Transfer of Training

Meet the Principals

Principal Consultant, Carter McNamara, about
Action Learning Source

Principal Consultant, Chuck Appleby, on the power of Action Learning in organizations.

Most "one-shot" training programs do not implement the principles of adult learning. Adults learn best when they a) actually apply new information and materials to their lives and work, and b) exchange ongoing feedback around their experiences. Action Learning can be associated with traditional "one-shot" trainings to implement those principles for learning.

In the Action Learning process, each member can get equal time to identify the content that she selected from the training session, and where she is going to apply it and how. She can get help from fellow group members to be even more careful about how she selects and applies that content. Other members help her ensure that her actions are indeed relevant and realistic. They also share accountabilities to actually do those actions – and to learn by reflecting on their results.

Action Learning is a powerful and practical means to ensure that content from training sessions is actually applied, whether those sessions are taught by an instructor or are the result of some form of self-directed learning. Thus, Action Learning is useful to associate with traditional forms of learning or with on-demand forms, such as webinars and podcasts.

Not only does the Action Learning process ensure that the training programs conform to principles of adult learning, but the process does not add substantial costs to the training programs because the work in the process is done by the group members themselves.

We customize Action Learning to ensure transfer of training from traditional and nontraditional forms of training.

" The concepts identified in the Action Learning course made this one of the most powerful training sessions that I have experienced in my 13 years in the training and development field. I was able to take the content and immediately put it to use, creating a dynamic of self-awareness for all of the project participants that typically is not found in a regular classroom setting."
—Susan Mitnick, Senior Director, Sales Training, Cbeyond