Integration of the practice of mindfulness within action learning as an added component within a post graduate leadership programme: an account of practice

This account of practice provides a practical example of the use of mindfulness practice within action learning which was a component of a bespoke UK Business School post-graduate leadership development programme commissioned by an English NHS Mental Health Trust aimed at improving the leadership capacity of mid-level managers through work-based learning. The article discusses background and context of the programme followed by how application of mindfulness exercises was integrated within the action learning process to encourage participants to be ‘in the moment’ as an added component of their leadership development. The aim of the paper is to share examples of practice applied within action learning. Finally, the paper asserts that the application of mindfulness exercises helped to enhance the action learning process by creating a calm, focused space for individual and collective reflections, enhancing the quality of engagement and enabling action learning members to take a more pragmatic approach to addressing the work issues raised within the action learning sets

The effective mentor, mentee and mentoring relationship

The aim of this chapter is to examine the various competency frameworks for mentors and mentees and consider the requirements for an effective mentoring relationship, exploring theoretical and empirical studies as well as conceptual models and frameworks. The chapter begins by outlining the behaviours, capabilities and characteristics of mentors and mentees drawing on current literature (Cooper & Palmer, 2000; Clutterbuck, 2004, 2011; Brockbank & McGill, 2006, Allen & Eby, 2011). These are compared and contrasted, taking into account methodological issues such as the significance of context (Kram, 1988; Bierema & Merriam, 2002; Fowler & O’Gorman, 2005; Ghosh, 2012), purpose and type of mentoring (Kram, 1980, 1985; Ragins & Cotton, 1999; Clutterbuck, 1998, 2015) and that competences may evolve through the different phases of the mentor-mentee relationship (Missiran, 1982; Kram, 1983; Clutterbuck, 1995, 1998). In addition, the author recognises the need to consider the complex adaptive system (Mitleton-Kelly, 1997; Lansing, 2003; Clutterbuck, 2012) in which the mentor-mentee relationship is established and developed. Next, the author examines the measures for the effectiveness of a mentoring relationship, with particular reference to how this might be useful in the initiation, support and measurement of mentoring outcomes. Finally, the author offers recommendations for future research

Learning, action and solutions in action learning: investigation of facilitation practice using the concept of living theories

This paper explores the practice of action learning (AL) facilitation in supporting AL set members to address their ‘messy’ problems through a self-reflexive approach using the concept of ‘living theory’ [Whitehead, J., and J. McNiff. 2006. Action Research Living Theory. London: Sage]. The facilitation practice is investigated through personal observations and explanations of learning and action through shift in identity, thinking and approach of AL members in resolving complex problems raised during the AL sessions. The paper demonstrates how AL can be applied as a methodology for supporting leaders to address complex organisational problems through inquiry, critical reflection and advocacy to gain new insights as well as new practice. The findings highlight that key theoretical principles in AL such as critical reflection and problem-solving can be applied to support managers and leaders to analyse and solve complex organisational problems. The paper also contributes to the current literature on AL through the application of the living theory approach as a discipline for critical inquiry, self-reflection and evaluation

The pedagogy of action learning facilitation – a critique of the role of the facilitator in an organisational leadership programme

This thesis presents professional practice research into Action Learning (AL) facilitation. Motivated by a combination of my formative years of cultural transmission and my enduring interest in learning and how it is facilitated, I have explored the professional practice of the AL facilitator. This was achieved through a process of critical inquiry, self-reflection and evaluation of action learning practice within a Higher Education Post Graduate Programme, commissioned by an English NHS Mental Health Trust. I adopted action research as my overarching research approach which I built into the one-year post graduate programme for the purpose of my research. This enabled planning, fact-finding, taking actions and analysing actions with my co-facilitators as an iterative process to explore the practice of action learning facilitation. Thematic analysis, which involves a 5-step process, was used to collate and investigate the research data. Results from this research reinforce the significance of the role of the AL facilitator in the learning process and offer a model of pedagogy of AL facilitation presented here as the art, craft and apparatus of AL facilitation practice. The ‘art’ of AL facilitation relates to the underpinning commitment and values of the facilitator which inform responses to participants in the sets. The ‘craft’ of AL facilitation encompasses facilitator knowledge, skills and experience and the ‘apparatus’ is the structures and systems that support the facilitation processes. This work contributes to the current literature on action learning and the practice of AL facilitation by offering a framework which visualises the pedagogy of action learning facilitation as a holistic point of reference for the learning and practice of AL facilitation. Key words: Action learning, action learning facilitation, facilitation pedagogy and frameworks

E-mentoring as a HRD intervention: an exploratory action research study within an International Professional Mentoring Scheme

Advances in technology have reshaped mentoring as a human resource development (HRD) intervention and heralded e-mentoring, using online solutions, as an alternative to traditional mentoring. In this article we report on a unique learning opportunity as a part of the HRD curriculum in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in which mentoring was offered to pairs separated by not only geographical distance but also by time zone, culture and organisation (Global Mentoring Relationships, GMRs). We used an action research approach to aid the programme team’s understanding of their own practice and to evaluate 23 GMRs within an e-mentoring scheme in a UK based university. We offer empirical evidence of the application of media richness theory (MRT) as well as traditional models of mentoring to develop and evaluate e-mentoring relationships, particularly GMRs. Key findings highlight how the mode of communication and its media richness affect GMRs and demonstrate the effect of the type and style of mentoring on the success of GMRs. Based on our results, we recommend a combination of e-mentoring methods using various forms of technology and the sharing of models to create a common language to enhance the practice of e-mentoring in and across organisations

Does e-mentoring work? The effectiveness and challenges of an international professional mentoring scheme

Advances in technology have enabled online solutions to open up possibilities of mentoring relationships that cross boundaries of time, geography and culture (Zay 2011). This empirical study uses an action research approach to evaluate mentor-mentee relationships which are defined by their international separation. The paper highlights the extent to which e-mentoring relationships developed within this scheme and discusses the factors to be considered when technology is used to support mentoring relationships

Integrating mindfulness into leadership development

In this article, we illustrate how ideas and practices of mindfulness can be integrated into management education, drawing from our work on postgraduate programs run with working managers. Our purpose is particularly to show how mindfulness can be introduced into the curriculum in a way that is acceptable for participants and clients and brings benefit to participants. Following a brief review of literature on mindfulness in organizations, we share the curriculum innovation we designed and provide detail of its effectiveness derived from our follow-up evaluation

Action, reflection and learning in team coaching

The aim of the chapter is to examine the role of a coach in supporting reflection, learning and taking action in a team or a group. The chapter will begin by exploring the role of a coach or adviser in learning groups such as action learning sets where the role of the coach is to ask questions to encourage the team to consider and reflect on their current situation. (Marquardt et al., 2009). This is compared and contrasted to the role of a team coach working with a team to achieve common team outcomes in a way that combines performance and processes (Hackman & Wageman, 2005). The concept of learning as a social process in both interventions and the role of the coach in supporting the process of reflection and dialogue for the purpose of gaining new insights are explored. Hence, one of the purposes of the chapter is to develop a sharper understanding of what distinguishes action learning from team coaching, as well as some of the overlaps between them. It must be noted that as the action learning facilitator is commonly referred to as the ‘coach’ this term has been used here interchangeably with group coaching. The distinction between the two interventions are addressed later in the chapter

La financiación de la educación superior en Asia central

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Pasos para la creación de una agencia de acreditación

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