflection11.11. Added value is Added value is
generating individual generating individual perspectives and perspectives and encouraging wisdomencouraging wisdom
12.12. People grow into the People grow into the future they need and future they need and desire desire
Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology
April 15, 2005
Constellation Power Generation Action Learning Process
Constellation Energy – Who Are We?Number 203 on the Fortune 500 list
Recently Named “Most Admired Energy Company in America” by Fortune Magazine
Recently named “Best Place to Work” by Baltimore Magazine
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Constellation Energy’s Business Model
Focused on competitive markets in states where customers can choose suppliers
In 22 competitive states & 3 Canadian provinces where utilities are no longer responsible for generating power that is delivered to customers.
$11.2B $9.7B*
$4.7B
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Constellation Energy Revenues
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(50%)
(25%)
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125%
150%
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Shareholder Value Creation
CEG +130%
DJ Util. +10%
S&P +13%
Price Appreciation (10/31/01 to 2/7/05)
Dividend Growth
2001 $0.48
2005 $1.34
Average annual total return of 32% since 10/31/2001
Constellation Power GenerationOutput from generating plants is sold by Constellation Commodities Group to premier wholesale customers.
Generates reliable electricity under long-term contracts and spot market opportunities.
Dispatches power to independent system operators as required to ensure reliability on the grid.
Owns and operates generating capacity diversified by fuel, technology, and strategic geographic location.
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Action Learning Process in CPG
Introduced Action Learning in late 2003Trained 160 participants In the processTrained approximately 30 AL learning CoachesInitiated approximately 25 AL teams
Safety processesWork SchedulesBenefitsPay PremiumsBudget and Cost Allocation
Action Learning Process in CPGAll First Line Leaders are introduced to Action Learning in their initial leadership training program
Four hour session allocated in the leadership program
Includes participation in an Action Learning team
Conducted training sessions throughout our regions
Begin each new team with a 30 minute “Getting Started” refresher
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Action Learning – Lessons LearnedAttributes of the Learning Coach are critical
Articulate, able to paraphrase, restate and probeInsightful regarding group dynamicsSecure in the presence of higher level leaders Non-judgmental/open/accepting and supportiveComfortable with inquiry and caring confrontationRegarded by peers as trust worthyAble to trust the group process
Action Learning – Lessons LearnedLearning Coach is critical to the success of the team
Limit the number of Learning Coaches to provide them with ample opportunity to practiceThe Learning Coach may need to begin sessions by training in AL principles for reinforcement The Learning Coach should view AL as a process for building the organization’s culture
Learning and InquiryRespect, InclusionStretch and Personal GrowthBoundary less (silo smashing)
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Action Learning – Lessons LearnedThe Learning Coach should help the group bring their knowledge, skill and experience to the table
Get the group beyond sitting around the table asking questionsInvite them to assess their skills and abilities and ask how they may bring these to bear on the issueAsk how they exercise leadership skills in the groupIntervene if no learning is occurring; this is a judgment call
Action Learning – Lessons LearnedMake up of the group can present challenges
Keep to 8 person limit (I always regret exceeding this number)Dominant personalities may become competitive -especially if more than one on the teamManagers that are skilled in directing, telling and executing rather than reflectingMixture of leaders and subordinates (vulnerability in the presence of subordinates is difficult for some)
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Action Learning – Lessons LearnedGroup Selection
The majority of participants should be comfortable with reflection, inquiry and introspection this helps to set the group normsInclude some members that have good process and organizational skills – this becomes important when the team moves into solution spaceSometimes the AL coach will need to coach participants outside of the session, during breaks and between meetings
Action Learning in CPG –Value Added
Aligns well with the 7 elements of our Work Belief System (WBS)
1. Results Focus2. Common Objectives3. Management by Principle4. Teamwork5. Multi-Skilling6. Total Task 7. Problem Solving
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Action Learning in CPG – Value Added
Works very well in emotionally charged situations or where people have strong opinionsSupports the concept of a Learning OrganizationRespects individuals and supports good interpersonal relationshipsEnergizes people outside of the sessions
20th Annual SIOP ConferenceLos Angeles, CA
April 2005
Robert B. KaiserRobert B. Kaiser
DEVELOPING LEADERS VIA ACTION LEARNINGDDEVELOPINGEVELOPING LLEADERSEADERS VIAVIA AACTIONCTION LLEARNINGEARNINGA Primer for I/O Psychologists
Integrating Action Learning into Larger Leadership Development InitiativesH. Skipton Leonard
Integrating Action Learning into Larger Leadership Development InitiativesH. Skipton Leonard
Constellation Power Generation Action Learning Process Wayne L. WhitakerConstellation Power Generation Action Learning Process Wayne L. Whitaker
Illustrating the Unique Role of the Action Learning CoachMichael J. Marquardt Illustrating the Unique Role of the Action Learning CoachMichael J. Marquardt
Action LearningDefinition, History, and ProcessCori Hill
Action LearningDefinition, History, and ProcessCori Hill
