1. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Action learning facilitator Facilitator of action and learning Hans-Werner Franz 6th and Final SME ACTor Meeting and Workshop 24 October 2008 Bucharest franz@sfs-dortmund.de

2. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu What I am going to tell you Introduction Facilitating Networking Action Learning Our approach: Competence development Understanding communication Understanding learning Our approach: Constructing new realities Example: Management Training Network Facilitating Networking An Action Learning Fieldbook Publisher

3. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Communication Where are we? ?

4. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Communication Where are we? In a balloon! About 100 ft above ground.

5. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu relevance difference viability connectivity relevance difference viability connectivity Knowledge is subjective (selective and-self-referential) is context-driven is a (social) construction is a (social) convention We only know what we believe. There are no two people who know the same. Knowledge cannot be transferred. (It can only be offered to a learner.) Co-operation needs convention. The more you know the more you don‘t know (meet and agree) according to the latest neurophysiologic empirical evidence

6. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Data — Information — Knowledge Data Information (the balloon example) Knowledge Signs existing independently of me (texts, statistics, pictures) which I may or may not perceive. Data become information when perceived as different, relevant and connecting to existing information or knowledge is selected information embedded in the system of existing knowledge and experience (as well as physical and genetic dispositions) with proven or expected relevance (sense and meaning) for present or future contexts of life of an individual or an organisation.

7. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Data — Information — Knowledge Data Information (the balloon example) Knowledge Signs existing independently of me (texts, statistics, pictures) which I may or may not perceive. Data become information when perceived as different, relevant and connecting to existing information or knowledge is selected information embedded in the system of existing knowledge and experience (as well as physical and genetic dispositions) with proven or expected relevance (sense and meaning) for present or future contexts of life of an individual or an organisation.

8. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Data — Information — Knowledge Data Information (the balloon example) Knowledge Signs existing independently of me (texts, statistics, pictures) which I may or may not perceive. Data become information when perceived as different, relevant and connecting to existing information or knowledge is selected information embedded in the system of existing knowledge and experience (as well as physical and genetic dispositions) with proven or expected relevance (sense and meaning) for present or future contexts of life of an individual or an organisation.

9. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu What I tell you Facilitating Networking Action Learning Our approach: Competence development Understanding communication Understanding learning Our approach: Constructing new realities Example: Management Training Network Facilitating Networking An Action Learning Fieldbook Publisher

10. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Facilitating is a method of a making communication easier; (in English, usually it is synonymous with moderation) helping groups of people to come to common results using a certain repertoire of methods and techniques workshops/learnshops In our case, strong focus on visualisation of collective thinking processes (state of the art in German speaking countries)

11. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Facilitating networking new formula network facilitator = moderation + managing networks lateral leadership leadership without hierarchy in and across organisations Leadership can be learned (at least partly)

12. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Facilitating action learning for networking Learning while working Working while learning Our focus: Doing by learning While people learn facilitating they work on the subject they want to facilitate.

13. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu What I tell you Facilitating Networking Action Learning Our approach: Competence development Understanding communication Understanding learning Our approach: Constructing new realities Example: Management Training Network Facilitating Networking An Action Learning Fieldbook Publisher

14. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu The aim Facilitating = Making communication for co-operation easier Enhancing co-operation competence: improving co-operativity of networkers Working on the improvement of the network and training facilitators at the same time

15. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Successful communication 1 We remember relatively little of what we have heard more of what we have seen much more of what we have seen and heard most of what we have done ourselves We remember what makes a difference (to what we know already) what connects to what we know already

16. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Successful communication 2 Facilitating action learning in a network context means creating situations in which people (a group) hear and see and act in a common context on common issues and subjects which are relevant to them which connect to their interests producing viable plans and projects, strategies and solutions The Making of Common Sense for Common Action

17. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Learning is an action of the learner is appropriation (making my own) of selected relevant data, accepted as meaningful information and becoming knowledge by evidence or practice There is no teaching of knowledge. Teaching is offering data and creating good learning conditions. Teaching is making learning easy.Teaching is making learning easy.

18. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Knowing how to decide, do, learn Knowing how to decide, do, learn The aim of learning is competence a higher control potential for coping with working and living conditions for network facilitators is: to make working and learning easier to become a lateral leader: a manager leading by making his/her people learn

19. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu What I tell you Facilitating Networking Action Learning Our approach: Competence development Understanding communication Understanding learning Our approach: Constructing new realities Example: Management Training Network Facilitating Networking An Action Learning Fieldbook Publisher

20. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu Management Training Network The case example: a number of companies establishing a new training facility or a new training programme How I would do it being the responsible person Fundamental: company-related training has two clients: the payer and the learner

21. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu COMPETENCE creating COMPETENCE Demand-driven training programme Workshop with all relevant (company) clients –Main questions: 1.What sort of managers do you want? How do you want them to be? 2.What do you want them to learn? –All contributions are visualised, prioritised and condensed to a common result: a draft training programme Workshop with all teachers/trainers on contents and methods of learning –cases, stories, making people relate learning materials to own company background –using activating methods making the learners learn how to structure effective communication in their own company Leadership: Learners must learn how to make their people learn

22. HW. Franz www.smeactor.eu What I told you Facilitating makes constructing new realities e.g. organisational change and networks more effective and more efficient is an alternative to classical organisation design by strengthening lateral leadership focuses on competence development by making communication and learning easier Enhancing responsibility and co-operativity Facilitating Networking An Action Learning Fieldbook Publisher