Frequently Asked Questions

It’s appeal and application is wide. Within organisations Action Learning is used to support leaders at all levels as well as graduates, apprentices, and staff engaged in development programmes or delivering specific projects. It’s also an invaluable tool for CEOs and business owners willing to commit and embrace a new way of working for themselves or as a way to grow and develop their people.

Action Learning has many applications. It helps participants reflect on and apply knowledge and skills gained through leadership or development programmes.

It works well as a standalone programme. For example, it can bring together CEOs of not-for-profit organisations to tackle challenges with peers — challenges they may not have other avenues to discuss openly.

Organisations use Action Learning to address specific themes, drive organisational development initiatives, or support teams in delivering projects. It’s adaptable across industries such as health, higher education, farming, manufacturing, social enterprise, and not-for-profits. The key is understanding the context, purpose, and desired outcomes, then designing the programme accordingly.

Usually between 5-7 people. They are the same group of people throughout the lifetime of the set.

Typically, an Action Learning Set consists of between 4-8 meetings lasting between 2.5hrs to whole days over a 7-12 month period.

Action Learning has a clear structure and methodology, and it’s this simplicity that makes it so effective. The structure acts as a guide, providing a framework for focused problem-solving while allowing enough flexibility to adapt to the needs of the group.

What makes Action Learning unique is the shared commitment to supporting the issue holder. Each session focuses on one person’s challenge, with the group working in service of that individual’s problem-solving. Defined roles and contributions ensure a productive process, but the atmosphere is never rigid — there’s space for individual airtime and the process naturally evolves as the conversation unfolds.

This blend of structure and flexibility creates the right conditions for meaningful reflection, collaboration, and action. 

Yes, Action Learning delivered online can be just as valuable as in-person sessions, though the experience is different. Online Action Learning offers unique advantages like accessibility, flexibility, and the ability to connect geographically disbursed participants. 

However, some nuances change; building rapport can take longer, and facilitators need to be skilled at managing virtual dynamics, such as ensuring engagement and reading non-verbal cues. With thoughtful facilitation and the right platform, online sessions can create the same depth of reflection, problem-solving, and learning as in-person ones.

Back in the 1950s, astrophysicist Reg Revans worked with Nobel prize winners and noted that, when faced with a difficult research problem, they sat and asked each other lots of questions (even if it wasn’t their field of expertise). He saw that the approach, where no one is the ‘expert’, led to workable solutions. 

Since then, it’s gone global. Everyone from sheep farmers in Wales to manufacturers in Korea have benefitted from Action Learning’s dynamic approach, enabling them to challenge old knowledge to find new and fresh ways of working. 

No, not necessarily. Sets often start with a dedicated facilitator and can transition to become self-facilitated.

Action Learning is not appropriate for every situation. There needs to be a genuine appetite for change, a willing to shake up the status quo, and be prepared to truly empower your people. While it takes time to establish, the connections made through an Action Learning Set are powerful, sustainable and proven to resolve complex issues. We’re always happy to help assess whether AL is right for you – just get in touch.