Facilitating action learning & virtual action learning for leadership development: experiences and insights from a UK Masters programme

Action learning is one of the most effective leadership development interventions [Day, Fleenor, Atwater, Sturm, and McKee. 2014. “Advances in Leader and Leadership Development: A Review of 25 Years of Research and Theory.” The Leadership Quarterly 25 (1): 63–82; Pauleen. 2003. “Leadership in a Global Virtual Team: An Action Learning Approach.” Leadership & Organization Development Journal 2003; Stewart. 2010. “Action Learning and Virtual Action Learning for Leadership Development.” Developing Leaders (1)], yet Virtual Action learning (VAL) has always struggled to be seen as a viable alternative, with both facilitators and participants often preferring face-to-face set meetings, and dismissing the technological options [Dickenson, Burgoyne, and Pedler. 2010. “Virtual Action Learning: Practices and Challenges.” Action Learning Journal: Research & Practice 7 (1): 59–72; Stewart. 2009. “Evaluation of an Action Learning Programme for Leadership Development of SME Leaders in the UK.” Action Learning: Research and Practice 6 (2): 131–148]. However, the onset of the Covid pandemic saw the rapid implementation of this remote technology-enabled approach, where VAL became the only option for action learning due to the restrictions on face-to-face working and travel limitations. This paper shares insights on the differences facilitating action learning and virtual action learning from a research project, based around a two-year Masters in Leadership programme in a UK business school, now delivered to over 300 experienced senior leaders, predominantly working in the UK NHS and a major UK retailer.