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What is Peer Learning? (Peer-to-Peer Learning, Guidelines and Resources))

peer learning in the study room

What is Peer Learning? (Peer-to-Peer Learning, Guidelines and Resources)

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Sections of This Topic Include

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Ways to Look at Formal and Informal and also Self-Directed and Other-Directed Training

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to learning and development. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

What is Peer Learning?

A Simple Definition

While the phrase “peer learning” is used a great deal, it can mean many different things to many different people. Perhaps the best place to start is to offer a simple definition that “peer learning” can be the result from the interactions shared by peers. However, some might see peer learning as a specific format of interaction among the peers. However, let’s get more specific on what we mean by “peers” and “learning”. Also see

Who Are “Peers” in Peer Learning?

The term “peers” conventionally denotes two or more people who are considered on par or on the same level with each other while engaged in some endeavor. However, to fully appreciate the benefits from peer learning, it might be more useful to consider the peers to be two or more people who consider themselves to be equals, or peers, in supporting each other’s development. With that definition, secretaries and CEOs could be peers if they are mutually dedicated to supporting each other’s development in some form of peer learning.

What is “Learning” in Peer Learning?

Learning is often interpreted as enhanced knowledge, skills, abilities and perceptions. (For definitions of these terms, see Basic Terms in Training and Development.) In peer learning, the peers help each other to learn, for example, by sharing advice, feedback and thoughtful questions. However, additional types of sharing can greatly enrich the learning, for example, by sharing supportive challenges and accountabilities to take actions and to learn.

What Are the Benefits of Peer Learning?

  1. Peter Senge, in his seminal book, The Fifth Discipline (Doubleday, 1990), points out that adults learn best when they are 1) working on current, real-life challenges and 2) exchanging feedback with others in similar situations. Thus, various forms of peer learning, especially when applied to real-life challenges and development, provide ideal conditions for adult learning.
  2. In addition, in peer learning, the peers often do most of the work, so expensive consultants and materials often aren’t needed – thus, the learning can be quite cost-effective.
  3. Another advantage is that peers often can manage much of their own learning, including deciding their own learning goals, methods to achieve the goals and also the means to evaluating their learning.
  4. In addition, peers often can schedule and locate their learning, making it very accommodating to busy schedules.
  5. A major advantage of peer learning is that it can be used to deepen and enrich other more traditional forms of training and development, for example, courses, workshops and seminars.

What Are Some Forms of Peer Learning?

The particular form of peer learning that is chosen depends on its application, including the kind of learning desired for the peers, as well as whether there is a focus on intentionally generating new actions and learning, or whether one or both of those can just occur implicitly. Here are some common forms that peer learning to consider.

Action Learning Groups

These are small groups, usually of the same people, working on current and important real-world priorities by sharing questions, taking actions, and learning especially from reflecting on the questions and actions. There are various formats of Action Learning, but there usually is equal and strong focus on intentionally generating new actions and learning from the sharing in the group. Thus, Action Learning can be very effective for solving complex problems and/or achieving significant goals. (See Action Learning.)

Committees

These are groups of people formally organized around a common project or program in order to make decisions and/or generate recommendations (these are types of intentional actions) to share with others outside of the committee. There is not always a focus on intentionally generating new learning. (See Committees.)

Debates

Debates are a formal activity in which members having a particular point of view attempt to convince others having a different point of view to arrive at the members’ particular point of view. There is not always a focus on intentionally generating new actions and new learning, although members often implicitly learn a great deal about other points of view than their own.

Dialogues Groups

These are groups of people organized to engage in deepening their understanding and meaning around a topic, often by sharing thoughtful answers and opinions around a common thoughtful question. There is usually not a focus on intentionally generating new actions. However, well-designed dialogues can implicitly generate new and powerful perceptions for all members. (See Dialoguing.)

Discussion Groups

In discussion groups, people share comments and opinions sometimes in a random order in order to make a decision or enhance understanding about a topic or activity. There usually is not a focus on intentionally generating new actions and learning, although implicit learning can occur for the thoughtful members of the groups. (See Discussion Groups.)

Networking Groups

In this form, people interact with each other, primarily to form useful relationships and share useful materials. There usually is not a focus on intentionally generating new actions and learning, although implicit learning can occur for the thoughtful members of the groups. (See Networking and Social Networking.)

Peer Coaching

In this form, two or more members share various means of coaching, especially thoughtful questions and perhaps other forms of help (such as advice, brainstorming and materials) to help members clarify current and important priorities and also to identify realistic actions to address the priorities. They often share support and accountabilities to take those actions. In this form, one, some or all members might get coached and/or do the coaching. There is always an intentional focus on taking actions. Well-designed peer coaching also focuses on generating new learning for all of those involved. (See Peer Coaching.)

Peer Mentoring

In this form, a person (a mentor) who has strong knowledge and expertise in a certain topic or activity shares these attributes to help another (a mentee) to advance in his or her career. A very useful mentoring relationship would include intentional focus on new actions and learning. Peer mentoring is often considered to be a form of peer learning, although the mentor is often perceived by the mentee as not being a peer. (See Mentoring.)

Self-Help Groups (Support Groups)

These are groups organized to assist, guide and/or support each member to accomplish a significant development in his or her life. Self-help groups often focus on intentionally generating new actions to enhance personal development. Well-designed groups also focus on intentionally generating new learning for each member. (The phrases “self-help groups” and “support groups” are often used interchangeably, although the latter is certain to include forms of sharing that include support for each member.) (See Self-Help Group.)

Study Groups

These are groups organized to learn about a common topic. A typical format is where each member individually learns about the topic and then members meet to enhance their overall learning by sharing and discussing each member’s new learning. There is always a focus on intentionally generating new learning for each member, although members are not necessarily encouraged to take actions to apply that learning. (See Study Group.)

Teams

Teams are groups of people working toward a common purpose or goal. There is always a focus on intentionally generating new actions to address the purpose or goal. Well-designed teams also focus on intentionally generating new learning, especially to enhance the performance of the teams. (See Team Building.)

NOTE: Participants might refer to their own preferred title or phrase for a particular format of peer learning, for example, peer learning circles, learning circles and Leaders Circles (a registered trademark of Propel Nonprofits.)

How Do I Develop a Peer Learning Program?

There are different ways to a develop a program, ranging from unplanned and spontaneous growth to planned and systematic growth. Perhaps the most reliable way to develop a program is the planned and systematic approach.

Here is a manual about starting a planned and systematic program. It is in regarding to building a peer support program, but the guidelines are applicable to any peer learning program.
Building an Effective Peer Support Program.

Here are a variety of articles with suggestions about starting a program.

Various Additional Perspectives on Peer Learning

Basic and Overviews

Various Formats

Different Applications

Extensive Online Resources

Online Group About Peer Learning

Peer Learning Network’s online group

Go to main Training and Development page.

For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


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Journaling for Learning

Person Writing On A Notebook Beside a laptop

Journaling for Learning

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Description

One of the most critical skills to learn in life is the ability to learn from life. If you’re like most of us, when you think of learning, you think of classrooms. This is probably true because you had learning in mind when you signed up for the classes, sat through their lectures and took their tests. Yet the most important things that you’ve learned in your life probably were not learned in a classroom. If you can go through life with learning in mind (as you did in your classes), then you can greatly expand your capacity for learning and living. This is the basic premise of continuous learning.

One of the most powerful and highly accessible methods to learn how to learn is ongoing journaling. Many people seek journaling as means to learn more about themselves. They start journaling, but soon stop. Ironically, their journaling might have already taught them something very important about themselves: they want to learn, but they don’t want to work to learn it! As with most important forms of learning, journaling takes some effort — if only to write down for the day “I don’t want to write anything
today!”

One Simple Format for A Private, Learning Journal

Learning is often interpreted as enhancing your knowledge, understanding or perceptions or attitudes, or behaviors or skills.

1. What learning have you accomplished (or are you accomplishing) lately?

a) What experience spawned that learning?

b) What learning did you accomplish from that experience?

c) How can you carry this learning forward to improve your life? Your work?

2. What learning might you accomplish in the near future?

a) What experience might spawn that learning?

b) What learning might you accomplish from that experience?

c) How might you carry this learning forward to improve your
life? Your work?

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to this Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Go to main Training and Development page.

For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


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Numerous Activities for Learning

Young Man participating in a coaching training

Numerous Activities for Learning

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.
Adapted from the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision in Business and Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision for Nonprofit Staff.

There are numerous types of activities which learners can conduct to reach their learning objectives — arguably the best activity is life itself. The learner can conduct one type of activity below or several. The list actually comprises what might be called types, modes and methods of learning and even some learning aids.

Note that conducting any of the following activities (or types of activities) will not by themselves necessarily generate learning. Ideally, the following are selecting during the systematic design of a training and development experience, whether self-directed or other-directed.

Sections of This Topic Include

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Activities for Learning and Development

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Various Ideas for Learning Activities. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Different Activities for Learning

Training methods are either on-the-job, implemented outside the organization or a combination of both. The following is a brief overview of rather typical methods of development (in alphabetical order):

Apprenticeships

For centuries, apprenticeships were the major approach to learning a craft. The apprentice worked with a recognized master craftsperson. Particularly during times of low unemployment, businesses are eager to get any kind of help they can find. Seeking an apprenticeship may be a very useful and effective way to eventually develop a new skill.

Career Counseling

Hopefully, learners have the opportunity to work with their supervisors to develop career plans which identify areas for improvement or advancement, how those areas can be addressed and when. See Career Advancement.

Classrooms and Workshops

Workshops, seminars, convention sessions, etc. are useful, in particular, for highly focused overviews of a particular subject or training about particular procedures.

Coaching

Coaching is becoming a very popular means of development, and often includes working one-on-one with the learner to conduct a needs assessment, set major goals to accomplish, develop an action plan, and support the learner to accomplish the plan. The learner drives these activities and the coach provides continuing feedback and support. See Coaching.

Continuing Professional Development

Many professions require verification of ongoing training to retain certification, e.g., social workers, some fields of law, nurses, etc. Professionals must stay up-to-date in the views and practices necessary to lead and manage in today’s organizations. There seems to be an increasing number of universities, colleges and training centers associating continuing education units (CEU’s) with their courses and workshops.

Continuous Learning

Continuous learning is learning how to learn. Typically, this involves developing skills in reflection, which is the ability to continually inquire and think about experience to draw conclusions and insights. It also involves the ability to conceptualize the learning process. Continuous learning is often associated with the concepts of systems thinking and organizational learning. Continuous learning is NOT about continually taking courses — it’s about developing skills in reflection and inquiry — it’s about learning how to learn so that your life and work experiences become your own learning lab. Organizations and other environments
are changing rapidly. Therefore, it’s extremely important to continually be aware of those changes, and to be reflecting on them and learning from them, as well.

Courses

Universities, colleges and training centers often have a large number of courses in management, professional and personal development. If the learner is looking to build a skill, then he or she must actually apply new information from these courses — otherwise, the learner is collecting information (hopefully, knowledge), rather than building skills.

Distance Learning (eLearning, Virtual Learning)

Distance learning has become a mainstream approach in training and development. This typically includes learning by getting information and / or guidance from people who are not face-to-face with the learner, e.g., learning via satellite broadcast, broadcast over the Internet, e-mail or postal mail correspondence, etc. Some people consider online learning or e-learning (e.g., information, tutorials, etc., available on diskette, CD-ROM, over the Internet, etc.) to be distance learning, as well.

Internships

Internships are offered usually by organizations to college students wanting to find work experience during the summer months. The internships offer precious, real-life job experience and the organizations often get skilled, highly dedicated service. Many times, interns go on to be hired by the organizations, as well.

Job Assignments

Job assignments are wonderful opportunities from which to learn. We just aren’t used to thinking of them that way. To cultivate learning, consider having employees write short reports, including an overview of what they did, why they did it, what areas of knowledge and skills were used, how the job might have been done better, and what areas of knowledge and skills would be needed to improve the job.

Job Rotations

This can be one of the most powerful forms of development, allowing learners to experience a broad range of managerial settings, cultures and challenges.

Journaling

Journaling is regularly writing down one’s thoughts about past or current experiences and thoughts. A person can significantly deepen and remember their learning by using journaling. See Journaling.

Lectures

Lectures, or focused presentations by experts on subject matter, are held in a wide variety of locations, not just in classrooms. Professional associations often bring in speakers. Guest lectures are often sponsored by local universities, colleges and training centers, and announced to the public. Many times, the lectures are repeated over local radio and television.

Management Development Programs

Local universities, colleges and training centers usually offer these programs. Carefully review their program content and design to ensure that training includes real-life learning activities during which learners can develop skills for the workplace. See Management Development.

Memorizing

Memorization is one of the most frequently used methods of learning and it refers to activities which can help the student to learn by committing the new information to memory. An example is repeating the definition of a term until the student can define it correctly without referencing a written definition. See Memorizing.

Mentoring

Hopefully, learners find experienced managers in the workplace who are willing to take learners “under their wing” and provide ongoing coaching and mentoring. See Mentoring.

Note-Taking

Note taking is perhaps the most frequently used method of learning during lectures. It involves writing the most important information conveyed by the speaker. Experienced note takers can efficiently separate what is most important to write down and what is not.

Off-the-Job Training

Off the job training occurs when an employee works after hours to learn. See Training Methods: On Job Training and off the Job Training Methods.

Online Training

There are an increasing number of approaches to online learning. See Online Learning. Sources of online training include learning from computer diskette, CD-ROM, the Internet or Web-based training, etc.

On-the-Job Training

This form helps particularly to develop the occupational skills necessary to manage an organization, e.g., to fully understand the organization’s products and services and how they are developed and carried out. Also see:

Other-Directed Learning

This includes having someone other than the learner identify the training goal, methods to achieve the goal, and approaches to evaluating the training and progress toward achieving the training goal. See Ways to Look at Training and Development Processes: Informal/Formal and Self-Directed/Other-Directed.

Orientation to New Jobs or Roles

A carefully developed procedure for orienting new employees is very helpful for getting employees “off on the right foot” when starting their jobs. See Employee Orientation.

Peer-Based Methods

This includes formats where peers focus on helping each other learn, e.g., by exchanging ongoing feedback, questions, supportive challenges, materials, etc. See Peer Learning .

Portfolios

Portfolios are a collection of various results from a learning and development experience, for example, essays, presentations, art work and journals that effectively convey the nature and extent of learning from the experience. See Portfolios — and Learning and Development Tool.

Professional Organizations

A wide variety of professional organizations often offer courses, seminars, workshops and sessions from conventions.

Reflection

Reflection is thinking about ones past and/or current experiences in life in order to learn from them. Reflection can be done in a scheduled and orderly way or it can occur in a spontaneous and unfolder manner. See Reflecting.

Self-Directed Learning

Highly motivated learners can usually gain a great deal of knowledge and skills by identifying their own learning objectives, how to meet those objectives and how to verify they’ve met the objectives, as well. See Strong Value of Self-Directed Learning in the Workplace.

Storytelling

Storytelling used to be viewed only as means for entertainment. However, we coming to understand that it also is very powerful means for enlightenment, when listeners are guided to reflect on the stories and to identify themes and patterns that emerge — and tell us about ourselves, our lives and our work. See Storytelling.

Taking Tests

Although tests usually used to verify and evaluate new learning, the experience of taking the test can be powerful means to deepen the learning about the subject matter in the test, because the student has to recall the new information and affirm it by writing it down in the test. See Taking-Tests.

Tutorials

Tutorials includes guidance to proceed through learning some technique or procedure, e.g., a tutorial on using a computer software package. There are an increasing number of online tutorials (tutorials available on diskette, CD-ROM, over the Internet, etc.).

Miscellaneous Other Ways

Some Tangible Results that Can Be Used to “Document” Learning

If you or others are seeking to verify results from your training and development, it helps to produce tangible items that can be evaluated to discern if you’ve achieved your training goals and objectives. The Sample Learner’s Results comes courtesy of The Union Institute, which suggests the list to learners when developing their own learning agreements.

Go to main Training and Development page.

For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


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Formal Training Processes — Instructional Systems Design (ISD) and ADDIE

Business woman presenting with projection screen in an office

Formal Training Processes — Instructional Systems Design (ISD) and ADDIE

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Sections of This Topic Include

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Formal Training and Development (ISD, ADDIE)

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Formal Methods of Training and Development. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

What is Formal and Systematic Training?

Very simply put, formal training is training that follows some designed form. Informal training does not have an intended, consistent form and usually occurs rather spontaneously and/or casually, for example, reading a book or having an enlightening discussion with a friend. Formal training tends to include preferred results, learning activities intended to achieve the results and some form of evaluation.

Systematic, formal training includes careful assessments and attention to determining training goals, designing and building methods and materials that are directly aligned (and often pretested) to achieve the goals, implementing training, and careful evaluation to ensure that training is carried out effectively and that training goals were reached. In systematic, formal training, each phase of the process produces results directly needed by the next phase.

For a more complete comparison of formal to informal training, see Ways to Look at Training and Development Processes: Informal/Formal and Self-Directed/Other-Directed.

Benefits of Formal and Systematic Approaches to Training

Many of us assume that we already have good training for ourselves and our employees After all, we answer our employees’ questions as they have them. We send our employees to a course once in a while. Sure, our approach to training isn’t intentional, that is, planned and focused. But our employees seem to be doing their jobs without have any real problems.

Unfortunately, we don’t know what we don’t know. It may be that our employees could be performing much better than we realize if they had better skills. It might be that we supervisors could get back a lot of time that otherwise is spent answering our employees’ questions. We might retain our employees much longer, as well. Addressing this possibility isn’t a “what if” question, it’s a primary responsibility of a supervisor.

Adopting a systematic approach to training helps ensure that supervisors are getting the most out of themselves and their employees. A systematic approach to training includes taking the time to analyze what results the organization needs from its employees, if employees are accomplishing those results, and what training and development approaches are needed by employees to better accomplish those results. A systematic approach includes evaluating approaches before, during and after training to ensure employees truly benefited from the training in terms of enhanced results to the organization.

Effective training and development includes using sound principles of performance management and good, basic training techniques.

So What is Instructional Systems Design?

Instructional Systems Design (ISD) is a type of formal approach to training where the goals of the training are carefully determined often from various types of assessments of the learners, goals are established to address the results of the assessments, various methods of training and learned are developed and designed to achieve those goals, and evaluation plans are established the measure the quality of the training and extent of achievement of the goals.

More Articles About ISD

So What is ADDIE?

ADDIE is one of the most popular ISD models. ADDIE is an acronym for the phases:

  1. Analyze the organization’s and individual’s needs and then identify training goals which, when reached, will equip learner’s with the knowledge and skills to meet the organization’s and individual’s needs. Usually this phase also includes identifying when training should occur and who should attend as learners.
  2. Design a training system that learners and trainers can implement to meet the learning goals. This phase typically includes identifying learning objectives (which culminate in reaching the learning goals), what strategies and activities are needed to achieve the objectives, what resources (money, supplies, facilities, etc.) might be needed, any lessons and the sequence of lessons, etc.
  3. Develop a training “package” of resources and materials, including, e.g., designing webinars, developing audio-visuals, graphics, manuals, etc.
  4. Implement the training package, including to deliver the training by implementing the strategies and conducting the activities, sharing feedback about the program and training methods, administering tests, modifying the design of the trainings and its materials based on feedback from participants, etc. This phase can include administrative activities, such as copying, scheduling facilities, taking attendance data, billing learners, etc.
  5. Evaluate the training, including during and after implementation of training. Evaluation is of the design of the training program, usage of the resources and the results gained by participants in the program.

More Articles About ADDIE

Overviews of Various Formal Training Processes

Formal training can be designed to a variety of forms. Note that formal training programs are not necessarily systematic. The following links are to documents that present various approaches to formal training in organizations.

For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


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Ways to Look at Training and Development Processes: Informal/Formal and Self-Directed/Other-Directed

A Group of People Having a Meeting in the Office

Ways to Look at Training and Development Processes: Informal/Formal and Self-Directed/Other-Directed

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Sections of This Topic Include

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Ways to Look at Formal and Informal
and also Self-Directed and Other-Directed Training

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Formal and Informal and also Self-Directed and Other-Directed Training. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Two Dimensions of Training and Development Processes

You could describe training and development processes using two dimensions – one for the degree of formality and one for the balance between self-directed and other-directed learning.

These two sets of choices result in four overall approaches. That is, one can take an informal approach to self-directed or “other-directed” learning. Similarly, one can take a formal approach to self-directed or “other-directed” learning.

Decision Factors on Those Dimensions

The decision about what approach to take to training depends on several factors. These factors include the amount of funding available for training, specificity and complexity of the knowledge and skills needed, timeliness of training needed, and capacity and motivation of the learner.

Other-directed, formal training is typically more expensive than other approaches, but is often the most reliable to use for the learner to achieve the desired knowledge and skills in a timely fashion. Self-directed, informal learning can be very low-cost, however the learner should have the capability and motivation to pursue their own training. Training may take longer than other-directed forms.

Highly specific and routine tasks can often be trained without complete, formal approaches. On the other hand, highly complex and changing roles often require more complete and formal means of development, which can be very expensive as a result.

If training is needed right away, then other-directed training is often very useful, e.g., to sign up for a training course at a local university, college or training center. Or, a training professional can be brought in. Again, other-directed training is usually faster and more reliable, but more expensive.

Self-directed forms of training require that the learner be highly motivated and able to conceptualize their approach to training, particularly in formal training.

Informal and Formal Training and Development

Informal Training and Development

Informal learning is very likely the most common form of learning. There is no formal structure or curriculum, and usually no expert trainer who teaches students. There usually is no formal recognition of completion, for example, a certificate or diploma. Informal learning is ideal for very experienced people.
Formal learning is ideal for new learners, for example, to learn a new technology or specific procedure.

Informal training and development is rather casual and incidental. Typically, there are no specified training goals as such, nor are their ways to evaluate if the training actually accomplished these goals or not. This type of training and development occurs so naturally that many people probably aren’t aware that they’re in a training experience at all. Probably the most prominent form of informal training is learning from experience on the job. Examples are informal discussions among employees about a certain topic, book discussion groups, and reading newspaper and journal articles about a topic. A more recent approach is sending employees to hear prominent speakers, sometimes affectionately called “the parade of stars”.

Informal training is less effective than formal training if one should intentionally be learning a specific area of knowledge or skill in a timely fashion. Hardly any thought is put into what learning is to occur and whether that learning occurred or not. (However, this form of training often provides the deepest and richest learning because this form is what occurs naturally in life.)

More Articles About Informal Training

Formal Training and Development

Formal training is based on some standard “form”. Formal training might include:
a) declaring certain learning objectives (or an extent of knowledge, skills or abilities that will be reached by learners at the end of the training),
b) using a variety of learning methods to reach the objectives and then
b) applying some kind(s) of evaluation activities at the end of the training.

The methods and means of evaluation might closely associate with the learning objectives, or might not. For example, courses, seminars and workshops often have a form — but it’s arguable whether or not their training methods and evaluation methods actually assess whether the objectives have been met or not.

Formal, Systematic Training and Development

Systematic, formal training involves carefully proceeding through the following phases:
a) Assessing what knowledge, skills and /or abilities are needed by learners;
b) Designing the training, including identifying learning goals and associated objectives, training methods to reach the objectives, and means to carefully evaluate whether the objectives have been reached or not;
c) Developing the training methods and materials;
d) Implementing the training; and
e) Evaluating whether objectives have been reached or not, in addition to the quality of the training methods and materials themselves

A systematic approach is goal-oriented (hopefully, to produce results for the organization and/or learners), with the results of each phase being used by the next phase. Typically, each phase provides ongoing evaluation feedback to other phases in order to improve the overall system’s process.

Note, again, that not all formal methods are systematic. Some courses, workshops, and other training sessions have goals, methods and evaluation, but they are not aligned, or even integrated. The methods, in total, do not guide the learner toward achieving the training goal. The evaluations are too often of how a learner feels about the learning experience, rather than of how well the learning experience achieved the goal of the training.

For more information about formal, systematic training and development, see Formal Training Processes — Instructional Systems Design (ISD) and ADDIE.

Self-Directed and “Other-Directed” Learning

Self-Directed Learning

Self-directed training includes the learner making the decisions about what training and development experiences will occur and how. The learner selects and carries out their own learning goals, objectives, methods and means to verifying that the goals were met. Self-directed training seems to be more popular of late. Note that one can pursue a self-directed approach to informal or formal training. For example, self-directed, informal training might include examples of informal training listed above (book discussion groups, etc.), as long as the learner chose the activities and topics themselves, either for professional or personal reasons. Self-directed, formal training includes the learner’s selecting and carrying out their own learning goals, objectives, methods and means to verifying that the goals were met. (For additional information about self-directed learning, see The Strong Value of Self-Directed Learning in the Workplace.)

Probably the most important skill for today’s rapidly changing workforce is skills in self-reflection. The highly motivated, self-directed learner with skills in self-reflection can approach the workplace as a continual classroom from which to learn. Supervisors and employees who work together to accomplish formal, self-directed learning in the workplace also accomplish continuous learning for continued productivity and learning.

Self-directed learning programs hold numerous advantages over traditional forms of classroom instruction for employees in the workplace, whether they be leaders, managers, or individual contributors. Bouchard (Self-directed Learning in Organizational Settings (working paper), Concordia University, Montreal, Canada) explains, “Over the years, it has become increasingly clear that traditional approaches to program design and delivery in the workplace and in associative organizations present some important weaknesses. Problem areas include: coping with the short life span of useful knowledge; passing down acquired competencies to succeeding cohorts; accommodating the demands of productivity while providing for a continuity of learning; [and!] enabling learners to pursue activities that correspond to their learning styles and needs” (p. 1).

After many years of reflection about learning, eminent psychologist, Carl Rogers, founder of self-directed therapy, asserted that “anything that can be taught to another is relatively inconsequential, and has little or no significant influence on behavior” (On Becoming a Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy, Houghton Mifflin, 1961, p. 276). He adds, “The only learning which significantly influences behavior is self-discovered, self-appropriated learning” (p. 276).

Self-directed learning programs:

  • Are more effective in development because learning accommodates employees’ learning styles and objectives
  • Save substantial training costs because learners learn to help themselves and each other with practical and timely materials
  • Achieve increased employee effectiveness in their jobs as they learn to learn from their own work experiences and actually apply their learning in their places of work

Some Online Articles About Self-Directed Learning

Other-Directed Learning

This form, of course, is where someone other than the learner drives what training activities will occur. Other-directed, informal training includes, e.g., supervisors sending employees to training about diversity, policies, sexual harassment in the workplace.

Other-directed, formal training includes where someone other than the learner specifies the training goals will be met in training, how those goals will be met and how evaluation will occur to verify that the goals were met. This form of learning is probably the most recognized because it includes the approach to learning as used in universities, colleges and training centers. This form of learning typically grants diplomas and certificates. Note that this form of training, although readily available in universities, etc., is usually somewhat “generic”, that is, the program is geared to accommodate the needs of the most learners and not be customized to any one learner. Therefore, a learner may pay tuition fees to learn knowledge and skills that he or she may not really need.

Another form of “other-directed’, formal training is employee development plans. The plans identify performance goals, how the goals will be reached, by when and who will verify their accomplishment.

“Other-directed’, formal training can be highly effective for helping learners gain desired areas of knowledge and skills in a timely fashion. A drawback is that learners can become somewhat passive, counting on the “expert” to show them what they should be doing and when.

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to this Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Go to main Training and Development page.

For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

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All About Action Learning

A Group of People Having a Discussion in the Office

All About Action Learning

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

This topic is about the group-based, Action Learning process in which members work together in a group (a “set”) on real-world priorities (called a “problem” by many practitioners) primarily by sharing questions and taking actions between meetings. Members learn from the reflection during and between meetings, especially regarding the actions they took to address real-world priorities. The process was founded by Professor Reginald Revans and is now widely used around the world for professional and organizational development. If you need help with Action Learning, consider Action Learning Source.

(The Library provides a complete, online, free training program about Action Learning. Each video provides guidelines about each of the most important aspects of Action Learning. See free video series, Action Learning Process and Programs.)

Sections of this Topic Include

Understanding Action Learning

Action Learning Components and Programs

Context of Action Learning Programs — Learning, Development and “Problem Solving”

Related Resources and Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Action Learning

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Action Learning. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Have a Question, Suggestion or Resource About Action Learning?

Understanding Action Learning

What is Action Learning?

Remember — Action Learning is a Framework Within Which There Can Be Variations

It’s important to note, when reviewing the information in this topic, that the Action Learning process is a framework within which there can be variations, including where:

  • All members are from the same organization (an intact team) and work on the same priority.
  • All members are from the same organization and each member might work on a different priority different from other members.
  • All members are from different departments or organizations and work on the same priority.
  • All members are from different departments or organizations and each member works on a priority different from other members.
  • In these combinations, the priorities might be very familiar or unfamiliar to the members.
  • Sets can be externally facilitated or self-facilitated.
  • Members might meet face-to-face or via telecommunications.

Practitioners often tend to favor one of the variations and refer to that as “Action Learning.” However, the reader will benefit most from continuing to remember the possible variations of the overall Action Learning framework.

Basic Descriptions of the Process

The following links are to concise descriptions of the concept of Action Learning. The links in the next section are to more complete descriptions of the Action Learning process.

Free Video Series

Other Descriptions of Action Learning

Overviews of Process and Program Components

The following links are to resources that describe Action Learning, and most of them mention the key components of Action Learning. Keep in mind that, although some of the following resources might
elaborate on a particular variation of Action Learning, there are many variations, as mentioned above.

The following links are to resources that will give you a very good impression of considerations in designing and operating Action Learning programs.

Some Theories Underlying Action Learning

The Action Learning framework touches on so many aspects of personal, professional and organizational development, that a list of related theories would produce a very extensive list. The following resources capture the unique theories, especially behind the “P”s and “Q”s of Revans’ core theory behind Action Learning.

Some Different Models and Approaches of Action Learning

The Action Learning framework also is so general in nature that numerous variations and refinements have been done, and many of them have general or commercial names. I apologize in advance if I have somehow mischaracterized a particular model or approach below. In some cases, I listed the home page of the organization so the reader can explore the site’s information about Action Learning. (Similar to other fields and practices, it’s natural for proponents of a particular model or approach to refer to it as “the” model 🙂

To enhance your understanding of different perspectives on Action Learning, we encourage you to see the 12-minute video Different Perspectives on Action Learning

At least two of the above organizations assert that they are “the certifying body for Action Learning”; however, there is no organization that has wide consensus as being that body.

Numerous Examples of Applications of Action Learning

The following long list is to give the reader a strong impression of the varied applications of the Action Learning framework. Also, for the reader who is considering development an Action Learning program the following stories will be useful in conveying the most important considerations and components to address.




Action Learning Components and Programs

Projects (Problems or Exciting Opportunities)

The problem is the real-world priority that the Action Learning group (set) is address. (Although the term “problem” is traditional to Action Learning literature, many practitioners might prefer to use the more appreciative term “priority.”) The problem should be a current, real and urgent priority for the individual, team, program or organization to address. Usually there is no straightforward “solution” to the problem,
and the more urgent the problem, the more likely it will generate useful and deep learning for the stakeholders (those who have a direct or indirect interest in the problem). The group is charged to clarify the problem, identify solutions, identify the most likely solutions, take actions to implement the solutions — and generate learning along the way. In single-project Action Learning, all members of the set work on the same problem. In multi-project Action Learning, each member bring his/her own problem to address.

In single-project Action Learning, the problem should be closely aligned with the priorities of the organization. Those priorities might be the result of strategic or business planning, or the result of an organizational assessment. Similarly, the problem might be the result of assessments among individuals.

Also consider

Group (Set)

The set is the group of people, usually six to eight, charged to address the problem. The membership of the group depends on the problem. In a single-project application, the member would likely be from the same business unit, working on the same projects or priorities. However, the more diverse the values, opinions and perspectives of the members, the more unbiased, probing and generative might be the questions shared among members — and, thus, the more learning generated among members.

In single-company Action Learning, all members are from the same company, and sometimes they work on the same business function or project (they are an intact team). In multi-company (or multi-department) Action Learning, each member is from a different company or department.

Also consider

Coaching (Sharing Thoughtful Questions)

A hallmark of the Action Learning process is the use of questions among members. In contrast to most problem-solving groups, where members start advocating their own opinions and advice, Action Learning members share questions — questions to analyze, understand and solve problems. Questions generate deep thinking and reflection about the problem. They ensure each person is highly involved in — and aware of — his/her own perceptions, assumptions and conclusions about the problem. Thus, each person more fully “learns how to learn,” that is, accomplishes continuous learning.

One of the most important roles of the question is to clarify the real problem, rather than the symptoms. Many times, it’s more important to understand the real problem than to start suggestions various solutions that might solve it. Questions make each person accountable to be involved and, thus, they often generate more authenticity and involvement among members — authenticity is a critical element to any form of development.

Depending on the model of Action Learning, members might only interact via questions and statements might only be made in response to questions.

Also consider

Actions

Another hallmark of Action Learning is that set members take actions to address the problem. (Some recent literature about Action Learning does not assert the need for actions among members. This “Americanized” Action Learning is not likely to generate the type of progress and learning so familiar to the more “European” Action Learning where set members are charged to take actions between meetings.

The actions, not only “attack” the problem, but they generate experiences from which set members learn a great deal by reflecting on what they did, what happened, what worked and what didn’t, and how they can take that learning forward in life and work. A major value of the questioning is that it ensures that the
actions are relevant and realistic, which is particularly important for very busy people in the workplace.

Actions for Progress and Learning in Action Learning (video 11 minutes)

Also consider

Learning

Learning, in Action Learning, comes especially from members’ reflection on the nature of the questions and answers among members, and also from the nature and results of the actions taken between meetings. The learning is not from analyzing and memorizing expert-based content brought to the group by outside experts (although, the “Americanized” Action Learning does tend to bring in more outside experts than the European version). Reginald Revans, the founder and original developer of Action Learning, often asserted that this kind of “programmed,” or expert-based, learning did not generate the ability to learn how to learn and, thus, should be minimized as much as possible.

One of the early tasks of an Action Learning program is to orient set members to the nature of learning, that it is not always the result of listening to experts, memorizing their content and getting a good grade. Members are reminded that some of the most important learning in their lives is from experiencing and thinking about significant events, people and experiences in their lives. Another task is to help members recognize learning when it happens — that’s one of the major roles of the Action Learning coach.

Also consider

Facilitation of Meetings and Learnings

(It’s ironic to realize that founder of Action Learning, Reginald Revans, did not want Action Learning to be “packaged” into seemingly inaccessible models or that the role of “facilitator” become professionalized such that the Action Learning process seemed too complex for those who are not professionals in the process. Yet, with the increasing importance and popularity of Action Learning and its focus on urgent problems, people are often more assured when using a highly trained external facilitator and they often end up using the particular model of Action Learning suggested by the facilitator.)

Note that many practitioners might prefer to this position as the “facilitator” and to the members as being “coaches.” In a self-facilitated set, the members are the coaches.

The primary role of the Coach is to orient members to the Action Learning process and the nature of learning in Action Learning. The coach might initially work with the person, or sponsor, of the Action Learning project to clarify the problem, resources, timelines and membership of the sets. The coach should help the set to establish ground rules, learn skills in presenting and listening and questioning, and recognizing learning. The Coach might intervene at various times to affirm a strong occasion of learning or affirm learning for a member or the set. Depending on the model of Action Learning, the Coach might be the only one to do that type of intervention.

Also consider

Designing and Developing Action Learning Programs

Each Action Learning application should be customized to the needs and nature of the person, group or organization. The program designer should first know the basic Action Learning framework, which he/she can glean by reviewing the resources at Brief Description, some of those at Overviews of Process and Program Components, and each of the six components described above. The following resources provide complete guidelines, but they are guidelines — any detailed “procedure” would be highly unique to the particular program. Perhaps, in the nature actions and learning, the program designer should start a program, learn from those actions, and then modify the program accordingly.

Implementing and Evaluating Action Learning Programs

Also consider
Evaluations (all kinds)

Context of Action Learning Programs

Other Methods of Reflection and Learning

Understanding Learning and Development

Many Forms of Development

Practitioners in Learning and Development

Related Resources and Topics

Related Library Topics

General Resources and Organizations

Organizations

Bibliographies About Action Learning

Go to main Training and Development page.

For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


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Basic Terms in Training and Development

Man and Woman Having a Discussion While looking at a document

Basic Terms in Training and Development

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

The following terms are described in this document.

Also consider

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Terms in Training and Development

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Terms in Training and Development. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Basic Terms and Definitions

Note that trainers, developers and educators vary among their own definitions of the following terms, as you can see in glossary of terms

Information

At its most basic form, a piece of information about something is a “unit of awareness” about that thing. (A field of philosophy, epistemology, includes analysis of what is really information and what isn’t. This field might visit the question: “If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound?”) Some people think that this awareness occurs only in the brain and, therefore, usually comes from some form of thought. Other
people also accept information as a form of realization from other forms of inquiry, e.g., intuition.

Knowledge

Knowledge is gleaned by organizing information. Typically, information evolves to knowledge by the learner’s gaining context, perspective and scope about the information.

Skills

Skills are applying knowledge in an effective and efficient manner to get something done. One notices skills in an employee by their behaviors.

Abilities

Abilities result from applying the skills to the extent that the applications become natural or intuitive to do.

Perceptions

Perceptions are a way of interpreting or coming to understand something. When people are stuck in solving a problem, it is often because they are stuck in how they see the situation.

Task

A task is a typically defined as a unit of work, that is, a set of activities needed to produce some result, e.g., vacuuming carpet, writing a memo, sorting the mail, etc. Complex positions in the organization may include a large number of tasks, which are sometimes referred to as functions.

Job

A job is a collection of tasks and responsibilities that an employee is responsible to conduct. Jobs have titles.

Role

A role is the set of responsibilities or expected results associated with a job. A job usually includes several roles.

Learning

Typically, learning is viewed as enhancing one’s knowledge, understanding or skills. Some people see learning as enhancement to one’s knowledge, awareness and skills. Some professionals view learning as enhancing one’s capacity to perform. Some view learning as a way of being that includes strong value on receiving feedback and increasing understanding. It’s important to note that learning is more than collecting information — more than collecting unreferenced books on a shelf. Depending on the needs of the learner, knowledge is converted to skills, that is, the learner knows how to apply the knowledge to get something done. Ideally, the skills are applied to the most appropriate tasks and practices in the organization, thereby producing performance — results needed by the organization. Here’s another perspective.

Continuous Learning

Simply put, continuous learning is the ability to learn to learn. Learning need not be a linear event where a learner goes to a formal learning program, gains areas of knowledge and skills about a process, and then the learning ceases. If the learner can view life (including work) as a “learning program”, then the learner can continue to learn from almost everything in life. As a result, the learner continues to expand his or her capacity for living, including working. (See How Many Steps to Continuous Learning? None.)

Training

This term is often interpreted as the activity when an expert and learner work together to effectively transfer information from the expert to the learner (to enhance a learner’s knowledge, attitudes or skills) so the learner can better perform a current task or job. Here’s another perspective.

Education

This term seems to be the most general of the key terms in employee training. Some professionals view education as accomplishing a personal context and understanding of the world, so that one’s life and work are substantially enhanced, e.g., “Go get an education.” Others view the term as the learning required to accomplish a new task or job. Here’s another perspective.

Development

This term is often viewed as a broad, ongoing multi-faceted set of activities (training activities among them) to bring someone or an organization up to another threshold of performance. This development often includes a wide variety of methods, e.g., orienting about a role, training in a wide variety of areas, ongoing training on the job, coaching, mentoring and forms of self-development. Some view development as a life-long goal and experience. Here’s another perspective.

Additional Information

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to this Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Go to main Training and Development page.

For the Category of Training and Development:

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Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


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Employee Training and Development: Reasons and Benefits

Employee and Boss Having a Discussion

Employee Training and Development: Reasons and Benefits

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Sections of this Topic Include

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Employee Training and Development
— Reasons and Benefits

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Employee Training and Development. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

(As a brief review of terms, training involves an expert working with learners to transfer to them certain areas of knowledge or skills to improve in their current jobs. Development is a broad, ongoing multi-faceted set of activities (training activities among them) to bring someone or an organization up to another threshold of performance, often to perform some job or new role in the future.)

Typical Reasons for Employee Training and Development

Training and development can be initiated for a variety of reasons for an employee or group of employees, e.g.,:

  • When a performance appraisal indicates performance improvement is needed
  • To “benchmark” the status of improvement so far in a performance improvement effort
  • As part of an overall professional development program
  • As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible for a planned change in role in the organization
  • To “pilot”, or test, the operation of a new performance management system
  • To train about a specific topic (see below)

Typical Topics of Employee Training

  1. Communications: The increasing diversity of today’s workforce brings a wide variety of languages and customs.
  2. Computer skills: Computer skills are becoming a necessity for conducting administrative and office tasks.
  3. Customer service: Increased competition in today’s global marketplace makes it critical that employees understand and meet the needs of customers.
  4. Diversity: Diversity training usually includes explanation about how people have different perspectives and views, and includes techniques to value diversity
  5. Ethics: Today’s society has increasing expectations about corporate social responsibility. Also, today’s diverse workforce brings a wide variety of values and morals to the workplace.
  6. Human relations: The increased stresses of today’s workplace can include misunderstandings and conflict. Training can people to get along in the workplace.
  7. Quality initiatives: Initiatives such as Total Quality Management, Quality Circles, benchmarking, etc., require basic training about quality concepts, guidelines and standards for quality, etc.
  8. Safety: Safety training is critical where working with heavy equipment, hazardous chemicals, repetitive activities, etc., but can also be useful with practical advice for avoiding assaults, etc.
  9. Sexual harassment: Sexual harassment training usually includes careful description of the organization’s policies about sexual harassment, especially about what are inappropriate behaviors.

General Benefits from Employee Training and Development

There are numerous sources of online information about training and development. Several of these sites (they’re listed later on in this library) suggest reasons for supervisors to conduct training among employees. These reasons include:

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to this Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Go to main Training and Development page.

For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


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How to Design Your Supervisor Training and Development Program

Young lady writing sticker with marker on business training conccept

How to Design Your Supervisor Training and Development Program

Written by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Copyright; Authenticity
Consulting, LLC

(Note that there are separate topics about How to Design Your Management Development Program and How to Design Your Leadership Development Program. Those two topics are very similar to this topic about supervisor development, but with a different focus.)

Sections of This Topic Include:

Comprehensive, practical book by Carter McNamara

Leadership and Supervision in Business - Book Cover

Prepare for Your Learning and Development

Be Sure You Know What Learning and Development Really Are

Most of us are so conditioned from many years in schooling that we think of learning and development as coming from a program in which our participation is graded by experts in a certain topic. As a result, many of us still miss numerous opportunities for our own learning and development. Perhaps one of the reasons is that we do not know what learning and development really is. So before undertaking a supervisor development program, we should be sure that we know what we are talking about.

Learning could be interpreted as new:

  1. Knowledge, which is information that is useful in accomplishing a certain activity that is important, for example, to solve a problem, achieve a goal or see a situation in entirely different light.
  2. Skills, which is the expertise — consciously or unconsciously — to continually use the new information to accomplish that certain activity. (Educators often refer to new abilities as a component of learning, but some admit that the difference between abilities and skills is such a fine one that it is often difficult to explain.)
  3. Perceptions, which are new ways of seeing a situation. (When people are continually stuck when trying to solve a problem or achieve a goal, it is often in the way that they see the situation.)

In the field of education, development could be interpreted as the activities to raise the quality of performance, for example, of a person, team or organization. However, like learning, development is best accomplished if it is recognized as such. Thus, development usually requires ongoing focus and attention to the quality of performance, as well as the quality of the activities to raise it.

Consider Two Different Approaches to Learning About Supervision

It is important to understand the different approaches you can take in increasing your learning about supervising. Formal approaches are proactively designed in a comprehensive and systematic way in order to accomplish certain desired outcomes. Traditional classroom approaches to education have that specific form — they are formal approaches to learning and development.

In contrast, informal approaches are those that occur during our typical day-to-day activities in life and can include, for example, reading books, having discussions with friends, on-the-job training and keeping a diary with thoughts about supervision.

Know How to Capture Learning from Your Activities

Whether in formal or informal approaches, the ongoing ability to recognize and capture learning is extremely important. That ability is often referred to as continuous learning and it is frequently mentioned in literature about management development (in this context, the term management is inclusive of leadership and supervisor development). Simply put, continuous learning is the ability to learn to learn.

The key to cultivating continuous learning is the ability to continually reflect on your experiences and the experiences of others in your life. Reflection is continuously thinking about, for example, your experiences, their causes and effects, your role in them, if they changed you and how. It is thinking about how you might use those experiences and changes to enhance your life and the lives of others.

If you can view your life as a “laboratory for learning program”, then you can continue to learn from almost everything in your life. However, learning is best captured if it is consciously recognized as such, for example, discussed with someone else or written down somewhere. Otherwise, new learning can easily be lost in the demands of life and work. So it is very important to document your learning.

Prepare for Your Learning About Supervision

Get Acquainted With Organizational Context of Supervision

Before learning more about supervision, you would benefit first from becoming acquainted with the organizational context in which supervision typically occurs, including understanding organizations as systems, their common dimensions, what makes each unique, their different life cycles and different cultures.

Get Acquainted With What “Supervision” Is

Then, the next place to start learning about supervision is to get some sense of what supervision really is — in particular, get an impression of the areas of knowledge and skills recommended for effective supervision in organizations. Review the information in the Library’s topic:

Activities for Informal Approach to Supervisor Development

Here is but a sampling of the activities from which you could informally accomplish your own supervisor development. Here is a sample learning journal that you might use to continually capture your learning.


Consider getting assistance

Consider these readings

Consider practicing these supervisor skills

Consider workplace activities for learning

  • Start a new project , ideally a project that includes your setting direction and influencing others to follow that direction
  • Regularly solicit feedback from others about your supervisor skills
  • Ask your supervisor, peers and subordinates for ideas to develop your supervisor skills
  • Ask to be assigned to a supervisor position

Close and gaps in your work performance

  • Performance gaps are areas of knowledge and skills need to improve performance and are usually indicated during performance reviews with your supervisor. This Library topic is to a series of articles about managing performance, including performance gaps.

Close any growth or opportunity gaps

  • Growth gaps are areas of knowledge and skills need to achieve a career goal. Opportunity gaps are areas of knowledge and skills needed to take advantage of an upcoming opportunity. These Library topics can help you think about the growth and opportunity gaps in your career.

Conduct self-assessments

Collect ideas from others

  • Ask for advice from friends, peers, your supervisor and others about skills in supervision. Ask for their opinions about your own supervisor skills. Try get their suggestions in terms of certain behaviors you should show.

Reference lists of suggested competencies

  • Competencies are lists of the general abilities needed to do a certain job or perform a certain role. Reference the “How to” sections
    in the following Library topic:

Reference publications about leadership

  • There is a vast amount of information about leadership and leadership skills, which are similar to supervisor skills. However, much of it
    is in regard to character traits that leaders should have. When determining your program goals, translate these character traits to behaviors that you and others can recognize.

Consider other sources for learning

Guidelines for Formal Approach to Supervisor Development

You are much more likely to develop skills in supervision from participating in a formal program approach than an informal approach. The following sections will guide you to develop your own complete, highly integrated and performance-oriented program.

Identify Your Overall Goals for Your Program

This section helps you identify what you want to be able to do as a result of implementing your program, for example, to qualify for a certain job, overcome a performance problem or achieve a goal in your career development plan. You are often better off to work towards at most two to four goals at a time, rather than many. There are a variety of ways to identify your program goals, depending on what you want to be able to accomplish from the program. The articles might be helpful in preparing you to identify your goals.

Various Ideas for Supervisor Development Goals

  1. Do you have career plans that would require certain new supervisor skills? See How to Plan Your Career.
  2. Did your previous performance review with your supervisor suggest certain improvements in supervision that you need to make? See Goal Setting With Employees.
  3. Are there certain opportunities that you could take advantage of if you soon developed certain new supervisor skills? See How to Look for a Job.
  4. You might do some self-assessments to determine if there are any areas of supervisor development that you might undertake. See Assessing Your Training Needs.
  5. Ask others for feedback about your supervisor skills. See Giving and Receiving Feedback.
  6. Do you find yourself daydreaming about doing certain kinds of activities? See Setting Personal Goals.

Include a Goal About Supervising Yourself

You cannot effectively supervise others unless you first can effectively supervise yourself. Consider goals from the Library’s topic of Personal Wellness

List your Program Goals in your Template for Planning Your Professional Development Program. (This is a Microsoft Word document.)

Determine Your Learning Objectives and Activities to Achieve Each

The purpose of this section is to help you to identify the various learning objectives you should achieve in order to achieve your overall program goals, along with the activities you should undertake to achieve each objective.

Identifying Your Learning Objectives

Carefully consider each of your program goals. What might be the various accomplishments, or objectives, that must be reached in order to achieve each goal? Do not worry about doing all of that perfectly — objectives can be modified as you work to achieve each goal. Which of these objectives require learning new areas of knowledge or skills? These objectives are likely to become learning objectives in your program plan. To get a stronger sense for learning objectives, see:

Identifying Your Learning Activities

Learning activities are the activities you will conduct in order to achieve the learning objectives. The activities should accommodate your particular learning styles, be accessible to you and be enjoyable as well. The long list of activities in the above two columns might be useful, as well.

List the Learning Objectives to Achieve Each Desired Goal in your Template for Planning Your Professional Development Program.

List the Activities to Achieve Each Learning Objective in your Template for Planning Your Professional Development Program.

Develop Any Materials You May Need

Carefully think about each of the activities to achieve the learning objectives. Consider, for example, getting books, signing up for courses, reserving rooms and getting trainers.

List the Materials You Might Need in your Template for Planning Your Professional Development Program.

Plan the Implementation of Your Program

During the implementation of your program, you want to make sure there are no surprises. For example, how will you make sure you understand the new information and materials. Will your learning be engaging and enjoyable? Will you have all the support you need?

List the Key Considerations in Implementing Your Plan in your Template for Planning Your Professional Development Program.

Evaluate During and After Your Program

Evaluation includes assessing both the quality of the activities during the program and also whether you achieved your goals soon after the program.

List the Approach to Evaluating During and After Your Program in your Template for Planning Your Professional Development Program.

Follow-Up After Completion of Your Program

It is a major accomplishment to design and implement a supervisor development program. Celebrate what you have done! Reflect on what you learned about developing the program — and about yourself.

List the Key Activities After Completing Program in your Template for Planning Your Professional Development Program.

Additional Resources in the Category of Leadership


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Guidelines for Conducting Supervisoral Development Programs

Group of people together in a work space

Guidelines for Conducting Supervisoral Development Programs

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.
Adapted from the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision in Business and Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision for Nonprofit Staff.

(This page is referenced from Supervisory Development.)

Among the various positions in management, the role of supervisor is quite unique. As described in the Basic Overview of Supervision, new supervisors are often under a great deal of stress. It may be rather straightforward to identify a list of core competencies for the role of supervisor. However, it can be a major challenge to help the new supervisor develop the necessary skills while at the same managing stress and time sufficient to keep perspective (and sanity). Therefore, consider the following guidelines when carrying out a supervisoral development plan.

Have a Human Resources Representative Play Major Role

A trained human resources professional can be a major benefit in the development of a new supervisor. The representative often has strong working knowledge of the various policies and procedures that, at first, can seem quite intimidating to the supervisor. The representative usually has a good understanding of the dynamics of training and development. In addition, the representative can an be an impartial confidant for the supervisor.

Establish a Development Plan

One of the biggest contributions from a development plan is perspective. In the middle of the stress and confusion, the new supervisor can reference the plan to retain some basic perspective on their job. The plan coordinates ongoing interaction between the new supervisor and their supervisor, ensuring each is aware of the direction and accomplishments of the new supervisor.

Key Skills: Delegation, Time Management and Stress Management

Ensure the plan includes strong, initial focus on developing these three key skills. Effective skills in delegation can relieve a great deal of stress from the supervisor, while ensuring high productivity among employees. Strong skills in time management can ensure that the supervisor is using time in the best way possible. Finally, basic skills in stress management can ensure that the new supervisor maintains poise and perspective.

Provide Ongoing Guidance and Support

An experienced supervisor can soon forget how confusing and challenging the role of new supervisor can be. Even if things seem to be going fine, be sure to stop in and visit the new supervisor on a regular basis. Some new supervisors may not feel comfortable asking for help. Provide ongoing affirmation and support.

Track the New Supervisor’s Time on the Job

Notice how many hours the new supervisor is spending at work. If that amount has increased substantially since he or she began the new role, then intervene. Various studies have shown that
productivity levels off substantially after 50-60 hours of work in a week. Consider establishing a maximum amount of hours for the new supervisor, e.g., 50 hours a week. If, with this limit, a great deal of work is not getting done by the new supervisor, then look for the cause. Perhaps the new supervisor does not have sufficient resources or training to carry out the job. Perhaps there’s just too much work to do.

Tactfully Interact with Supervisor’s Staff

Ongoing stresses can sometimes bring out the worst in a new supervisor. He or she may struggle to effectively delegate projects, maintain composure with employees or even be available for employees to
voice concerns. Ongoing complaints from employees are a key indicator that the new supervisor may be struggling. Therefore, take time to interact with the new supervisor’s employees, but do so tactfully.

However, be careful to conclude if there are really any problems. Each supervisor carries out their jobs according to their own unique needs and nature. Don’t compare the style of the new supervisor to your own. He or she may not conduct the role in the same way that others would.

Return to Supervisory Development

For the Category of Supervision:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

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