| Experiential Learning is not new but is
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| | accompanying damage to both the person's
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| incredibly under used as a method for
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| | confidence and the business.
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| training and developing staff. Consider
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| | When I set up the Experiential Learning
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| for a moment how people tend to be
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| | Centre it was with the intention of
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| trained at your place of work and what
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| | combining the best of these learning
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| methods top the list?
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| | methods in order to provide the most
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| Training courses where people learn via
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| | powerful developmental outcomes at the
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| presentations, group discussions, case
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| | lowest possible risk. Together with a
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| studies and perhaps some role playing are
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| | small team of learning and development
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| likely to figure quite high on the list
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| | experts, we designed a series of
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| for most companies. But how much of this
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| | simulations and activities that mirrored
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| is actually taken back to the workplace
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| | a range of leadership, team working and
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| and transferred into improved
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| | business skills scenarios but delivered
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| performance? Traditional training courses
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| | within the safety of a classroom
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| are essentially a method of knowledge
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| | environment. A great simulation in itself
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| transfer with a small amount of skills
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| | is not enough. In order to complete the
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| development. As knowledge transfer goes
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| | learning experience each simulated
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| they can be very effective, especially if
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| | programme needs to be supported by high
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| delivered by a good trainer but it is
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| | quality facilitation and expert coaching.
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| somewhat hit and miss if this knowledge
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| | The results have been extremely powerful.
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| is applied effectively by the trainee
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| | Trainees are able to learn by experience
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| upon their return to work. How much
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| | and transfer what they have learned back
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| support will they receive from their
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| | in the working environment in order to
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| manager? Will the learning be reinforced
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| | perform at a significantly higher level.
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| and reviewed at regular intervals? Will
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| | In essence, what we have developed is a
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| they get an opportunity to practice what
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| | series of safe leap experiences which is
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| they have learned? How much of the
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| | the holy grail of staff development.
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| knowledge will be lost or watered down
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| | As one of our leadership facilitators,
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| over time?
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| | Jonathon Elliott says "It really is quite
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| An alternative to sending staff on a
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| | remarkable to see the learning that takes
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| training course is for the manager or an
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| | place during an experiential leadership
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| experienced team member to train them on
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| | event. Delegates don't just learn from
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| the job. Coaching can be the most
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| | being a leader themselves but also from
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| effective form of learning when it is
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| | how others go about leading and managing.
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| done well. Knowledge can be transferred
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| | Sometimes they will be on the receiving
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| by the coach, skills can be developed in
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| | end of an activity in which there is a
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| stages and both can be applied in live
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| | weak plan or where a conflict is poorly
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| but supervised situations. This provides
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| | handled. Other times they will experience
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| an opportunity for the work to be
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| | an exceptional piece of teamworking or
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| reviewed and feedback provide in order to
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| | find themselves being motivated at a high
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| facilitate rapid learning. Given that
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| | level. In both scenarios they are
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| coaching is a widely effective form of
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| | learning something that they will be able
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| experiential learning, what are the
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| | to take back to work and use immediately.
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| downsides? It requires a large investment
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| | At the end of an experiential event,
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| of time by the coach. It requires a high
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| | people are noticeably at a significantly
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| level of coaching skill. Perhaps most
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| | higher level of competence than when they
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| significantly, it takes two people, the
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| | joined the programme. They are able to
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| coach and the trainee, away from their
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| | apply what they have learned in a variety
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| normal tasks making them both less
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| | of situations and perform better."
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| productive in the short term.
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| | The reality is that many managers lack
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| Another form of on the job training is to
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| | the time and ability to facilitate
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| provide the trainee with a leap
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| | experiential learning in the workplace.
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| experience. This essentially involves
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| | The result is that staff are often unable
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| providing the staff member with a
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| | to develop as well as they could or they
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| specific job assignment or project aimed
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| | are thrown in at the deep end, often with
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| at developing a targeted skill set. This
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| | high risks attached. Simulated
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| is raw experiential learning. If
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| | experiential learning provides a
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| successful the individual is likely to
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| | compelling alternative as long as it is
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| learn rapidly, hence a leap experience.
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| | supported by high quality facilitation
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| However, the downside of a leap
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| | and expert coaching interventions.
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| experience is the risk of failure and the
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