-Xun-zi
So picture this, a learning environment that’s interactive, where knowledge is crowdsourced, real life challenges are tackled collectively, and personal growth is a journey shared with peers.
Now, imagine a learning setting where the curriculum is pre-recorded, models and tools are presented alongside homework, and you learn alone.
Which one do you think is going to have a real impact, which option is going to create long term behavioural change and sustainable growth?
One of these scenarios embodies the essence of community learning, while the other represents e-learning.
We’ve Unleashed almost 1000 leaders through interactive, coaching led, community learning so call us biased, but we've seen, first-hand, the true impact of an environment where leaders learn not just off a screen but from each other. A truly transformative learning experience is dynamic, interactive, engaging, and most importantly, powered by the participants of the programme!!
Collective learning is a powerful catalyst for personal and professional development. Unlike isolated learning, where people often struggle to stay motivated and miss out on different perspectives, community learning fosters an environment where everyone benefits from shared experiences, that ‘oh I’m not alone in this!’ feeling, and mutual support.
But don’t just take our word for it! Studies have shown that peer learning and community-based education significantly enhance understanding, retention, and application of knowledge. Research from Harvard University indicates that peer learning can lead to a 20% improvement in learning outcomes compared to traditional methods. Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that collaborative learning environments promote higher levels of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. When leaders learn together, they challenge each other, offer different viewpoints, and collaboratively solve problems – precisely the kind of behaviours businesses need from their leaders today if they want to achieve high performance.
Ultimately, learning together is a far richer and more impactful experience, in our humble opinion.
So, how can we create a rich learning experience underpinned by the power of community? Here’s three pillars on which we build all Unleashed development programmes:
Traditional training and development programmes often fall into a static dynamic: the trainer is the perceived expert, pressured to have all the answers, while the learner looks to the trainer for answers and guidance. This setup leads to two-dimensional learning, limited by predefined ways of doing things and finding solutions.
But when learning isn’t strictly organised but instead cultivates a thinking space where everyone can share perspectives, ideas, solutions and challenges then the learning is exciting, engaging and effective.
It all starts with a simple shift in mindset. Training > Group Coaching.
The trainer becomes a coach, there to guide conversations, and facilitate meaningful discussions, ensuring every voice is heard. The learner becomes a coachee, bringing their unique wealth of experiences and perspectives.
Because guess what, they have a lot to share!
Unlike a top-down delivery model, group coaching is based on mutual exchange and shared growth, where we are not bound to slide decks or restricted to single solutions. More importantly, participants build strong relationships, provide continuous support, celebrate successes, and challenge each other, igniting meaningful conversations and lasting impact.
A programme that is seamlessly structured around group coaching ultimately means flexibility and space for leaders to learn from each other. The expertise in the room comes from the collective experience of the group, and not a single perspective.
Of course this doesn’t mean that the session is a free-for-all… group coaching is most effective when the conversation is guided by the behaviours, skills and knowledge you’re there to develop.
Tips for Creating an Effective Coaching Environment:
The most effective development programs lead to behavioural change. Exploring real-life challenges together transforms learning experiences from passive to active. Making the learning experience dynamic by allowing learners (read coachees) to engage in real-time interactions, enabling them to immediately apply, test, and refine concepts.
And it’s that refinement stage that’s the most impactful, because when we experiment with new behaviours and adapt them to our own personal style, we become more invested. This commitment is driven by the “Ikea effect,” which suggests that we value self-made products more highly. Similarly, when we actively shape and personalise our learning, we are more likely to commit to and internalise these changes.
Instead of relying solely on case studies or diagrams that dictate “do it this way”. Bringing something real and live to the group encourages learners to use these tools as starting points and explore “how might I approach this?”. This creates a cycle of self-improvement where participants test out concepts, reflect on their experiences, and make adjustments for future application. And what’s more is that they do this alongside their peers, generating ideas from their ‘community’, and the learning spreads, and spreads… And spreads!!
By fostering this cycle within a workshop setting, participants leave not just with a set of tools, but with a customised toolkit of approaches they’ve tested and refined for themselves. They experience greater autonomy and a sense of ownership over their learning, which drives the application of their new behaviours.
Here’s how you can build live collaboration into your workshops:
It sounds like a bit of a boring business word, but trust us when we say that accountability is what drives growth! Having someone to share your progress or blockers with, to keep you honest and committed to doing what you said you were going to do.
The key to behavioural change is ensuring that the lessons actually stick! It's unrealistic for you to hover over the shoulder of a leader and monitor their progress, and we can tell you now that it wouldn’t make for a great culture if you did. That’s why accountability is best when it comes from within the community, not just the coach/facilitator.
In a community learning environment, team accountability is maintained through mutual support and shared responsibility. Encouraging members to support, challenge, and hold each other accountable really is the secret to that long term behavioural change we’re looking for. When we feel accountable to others, we are more motivated to show up, commit, and take pride in our growth.
Here are some actionable steps to build accountability within a learning community:
The impact of community learning on everyone who's taken part in Leadership Unleashed (our flagship development programme) really is huge! Past participants share that they have increased in confidence, felt improved team dynamics, and are more capable to solve complex and unique challenges. But the impact goes even further, teams are benefitting from leaders who are now better communicators, display greater empathy, and are able to navigate changing environments with confidence. The long-term benefits extend to organisations as well, with improved team performance, higher employee engagement, and a culture that fosters and delivers on continuous learning and development.
And if this taster has made you hungry to learn more about the concepts of community learning and leadership development, check out some of these:
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