Executive Learning that Clicks

By Jørgen Thorsell, senior General Manager, Mannaz

Fortunately, it is long ago when lecturing was accepted as effective learning – especially in the corporate world. Since 1975 Mannaz has been pushing the limits of learning in the corporate world. We have defined a set of learning principles as guidelines how executive learning becomes most effective for the individual and for the organisation.

Anchored in Real Life
We learned that effective learning should be based on the learner’s current reality in the sense that new insight is applied immediately in the learning process.

Especially, we have had eye opening experiences in the field of leadership development when executives confront themselves with their most difficult relationships in their job. In smaller groups they are coached by highly experienced business psychologists and get practical and frank feedback from fellow group members.

Likewise, very interesting learning has taken place when customers, vendors etc. have been invited to participate in the learning process. Quite often a single hour of reality based learning has created business opportunities worth several times the cost of the entire programme.

Make it challenging
Something very important, learning makes much higher impact when you run a risk while learning. An example of the most risky learning session, we have experienced, was based on a highly loaded current situation of change with participation of all key stakeholders, including the superior, in the learning process.

The challenge of such a learning process is so radical that it boosts the executive’s leadership development dramatically. The learning process fosters a much more thorough insight in how the individual stakeholders can contribute effectively to the success of the change. The change process itself has actually progressed during the learning session. Indeed, decisions have been made during the session, having real consequences for some stakeholders in relationship to the change.

According to our experience outward bound learning sessions in combination with business psychologists also provide remarkable learning outcomes. Outward bound without structured insight feedback on behavioural aspects is far less effective. In fact, it is the intellectual challenges that provide for the most fruitful learning experiences.

Never get dull
Executive learning must to a great extent mirror the busy day of executives. Never let executives sit for more than one hour. Create shifts in the learning methods several times a day. Let the executives take responsibility for the learning process.

We have very favourable experiences in creating Watch Dog teams, teams of two dedicated to manage the learning process. They have full responsibility for the learning process. They are expected to intervene when the learning process is not suited for the group. The Watch Dog teams base their actions on a set of success criteria for the learning process, which initially have been created by the group. We measure the learning process according to the success criteria and thus bring extra focus on the learning process.

Full Respect
Executive learning comes to an end when learning is not based on a mutual respect for the insight and the experience of the expert AND the executives. Today, the authority of experts is no longer based on the knowledge itself but much more on the fact how the knowledge is shared in a balanced way with the executives. Today, lecturing professors are dinosaurs in executive learning.

Action orientated
Executives are action orientated. Executive learning should to some extent reflect this fact. Therefore, simulations, role plays, project work etc. are natural learning elements in executive learning.

In particular, executives have gained tremendously from participating in our concept of Consulting Hour. Here they apply an action orientated structured process for exchanging experience with specific focus on one fellow executive’s real life business situation.

Room for reflection
Despite the fact that executives are action orientated, executive learning should leave room for thorough reflection. Action without reflection creates little or no wisdom neither on the job nor in the classroom.

With great advantage the reflection process can be conducted as individual coaching. Especially our business psychologists have achieved remarkable insights and results through a carefully conducted coaching process.

For group reflection, we apply our concept of Learning Points where a couple of executives presents the results of their personal reflections. The learning points are not supposed to be a presentation of a summary of the learning. The idea is to present moments where the learning makes a difference to each of them – in cases the learning clicks.

About the author
Jørgen Thorsell is the senior General Manager responsible for international activities and a member of the top management group of Mannaz. He has been with Mannaz since 1984 with a break from 1987 to 1990 when he earned his Doctorate degree in corporate strategy in the US. He has extensive experience in designing and implementing leadership and management programmes.

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