Learning to build the 'big society'

An old joke tells how two explorers were making their way through the jungle when a lion suddenly appeared just ahead of them. "Relax, Smithers," says one of them, "remember the book we read - if you look the beast directly in the eye and stand perfectly still, it will run away." His companion, still somewhat uneasy, replies: "The thing is, Blenkinsop old boy, I know I've read the book, and I believe you've read the book, but I'm not so sure that the lion has read it ..."...

In his highly readable book on management education, Managers not MBAs, Henry Mintzberg argues that learning is based on reflection, that real experience is the best thing for this reflection to centre on, and that the learning is reinforced as the student takes it back into his or her organisation - these tenets form the basis for our new Cert HE.

No one will ever be able to ensure that all the lions have read the book, but, by following Mintzberg's principles, and continuing to listen to our students, we can at least develop organisations (and people) which are tough enough to give pause to any predator hoping for a nice easy snack.

Read full article: Guardian Professional, March 2, 2011