Before starting on this assignment make sure to go through the background materials carefully and go through the main readings from Weinstein (1998) and Marquardt (2004).
Once you have reviewed the background materials and gained a solid understanding about the main steps and challenges of action learning, write a five page paper addressing the following questions:
1.Since this is your last Case Assignment for the class, start out this assignment by reflecting on what you've found in your Module 1-3 Case Assignments. Based on your prior assignments and what you have learned so far, what do you think are some of the main areas you and/or some of the coworkers that you have written about should try to improve upon?
2.Now turn to Chapter 8 of Weinstein (1998) with a focus on pages 174-196. Based on your answer to Question 1 above and from reading Weinstein (1998), what would you hope to improve upon using an action learning program? Do you think action learning would help you improve in these areas? Explain your reasoning both with respect to reading Weinstein (1998) and the areas for improvement in your leadership that you have identified so far in this class.
3.Go to the "Organizational Readiness for Action Learning" quiz on page 19 of Weinstein(1998). Fill it out and report your results. Overall what does the quiz say about your organization's readiness to engage in an action learning program? Do you agree with the results? What kind of challenges do you think you would face in setting up an action learning program at your organization?
4.Finally, take a look at Chapter 11 of Weinstein (1998) and Chapter 8 of Marquardt (2004) which give step by step guidelines on setting up an action learning program. Based on your answers to 1-3, how would you design an action learning program in your workplace? Include in your answer what kind of problem your set would work on, who you would include in your set, how often you think the group should meet, and other relevant steps outlined in the required readings. Explain the reasoning for your choices and what kind of outcomes you would hope to get out of this experience.
Referrences:
Action learning. (2014). Learning Series. NGO Learning Centre, Liverpool, Australia.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRnw1MguS6o:
Weinstein, K. (1998). Chapter 1: What is action learning? Action Learning: A Practical Book. Abingdon, Oxon, GBR: Ashgate [Ebrary]
Marquardt, M. J. (2004). Chapter 8: Introducing, implementing, and sustaining action learning Optimizing the Power of Action Learning: Solving Problems and Building Leaders in Real Time. Yarmouth, ME, USA: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. [Ebrary]
Weinstein, K. (1998). Chapter 11: How to design an action learning programme. Action Learning: A Practical Book. Abingdon, Oxon, GBR: Ashgate [Ebrary]
Weinstein, K. (1998). Chapter 8: The learning. Action Learning: A Practical Book. Abingdon, Oxon, GBR: Ashgate [Ebrary]