Action Learning and SOPK

["Ivan Webb" <Ivan.Webb@bigpond.com>]

Richard Zultner asked
>.... how does Profound Knowledge benefit from this addition?... why combine
them?....what weaknesses in Profound Knowledge does Action Learning fill in?

All good questions... (and IMHO) action learning is focused on learning from
the participants in the system - rather than think in terms of  "...what
weaknesses in Profound Knowledge does Action Learning fill in?" it may be
more useful to think in terms of in what ways Action Learning might
complement the SoPK

For example...one  core notion of notions of Action Learning is the
development and use of Questioning Insight, just the thing that is needed to
-  specify process details - including identifying hidden work-arounds that
are so common because the official version of how the system works is flawed
and the people in the system invent ways of making it work
-  address unstable systems
-  address special cause variation
-  and where (in the system) to invest the next effort in continuous
improvement for the best return - 'earlier in the process' is a sound
principle, especially in the longer term, but often the short term demands
make elsewhere a better interim choice.

The processes of Action Learning are also useful in
-  converting experience into tacit knowledge
-  converting tacit knowledge in 'programmed knowledge'
-  thus building shared knowledge and commitment
-  and for breaking down fear, barriers and 'need' for slogans, quotas...

Richard also asked about references ... I too will be interested in what
emerges... I haven't been able to discover much overlap in the literature.

Ivan Webb