Table Of ContentLearning with colleagues
An action guide for peer consultation
Erik de Haan
Translated from the Dutch by Sue Stewart
Learning with colleagues
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Learning with colleagues
An action guide for peer consultation
Erik de Haan
Translated from the Dutch by Sue Stewart
Illustrations by Selma van Vemde
© Erik de Haan 2005
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2005 978-1-4039-4287-6
All rights reserved.No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication
may be made without written permission.
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be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published 2001 in the Netherlands asLeren Met Collega’s
This edition published 2005 by
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05
To Carmen for sharing
so much of the learning
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Contents
List of figures and tables xiii
Preface xv
Part I: Peer consultation 1
Introduction: Professional development through joint reflection 3
1. Peer supervision and action learning: similarities and differences 4
Peer supervision: the profession at the centre 4
Action learning: the professional at the centre 5
Peer supervision and action learning: the main differences 6
Summary: what are peer supervision and action learning? 9
2. Who or what is at stake? 10
Summary: who or what is at stake? 14
3. The art of asking questions 15
Closed and specific questions 15
Open questions 16
Questions to be handled with care 18
Structuring and summarising 19
Summary: the art of asking questions 20
4. Consultation methods 22
Brief introduction to each method 23
The supervision method 27
The brainpicking method 28
The problem-solving method and the Balint method 29
Extension for the Balint method 29
Background to the Balint method 30
The learn-and-explore method 31
viii
CONTENTS
The dominant-ideas method 32
The U-method 33
Learning from success 34
The ten-step method 35
Suggestions regarding the ten-step method 36
The five-step method 37
The gossip method 38
Suggestions regarding the gossip method 39
The clinic method 40
The storytelling method 41
The hologram method 42
Organisation constellations 43
Summary: consultation methods 44
5. Choosing the right method 45
Summary: choosing the right method 48
6. Preconditions: fostering peer supervision and action learning 49
Freedom 49
Openness 49
Safety 50
Trust 50
Expectations 51
Relevance of issues 52
Summary: fostering peer supervision and action learning 53
Part II: Facilitation 55
Introduction: Facilitating peer consultation groups 57
7. The role of the facilitator 58
Who assumes this role? 58
Facilitation of peer supervision 58
Facilitation of action learning 60
Summary: role of the facilitator 61
8. Methodical interpretation of the facilitator’s role 62
Preparation 62
Getting started and choosing a method 62
Contributing issues 64
Asking questions 64
Exchanging ideas, views, problem descriptions and so on 64
Elaboration 65
Evaluation 65
ix
CONTENTS
Timetable 66
Summary: interpreting the facilitator’s role 67
9. Creating conditions for mutual learning 68
Suspending judgement 68
Striving for an open approach 69
Exploring the relationship between issue
holder and issue 70
Reversing the focus of attention 70
Summary: creating conditions for mutual
learning 71
10.Giving feedback 72
Summary: giving feedback 77
11.Keeping an eye on the mirror 78
Through the eyes of the beholder: what are
we looking at? 79
The issue becomes the focus of recognition 80
Reflections on there-and-then 82
Lack of focus: diffuse scatter 86
Conclusion 89
Summary: keeping an eye on the mirror 90
12.Encouraging development 91
Encouraging consultation 91
Encouraging group development 94
Summary: encouraging development 98
13.Handling difficult moments 99
Summary: handling difficult moments 102
Part III: Learning from experience 103
Introduction: Authorities on learning 105
14.Some concepts and definitions 107
An example: Erik’s diary of Learning with Colleagues(1) 110
Summary: concepts and definitions of learning 111
15.Four learning styles 112
Divergence 114
Assimilation 115
Convergence 116
