Would you like to join an Action Learning Set with HR/OD/workforce colleagues?
What are the Benefits?
Who are HPMA LondonAction Learning Sets for?
These Action Learning Sets are aimed at HPMA London members who would like to meet with peers from other organisations in London to work through current challenges and problems in an action orientated learning process.
Possible new action learning sets are:
ALS for band 8 HR Business Partners or HR Managers
ALS for band 7 HR or L&D managers
ALS for band 6 HR/OD/workforce professionals working in an advisory role e.g. HR/L&D Managers/Advisers
We are collecting expressions of interest in order to determine potential groups.
In the last year, we set up 3 groups for HR BPs, 1 for ’heads of’ and 1 for band 6/7s.
What is Action Learning?
“Action learning is a method for individual and organisational development. Working in small groups, people tackle important organisational issues or problems and learn from their attempts to change things.Action learning brings people together to exchange, support and challenge each other in seeking to act and learn.” (Mike Pedler)
In action learning, learning is the product of knowledge, questioning and reflecting. Taking action is crucial and the only real learning comes from doing something and then reflecting on the outcome. ALS members support and challenge one another to think, and take action, “outside the box”.Action learning posits that we may well already have enough knowledge and what we need are new ways of applying what we know to new situations.
The ALSmay decide to focus on specific issues which are facing all ALS members or have a more wide-ranging agenda. The topics brought to an ALS for discussion are actual issues and challenges facing its members. Each member has the opportunity to describe their issue, following which others in the group will provide contributions in the form of questions,suggestions and feedback. Reflection on the discussion should follow, and a decision made on the action to be taken. The member will report back to the group on the outcome of their actions at the following session.
What supports ALSs to be most effective?
From our experience of running ALSs so far, ALSs work best when:
-All participants commit to attendance and consider ALS attendance to be as important as other work commitments. ALS discussions are about your current work and so should support you to be more effective in meeting your current work commitments..
-Participants bring live work problems and challenges to the group (in each ALS meeting, there is usually time for at least 2 or 3 particular issues to be discussed)
-The group is clear from the outset about their objectives and how the group will operate, taking responsibility for reviewing this on a regular basis
Composition of Action Learning Sets
-TheALSswill be facilitated by an experience facilitator with up to ten participants in each set (and a minimum of seven).
-Participants from Action Learning Sets will come from different Trusts from across London (unless we have enough people interested in an ALS in any particular area)
-ALSs will compose of HR/OD/workforce practitioners working at a broadly similar level and in broadly similar jobs. We believe there are benefits in having a range of perspectives in the group and so may not match people doing exactly the same job unless there is demand, for example, from 8 HR BPs or 8 HR Advisers.
-
Timings of the group
-Participants can decide how often they want to meet and for how long. Previous ALSs met for about 2.5/3 hours, every 2/3 months.
Location
-Venues can be offered by ALS members on a rotation basis or they can be hosted by the facilitator.
Application Process
At the moment, we are collecting expressions of interest so we can decide which ALSs to run this year. Please let Diana Cliff () know asapif you are interested or at the latestby close of play on 12 December 2014.
Do also get in touch if you have any questions.
We require a minimum of 7 people and a maximum of 10 people in broadly the same peer group to go ahead with an ALS.