We Are in the Performance Business

How does a company stay in business when it does not have a way to capture mission-critical knowledge?  How does a company stay in business when it cannot ensure that people are in the pipeline and are ready to fill vacant positions in mission-critical positions?  How can a company achieve high levels of success when it has to to keep rehiring people because it does not effectively set new hires up for success? 

My answer to these questions is a business that does not pay attention to learning and development (L&D) will not reach high levels of effectiveness, efficiency, nor performance.  Research has shown a direct correlation between a strong L&D to organizational success. When L&D departments work

with internal customers and build partnerships, they add value and contribute to the organization reaching high levels of performance.  L&D professionals in successful organizations serve as a business partners, are seen as trusted advisors, and use remedy selling as a strategy to engage internal clients. 

Much of what we do as L&D professionals is all about employing good business practices and becoming trusted advisors.  When we’re serving as businesspartners, we are looking for opportunities to improve organizational performance.  We are providing possible scenarios to organizational leaders of what may happen if we don’t pay attention to succession planning, knowledge management, onboarding, and other L&D areas.  Here are a few scenarios of what happens when L&D professionals don’t serve as business partners and lead organizational efforts that focus on performance improvement.

The Knowledge Management & SuccessionPlaning Scenario

When an organization lacks a knowledge management strategy in place and businesses have failed to effectively capture and share knowledge, mission-critical knowledge walks out of the door as

subject matter experts leave.  When talent walks out of the door with mission-critical knowledge, those left behind are scurrying around trying to figure out, “How did John do that for all of these years?  We know those reports are always done, but we have no idea how he created them and where he got his data?”  Here’s an opportunity for L&D to improve organizational performance by engaging leaders in a discussion regarding knowledge management.

John is retired, what happens now?  Now that John has retired, no one is ready to fill his shoes.  John’s supervisor was extremely dependent on John being the go to person who carried a bulk of the load.  His supervisor did not use John’s expertise as an opportunity to develop other employees.  Here’s an opportunity for L&D to improve organizational performance by partnering with organizational leaders to create a succession plan.

The Onboarding Scenario

Bobby has been in her position for 6 months and she still does not know how to do key aspects of her job.  Unfortunately, her organization lacks a formal onboarding program.  Bobby went through a one day orientation where she filled out forms and was then placed at a desk with no computer or phone for one week.  

Her supervisor did not share his expectations of her, nor who she can partner with to learn her job.  Bobby was gone before the end of her seventh month due to her unpleasant onboarding experience.  Here’s an opportunity for L&D to improve organizational performance and save the cost of hiring someone to replace the person who was just hired by creating an effective onboarding program.

My guess is that these scenarios may be familiar to you.  Remember, what we do as L&D professionals is just good business.  Our end goal is always performance improvement which leads to successful businesses. What are you doing to do about turning things around in your organization?  Are you viewed as a trusted advisor?