Exploring the challenges in scaling up the delivery of action learning facilitator training within a global organisation

Abstract

Action learning is often used as an element of leadership development programmes. The intention is to support classroom learning with an experiential thread which runs throughout the life of the programme. Action Learning Associates (ALA) has been working with an international organisation for three years to deliver the global ‘First Line Manager Programme’ (FLMP). The action learning facilitator training (ALFT) programme is designed to enable participants to run action learning sets in their operational companies across the world. Originally created in English – the official business language – the ALFT is now also delivered in French. The focus of the paper is to explore learning, challenges and opportunities created by scaling up the delivery of ALFT to a global target audience of approximately 700 people. To date ALA has trained over 165 internal action learning facilitators from different countries, languages, cultures and professional backgrounds. The value to the participants of being skilled to run their own action learning sets, within the context of the FLMP, is explored along with the opportunities for organisational development and learning.