Facilitating organizational development through action learning—some practical and theoretical considerations

Action learning programmes are supposed to result in both personal and organizational development. However, organizational development can be negligible because, as the term implies, a connection must be secured between what has been learned by action learning participants and other members of an organization. Here, the facilitation and analysis of how to institutionalise action learning principles is explored through a theoretical framework. This framework is built around the following concepts: scripts, lean thinking and mindsets. Thereafter, two case studies are offered that exemplify how organizations might operationalise these concepts through action learning programmes that intend, from the outset, to foster organizational development. The evidence suggests that success depends—among other factors—upon the cognitively held beliefs of the set advisor and the prevailing organizational culture.