Kolb's Learning Cycle at GlobalTech Ltd.

• The Kolb's Learning Cycle is demonstrated through a workplace dilemma.
• GlobalTech Ltd. is a multinational company known for its flexible work culture.
• GlobalTech has offices in London, Bucharest, Warsaw, Madrid, and São Paulo.
• Evlyn, a new team leader from Romania, joins GlobalTech.
• Evlyn comes from a background of hierarchy and discipline.
• Evlyn finds GlobalTech's team approach to be informal and collaborative.

The Team and Initial Changes

• Pedro is from Spain who is energetic, social, and thrives on teamwork and creativity.
• Katarzyna is from Poland who is precise, goal-oriented, and values autonomy.
• Lucas is from Brazil who is friendly, people-focused, and motivated by positive relationships.
• Andrei is from Romania who is structured, diligent, and appreciates team spirit.
• Evlyn implements stricter rules to increase productivity, including:
  • Shorter lunch breaks
  • Fewer social chats
  • Mandatory daily progress reports
  • Clear task assignments with minimal flexibility
• The team's morale drops as a result of Evlyn's changes.
• Productivity decreased and collaboration is strained
• Pedro becomes distant, Katarzyna avoids meetings, Lucas struggles with motivation, and Andrei questions Evlyn's leadership.
• Evlyn uses the Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle to address the situation.

Step 1: Concrete Experience (The Challenge)

• Evlyn experiences the negative effects of her leadership style.
• The team disengages from the new model and productivity is below expectations.
• The team members' experiences include:
  • Pedro feels his creativity is stifled by rigid rules.
  • Katarzyna struggles with excessive monitoring, which limits her autonomy.
  • Lucas misses the friendly, collaborative atmosphere.
  • Andrei finds the lack of team spirit demoralizing, despite appreciating structure.

Step 2: Reflective Observation (What's Happening?)

• Evlyn observes the impact of her decisions, paying attention to verbal and non-verbal cues.
• Observations found:
  • Pedro's energy decreases during meetings.
  • Katarzyna submits her work on time but avoids discussions.
  • Lucas interacts less with his colleagues, affecting team cohesion.
  • Andrei's performance remains steady, but his engagement fades.
• Evlyn questions why the team's performance is declining.
• The team members reflected:
  • Pedro: "Why do I feel less motivated when my creativity is restricted?"
  • Katarzyna: "How can I maintain my independence within a structured system?"
  • Lucas: "How can I stay motivated without the social connections I value?"
  • Andrei: "Can I adapt to this new environment while maintaining my team spirit?"

Step 3: Abstract Conceptualisation (Understanding the Issue)

• Evlyn connects her experiences with organizational behavior theories.
• Evlyn discovered that cultural backgrounds and personal preferences shape responses to leadership styles.
  • Pedro's need for creativity aligns with theories of intrinsic motivation and self-expression.
  • Katarzyna's preference for autonomy reflects concepts of self-efficacy and job control.
  • Lucas's emphasis on relationships ties to team cohesion and emotional intelligence.
  • Andrei's balance of structure and teamwork relates to organizational culture and group dynamics.
• Effective leadership involves adapting to diverse needs.
• The team members also gain new perspectives:
  • Pedro understands that creativity can still thrive within certain boundaries.
  • Katarzyna learns to communicate her need for autonomy more openly.
  • Lucas realizes the importance of maintaining social connections while meeting performance goals.
  • Andrei recognizes the value of clear guidelines balanced with a supportive environment.

Step 4: Active Experimentation (Trying a New Approach)

• Evlyn experiments with a more flexible leadership style.
  • She maintains clear performance goals but allows greater flexibility in methods.
  • Team meetings include collaborative brainstorming sessions.
  • Social interactions are seen as essential for building relationships.
  • Progress reports are simplified, focusing on key achievements rather than daily checklists.

The Team's Response to New Approach

• Pedro uses brainstorming sessions to share creative ideas.
• Katarzyna enjoys the freedom to structure her workflow while meeting deadlines.
• Lucas feels more motivated from renewed sense of community and support.
• Andrei finds the balance between structure and teamwork both motivating and productive.
• The team's morale improves, and productivity increases steadily.
• Each member feels respected and valued improving collaboration, communication, and performance.
• Learning is an ongoing process.
• By combining experience, reflection, theory, and experimentation, Evlyn developed a more adaptive leadership style.

Conclusion: Learning Through Experience

• Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle involves:
  • Experience Challenges to push out of comfort zones.
  • Reflect on What Happened to understand underlying causes.
  • Apply Theories and Concepts to make sense of experiences.
  • Experiment with New Approaches to improve outcomes.
• Leaders and team members can develop skills, insights, and confidence needed to thrive in diverse workplaces.
• Every experience-good or bad-is an opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.