Action Learning
Action Learning is a method in which a small group meets repeatedly to work on real, urgent problems by asking questions instead of giving advice, commits to action between meetings and reflects on what it is learning. Reg Revans developed it in the UK from the 1940s on the idea that learning needs questioning as well as existing knowledge. In the later model of the World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL) a coach looks after the group's learning and two ground rules apply: statements are made only in answer to questions, and the coach may intervene at any time.
Facilitation script
- 1
Review the actions taken since the last meeting: what was done, what happened, what was learned. In a first meeting, explain the two ground rules and agree confidentiality instead.
15 min - 2
The problem owner presents the problem briefly while the others listen without interrupting.
5 min - 3
Questioning round: members ask open questions, the problem owner and other members answer, and nobody gives advice.
25 min - 4
Coach pause: everyone writes down the problem as they now see it, reads it out, and the group works towards an agreed statement.
10 min - 5
Continue with questions about goals, obstacles and options until the problem owner sees workable next steps.
20 min - 6
The problem owner states the actions they will take before the next meeting and what support they need.
5 min - 7
Learning round: each person names one thing they learned about the problem, the group or their own way of asking and listening.
10 min
Tips
The hardest discipline is keeping advice out, because people disguise it as a question ("Have you thought about firing him?").
Call that out early and kindly, and ask for questions the asker does not know the answer to.
Give the written problem-statement check real time: groups are routinely surprised how differently they have understood the same case.
Protect the action report at the start of the next meeting, since it is what separates Action Learning from a pleasant conversation.
Common pitfalls
Advice dressed up as questions: the problem owner ends up defending themselves against suggestions and stops thinking aloud
Jumping to solutions before the group agrees on what the problem is, so the actions address a symptom and the same case returns a month later
Skipping the reflection on learning when time is short, which turns the set into a problem-solving meeting and loses the development purpose
No report on actions at the next meeting, which teaches members that commitments made in the set do not matter
Choosing problems that are too small, hypothetical or outside the owner's control, leaving the group nothing real to act on
Variations
Two traditions use the name. In Revans' original sets, peers run the process themselves and he was sceptical of expert facilitators; the WIAL model requires a trained coach who asks only learning questions. In a single-problem group the whole team works on one organisational challenge given by a sponsor; in a multi-problem set each member gets a time slot for their own case, typically 20 to 30 minutes each. The format works well on a video call with cameras on and one person noting questions in a shared document.
Where it fits
When to use it
A leadership programme needs participants to apply what they learn to a real problem they own, not to a case study
A problem has no known right answer and expert advice has already been tried without result
A cross-functional group has to deliver on a shared challenge over several months and should become a better team while doing it
Managers in similar roles want a regular, confidential place to think through their hardest current issue
The group can commit to meeting several times, so that actions are taken and reviewed
When not to use it
The problem is a puzzle with a known technical solution: ask an expert or run a Peer Assist instead
You only have one session and no follow-up: Troika Consulting or a Peer Coaching Circle gives useful input in a single sitting
The problem owner has no authority to act on the issue, so no action can be taken or reviewed
A decision has already been made and the group is expected to endorse it; questioning will only frustrate people
Members are in direct reporting lines to each other and the case is sensitive, which makes honest questions unlikely
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Action Learning?▾
Action Learning is a method in which a small group of four to eight people meets regularly to work on real, urgent problems by asking questions instead of giving advice. Members commit to action between meetings and reflect together on what they are learning. It was developed by Reg Revans in the UK from the 1940s and is widely used in leadership development.
What are the two ground rules of Action Learning?▾
In the WIAL model, the first rule is that statements may only be made in response to questions, which keeps the group in inquiry and stops advice-giving. The second is that the coach has the authority to intervene whenever there is an opportunity for the group to learn. Sets in the Revans tradition often work without a coach and agree their own rules.
What is the difference between Action Learning and peer coaching?▾
Both use a small group to help one person with a real case. Action Learning restricts the group to questions, requires action between meetings and reviews that action at the next meeting, so it runs as a series. Formats such as Troika Consulting or a Peer Coaching Circle let the peers discuss and offer advice and work as one-off sessions.
How long does an Action Learning session take?▾
The primary sources do not prescribe a length. In practice sessions commonly run 60 to 120 minutes, and a group meets several times over weeks or months. If several members bring a problem in the same session, plan around 20 to 30 minutes per person.
Does an Action Learning group need a coach?▾
It depends on the tradition. The WIAL model treats the coach as one of its core components and gives that person the job of prompting reflection on learning. Reg Revans was sceptical of interventionist facilitators and expected peers to manage the process themselves. For a new group, having someone hold the process for the first few meetings usually helps the questioning habit take hold.
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Reg Revans; World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL).