How our three-step process effectively delivers relevant, useful knowledge for long-term results.
In addition to being a unique methodology for business growth, Organizational ReWilding also employs a distinctive learning system to impart the methodology—one that was designed based on the latest research in adult learning methods. Why? Because business owners and leaders are pressed for time and need solutions they can remember easily and implement quickly.
Business consultants are brought in to fix a problem and dictate solutions. They may not be involved in implementing those solutions and will very likely need to return in the future in order to help in other areas. (When you fix one problem, another usually presents itself unless the root cause has been identified.)
By contrast, the ReWild Learning System (RLS) is focused on empowering the learner; on infusing knowledge into an organization so that it can function independently of outside resources. At the ReWild Group, our aim is to equip business leaders and their teams with principles, methods, and tools that have both an immediate and long-lasting impact on the organization.
The Three Components of RLS
There are three primary components to the ReWild Learning System: 1) knowledge transfer videos, 2) hands-on sessions with trained Advisers, and 3) real-life application of the principles, methods, and tools.
Let’s look at these components in more detail.
Knowledge Transfer Videos – Prior to each meeting, participants watch videos that are assigned by the Adviser. The videos range from 3 to 30 minutes, depending on the topic. Participants consume this material in the same convenient manner in which people today take in most of their information – via smart phones, tablets, and computers. The succinct videos communicate the material in a way that can be easily absorbed, regardless of an employee’s educational background or experience.
Hands-on Sessions – The participants gather with the Adviser at prescribed intervals. Typically, meetings occur every two weeks, with some exceptions. Since the transfer of key principles has already taken place, most of the in-person time can be spent applying the knowledge to the business. The immediate and meaningful relevance of the principles to the participant’s real world dramatically increases the retention of the concepts that have just been learned.
Real-Life Application – Following a session, participants are expected to use the principles in their daily routine. To increase accountability, participants may be required to share with the group their personal experiences with on-the-job application. The “doing” part of the learning process further reinforces the new principles learned, cementing them into the participants’ minds for long-term retention and impact.
Each component is deliberately structured to bring the most benefit to adult learners. To understand how, it’s helpful to begin with an overview of what adult learning is, how it differs from traditional adult-to-student teaching methods, and why it’s widely recognized as the optimal way to deliver information to adults.
“Watching the short videos, ideas were just flying through my mind, and then sitting down and actually working the processes was amazing. It was extracting all of the information we had in our minds and putting it onto paper.”
Andragogy and Adult Learning Theory
In the 1970s, David Kolb developed the theory of experiential learning, the idea being that adults are shaped by their experiences and the best learning comes from making sense of your experiences. In other words, instead of just hearing or reading about something, adults require a more involved way of learning that incorporates their experience.
Malcolm Knowles built upon this idea in 1980 when he popularized the term “andragogy.” Andragogy is the “art and science of helping adults learn” and Knowles contrasted it with pedagogy, which is the art and science of helping children learn. Knowles and the andragogy theory say that adult learners are different from children in many ways, including:
They need to know why they should learn something.
They need internal motivation.
They want to know how learning will help them specifically.
They bring prior knowledge and experience that form a foundation for their learning.
They are self-directed and want to take charge of their learning journey.
They find the most relevance from task-oriented learning that aligns with their own realities.
Andragogy learning theories focus on giving students an understanding of why they are doing something, plenty of hands-on experiences, and less instruction so they can engage directly with the material themselves.
The characteristics of adult learners align with the structure of the ReWild Learning System as well as the assumptions made about program participants. Business leaders and managers are practical, goal-oriented people who are looking for relevancy in the subject matter, are independent and self-directed, and want to actively participate in the learning process. They are not content to sit quietly through lectures.
How the ReWild Learning System Works
In a typical Organizational ReWilding engagement, participants will show up to the first meeting having already absorbed several knowledge transfer videos. The videos include both auditory and visual elements to aid in understanding. Videos are assigned throughout the engagement to correspond with each session so that the material is fresh in everyone’s minds. The videos not only communicate key principles, but they also inform the audience on why the topics being covered matter to the participant and their organization.
Watching the videos in advance frees up time in the session for everyone to engage in activities that actively apply that knowledge to real-life situations. There is time for discussion, time to ask questions, and opportunities for participants to consider the impact these principles and ideas may have on their businesses and their positions.
“The videos helped tee up the discussions that were coming later and really gave me an outline – not only of where the session was going to go, but also, what were the major components that I need to understand in order to have a meaningful discussion.”
Sessions typically last about two hours. This, too, is intentional, in that it allows participants to actively engage for a period of time and then step away before they hit a limit on absorbing new information. Sessions can be virtual or in person, which allows the flexibility businesses need to get the most out of the program.
How the ReWild Learning System Benefits Businesses
One of the biggest advantages of the ReWild Learning System is the way it serves to level the playing field for employees. Because everyone is watching the same videos, learning the same concepts, and referencing the same materials, everyone is empowered to participate. There aren’t limitations or obstacles based on a person’s individual experience or educational background.
Similarly, the entire organization benefits from RLS because the knowledge becomes part of its DNA. Rather than being dependent upon one person – like the CEO or organization’s leader – the knowledge is infused throughout the organization, resulting in more rapid adoption.
“I enjoyed the fact that we had the modules—that we worked through them and then practiced them and then were able to repeat them as an organization outside of the sessions themselves, which I think is one of the hallmarks of a program’s success.”
Finally, the Adviser who leads the group through the engagement acts primarily as a guide. The Adviser facilitates meetings, explains concepts, and helps the team solve problems. This model is more beneficial to businesses than one in which Advisers are the “experts” who rely primarily on personal experience and proprietary knowledge. In those cases, the business only benefits as long as the Adviser is with them. At the ReWild Group, our mission is to multiply the number of exceptional businesses globally, and that is best achieved through equipping the business to be self-sustaining.
How the ReWild Learning System Benefit Advisers
The ReWild Learning System also includes important benefits for Advisers who deliver Organizational ReWilding services to clients.
Advisers have access to training materials and handbooks for every engagement, giving them a breadth of capabilities uncommon for most consultants. In addition, Advisers don’t have to be experts on every facet of business in order to bring value to the client. The RLS curriculum serves as a ready-to-use engagement that requires little to no special knowledge in order for an Adviser to successfully deliver the product.
The knowledge transfer videos ensure core principles are consistently taught to participants. This eliminates the need for Advisers to memorize every detail of the program’s materials and decreases the time Advisers must spend with a client, but without sacrificing effectiveness.
Participants come prepared with a shared understanding of the materials, ready to actively participate in the sessions’ activities. Advisers spend the bulk of their time together having participants apply the concepts to the business. The powerful principles encourage critical thinking and open discussions that are deeper and more relevant than most companies have had in the past. Participants leave each meeting with tangible new discoveries and an enhanced, shared vocabulary.
The result is that, compared to traditional consulting engagements, Advisers spend less time on each engagement, help participants absorb the materials at a deeper level, and have a long-lasting impact on the organization.
This is the power of the ReWild Learning System.
Discover for Yourself
The ReWild Learning System is a research-based, scientific approach to helping businesses be successful. It has the capacity to deliver information that is easily understood, quickly absorbed, and readily implemented. Based on adult learning theory, RLS is designed to equip business leaders and owners to build businesses that are high-functioning and highly profitable.
Whether you are an adviser or a business leader, we invite you to explore Organizational ReWilding and discover the powerful methodology for yourself.