Action Learning: Slowing Down to Speed Up

Cate sits down with Dr. Bea Carson, author, speaker and expert in the field of Action Learning. Action learning is a super powerful problem-solving technique where we develop team skills and leadership skills while getting real work done. A major part of action learning is questioning and leaving everything open to question. While school and society teach us that we must know the answer, action learning teaches us to be curious again, to not assume we know the problem and the solution. Learning to ask better questions and listen deeply are skills that engender empathy and connectivity. Solutions arise through collaboration. The learning process becomes just as important as meeting goals.

The first goal of action learning is to define and agree on what the problem is. Defining the problem requires us to slow down. Every action learning session must end with at least one action step. Sometimes the actions are to help us figure out what the problem is.

Once you understand action learning, you start to see opportunities for it everywhere. Dr. Carson hopes to bring action learning to family counseling in the future.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• What is action learning?
• What are the ground rules for action learning?
• What are the applications for action learning?

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Qualify yourself for a spot in Awake Living
• Dr. Beta’s website 
• The World Institute for Action Learning
• The World Institute for Action Learning USA

Show Highlights:

• 0:00 – Action learning is a super powerful problem-solving technique where we develop team skills and leadership skills while getting real work done. The history of action learning goes back to the sinking of the Titanic. A major part of action learning is questioning and leaving everything open to question. 
• 4:50 – There are two ground rules to action learning and six components to action learning. The first ground rule is that you’re not allowed to make a statement unless it’s in response to a question you’ve been asked. The second ground rule is that the action learning coach can intervene whenever he or she believes there is an opportunity for learning. 
• 8:45 – Learning to ask better questions and listen deeply are skills that engender empathy and connectivity. Solutions arise through collaboration. The learning process becomes just as important as meeting goals. 
• 11:15 – The role of the coach is to raise everything to awareness without judgement and to make every choice a conscious choice. This starts with defining the problem. Defining the problem requires us to slow down. 
• 19:25 – While school and society teach us that we must know the answer, action learning teaches us to be curious again, to not assume we know the problem and the solution. 
• 22:05 – Applying action learning in the home could involve writing down what each person thinks is a problem that can be controlled or influenced. Writing it down forces one to commit to something. Each person reads what they’ve written. Then the questioning begins. After the questioning, each person again writes down the problem that can be controlled or influenced. The goal is to get everyone talking about the same problem before discussion of a solution begins. As solutions are presented, questioning begins again. It’s a form of focused brainstorming. 
• 28:17 – Every action learning session must end with at least one action step. Sometimes the actions are to help us figure out what the problem is. Each member of an action learning group commits to a leadership skill during a session and the group discusses when that skill was demonstrated, providing positive reinforcement for leadership skills.
• 32:00 – Dr. Carson hopes to bring action learning to family counseling in the future. Once you understand action learning, you start to see opportunities for it everywhere.

 Your Favorite Quotes:

•  “Action learning slows us down to speed us up.” – Dr. Bea Carson
• “Most of the arguing that happens in problem solving has nothing to do with which solution is better. We haven’t agreed on what the problem is. We can’t agree on the solution. Once we agree on what the problem is, coming up with the solution and agreeing to that solution is easy.” – Dr. Bea Carson
• “Learners . . . take failure as an opportunity to try again. Performers take failure as an opportunity to quit.” – Dr. Bea Carson
• “People are very good at beating themselves up. They don’t need help there.” – Dr. Bea Carson
• “Everything becomes about the team and the team agreeing to move together.” – Dr. Bea Carson

Guest BIO

Dr. Bea Carson is an author, speaker and expert in the field of Action Learning. Dr. Carson has mastered teaching Action Learning to the full spectrum of organizational levels. She is an external Org Dev consultant specializing in leadership development, problem solving and strategic planning. Bea has worked in private and public sectors, with profit and not-for-profit organizations, locally and internationally, for organizations of all sizes. Much of her work has been with highly technical organizations.

As a Master Action Learning Coach, Dr. Bea is frequently asked to be a visiting faculty member at universities across the country. Bea has over 200 Action Learning presentations and articles to her credit.

Bea is co-founder, President & Director of Affiliate Development, past Director of Certification and Education for the World Institute for Action Learning (WIAL); Chair of the Board and President of the World Institute for Action Learning-USA (WIAL-USA); and president and owner of Carson Consultants. Connect with Dr. Carson on her website, Twitter and Facebook page.