Role Of Action Learning Facilitator

The role of Action Learning Facilitator is to manage the smooth running of the set, help the set develop ground rules for working together, develop members questioning, listening and reflection skills and ensure that the process, timings, principles of action learning and ground rules are adhered to.

Ideally the facilitator will not be involved in the questioning process so can focus on managing the process, although there may be times when it is appropriate that they also take on the role of set member to model the skills or to bolster numbers if the set is low in numbers.

A facilitator should be able to posses good ‘process’ skills, in other words be able to manage the action learning process, notice when it is not being kept to and bring members back on track. The facilitator should be able to spot and effectively manage any members who contribute little or conversely dominate the set or are disruptive.

Facilitators ideally should be trained in facilitation or coaching skills and should have the ability to develop the skills of set members to ask effective questions, give and receive effective feedback and listen.

In the early stages of running a set new to action learning a trained facilitator should take this role. However as the set matures and members develop their skills and get used to working with one another then other set members may start to develop their own facilitation skills so they can assume this role.

How much time should be given to each presenter /issue holder?

There are no hard and fast rules although one principle of action learning is that the process is timed to help ensure a focused discussion and also ensures that no one person takes up all the time.

30 – 40 minutes typically is an average time for an issue to be presented, questioned and addressed which can be broken down into the following stages:

Presentation of issue – 2 minutes
Questions for clarification – 5 -10 minutes
Questions to help the issue holder – 10 -15 minutes
Summary – 2 mins
Resources round (optional) – 5 mins
Final summary/action – 2 mins

The set does need to agree at the outset how rigidly it wants to stick with these timings and the role of action learning facilitator is to oversee this agreement. There are however times when members feel the need to spend longer clarifying a more complex issue before they can help the issue holder and sometimes longer is required to help the issue holder come to a conclusion.

The point of action learning that it is a timed process which helps makes efficient use of the time available and the danger of allowing too much flexibility is having a session which overruns and prevents other members having their own air time.

The only other time to build into the session is time out during the session where the action learning facilitator may want to stop the set to review the process and skills of set members especially in the early stages of a set.

How Does The Role Of Action Learning Facilitator Influence The Length Of The Group?

The role of action learning facilitator is key to time management and the success of the group.

Agree length with group – how flexible with timings
Ensure that presenter identifies concise issue and ensures that it is explained clearly and concisely
Give set members a chance to ask just one question and possibly one follow up question
Go round the set in a set order so everyone knows when they will be contributing
Be assertive and intervene if necessary with the timings so set members know that timings will be adhered to – this will help ensure that members keep to time
Ensure there is a clock which all members can see
Stop members after each stage and make them aware of how long they have spent on that stage – often set members are just unaware of timings and need to develop this awareness

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