From Managing Tasks to Facilitating People: The Journey of the Action Learning Group
Over the past nine months, as part of the Facilitative Leadership Inside-Out Program (FLIP) members of the Action Learning Groups (ALGs) have been on a shared journey of growth, one rooted not in theory alone, but in real leadership challenges faced in demanding, fast-moving work environments. It wasn’t only a space to discuss problems but a community of practice where facilitative leadership moved from concept to lived experience.
The Action Learning Groups were smaller groups of the FLIP, 5-6 people. After the second in-person workshop of the FLIP, the groups met regularly online over several months. In each session, one person would share a case they were working on, followed by a facilitated peer-to-peer process designed to support the case holder and also deepen the reflection and insight for the group as a whole.
A Safe Space for Real Leadership Challenges
Each ALG sessions helped the members to bring forward real cases — missed flights, overloaded schedules, coordination breakdowns, child protection decision-making, and the pressure of managing multiple projects at once. These were not hypothetical exercises. They were everyday work and leadership realities.
Members like Mary, Minagano, Nyadow, Joseph, and John openly shared moments of struggle: exhaustion from continuous work without rest, frustration when tasks were not completed on time, and uncertainty about how to balance authority with collaboration. What made the process powerful was the trust built within the group—leaders felt safe enough to admit what wasn’t working.
Shifting from Control to Collaboration
A recurring theme throughout the journey of group C was a shift away from hierarchical, top-down leadership toward more collaborative and inclusive approaches. The group members reflected on how facilitative leadership helped them:
Move from “doing everything themselves” to delegating with clarity and trust
Replace assumptions with two-way communication and follow-up
Invite feedback from team members across levels, including field staff
Share responsibility for decision-making rather than carrying it alone
Joseph reflected on how this shift improved coordination and accountability in his team, especially in high-stakes child protection work. By clarifying roles, following up consistently, and empowering others to act, his team strengthened trust with both government counterparts and communities an effort that was later recognized through an award from the Ministry of Gender during World Children’s Day.
Communication as a Leadership Practice
Many cases revealed that leadership challenges were often communication challenges in disguise. Members experimented with mixing communication methods - emails for records, phone calls for urgency, shared calendars for planning, and automated reminders for follow-up.
One case in particular sparked deep reflection on how communication can unintentionally exclude team members when messages flow only through management layers. The group explored the idea of a “360-degree communication culture,” where openness, honesty, and the ability to say “I need help” are normalized.
Despite real constraints - limited technology access in the field, workload pressure, and competing priorities - participants committed to improving documentation, information sharing, and feedback loops.
A Collective Achievement, Not an Individual One
As the program neared its conclusion, gratitude filled the final sessions. Participants thanked the facilitator and each other for the commitment, honesty, and discipline required to show up consistently over nine months. What stood out was a shared belief that facilitative leadership is not bound by culture or context—it is universally applicable because it centres on people.
The journey is not ending here. One final module is planned in Juba, where all groups will come together to close the process collectively. There is also hope that ALG members themselves may help facilitate future cohorts, carrying forward the learning they have embodied.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
The Action Learning Groups did more than strengthen individual leadership skills. They cultivated reflective practitioners. Leaders who pause, listen, adapt, and involve others. In complex environments where pressure is constant and resources are limited; this shift may be one of the most sustainable leadership outcomes of all.
What began as a series of meetings became a journey of transformation. One conversation, one case, and one shared insight at a time.
