Team Learning

Team Learning approaches share some common characteristics.

Those who work together in natural work teams or cross-boundary project teams learn together. The disciplines of team learning can only be learned through regular practice. Participants in learning teams out perform colleagues in other teams. Interactions are self-managed where participants openly share experiences, ideas and feelings - within a climate of natural energy and fun.

Deep relationships are formed through serious and sustained conversations about things that are important to those involved.
Team learning is therefore able to addresses real change leadership issues. Learning is linked to the specific priorities and needs of the work given to, or created by, the team. It's better if the team can negotiate its brief and feel a sense of ownership for the objectives and the results.
 

Vehicles for developing Team Learning

Learning Labs help teams explore possibilities and change how they work. This technique is based on the Learning Organisation thinking of Peter Senge. The Lab helps groups of people quickly find the common ground they need to explore possibilities and create a shared plan for implementing real change. It can be used by management and frontline teams to connect competing objectives, remove red tape, transform working practices or tackle difficult improvement issues.

After Action Reviews help teams learn from experience and manage real change. This technique is based on the work of Maralyn Darling and Charles Parry. It is one of most successful learning methods yet devised, and is used to help teams at a strategic and operational level to reflect on their actions and learn how to continuously improve their performance.

Solutions in Focus help focus a team on working smarter to deliver better results. This technique uses the 'Clear-Focus' Model, an approach based on Bill Jensen's method of finding clarity and focusing teams on what they are there to achieve. It also borrows from the work of Mark McKergow on the Solutions Focus. It instils the discipline of purposeful conversation and effective communication to achieve a desired solution. This helps teams to work smarter, simplify their actions and improve relationships.

Try the Team Learning Effectiveness Quiz