Frequently Asked Questions About ARL

What Is Action Reflection Learning (ARL)?

What Differentiates ARL Development Programs from others?

Why should an Organization use ARL?

When should ARL be used?

Who Is Involved In ARL Programs?

What is the Added Value of a LIM Learning Coach?

What Is “Just-In-Time” Learning?

What is the ARL Approach to Leadership Development?

How is ARL used for Team Development?

How does Executive Coaching Work?

How is ARL used for Making Mergers Work?

What Is Action Reflection Learning (ARL)?

Pioneered by LIM in 1986, Action Reflection Learning is a results-driven approach where individuals and teams learn by working on actual business challenges framed as questions. It is a learning strategy, not a training strategy. Individuals and teams periodically reflect on their work performance in order to learn.  Results are achieved in several levels: individual; team; organization; business.

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An ARL development program is not a pre-packaged training workshop. It is a unique process that is custom designed for each client.  Each program or intervention has these characteristics:

• Real problem or challenge serves as the vehicle for learning.

• Participants meet with their Learning Coaches at regular intervals over an extended period of time either individually or in teams.

• Participants receive support from a Learning Coach and each other to develop critical thinking, effective problem solving and feedback skills and a personal theory of management and leadership.

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Organizations turn to ARL when they find that traditional training programs cannot help their teams and leaders keep up with their constantly changing, chaotic business environment.  They realize that 'yesterday's answers' do not adequately prepare their leaders for today's new questions.  ARL is an approach that can supports individuals in acquiring life-long skills to formulate these 'new questions' and then develop and implement solutions.  While individuals and teams learn business, problems get resolved.

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ARL is useful when:

• Leaders seek to ask 'new questions' in order to keep up with the changing environment.

• Leaders have to work effectively in a cross-functional and global environment.

• Leaders need to think strategically.

• Leaders are required to bring about cultural change.

• Problems seem unsolvable.

• The organization needs to develop its global capabilities.

• Teams are not functioning up to their potential.

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LIM staff work with internal clients to co-design and coordinate the program.  This inside-outside partnership assures that subjective and objective points of view influence the design.

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LIM’s Learning Coach Certification Program develops trained Learning Coaches who are able to find individual, team and organizational learning opportunities and can introduce ‘just-in-time’ concepts, tools and feedback to improve individual and team performance. Learning Coaches work with individuals in developing and achieving their personal learning goals and transferring lessons ‘back on the job’. Learning Coaches work with teams in developing a variety of skills: listening; planning; problem solving; critical thinking; giving and receiving feedback; managing meetings; contracting team/leader expectations; managing conflict. Learning Coaches work with the organization to support any desired culture change and realize business development opportunities.

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Learning Coaches look for 'just-in-time' learning opportunities.  They do not say, 'Today, team, you will probably run into some decision making difficulties, so let me teach you a technique for achieving consensus.'  Instead, Learning Coaches let the teams face a difficult decision-making moment alone, and then collaborate with the team to examine how it could have acted differently.  Since the desire to learn at the moment is often stronger, the learning will more likely be appreciated and retained.

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The ARL approach to developing leaders includes the following major elements:

• Clarifying the overall purpose and rationale for such a program

• Defining the specific outcomes desired at multiple levels: personal, professional, team, organizational, business

• Selecting the specific leaders to be developed

• Choosing strategic business challenges for these leaders to work on during the program

• Assigning internal clients who have both the authority and responsibility for ensuring action on these business challenges

• Designing a multi-session program that integrates personal, professional, team, organization and business development activities

• Evaluating the outcomes on an ongoing basis.

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The ARL Earning While Learning approach for team development begins by first clarifying what aspects need to be developed in the team and what business agenda they need to work on. Every team member has a chance to express what he/she considers are the team’s needs for improvement.  Then, during the sessions, a LIM Learning Coach helps the team take ownership of their process, providing just-in-time tools and concepts to help them work more efficiently and achieve the outcomes they stated.

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Often individuals want one on one support in addressing specific needs or realizing their personal action plans.  LIM offers Executive Coaching to these individuals. Our approach is client-driven and results oriented. We frequently use 360 feedback as one part of the coaching process.

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Most mergers fail because they are poorly planned and the importance of the human dimension in achieving the desired business synergies has been neglected.  Our ARL approach offers an array of services that integrates the different corporate cultures by supporting the change leaders of both organizations as they work on the critical business and organizational challenges facing them.