After Action Reviews (AARs)

Peter Senge wrote the book on Learning Organizations... literally.

See The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization.

He wrote, "The Army's After Action Review (AAR) is arguably one of the most successful organizational learning methods yet devised... Yet, most every corporate effort to graft this truly innovative practice into their culture has failed because, again and again, people reduce the living practice of AAR's to a sterile technique.”

Over the past 20 years, I've led hundreds of After Action Reviews (AARs) and have experienced first-hand how powerful they can be for leaders and teams who conduct them... and for organizations who respect and value them.

A well-led After Action Review (AAR) reveals unwritten expertise (aka tacit knowledge, or "Art of the Craft) and builds trust at the same time. How rare is that?

They're used in a wide range of high-hazard industries including aviation, emergency fire & rescue, the military, and health care and in an increasing number of other industries seeking better Human Reliability.

And After Action Reviews can benefit office workers like project managers, engineers, and coders, just as much as they benefit front-line or field teams.

The interactive workshop I teach on After Action Reviews (AARs) is one of the most popular & requested of all my workshops.

Here's a one-page summary with the basics.

If you find these tips helpful in the AARs you lead, or if you have a question about AARS drop me an email.

Meantime, best,

~ Jake