1. freedom from teachers, from any form of printed syllabus or regulations, from any fixed institution, or even

from any literature save the most occasional ...

not even a case study or business game

2. " responsible action is, in itself, an effective learning process

3. "Action learning particularly obliges subjects to become aware of their own value systems, by demanding that the real problems tackled carry some risk of personal failure..."

4. "For doing, or action, calls for commitment or true belief, while talking, or argument, calls only for intelligence or quickness of wit."

"?.in having to draw upon one's commitment one is forced to enquire into what one really believes, as distinct from what one may claim to believe while arguing in the seminar or at the case-study."

5. "It is development of the self, not merely development by the self."

"Thus, we may more accurately describe action learning as development of the self by the mutual support of equals..."

6. "....those best able to help in developing the self are those comrades in adversity who also struggle to understand themselves..."

7. "The place taken by action learning in this screw-up courage is to bring home the consequences of what one has actually done..."

8. "'Thus it is that action learning does not pretend to supply the subject with much fresh cognitive knowledge; it is sufficient to help him use more effectively what he already has, and to reinterpret the experiences of yesterday in the light of tomorrow."

9. " take it as a central strength of action learning that ordinary managers are well able to help each other examine their reluctance and inability?s to carry out such of their normal duties as they may presently seem unable to."

"Managers are not untruthful by nature, they are simply forced to pretend that they know when they do not know.. the drive to act must be replaced by a desire to seek out some rational base for operational decisions.."

10. "It is soon discovered, in most of such arguments, that the diffidence of the fellow derives, not from lack of objective information, but from his own internal fears or misgivings."

11. "It taught me to be more interested in any ambiguity other persons raised with me than in the replies they gave to enquiries 1 might put to them."

12. "It was the interest that all displayed in the way totally fresh questions would be unexpectedly raised."

13. "Indeed, there have been times when 1 have had to conclude that the first purpose of post-graduate education is to equip its products to pass around the world pretending to be those whom they know very well are not themselves."