7 habits of highly aligned L&D teams

14th June 2013

@lauraoverton

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Crowdsourcing workshop held with 100 participants at Learning and Skills Summer Forum June 2013

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Cha

nge

Perf

orm

Agility Align

TransformHow do we bring speed to change?

Business Learning

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Benchmarking

In-formal

Formal

Key performance indicatorsGood practice benchmarks

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Formal Benchmarking

http://www.towardsmaturity.org/static/growing-maturity/

Alignment underpins this model Mature learning organisations are shaped by business need,- they understand it, design

solutions to meet it and ensure they are influencing it

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1 100

Top QuartileBottom Quartile 3rd 2nd

In 2012, those in the top quartile were:

7x more likely to report:Improved staff motivation and employee engagement

Improved talent/performance managementIncreased ability to tailor programme to need

Staff able to apply learning fasterImprovements in productivity

3x more likely to report:Improved ability to prove compliance

Improved induction processesReduction in time away from Job and training costs

TMI

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A 2 way street!• Alignment is not a one

way street. It’s not just about making sure that you have all your ducks in a row; it’s also about making sure your business and customers recognise this fact and recognise that you have real value to offer; it’s about seeing eye to eye.

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How would you describe your current relationship with your business stakeholders?

1 2 3

12%7%

81%

1. Excellent – they love us

2. Average – they know about us

3. Poor- we’re just a line on a budget sheet

Data from participants at L&S Summer Forum (n=60)

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7 habits of highly aligned L&D functions

www.towardsmaturity.org/in-focus2013/alignment

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Actively involve Business Leaders in Learning Decisions

Agree measures of success first with your

stakeholders before adopting or designing

any trainingGovernance

Business KPI’s

Training Decisions

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We analyse the business problem before recommending a solution

1 2 3

47%

11%

42%1. Always2. Only if we have the

time3. Rarely – our

business knows what it wants & tells us

Data from participants at L&S Summer Forum (n=60)

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Use strategic business objectives to determine learning Priorities

Too many L&D organisations get caught

up in fads – for me it is about understanding the

business drivers

Supporting the skills the business needs

Not just order takers

Able to respond to change

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Focus on the end results

Core purpose of our L&D function is the core

purpose of the business – we share the same goals

and vision

All L&D are clear about business goals

Support learning transfer

Un-afraid to measure

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Talent is a strategic priority for many to what extent to do you work in collaboration with HR

colleagues responsible for talent?

1 2 3

37%33%

30%1. We work together to

address critical talent needs.

2. We rarely speak to talent team and work in silos

3. Talent? What talent strategy?

Data from participants at L&S Summer Forum (n=60)

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91% of us are seeking to improve talent and performance management

Only 20% are achieving this

Recruitment Performance Succession planning

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Report against targets

Value recognised

Review programmes against goals

We have to be brave,we have to be

courageous

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Ensure staff understand their contribution

Staff are clear about how their learning and work is linked to bigger picture

Objectives are discussed

How is this relevant to me?

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We enjoy real commitment from our leadership teams

1 2 3

13% 13%

74%

1. Always2. Only on top priority

projects3. Rarely

Data from participants at L&S Summer Forum (n=60)

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Enjoy proactive management Commitment

3 factors underpin strong business performance .An engaged workforce, the ability to

implement continual change, nurturing the next generation of

talentSuccess will also be

underpinned by a forward thinking L&D function able to work alongside us as business leaders as an integral partner

in supporting changeQuote from C level business executive

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7 habits

Clarity: Consistency: Commitment

• Involve business leaders in learning decisions

• Use business objectives to set learning priorities

• Focus on the end results• Integrate with Talent• Demonstrate Value• Ensure staff know where they fit• Enjoy management commitment

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Alignment is it worth the effort?

NewAlignmen

tIndex

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NewAlignmen

tIndex

Implement new processes/products fasterIncrease productivity

Improve customer satisfactionImplement new IT systems

Support organisational changeProvide a faster response to change

Speed up and improve the application Comply better compliance

Reduce time to competenceImprove talent/performance managementBottom Q 3rd Q 2nd Q Top Q

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Alignment Index

Num

ber o

f ben

efits

repo

rted

The bottom line

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NewAlignmen

tIndex

Novice

Developing

Embedded0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Alig

nmen

t In

dex

An e-enabled learning culture

And fewer barriers to change

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What is your biggest challenge?

1 2 3 4 5

20%

5%

20%

11%

45%1. Leaders are not involved in learning decisions

2. Our L&D team doesn’t understand business priorities /focus on end results

3. We struggle to demonstrate value

4. Our learning and talent strategy is out of sync

5. Staff don’t understand how their learning contributes to business successData from participants at L&S Summer Forum (n=60), items in green were then addressed by the

group in a crowdsourcing exercise

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Our focus for the rest of this session:

How can we better demonstrate the value of our learning offering to those that matter?

How can we help staff be clearer about how their learning supports organisational success?

1

2

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Over to you

Find someone you don’t know on your table

Each of you will interview your colleague for 3 minutes

Your colleagues provides the answers

and you write them down

You then consolidate the answers in your group and feedback

1 2Decide:

who is number 1who is number 2

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Compare and consolidate your findings

1 1 2 2

All participants asking the same question gather together to consolidate answers

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Lessons learned Hints and tips

Question:Summarise the main findings of your table’s interviews & be prepared to report back briefly on the top 2 findings from your table. Please hand in this to Laura at the end so that we can consolidate all the ideas.

Consolidate your ideas

Record them on your feedback form – legibly please

Be prepared to share the top idea from the table

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Feedback

Bringing speed to change!

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Lessons learned Hints and tips

Be Brave – voice L&D’s position & potential in a clearer way Interpret data smartly ( both internal and external) to engage business on their terms

Example of analysing where the business is going and proposed to shut down L&D - But business didn't want to do this But up for focusing on what was really essential

Define from the outset what measurements are meaningful to business

Need to ask the questions – what does good look like? Who is your audience? What value can you bring to them? WIIFM

Consider joining up with global HR environment & aligning with talent goals and how they are measured

Link L&D to specific improvements in competence

Demonstrate that you can move to the right solution with speed

Use less time and more speed as measures that are meaningful to business

Be vigorous in evaluation – don’t leave it to chance Show evaluation of results linked to business need (not take-up or completion rates)

Senior leaders need to understand the true value of what L&D can do in order for L&D to demonstrate value to the organisation

Define value with business partners not apartBecome better L&D Business partnersConsider better stakeholder engagement

Business perception of benefits is important Consider how to provide workarounds for frontline staff – how do we support them to do their job easier?Design learning with learners from the outset

How can we better demonstrate the value of our learning offering to those that matter?

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Lessons learned Hints and tips

Align individual and organisational perceptions of benefits

Don't assume staff know where they fit in the bigger picture Focus them on their role within in Can become too blue sky

Consider how you communicate clearly the strategies and values with Front line staff

WIIFM, Market to them, making your job easier,, articulate the benefitsDemonstrate usefulness in terms of making life easierDon’t just regurgitate brand messages

Managers play an important role in communicating and making learning relevant

Leaders to articulate how learning helped them to do things better

Ensure on the job learning is integrated with talent and succession planning and directly linked to role

Map and clarify the baseline of competency and then top up with added value L&D interventionsIntegrate L&D plans into the performance process

Focus on the customer – put them at the heart of what is needed

Adapt core learning to regional and individual needs with specific learning objectives

Help staff apply learning/aid transfer of learning back at work

Mentoring, peer to peer support

How can we help staff be clearer about how their learning supports organisational success?

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WHAT’S NEXTBenchmarking to find out your Alignment Index

lauraoverton #bethebest13Benchmarking!

Free thanks to Towards Maturity Ambassadors:

Why are some more successful than others?

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Personalised feedbackPerformance benchmarks

Take up Benchmarks

Open up new discussions with

stakeholders

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Good practice BenchmarksPerformance benchmarks Performance Dashboard

Fast track to success!

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Stop, reflect, change

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Be the best you can be

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Be the Best!• Benchmark today –

www.towardsmaturity.org/mybenchmark

• Find out about our Sector Benchmarking Activity– Finance– Retail– Professional Services– Charity (with CLC)– Specific Sector reports

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www.towardsmaturity.org/in-focus2013/alignment