....which is a key principle in Action Learning work - the basis being that we learn by a process of doing, reflecting (through questioning), planning and then doing (action).. and so on.
At a recent event, I heard the following quote from John Holt in "Chicken Soup for the Soul" -
'not many years ago I began to play the cello. Most people would say that what I am doing is "learning to play" the cello. But these words carry into our minds the strange idea that there exists two very different processes: 1) learning to play the cello; and 2) playing the cello. They imply that I will do the first until I have completed it, at which point I will stop the first process and begin the second. In short, I will go on "learning to play" until I have "learned to play" and then I will begin to play. Of course, this is nonsense. There are not two processes, but one. We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way.'
As a guitarist, I am fascinated by this and can see how nonsensical those phrases are that we use so often.
.. and so it is in workplaces - people learn to become managers by doing it (I certainly did!) and there is no separation between managing and learning to manage. Many CEOs and Senior Managers have benefited (as have their organisations) from executive coaching at a particular time in their career. The Action Learning process works because people in the group (the 'set') are open to learning - 20 years experience in a role does not shelter you from being able to benefit from and actively continuing to learn.
For me, I will now think of myself now as playing guitar by learning - I am always learning while I am playing!
At a recent event, I heard the following quote from John Holt in "Chicken Soup for the Soul" -
'not many years ago I began to play the cello. Most people would say that what I am doing is "learning to play" the cello. But these words carry into our minds the strange idea that there exists two very different processes: 1) learning to play the cello; and 2) playing the cello. They imply that I will do the first until I have completed it, at which point I will stop the first process and begin the second. In short, I will go on "learning to play" until I have "learned to play" and then I will begin to play. Of course, this is nonsense. There are not two processes, but one. We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way.'
As a guitarist, I am fascinated by this and can see how nonsensical those phrases are that we use so often.
.. and so it is in workplaces - people learn to become managers by doing it (I certainly did!) and there is no separation between managing and learning to manage. Many CEOs and Senior Managers have benefited (as have their organisations) from executive coaching at a particular time in their career. The Action Learning process works because people in the group (the 'set') are open to learning - 20 years experience in a role does not shelter you from being able to benefit from and actively continuing to learn.
For me, I will now think of myself now as playing guitar by learning - I am always learning while I am playing!
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