ABSTRACT
In organisations that encourage confident and able people, questioning of work and work processes is a sign of health and fitness. One of action learning's major contributions is the creation of the cultures of enquiry and questioning that are an essential aspect of the learning organisation. Some companies do survive and even prosper with oneway, top-down communications; but those beset by rapid environmental change and increasing competition for markets or resources may find that these constitute serious "learning disabilities" on the part of the organisation. As well as having willing participants with good problems and issues to tackle, action learning is likely to have the biggest impact on individuals and on the organisation when it has support from powerful people. This chapter presents a case illustrating how action learning can flourish where readiness and commitment from the top is apparent: in John Tann Security Ltd.
