Tips for Initiating and Supporting Learning Projects

“We must move from seeing leadership development as an event

to an ongoing process without an actual end.” — Jay Conger

A learning project is an on-the-job activity aimed at improving an individual’s or team’s effectiveness in a given skill area. A learning project legitimizes experimentation and provides an opportunity for team members to try out new skills and approaches in the workplace. Typical projects are conducted in teams, address real workplace challenges or opportunities, place project participants in a problem-solving mode, and involve a continuous process of learning and reflection.

Throughout the course of a learning project, your support as a manager is critical to making the project a valuable and successful experience for the project team members. The following are tips for initiating learning projects and supporting the individuals and teams engaged in them.

Tips for initiating a learning project

·         Select projects with care: Projects should be chosen carefully to make the best use of your team’s time. Two customizable learning projects are included with each Harvard ManageMentor topic. A project plan template is also included to help you and your team create your own projects. When selecting or creating a project, consider the following:

o   The project should address the project participants’ development needs and a business or organizational need.

o   Consider how the project can best align with and help achieve your group’s goals.

o   The project should challenge team members and push them out of their comfort zone. Ideally the project should involve them in activities they have never done before.

o   Ensure the scope of the project is appropriate. A project that takes a substantial amount of participants’ time and lasts for several months may be too involved. Conversely, a simple project that takes only a few hours to complete may not present enough of a challenge for significant learning to occur.

o   Consider how the results of the project can be acted on. Be wary about assigning projects that have no possibility of making an impact on the organization.

·         Emphasize learning outcomes in addition to business outcomes: Position the project to team members as a development opportunity first and foremost, and secondarily as a way to achieve a business or organizational outcome — i.e., be sure to place emphasis on the learning goals of the experience.

·         Be certain project deliverables are clear: The scope of a learning project can expand unnecessarily if participants do not know exactly what is expected of them.

Tips for supporting a learning project

·         Ensure participants have the data and support they need to complete the project: Some projects may require access to data or people that your team members do not normally have access to. Your support may be necessary for enabling your team’s access to these resources.

·         Support any additional time commitments: Be aware that the project may require reallocating some of the project participants’ time over the duration of the project. Participants may need your help in clarifying priorities or setting expectations about how many hours should be spent on learning project activities.

·         Timely feedback: As participants work on their project, check in with them periodically to provide feedback and offer any necessary guidance.

·         Reinforce project parameters: It’s often very easy and tempting for team members to broaden the scope of their project goals and activities while exploring new skills, problems, or opportunities within the organization. Be sure to periodically reinforce the parameters of the project to prevent team members from overextending themselves.

·         Promote opportunities for reflection: Participants should reflect on their project experience at multiple intervals, not just at the end of the project. During the project, ask participants what they are learning along the way. The reflection should be focused on what they are learning about the issue or opportunity being explored, their team processes, and their individual skills and perspectives. Also, at the conclusion of the project, consider leading a debrief session with the project participants. Suggested project debrief questions can be found in the accompanying group learning project plans.

·         Encourage the sharing of project outcomes: At the conclusion of the project, encourage project participants to share their lessons learned and project results with others on the team or in the organization. For example, participants could hold an information-sharing session over lunch or post their results and conclusions on a discussion forum.