I regard the Learning Sets as incredibly valuable. I have been in a Learning Set since the early 1990's. I joined for the first time in a sense to evaluate the concept, not really expecting it to be as great as it was.

Members quite quickly discovered that they had to be honest and frank and bring meaty issues to the table.

Over the long period of 15 years that I have been involved you get to know people well, they become good friends and colleagues and they provide you with very honest and valuable advice.

During that time I have been CEO of three different organisations and the Learning Sets have helped in developing my skills in leadership, change management and organisational development.

No other leadership interventions that I am aware of offers the opportunity to bring really hard complex issues to the table and expect honest direct and relevant feedback from people who can tailor their advice to your personal style.

It is not often in your career you are able to open up to the insights and challenges others offer in a safe learning environment.

The Learning Set has been my most helpful development activity to date. The challenges I and my service face benefit from the breadth of experiences 'set members' bring to the table. This is real time growth.

The chance to reflect on my performance with colleagues who I respect and trust has allowed me to get closer to my goals, faster.

As trust is built among members of 'the set' it is a positive experience to be able to contribute to colleague's challenges

I have been a member of a Learning Set for over 2 years. I belong to a set where the members hold similar senior health management positions in both the public and private sectors.



Being a member of a Learning Set has been of invaluable professional support for me. I have been able to access the knowledge, wisdom and experience of my peers in the set and believe that collectively we have been able to support each other.

This particular method of knowledge sharing and support is unique in that whilst the programs are loosely structured, the onus is on participants to develop the themes, provide background information, discuss and or debate the issue and offer options for resolution.

One of the most valuable spin offs of being part of a Learning Set is that you develop a network of peers across the nation and internationally. For me personally, this has lead to changing roles and having access to jobs which I may not have been able to access previously.

My intention is to continue to participate in the learning set program.

The value of Learning Set membership for me is meeting peers from other jurisdictions, better understanding the opportunities for cross jurisdictional alliances and getting ideas about key issues that we face as executives. There is a certain isolation that comes with our roles and the insights and questioning that comes from other Set members is highly valuable.

I have been participating in a Learning Set for over two years now. It has proved to be an outstanding learning and growth experience. The insights that have come from working with my Learning Set team mates have been practical, enjoyable and motivational. Highly recommended.

The benefits of getting out of your own organisational context through participation in a Learning Set and sharing management challenges and experiences with peers from other backgrounds are surprising. Sharing common problems and opportunities with others having a range of perspectives brings new insights and, I must admit, some comfort that you are not alone.

The value of the Sets is the ability to network with other senior and chief executives about current issues / to have a confidential environment to discuss work and system issues with like minded people with similar experience to overcome the issue of isolation / to have a skilled facilitator who has credibility with the Set, who knows the business and who can lead and challenge appropriately.

Joining my Learning Set has given me access to like minded professionals who are reflecting on similar issues to me. The respect for each others opinions allows the opportunity to engage in a free-flowing dialogue among Health Industry executives that can be challenging without being threatening.

The Learning Set environment allows the group to discuss issues at length, that might not otherwise be possible due to work demands back in the daily work environment.

The feeling of support and understanding is powerful and should not be underestimated.

To be with a group of peers enthusiastic to learn from each other and help each other in a practical, real time and challenging environment is brilliant.

My return on investment has both a dollar and time saving value to me personally and to my organisation.

The meetings are focused, fun and hugely useful.

My Learning Set members give me the most reliable feedback I ever get on my style and habits of thought and strategy. As a result, I've become aware of several of my blind spots and 'default settings' that can cause me problems, and have developed strategies to avoid them.

As a member of a Learning Set, I have worked with some of the best talent that the Public Sector offers. The Sets are structured to enhance input from a variety of decision makers and to bring out participant's best while tackling some tough developmental initiatives because they uniquely combine a high level forum with a personal focus.

The Learning Sets provide a forum to network towards a better whole-of-goverment understanding. This creates a valuable link between policy and practice. The Sets encourage informed discussion about interests and concerns. This also makes them a valuable strategic forum over time.

About Learning Sets

Learning Sets:

• Explore real issues and challenges
• Address and resolve critical problems
• Develop strategies and solutions
• Provide learning, support and challenge in a constructive and rigorous environment
  
• Deliver a measurable return on investment