Leading Learning

The number one mission of learning staff is to help others to succeed. Start at the top to increase organisational effectiveness. If you can play the role of trusted advisor to management it will go a long way towards you understanding the core values of the organisation. Take the time to understand the past in order to inform the future. Understanding past successes and failures can help you gain trust and credibility with existing employees.

An individual’s ability to network is often the number one factor cited for success.

 Have strong executive sponsorship for important projects. Have a close relationship with your deputy. Quickly assess his / her skills and work on what might be missing. Have a quick meeting every morning to sort out each other’s schedule.

Effective organisations use learning to drive tactical and strategic change. Generally bosses do not like surprises but especially not bad surprises. Delivering quality learning solutions that make learning easier, that are relevant to the business and that are within cost and schedule make the learning team a winner. Know your business partners. Stay connected to them, ask what they think and know what they need. Then deliver on expectations.

1 The world is growing smaller and more competitive every month

2 Customers expect more and more every day-and the competition works every night

3 Ideas, innovation and initiative can change the game

4 Managing change and driving execution can change the game

5 If change is constant learning must be continuous

6 Talent is a competitive advantage and fast learning can build sustainable competitive advantage

Learn what is mission-critical for delivering value to customers and the enterprise. Get close to the front lines and discover what causes problems and what really drives success / performance. Use simple approaches. Always have a small pilot of every learning program you develop.

Allow people to work on real problems or projects with the tools and techniques you design, because adults learn by doing, not by lecture. Make learning a natural part of the work day. The belief that all learning must come from the classroom is out of touch with how adults really learn. Ninety percent of how adults learn and develop takes place in the midst of challenging assignments and with team members. They learn mostly on the job with colleagues and / or key experts with whom they connect.  

Dr. Stephen Billett has some interesting insight into learning at work.