The Hypocrisy of Learning

I am learning that the L&D function sometimes creates its own problems with justifying our worth within organizations.  We are the part of an organization that is supposed to facilitate a learning culture.  In many cases, we don’t even work in what would be considered “learning organizations”…we don’t walk the talk.  If we don’t even live by the mantra that we’re supposed to lead, how in the world are we supposed to be viewed as credible or trusted advisors.  Let’s get specific, by asking a few questions.

How can we…

• be trusted to be performance consultants, if we don’t identify our own causes for performance problems or create strategies for addressing areas for improvement?
• use mistakes as opportunities to learn, if we are super critical of anyone who isn’t perfect?
• foster innovation and creativity, if we create environments where people are afraid to try new approaches or methods?
• create creative blended learning solutions to close knowledge and skill gaps, if we don’t even develop our own employees using blended learning solutions?
• assist our customers in reengineering business processes, if our processes aren’t effective?
• develop leaders within our customer organizations, if we don’t develop our own L&D leaders?
• perform task analysis for our customers , if we aren’t able to describe, step-by-step what we should be doing?
• create change management strategies for our customers, if we don’t use change management strategies?
• promote learning, but we don’t do anything to grow in our profession?

We as L&D professionals have enough challenges with trying to explain how we can add value to our customers.  Let’s not have to spend our energy explaining what we do to each other.  Make it a point to learn something new about the L&D profession.  If you need a little help, take a look at some of the ways that I continue to grow and develop in my April blog posts, Take Responsibility for Your Own Development, Part 1 and Take Responsibility for Your Own Development, Part 2.  I challenge all of you to make an effort to grow in our profession…do something to enhance your career and better your organization…let’s eliminate the hypocrisy of learning.

You're Seated at the Table, Now What?

I was reading an article in the Talent Management magazine,July 2011 entitled, Are You Measuring the Right Things? when I began to reflect on how effectively today’s L&D functions are adding value to their organizations.  The article discusses how talent management metrics need to align with strategic organizational objectives.  I was especially intrigued because of the connection to the article that I wrote for the ASTD's T+D Magazine Using Your Passion to Become a True Business Partner.   My article provides a method for getting a seat at the table, while the Talent Management article talks about what happens once you get to the table.

The article provides a simple strategy that L&D professionals can use to measure the value that they are actually adding value.  It also shares specific examples of how to link “strategic objectives, talent management goals, initiatives and metrics” that demonstrates to organizational leaders how they add value. 

I started thinking about two questions in particular that the article shared, “Do we have the right people to achieve this?” and “How do we prepare our associates to meet this challenge?”  In order for L&D professionals to get a seat at the table but also be able to show the positive impact that their initiatives are having on organizational performance, the L&D functional leaders need to practice this model within their own organizations.  In other words, do we have the right people to become business partners and how do we prepare L&D professionals to meet the challenge of effectively serving our customers? 

Here’s an example of how we can use the model from the Talent Management article…

L&D function’s strategic objective: Become trusted advisors

• Expand the role of the L&D function
• Increase effectiveness of consultative services

Talent management goals

• Ensure L&D professional competence
• Create a learning environment
• Create career development opportunities

Initiatives

• Develop a competency assessment
• Performance score card to assess customer satisfaction
• L&D certification program
• Career path system with diverse functional tracks
• Create learning circles

Metrics

• Number of instances where L&D professionals are solicited to provide innovative solutions
• Number of blended learning solutions that improve customer performance on the job
• Number of exceeds expectations scores on the performance score card
• Increased retention

Perhaps if we model how we effectively manage talent for our own organizations, our customers will see us as trusted advisors.