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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2017

STRATEGIC
ALIGNMENT
ACHIEVING TRUSTED ADVISOR STATUS | 16
Getting a Seat at the Decision-Making Table

DITCHING THE TECHNOLOGY BANDWAGON | 32

Avoiding Fads and Focusing on Outcomes

TAKING TIPS FROM MARKETING | 40

Using a Content Strategy to Drive Performance

T R A I N I N G|
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE 1
BUSINESS PERSPECTIVES ON MANAGING WORLD-CLASS
 THE MOST INCONSISTENT THING
YOU CAN DO IS TREAT EVERYONE
THE SAME.

www.situational.com

PREPARING LEADERS TO SUCCESSFULLY AND EFFECTIVELY IMPACT OTHERS.

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 PERSPECTIVES
My guess is that the cover of the
magazine may have tipped you off about
the focus of this edition of Training
Industry Magazine – the goal of strategic
alignment. In the corporate context, we
sometimes allow ourselves to default
to the state where strategic alignment
means we deliver the program that
a leader suggested. We then spend a
significant amount of time and resources
to develop the most micro-simulated,
blended learning experience we can
with all the tools we have in the shed.
While that is not the worst thing we
could do, it is by far the most risk-laden
strategy for any head of learning that I
could imagine.
The key is to try to strike a balance
between great customer service (a
key part of every learning leader’s job
description) and a detailed understanding
of the true drivers of performance in
the various groups of employees you
are ultimately responsible for providing
training to. I believe that we must start
with the problem rather than the answer.
I know that sounds obvious and probably
a heck of a lot more work than taking the
“order,” but we are talking about building
the most impactful function in the
organization, aren’t we?
Many training managers are judged on
the ability of the function to meet the
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
- K E N TAY LO R
needs of the organization with metrics
like attendance rates, cancellations,
hours of training provided per L&D
employee, number of learners supported
per L&D professional, Level 1 evaluations,
etc. The reason these metrics are
included in your performance plan
is because they are easy to measure.
The problem is that focusing on these
metrics really challenges our ability to
execute on the right thing: Getting the
employees who need training access
to the right training at the time of need. GET THE EMPLOYEES
WHO NEED TRAINING
In order to generate the most impact, ACCESS TO THE RIGHT
I believe that leaders of training
TRAINING AT THE TIME
organizations need to have the courage
to challenge the “order,” invest the time OF NEED.
to uncover the performance problem
and hold their L&D team accountable for
being the masters of learning objectives,
available content, modality and, most
importantly, developing solutions that
address the learner’s true needs.
I think you’ll find this edition of our
magazine ripe with ideas to help you
toward that goal. As always, we would
love to hear your thoughts about the
point of views shared in the magazine.
Ken Taylor is the president and editor in chief
of Training Industry, Inc. Email Ken.
|3
 CO N T E N TS
TA B L E O F

VOLUME 10 I ISSUE 5 I SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2017

|4
 FEATURES

16 32 40
GETTING A SEAT AT THE AVOIDING FADS AND USING A CONTENT STRATEGY
DECISION-MAKING TABLE FOCUSING ON OUTCOMES TO DRIVE PERFORMANCE

16 THE FIVE CORNERSTONES TO BECOMING A TRUSTED LEARNING ADVISOR

By Tiffany Poeppelman
Help shape new opportunities by obtaining trusted advisor status and getting a seat at the table.

21 ALIGNING BUSINESS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR MEASURABLE IMPACT

By Noelle Akins & Kathy Telban
A backward-design approach can ensure learning and business outcomes are properly aligned.

25
CREATING A DATA-DRIVEN LEARNING STRATEGY
By Brian Blecke & Kelly Smith
Ensure L&D is focused on high-value and high-impact initiatives with a data-driven learning strategy.

28
L&D AS GLOBAL AS POSSIBLE, AS LOCAL AS NECESSARY:
FINDING BEAUTY IN THE BALANCE
By Jan Rijken
A globally fit L&D organization must find the balance between local autonomy and global scale.

32 SQUIRREL! AVOIDING THE BRIGHT,

SHINY OBJECTS AND FOCUSING ON OUTCOMES
By Britney Cole
Drive business results by learning how to control the conversation around adopting new technology.

36 CONSCIOUS ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

By Rukmini Iyer
Facilitate collective growth and evolve learning as a culture by learning through the individual.

40
A CONTENT STRATEGY ISN’T JUST FOR MARKETERS
By Bianca Baumann
L&D can create learning experiences that make a difference by taking a page from marketing’s book.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
|5
THOUGHT
LEADERS

03
PERSPECTIVES
By Ken Taylor
Learning leaders should
challenge the “order” for training.
15 BUILDING LEADERS
By Sam Shriver & Marshall Goldsmith
Effective performance management
requires a clearly defined strategy.

09 GUEST EDITOR
By Michelle Kohn
Driving business growth starts
with developing internal talent.
51
SECRETS OF SOURCING
By Doug Harward
Focusing on the success of the
business is critical for strategic alignment.

11 SCIENCE OF LEARNING
By Srini Pillay, M.D.
Brain-based conversations can
better align leaders with their teams.
53
GEN WHY
By Michelle Eggleston
Communication enables
organizations to go the distance.

13 DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

By Dr. Shawn Andrews
Policies are not enough when it
comes to creating an inclusive workplace.
55
TECH TALK
By Amar Dhaliwal
The future of corporate learning
belongs to experience design.

INFO EXCHANGE
44 I CASEBOOK
The Ports of Auckland has reduced training costs by reassessing necessary skills and competencies.

46 I GLOBAL OUTLOOK
Business success increases when cultural intelligence training and a global mindset are in place.

48 I MEASURING IMPACT
Use big data analytics to better identify patterns, improve learning and measure training’s impact.

56 I CLOSING DEALS
FranklinCovey has developed a one-stop shop for training organizations by acquiring Jhana.

57 I COMPANY NEWS
Keep up with the latest in the training industry by reading news from the last quarter.

58 I WHAT’S ONLINE
Find additional articles, case studies and information available only on TrainingIndustry.com.

59 I TRAINING TALK
Review Industry insights and polls collected from learning leaders around the world.

|6
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|7

DRIVING BUSINESS
GROWTH THROUGH
INTERNAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
Working for a global organization
oftentimes means working on
projects with people from around the
globe who have very different skill
sets and backgrounds. In this dispersed
environment, it is imperative that
learning and development (L&D)
be strategically aligned with business
goals to ensure consistency across
the organization.
At Arup – an independent firm of
designers, planners, engineers, consultants
and technical specialists, working across
every aspect of today’s built environment
– we employ more than 13,000 people in
more than 35 countries.
Managing large multi-disciplinary
projects is one of the key skills that sets
us apart from many of our competitors.
After identifying this skill as essential
for select team members to have, our
L&D department created an internal
USING REAL-LIFE
EXAMPLES HAS
BROUGHT THE
PROGRAM TO LIFE.
certification program for project
managers, with the goal of ensuring that
no matter where the employee is located
(in a large or small office), they will
receive a consistent training experience.
But having a small L&D team meant we
lacked the ability to deliver this program
on an ongoing and consistent basis. Our
solution was to partner with senior staff
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
in the initial design and delivery of the
program. Here are a few areas that our
team focused on during development.
Stakeholder Analysis
We first interviewed senior staff in both
large and small offices to determine
what skills were necessary for someone
to be successful in this role. The L&D
team then designed an initial outline of
nine core courses and four optional ones
covering project management, finance,
legal, technical and people skills based
on those interviews. We then vetted this
list with a team of senior engineers from
across the region to ensure we would be
meeting their needs.
Subject Matter Experts
We then assigned subject matter experts
to each topic to work with a designer to
create the courses using a combination
of in-person and e-learning modules,
depending on the topic. We also created
a learning path for these modules,
allowing learners to take different
courses at different points in their career
so they can continue to learn and grow
as their career progresses. Courses are
delivered in-person by a senior engineer
in the office, and once a quarter we do
train-the-trainer classes in each office
to get facilitators comfortable with the
topic and presenting.
Certification
The final step to becoming internally
certified as a project manager is
an interview with a panel of senior
principals in their local office. A series of
scenario-based questions were created
GUEST EDITOR
BY MICHELLE KOHN, CPTM
for the senior team to ask, along with a
ranking matrix for them to use to score
the answers. This format ensures that
we are giving learners the opportunity
to demonstrate that they have the skills
required to apply the learning to real-
world examples.
OUTCOMES
The certification program has been
extremely successful due to the
amount of buy-in from senior staff. By
having them involved in designing the
curriculum as well as facilitating, we
now have a direct loop to when things
in the business change and courses
need to be updated. Using real-life
examples has brought the program to
life and allows us to keep it specific to
our company and our culture. By having
senior leaders teach, they are able to
share their experiences with junior staff
and end up unofficially mentoring many
of the people who take their course. It’s
been a great partnership between the
business and L&D to create a custom
program that addresses a critical
business need and has resulted in a
stronger more robust pool of project
managers, which is critical to helping
grow our business.
Michelle Kohn, CPTM, is the head of learning
and development for the Americas region at
Arup. She has experience driving all facets
of the talent process: leveraging succession
planning, identifying high potential talent
and talent mapping for key strategic
roles in global matrixed environments.
Email Michelle.
|9
CONGRATULATIONS

TOP 20
COMPANIES

The Top 20 Companies are a service provided by Training Industry, Inc.

Due to the diversity of services offered, no attempt is made to rank the “Top 20s.”

BRAIN-BASED
CONVERSATIONS FOR
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
On the surface, “strategic alignment” is
easy to understand. It simply requires
that people executing a business
strategy be on the same page. Many
leaders mistakenly believe that this only
requires a clear plan, communication
and a personal sense of responsibility
to complete it. While necessary, they
are rarely sufficient. Several other
unconscious biological factors play
a role in whether this alignment is
successful or not.
LEADERSHIP SYNCHRONY
Ideal alignment essentially requires
synchrony. In a recent study, investigators
asked, “What distinguishes leaders from
followers in a group?” By attaching
electrodes to the head of each person in
the group, they found that leaders will
initiate synchrony of their brains with
others within 23 seconds. Rather than a
dictatorial stance then, leading a team
requires brain synchrony. But how?
COMPONENTS OF SYNCHRONY
Daniel Siegel proposed a model
that clearly explains three important
components of synchrony: presence,
wholeness and resonance (i.e., much like
a member of an orchestra, leaders must
be present, self-possessed and resonate
with others). To help concretize how this
can be achieved, I developed a biological
model with suggested actions.
BIOLOGY OF PRESENCE
For a leader to be present, it helps
to connect empathically. Two brain
systems can help achieve this: the mirror
system (i.e., feeling what others feel) and
the mentalizing system (understanding
others’ points of view). When these
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systems are activated, a strategy will
not only be felt, but truly heard. And
when activated optimally, the leader’s
presence has been registered.
Brain-based conversation suggestions:
Leaders may ask, “Is there anything that
conflicts with your expectations? How
can we resolve them? Is this achievable?
Let’s discuss why or why not.”
DAYDREAMING
WHEN STRATEGIZING
MAY HELP RATHER
THAN HURT.
BIOLOGY OF WHOLENESS
Feeling whole requires a strong sense of
self. Connecting with yourself requires
periods of unfocus throughout the day.
In this sense, unfocus is not a distraction,
but a pause that allows for the self-circuits
in the brain to activate. Intelligent pauses
for strategic alignment can be enhanced
by reverie, a state of mind that involves
contemplation rather than focused
communication. Your brain can only take
so much focus, making unfocus crucial for
the brain to function optimally.
Brain-based conversation suggestions:
Rather than devising a strategy and
communicating it, leaders should involve
employees from the very outset to
encourage buy-in. Strategy discussions
might involve questions, invitation
for suggestions, and an authentic
exploration of doubts and concerns.
Doing this early will prevent conflict
and allow leaders to be more effective.
Also, a certain kind of daydreaming
when strategizing may help rather than
SCIENCE OF LEARNING
SRINI PILLAY, M.D.
hurt. Positive constructive daydreaming
requires doing something low-key like
walking, and then having positive and
wishful images of the outcome. (Note:
these are images, not just ideas of what
it could look like.)
BIOLOGY OF RESONANCE
Resonance implies that employees are
on the same page and feel connected
to the leader and the strategy. In the
brain, resonance implies that the brain
feels rewarded (i.e., the reward center is
activated), and that employees feel like
they are part of the strategy.
Brain-based conversation suggestions:
To achieve this, certain physical
activities can change brain activation.
For example, walking in tandem or even
dancing together makes people like
others more, remember them better
and even trust them more. Talking
about the strategy on group walks, or
incorporating dancing into a retreat
may be helpful in enhancing employee
resonance to improve alignment.
CONCLUSION
When there is strategic alignment, people
and their brains are on the same page. By
incorporating brain-based conversations
into strategic communication, alignment
will become much more likely because
the brains of leaders and their teams will
be aligned too.
Dr. Srini Pillay is the CEO of NeuroBusiness
Group. He is also assistant professor (part-
time) at Harvard Medical School and
teaches in the executive education programs
at Harvard Business School and Duke CE.
Email Srini.
| 11
HOW CAN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI) HELP
MY CLIENTS, TEAMS, AND ORGANIZATIONS?

How does IQ How does EI How is EI

compare to EQ? impact ROI? measured?
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e Ret
mploye
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How can it help How can it help How can it help

my clients? teams? organizations?

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LEADERSHIP WORKPLACE EQ 360

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To learn more about Emotional Intelligence and how it

can help your clients and the companies they work for,
visit info.mhs.com/eq-i2.0info

INCLUSIVE
WORKPLACE
PRACTICES
When it comes to diversity and inclusion
(D&I), having an aligned strategy is of
critical importance. D&I are essentially
standalone concepts. Is it possible to
have diversity without inclusion? Yes.
Is it possible to have inclusion without
diversity? Not likely.
Diversity is the collective mixture of
differences that includes individual and
organizational characteristics such as
values, beliefs, experiences, backgrounds
and behaviors. Many workforces today are
diverse simply as a reflection of society.
However, inclusion is the achievement of a
work environment in which all individuals
are treated fairly and respectfully, have
equal access to opportunities and
resources, and can contribute fully to the
organization’s success. Most companies
today are not very inclusive, and without
an aligned strategy, the two concepts will
not integrate.
THERE NEEDS TO BE
A DEEP CONVICTION
IN THE IMPORTANCE
OF INCLUSION.
Many organizations have created a
new executive position, Chief Diversity
Officer (CDO), with the sole responsibility
of promoting workforce diversity. These
CDOs are implementing comprehensive
programs to help their company
boost diverse recruitment, help those
employees advance, implement diversity
training, and even forge relationships with
diverse vendors.
These types of diversity efforts are
what’s known as diversity management
– the voluntary organizational actions
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
designed to create greater inclusion of
employees from various backgrounds into
the formal and informal organizational
structures through deliberate policies and
programs. It’s important to remember that
diversity representation in the workforce
is only the initial step toward workplace
inclusion. Inclusion reflects the extent
to which employees perceive that they
are part of the communication systems,
informal networks and decision-making
processes. Therefore, increasing diversity
representation and achieving inclusion
is a two-stage process with each stage
affecting the other in a circular way. The
first stage is reactive: Organizations are
recruiting and employing a more diverse
workforce. The second stage is proactive:
Organizations are investing efforts in
active diversity management with the
aim of enhancing inclusion and fostering
organization effectiveness.
Questions organizations should ask
themselves are, “Is our organizational
culture inclusive and culturally
competent?”; and, “To what extent
are employees from different identity
groups participating in formal and
informal networks and actively involved
in the decision-making process?” For
organizations to become truly inclusive,
it is not enough that they have policies
and guidelines in place; there needs to
be a deep conviction in the importance
of inclusion. This level of commitment to
D&I can only come from the very top of
the organization.
Here are some inclusive workplace
practices that companies can apply to
their own workforces.
• Leadership involvement: Assign a
top executive to lead and sponsor the
DR. SHAWN ANDREWS
diversity program, and create a
diversity council from various levels
within the organization.
• Performance and accountability:
Establish diversity goals, quotas and
metrics. Develop action plans to meet
the goals of the organization. Hold
managers accountable to these goals
by linking diversity performance to
compensation.
• Policies and procedures: Create a
diversity mission statement, anti-
discrimination policies, corporate
values, and behavioral standards that
reflect D&I. Create HR policies that
offer flexible work arrangements to
accommodate diverse needs.
• Employee networks: Create affinity
or employee resource groups and
mentoring programs to empower
employees of diverse backgrounds, and
to provide opportunities and visibility.
• Education and training: Offer
unconscious bias or sensitivity training
workshops to increase diversity
awareness and skill building.
These practices provide opportunities
for the future of work, and for training
professionals, this is good news. More
programs and a focus on reaching
broader, more diverse audiences means
more training opportunities. And
training will continue to be an important
component in helping organizations
become more inclusive.
Dr. Shawn Andrews is CEO of Andrews
Research International. Her dissertation
research focused on leadership, emotional
intelligence, gender and unconscious bias in
the workplace. Email Shawn.
| 13
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CONSTRUCTING A
MONUMENT?
When we found out the central theme
of this issue was “strategic alignment,”
several executive acquaintances
flashed through our heads. None was
more prominent than the image of
David Brennan. Among many other
career highlights, David is the former
CEO of AstraZeneca. He currently
serves on a number of boards and
advisory committees of one kind or
another. Central to our purposes here,
he has always been the kind of person
who could reduce the most intricate
and complex dynamics into their most
practical and concrete essence. We
spoke with him recently about strategic
alignment and he did not disappoint:
“I’ve always thought about strategic
alignment this way. Say you are walking
down the street and happen to be passing
a busy construction site. You see three
bricklayers. You approach the first one and
ask him what he is doing. He answers by
saying, ‘I’m putting mortar on the bottom
of these bricks.’ You continue and ask the
second one the same question and he
tells you, ‘I’m putting up a wall.’ You get
to the third, repeat the question and she
stands up, looks you squarely in the eye
and with unrehearsed conviction tells you,
‘We’re constructing a monument!’
With David’s vignette as a backdrop,
let’s agree that strategic alignment
translates to people (in many cases
large numbers of people) who are
frequently diverse in every imaginable
manner and focused on achieving two
or three goals of significance. There
are many benefits imbedded in that
kind of working relationship, but chief
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
SAM SHRIVER & MARSHALL GOLDSMITH
among them are increased productivity
and amplified engagement.
PRODUCTIVITY
Effective performance management
initiates with a clearly defined strategy.
As per the age-old analogy of “Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland” approaching
the Cheshire cat in the tree at the fork
in the road and asking, “Which road
should I take?”; if you have no idea
where you are going, it simply does not
matter which path you follow.
EFFECTIVE
PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT
INITIATES WITH A
CLEARLY DEFINED
STRATEGY.
Clear strategy that is simple and
easy to understand affords everyone
the opportunity to align their
daily activities and calibrate their
progress. This connection in and of
itself doesn’t necessarily guarantee
productivity targets will be achieved,
but the probabilities associated with
delivering desired outcomes is greatly
enhanced when “the flag at the top
of the mountain” is in plain view for all
to see, and represents a destination
that captivates the aspirations of those
signed up for the journey.
ENGAGEMENT
We are all well-acquainted at this point
with the power of discretionary effort.
BUILDING LEADERS
If you have an organization full of
people who have “bought in” to a
strategy, it almost invariably translates
to increased communication and
incremental adjustment based on
emerging circumstance. Stated
differently, people who have “bought
in” care, and when people care, they
take ownership. And when they
take ownership, they take personal
responsibility for fixing problems (that
no one could have predicted) pretty
much in real time.
Read anything ever written about
CEO Alan Mulally and the Ford Motor
Company from 2006-2013. What you
will find is a real-life example that
chronicles the efforts of thousands
of Ford employees worldwide in a
monumental turnaround effort. In
overly simplified terms, the strategy
developed and communicated by
Mulally was, “Here’s where we are …
here’s where we need to be … and you
(Ford employees) are the people that
are going to get us there!”
We would argue there is not a more
effective technique of increasing
employee engagement ever devised
than providing a crystal clear “what,” and
supporting those with a vested interest
in achieving that “what” to figure out the
details associated with the “how.”
Marshall Goldsmith is the world authority
in helping successful leaders get even better.
Sam Shriver is the senior vice president
of commercial operations and product
development at The Center for Leadership
Studies. Email Marshall and Sam.
| 15
 5
THE

CORNERSTONES
TO BECOMING A TRUSTED LEARNING ADVISOR
BY TIFFANY POEPPELMAN

| 16
 T he relationship between
work and learning in
today’s organizations has never
been stronger. Research results
from the Bersin-Deloitte study
(2017) show that learning and
development (L&D) has kept
“learning and work separate for
nearly a century, technological
advances have now made it
possible to bring them together
again, both using work itself to
provide employee development
and utilizing development to
improve work.”

Previously, learning was either

largely limited in the classroom
or focused on specific needs.
But with the disruption of virtual
communications, repositories and
databases that enable instant
delivery of learning experiences,
and a growing demand for
real-time learning – we are now
able to meet business needs and deliver
a consistent employee development
experience due to rapid business
advances.

This evolution puts L&D professionals

in a strategic position to serve as a
partner and advisor to organizational
executives and leaders, given the
constant shift in demands and need to
integrate fully into the organization. But
how do those professionals who’ve been
deemed “training leads,” and merely
there to only develop skills or deliver
a one-time solution, step out of that

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
| 17
shadow into a more strategic light to
drive a learning culture?
First, let’s define the term “trusted
advisor” within the context of work and
learning. When you think of someone
in your business who is a trusted
partner, what words come to mind?
Perhaps partner, confidant, business
and consultant. Well, all of these are
true. That said, it’s typically defined by
characterizing what qualities a person
exhibits like authenticity, credibility,
reliability, and above all – how they
show a genuine interest along with
insights around one’s business, which is
beyond their own role. Being a trusted
advisor isn’t just for L&D, training and
analytics, but one way you might spot an
L&D partner, is looking for these “trusted
advisor status” behaviors:
• Someone who is asked to regularly
weigh in, or provide advice into key
decisions
(related or unrelated to their work) -
often in advance.
• Someone who adds value to
areas of the business beyond
their current role.
• Someone who grows and
fosters relationships outside
of their core programs or
immediate projects.
• Someone whose personal brand is
strong - they often speak at events,
are asked to write articles, or take
on critical business projects.
Overall, the outcome of being a trusted
advisor will allow L&D professionals
to deepen customer and stakeholder
relationships and provide more insight
and development of high-impact
solutions. This can also result in higher
satisfaction at work and in one’s job
when they are treated and seen as a
leader in their space – both inside and
outside of the company.
Here are the five cornerstones with
tactics that will help any learning
| 18
partner or HR professional get a seat at
the right table.
1. DEVELOP A STRONG
PERSONAL BRAND.
Continue to grow one's reputation and
voice through a personal brand, both
internally and externally. This means
every event or social media post can
help shape the perception people
have of an L&D partner. If stakeholders
respect one's work and value their
opinion, doors will continue to unlock
for input into processes, improvements
and, importantly, future roles.
• Get to know others in the business.
Likeability is a huge factor of influence,
so build one’s network accordingly.
• Attend events.
Seek opportunities to attend external
events and present on any innovation
or lessons that others can learn from
in the community. Additionally, write
a blog or post, share or tweet articles,
or research to drive thought leadership
in the space.
EVERYONE HAS
A STAKE IN THE
COMPANY’S
SUCCESS – ACT
LIKE IT.
• Be aware of your behavior.
Be genuinely passionate, enthusiastic
and authentic when working with team
members. They can feel the energy when
it’s genuine.
2. LISTEN INTENTLY.
When invited to meetings and
opportunities to learn about current
business needs, listen to your leaders
and the team’s problems. The main skill
to build is how one reinforces what they
heard, comes up with a viable solution or
alternative, and finds a way to succinctly
share that with leadership. What does
the client need? Aim to look beyond the
surface needs and understand a leader’s
underlying interests.
• Ask to get involved in planning
meetings to provide updates.
Attending business-critical meetings
can give insight into upcoming changes
that may shift the leaders and L&D
program goals.
• Provide the right
program recommendations.
In order to gather the information
needed to provide practical program
recommendations, continue to keep
an eye on leadership priorities, and talk
to the learners about what the growth
areas are for the team. Additionally,
never assume training is the solution.
Ask questions around “What’s the
reason for this request,” or thank
someone for the insights or request.
But before accepting the assumption,
ask for time to investigate whether the
skill or knowledge gap really exists. One
way to pipeline constant feedback is by
asking questions in pre-existing surveys
such as “what areas do you want to
grow next year?” Or when in meetings,
use natural discussions to listen to
the pulse of the learners so you know
what is top of mind while in critical
business meetings.
3. COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY.
This applies to any situation when
an L&D professional refers to their
roles or introduces oneself. Think

WHEN INVITED
TO MEETINGS
TO LEARN ABOUT
CURRENT BUSINESS
NEEDS, LISTEN.
about instances of providing program
updates to teams, or meeting
someone for the first time and telling
someone about one’s position. It’s
important to not describe oneself as
a “trainer” or “learning developer,” but
rather a “consultant or advisor to the
business” who enables performance.
The reality is, L&D professionals
understand human behavior and ways
to drive performance through learning
activities, reinforcement and unlocking
a team’s potential through various
methods and structured programs or
materials. How an L&D professional
describes themselves does matter, and
it shapes the brand going forward.
• Create a 30-second pitch
around one’s role and team to ensure
the right message when meeting new
people in the business.
• Create a mission and vision
with the larger L&D team
in one’s business for how the group
will grow as advisors together.
4. BE VOCAL.
When seated with leaders, provide
recommendations for business or
process improvements, even if it has
nothing to do with your job. Trusted
advisors are willing to speak up and give
their thoughts no matter what the topic.
As a partner to the business, everyone
has a stake in the company’s success –
act like it.
• Build relationships.
Growing one-on-one relationships to
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
ensure trust across teams at all levels
will help make oneself more confident
to be open and honest about views.
• Offer recommendations.
Position recommendations with
collaboration and business growth in
mind.
• Speak up.
Be transparent on views with the
business’ best interest in mind. This will
grow credibility.
5. ALWAYS KEEP LEARNING.
Continue to learn about the business as
a whole in order to be a true thought
partner and advise on areas outside
of your role. Take time to learn about
things outside of your job. Bonus: It
makes everyone more well-rounded
and confident when engaging with
senior leaders.
• Ask for your leader’s yearly
and quarterly priorities.
Knowing what is top of mind for them
will allow you to ask the right questions
in meetings or all hands. Another way
to do this is to watch the company
earnings calls and read annual reports
since they often highlight current areas
of strength and parts of the business
that are being invested in (or not).
• Stay on top of the industry
and market trends.
This will help any L&D professional stay
well rounded as a person but also in
one’s business’ area of expertise. This
can be done by enrolling to receive
email digests from articles or notable
news sources, searching for keywords
on social media channels for the latest
articles, or googling news updates on
any topic.
Which area resonates as a place to
begin? There’s nothing to lose! If
leveraged correctly, the tactics provided
can start to shape new opportunities
to sit at the leadership table with
organizations to provide a human-
centered development approach and
share input on the business decisions.
The result of doing so can allow L&D
professionals to glean insights on rapid
changes to the business, and ensure
a continued investment in employee
development.
As all L&D professionals collectively
grow the brand as trusted advisors
to businesses, there will be stronger
relationships across L&D and the
business, as well as a global brand
of consultative advisors. Embrace
the opportunities presented or go
seek them out today – step out as a
trusted advisor.
Tiffany Poeppelman is a regional sales
performance consultant within sales
readiness at LinkedIn. She oversees the
development of the Marketing Solutions
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
sales teams in over seven countries, and the
global emerging business around the world.
Email Tiffany.
THE 5 CORNERSTONES TO
GET A SEAT AT THE TABLE
1. Develop a Strong Personal Brand
2. Listen Intently
3. Communicate Effectively
4. Be Vocal
5. Always Keep Learning
| 19
 BY NOELLE AKINS & KATHY TELBAN
How can an organization optimize business outcomes using learning as its critical enabler? To meet this challenge,
think business first. Align your learning outcomes with business outcomes for measurable, enterprise-wide impact.
Imagine an IT implementation for
finance and HR solutions slated to
reduce operational and administrative
costs by over 20 percent through
cost reductions, streamlined business
processes, and real-time analytics.
These gains are realized only by solid
user adoption and proficiency, which
are direct outcomes from learning.
In this scenario, training leaders
collaborate with business leads and
configuration partners at project onset
to identify and support desired business
outcomes. Committed to the alignment
of business and learning outcomes, the
training team makes strategic, data-
driven decisions on essential content
for each target audience and reduces
time spent on training design and
learner time in the classroom. Focused,
hands-on sessions equip subject matter
experts (SMEs) in finance and HR,
while demos and just-in-time learning
interactions support user adoption and
learner proficiency for managers and
the broader employee audience.
THE NEED FOR AN
OUTCOMES-BASED FRAMEWORK
Common instructional design and
evaluation models like Criterion
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Referenced Instruction created by
Robert F. Mager, the ADDIE model, and
The Kirkpatrick Model set standards for
design, development and evaluation
of training programs, now challenged
by emergent agile models such as
SAM. What is often missing is a focus
on learning outcomes that enable
business outcomes. Instructional
design frameworks have evolved from
content-based to competency-based to
an outcomes-based framework.
A proven outcomes-based model
developed for and by colleges provides
the right framework, by adding
questions on business outcomes and
metrics. Its focused line of inquiry
guides a backward design process.
The process answers the following
key questions:
• What are the business outcomes
where learning is a critical enabler
to realize those results?
• What data will be used to
determine when business and
learning outcomes are met?
• What do learners need to be able to
DO ‘out there’ in their role that we are
responsible for “in here” and that will
impact the organization’s outcomes?
• What will learners do “in here”
to demonstrate evidence of
the outcomes?
• What skills must the learners master
to demonstrate the outcomes?
• What concepts must the learners
understand to demonstrate
the outcomes?
• What issues must the learners
be able to resolve to demonstrate
the learning outcomes?
Answers to these questions define the
training scope in a one-page design
document called an Outcome Guide
(OG), read from right to left. This is
approved by stakeholders prior to
training development and ensures
alignment of all elements. Figure 1 on
page 23 provides an example.
OUTCOME ALIGNMENT:
BUSINESS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
Alignment of business and learning
outcomes requires a focus on what
learners will do “out there” outside and
after the training experience, using the
language of stakeholders. In the training
scenario, the business outcome is: Make
faster, smarter financial and human
resource decisions within departments
| 21
to reduce operational costs by 23 percent
and administrative costs by 22 percent.
Data-points to measure business
outcomes could include reduced cycle
time, increased volume and lower costs.
The OG example below shows learning
outcomes, assessment tasks and
essential content for both employee and
managers in this scenario. Typically, an
OG is developed for each audience and
can be created at the program, course or
workshop level. Iterations are expected
through the refinement process.
Learning outcomes are robust, integrated
and contextualized, describing what
learners do “after” and “outside”
the learning experience. Outcome
statements determine the scope of
learning – breadth and depth. Learning
objectives can be developed later to
scaffold learning.
Be careful not to start with learning
objectives – a pitfall that typically
narrows the focus to one concept or one
skill and uses one verb. Another pitfall
is the use of vague language that is not
measurable or contextualized.
Key Alignment Question
Do the learning outcomes align and
contribute to the business outcomes
and stated in a language a stakeholder
would use?
OUTCOME AND ASSESSMENT ALIGNMENT
Alignment of assessment tasks to
learning outcomes requires a focus on
what learners will do to provide the
best evidence of the outcome. Often,
learning outcomes are written without
attention to measurement. Defining
assessment tasks early increases the
likelihood of measurable outcomes.
Iteration sharpens both elements,
which is why assessment tasks should
be identified in the design phase rather
than after development. In the scenario,
employees must enter and edit time and
absence requests while managers must
approve team’s procurement, expense
and travel requests.
A pitfall to avoid is relying solely on
surveys and tests to provide evidence of
learning. Post-class surveys provide only
| 22
indirect evidence based on learner’s
perception, which infers learning. Tests
often focus on concepts and low-level
learning. True assessment tasks, known
as performance tasks or authentic
assessment, provide direct evidence
of real learning. Assessment should
simulate what the learner is expected
to do in their actual role. Having both
direct and indirect evidence can provide
a more complete picture of the learning.
TRUE ASSESSMENT
TASKS PROVIDE
DIRECT EVIDENCE OF
REAL LEARNING.
Key Alignment Question
Do the assessment tasks provide
sufficient evidence that the learner
meets the learning outcome?
OUTCOME AND SKILLS ALIGNMENT
Alignment of learner skills to business
and learning outcomes requires a
focus on what abilities learners must
master in order to demonstrate learning
outcomes. Maintain an emphasis on
the learner’s capacity to perform the
assessment tasks and achieve the
learning outcomes.
In the training scenario, finance and
HR super-users master new system
skills via hands-on mapping sessions,
minimizing the need for siloed legacy
systems that formerly required high
levels of IT support. End users master
electronic self-service transactions for
HR and purchasing, reducing rework
and improving cycle time for workflow.
Budget owners demonstrate the ability
to monitor budgets for more accurate
tracking and data-driven decision
making. Managers model utilization of
the system that supported user adoption.
A pitfall to avoid when aligning skills to
outcomes is the tendency to confuse
participant knowledge with participant
skills. Remain focused on learners’ actions.
Key Alignment Question
Do the skills that learners demonstrate
contribute to the learning and business
outcomes?
OUTCOME AND CONCEPT ALIGNMENT
Alignment of learning concepts to
learning and business outcomes means a
focus on what learners must understand
in order to demonstrate learning
outcomes. For example, learners in the
systems training scenario master an
understanding of new internal processes
and company policies. They understand
electronic workflows and integration of
time and absence data in the system,
as well as the impact of approved
procurement and travel requests on
budget commitments. Managers also
understand the importance of their role
in reinforcing user adoption.
A common pitfall with concept
alignment is the tendency toward
information overload or content creep.
Ward against the temptation to add
more content than is truly necessary to
achieve results required for learning and
business outcomes.
Key Alignment Question
Do the concepts that learners apply
contribute to the learning and business
outcomes?
OUTCOME AND ISSUES ALIGNMENT
Alignment of potential learning issues
to learning and business outcomes
requires one to identify, in advance,
what potential issues learners must
resolve when demonstrating learning
outcomes. These can be internal to
learners, but are more often found
in the external environment. Include
these issues in your training design
and your assessment tasks so that
learners practice resolving these real-
life complexities.
Potential issues in the systems
training scenario may include minimal
experience with electronic workflows,
complicated supplemental pay options,
multiple job assignments, and a major
FIGURE 1.
CONCEPT & ISSUES
What must the learners
understand to demonstrate
the intended outcome?
• Electronic workflows
• Data integration
• New segments for
Chart of Accounts
• Changes to company
finance and HR policy
and processes
• Budget planning (M)
• Budgetary controls (M)
• Dashboard monitoring (M)
• User adoption
and proficiency (M)
What issues must the
learners be able to resolve to
demonstrate the outcome?
• Data integration
• Complicated pay options
• Multiple assignments
• New expense categories
for budget line items
© 2017 The Learning Organization. www.outcomeprimers.com Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial -NoDerivs 4.0 International License
shift in expense categories. Pitfalls
to look for include undervaluing or
overestimating the impact of these
issues and not devoting enough time
on these issues with the learners.
Key Alignment Question
Do the issues that learners resolve
contribute to the learning and business
outcomes?
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER
The Outcome Guide is a proven tool
that ensures learning outcomes and
business outcomes are aligned for
maximum impact. This high-level
design document delivers conclusive
insight into the “what” of your training
T R A I N I N G I N D USTR Y MA G AZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
IT CLOUD IMPLEMENTATION (HCM/ERP)
SKILLS ASSESSMENT TASKS INTENDED OUTCOMES
What skills must the learners What will the learners do What do learners need to
master to demonstrate the in here to demonstrate be able to DO “out there”
intended outcome? evidence of the outcome? in the rest of life that they’re
responsible for “in here”?
• System Log In • Locate pay • HCM
and basic navigation and benefit information Accurately record time
and absence, employee
• Locate pay and benefits • Enter and edit time
pay & benefits info weekly;
• Enter and edit time and absence requests
Process HR transactions
and absence requests • Enter and edit within 48 hours of request.
• Enter and edit procurement,
expenses and travel • ERP
procurement,
Process electronic
expenses and travel • Approve team’s time
procurement and travel
• Approval of and absence requests (M)
expenses within 30 days.
time and absence (M) • Approve team’s
procurement, expense • HCM/ERP Management
• Approve team’s
and travel requests (M) Approve time, absences,
procurement, expense
pay, benefits and travel
and travel requests (M) • Transfer a direct report (M)
expenses and transactions
• Transfer a direct report (M) • Locate budget actuals weekly; use manager
and monitor budget dashboards for monthly
• Locate budget
line items and make monitoring and course
actuals, monitor
changes (M) correction; use real-time
budget line items (M)
budgetary controls for
quarterly planning and just-
in-time decision making.
content, informing subsequent work and issue resolution for achievement of
related to the “how’ and “when” of learning and business outcomes.
training strategies, learning modalities
and content development. Position learning as your organization’s
critical enabler by realizing the
A backward-design iterative approach measurable impact of learning outcomes
saves time and resources by driving and business outcomes that deliver a
clarity on essential content derived return on your investment.
from learning outcomes aligned
with required business outcomes. Noelle Akins is the senior consultant for
Stakeholder approval of learning Navigator Management Partners and chief
outcomes in the OG, a formal step in the visionary officer for Akins & Associates.
process, confirms language and ensures Kathy Telban is the chief outcome strategist
that scope and assessment measures for iSOLVit. Together they bring a systems
are jointly agreed upon. Outcome perspective to the design and development
Guide development supports rapid of sustainable learning approaches that
design and lean learning principles. make a measurable impact for their
Development decisions facilitate corporate and higher education clients.
alignment of learner skills, knowledge, Email Noelle and Kathy.
| 23
 BY BRIAN BLECKE & KELLY SMITH
A data-driven learning strategy aligns
learning goals with the business
and ensures the learning function is
putting its design, manufacturing and
reporting capabilities to good use
by working on high-value and high-
impact initiatives. It also describes
the relationship between the learning
function and its two internal customer
groups, business leader stakeholders
and the learners themselves.
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI N IN GIN DU ST RY. C O M/ MAGA ZI N E
A learning strategy differs from an
operational strategy (see Figure 1 on
page 26). An operational strategy for
the learning function describes
the current, near- and long-term
capabilities and capacity of the function,
as well as a roadmap of activities
and milestones. Decisions regarding
governance, technology, staff and
staffing levels, using internal or external
resources, reporting, etc., are guided
by the operational strategy of the
learning function.
The data-driven learning strategy
effectively uncovers and brings into
balance the goals, needs and realities of
the organization, learning function and
the learner. It places strong emphasis
on business alignment and business
outcomes, ensuring learning strategy
and learning outcomes produce needed
changes to performance.
For business leaders, data-driven
learning strategy improves their
confidence that the direction and focus
of training appropriately reflect the
business’ goals. For the learning leader,
it provides a business-centric framework
for prioritization, decision-making and
efficient deployment of L&D resources.
For the instructional designer, it guides
and focuses design choices. For the
learner, it improves the odds that
their learning experiences will meet
important developmental needs, and be
engaging and meaningful.
In addition to aligning L&D to business
goals and outcomes, data-driven
learning strategy forecasts anticipated
results with associated metrics and
establishes a roadmap to guide the
organization to those outcomes. It
also provides numerous points of
measurement that will indicate progress
towards an achievement of that state.
To be effective, different kinds of data
need to be identified, collected and
analyzed in the early stages of learning
strategy development.
WHAT WE MEAN BY DATA
A data-driven learning strategy utilizes
formal and informal data.
Formal data: Most organizations
today are awash in data, reports and
dashboards. Often gathered and
organized automatically and behind
the scenes, this type of structured
data provides an understanding of
financial and operational performance,
highlighting gaps between expected
and actual outcomes, and modeling or
forecasting future state scenarios. In
some cases, the data is unstructured
and requires some effort to organize,
consolidate and interpret. Formal data
is useful in estimating and calculating
actual business impact and return on
investment (ROI).
Informal data: Most organizations
have this kind of data readily available
as well; however, it’s not often
captured automatically and typically
requires manual effort to uncover and
organize. Informal data is valuable in
setting direction by capturing goals,
| 25
FIGURE 1
DATA-DRIVEN LEARNING STRATEGY
STRONG, VISIBLE ALIGNMENT
WHY WHO
Organizational New or Changes
Direction & Goals to Performance
Outcomes
Goals Roles Impacted
Obstacles
Measures
clarifying priorities and trade-offs,
establishing training design preferences,
understanding tolerance for both
risk and innovation, and confirming
organizational constraints. Informal
data is invaluable in forecasting a future
state and aligning learning strategy to
business goals.
A potential Achilles heel of a data-driven
learning strategy is in the data itself.
While better than a learning strategy that
is based on best guesses and hunches,
incomplete, inaccurate or outwardly
conflicting data will undermine the
strategy from the moment data
issues are uncovered. Poor quality or
inaccurate data is an issue that’s hard
to overcome after the fact. To ensure a
data-driven learning strategy rests on a
solid foundation, it’s important to ensure
the data is sufficiently trustworthy to
the stakeholders.
Another potential pitfall is the paralysis
that can come from too much data or
the wrong data. A guiding principle
is to uncover enough data to get the
primary, or the majority of, stakeholders
comfortable with the direction and
substance of the learning strategy.
Imperfect, yes, but practical.
DATA TYPES AND SOURCES
Performance Data: Performance data
measures the actual performance of
an organization, function, process or
role, highlighting gaps and focal points
for the learning strategy to address.
This formal data covers operational
goals, capturing things like units
manufactured, cycle time, accuracy and
errors, price captured, discounts applied,
realized risks, cost of losses, etc.
| 26
WHAT
Learning
Outcomes
Additional gaps can be identified by
looking at the data across time (e.g.,
months, quarters, or years). Stratifying,
segmenting and isolating the data
creates an understanding of variations
that are common and uncommon.
WORK AS AN
INTERNAL TEAM TO
ADDRESS THE HIGH-
PRIORITY AREAS,
GOALS AND GAPS.
This kind of structured data can be used
in a predictive way, by assuming certain
changes and their impact. For example,
“What would it mean if we were able to
reduce errors by 15 percent? What would
have to change to achieve that goal?”
The data can then be used on the back-
end as part of a Level 4 or 5 evaluation.
Financial Data: Financial data provides
balance sheets and internal P&L
insights. It can also highlight where the
organization is about to expand, make
a directional shift, increase or decrease
staff, invest in new technology, or phase
out old technology.
Tactically, it’s a good idea to include a
finance person among the stakeholders
(stakeholder data is a topic we’ll discuss
in a moment). Rather than learn all the
ins and outs of the financial world and
risk being incorrect, work closely with
OPERATIONAL STRATEGY & PLAN
LEARNING FUNCTION
CAPABILITIES & CAPACITY
HOW
Governance Learning
model & Management
practices Systems
Staff Reporting
Processes, (e.g., Facilities
ADDIE, SAM) Management
Authoring Tools Etc.
the finance stakeholder to uncover key
insights from the financial data.
Work Analysis Data: For a functional,
role-specific, or course-level learning
strategy, specific work analysis data
is crucial. Documenting the work
outcomes, processes and tasks, measures,
knowledge and skill requirements –
and performance gaps – helps all the
stakeholders understand the tactical
targets of the learning strategy.
Stakeholder Data: Stakeholders are
often the primary source for uncovering
informal, unstructured data through
their insights into organizational goals,
strategic direction, the organization’s
tolerance for risk/innovation, and
weighing in on decisions regarding
priorities and trade-offs.
Different leader stakeholders see the
future differently. Partly due to their
role, organizational home, or functional
goals, these stakeholders provide
unique and sometimes conflicting goals.
They describe possibly divergent future
states and different perspectives.
As such, it’s best to engage multiple
stakeholders to avoid being guided
by a single perspective and, as a
result, missing the mark. An effective
learning strategy finds an appropriate
and reasonable balance among the
stakeholders. Whether a single view
of the future is confirmed by each
stakeholder, or multiple views emerge,
a data-driven learning strategy accounts
for the widest reasonable future state,
and ensures it will be supported by a
broad community of leaders. It’s often
beneficial to include leader stakeholders
with challenging, or perhaps contrarian,
views of the future. They often speak for
a community who, for whatever reasons,
refrain from engaging.
There are a number of ways to capture
stakeholder data. Figure 2 shows an
example of stakeholder data taken from a
role-specific learning strategy initiative.
When considered together, stakeholder
data and work analysis data allow for
traceability between specific learning
outcomes and organizational goals.
Learning Function Data: The learning
function’s operational strategy, associated
roadmap and performance metrics
will enhance understanding of the
function’s capabilities and capacity,
and will be an important input to the
learning strategy. This data may also
uncover organizational constraints to
contend with related to skills, timeframe
and budget.
External Benchmarking Data: Though
not a primary data source, benchmarking
data provides insights into organizational
performance of industry peers or
across industries. Market comparison
data provides insights into the actions,
decisions and spending of other
organizations’ specific areas. Sortable by
industry, organizational size and other
factors, it is often useful to understand
how the organization compares to
the market.
Cognitive and Learning Research
Data: Also not a primary data source,
research data provides insight into
the learning strategies, instructional
modalities and tactical investments
being made in the market.
MAKING USE OF ALL THIS DATA
Today’s evolving global marketplace
and increasingly competitive business
environment require prioritization of
organizational needs and goals, while
ensuring that learning initiatives drive
business results. Successful companies
understand the importance of designing,
developing and delivering training
programs and activities that meet those
demands through strategic alignment
with a focus on business outcomes and
the bottom line.
Talking to business leaders is one of
the most important steps to aligning
learning with the business. Engage
leaders to gain their wisdom, insights and
judgment as well as their understanding
of relevant data, strategic direction and
key operational goals as they shape
training decisions and investments.
Devising the learning strategy happens
in the following stages:
• Explore
Gather and analyze appropriate
types of formal and informal data to
understand the business goals.
• Target
Determine the right roles and right
changes in performance to achieve
the business goals.
• Define
Work as an internal team, guided
by the input of subject matter
experts or other representatives
to define a learning solution that
addresses the high-priority areas,
goals and gaps. Additionally, make
sure it fits within the organizational
“realities” of timeline, budget and
design preferences.
• Confirm
Review learning solutions with
the stakeholders and demonstrate the
traceability of learning outcomes to
priority business goals – adjust
as needed.
CONCLUSION
Since the L&D function is in the “hot
seat” when it comes to balancing the
needs and goals of the organization, the
learning function and the learner, using
a data-driven learning strategy ensures
L&D is focused on high-value and high-
impact initiatives.
Brian Blecke and Kelly Smith are founding
partners and performance consultants at
Actio Learning. With 25 years’ experience,
they are passionate about helping
organizations design and deliver innovative
learning and performance improvement
solutions to address workforce challenges.
Email Brian and Kelly.

FIGURE 2
STAKEHOLDERS
QUESTION SR. EXECUTIVE BUSINESS LEADER 1 BUSINESS LEADER 2 HR / L&D IT
What are your Move clients Shorter time to Reduce Modern, Better trained
out of the at- proficiency employee millennial- team members
organizational goals? risk category burn-out friendly training
No evidence Lack definition Chaotic work Old, outmoded, Complex
of capability of proficiency environment, incomplete/ system, old
What obstacles at critical poorly inaccurate training, no
stand in your way? No employee
development prepared training practice
development
stages employees
roadmap

No clients in Clear definition Reduction in All content Reduced tier 1

either at-risk or of proficiency overtime hours refreshed help requests
How will you operational red with milestones within two
Alignment
measure success? categories in years
Comprehensive between
two years development assignment and
roadmap capability

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| 27
 FINDING BEAUTY
IN THE BALANCE
L&D: AS GLOBAL AS POSSIBLE,
AS LOCAL AS NECESSARY
An increasing number
of learning and development
(L&D) professionals are
struggling to find a good
balance between their global
L&D initiatives and their local
and business unit operations.
This article aims to provide
insights and a few proven
answers for chief learning
officers (CLOs) to handle the
global-local L&D balance.
| 28
BY JAN RIJKEN
It is not news that the world is
changing at an accelerating pace. In
order to face these complex changes,
a study by Hay Group and Z_Punkt
identified several megatrends that
lead to the main challenges corporate
organizations face when adapting in
order to stay competitive:
• Technological convergence
New technological
breakthroughs transform
many areas of everyday business.
• Digitization
Work goes remote, and
people increasingly live online.
• Individualism
Growing freedom of choice and
options for work.
• Demographic change
The population is aging and the
workforce is composed of three
to four different generations.
• Economic downturn
Climate change
and scarce raw materials.
• Globalization 2.0
Economic power shifts and
growing competition.
Within corporate organizations, L&D
teams are being asked to do more with
less, produce higher quality and achieve
greater consistency, which puts them
under greater pressure to redefine their
roles and re-evaluate their structure.
A large international Telecom provider
faced major challenges in the L&D area
following a recent acquisition. L&D was
managed at a business unit (BU) level
(strategy, content, budget), and skills
training was not consistent across those
BUs with the outcome that workforce
exchange between BUs was challenging
in terms of skills gaps (common
capabilities). Recommendations from a
global L&D review included:
• Develop and implement a global core
skills curriculum.
• Determine the optimum for design
and deployment for the core curricula:
What’s global, what’s BU.
• Improve the curriculum design:
Blend classroom and digital learning,
and add social and workplace
learning elements.
In today’s globalizing business
environment, it is a risk for the L&D
function to hang on to traditional
structures and remain focused on the
local workplace. There are opportunities
in building on local best practices and
leveraging these at a global L&D level,
linked directly to the core business
strategy. In order to achieve this, the
L&D organization must find the best
possible balance between global and
local (or business unit).
The challenge is getting the balance right
between local autonomy and global
scale. In recent years there has been a
swing in balance from local to global
L&D. In the case of a global bank, a review
revealed 12 LMS systems, overlapping
technical, skills and leadership curricula,
and a lack of clarity on measurement
and governance. In reaction, a first-time
global L&D strategy was developed
and launched that implied a shift from
local to global, which turned out to
be a rough ride in practice. Despite
the efficiency opportunities, it quickly
became clear that there were downsides
to centralization (e.g., loss of flexibility
and commitment at a local level). It took
the bank in question approximately five
years to get its balance right and benefit
from synergies.
Conversations and surveys with 40+
CLOs provided a high-level overview
of the pros and cons of centralizing
L&D. Pros for centralization include
efficiency and cost savings at a global
level, scale and consistency, global
control, and clarity on decision-making
and investments. Cons for centralization
include increase of local costs (short-
term), reduced flexibility, loss of local
commitment (L&D and sponsors), and
loss of local autonomy.
GLOBAL-LOCAL
(CENTRAL/DECENTRAL)
ASSESSMENT MODEL
After recognizing that globalizing L&D
in a corporate environment is a long
and painful journey that should be
tuned to both the structure and culture
of the business, it became apparent
that the only answer to where optimal
balance lies is covered by “as global as
possible, as local as necessary.”
This does justice to both the pros and
cons of centralizing, and provides
corporate L&D leaders the opportunity
to define the gap between reality and
ambition in their business environment.
A deep-dive into a professional services’
global L&D operation revealed all the
described opportunities and challenges,
leading to the initiative to develop
a model that could be used by CLOs
to identify the global-local “gap,” and
as a basis to develop and implement
action plans to progress. This model
has now been optimized by the
CrossKnowledge Learning Institute
for the needs and challenges of global
companies (Figure 1).
The beauty of the model is that it
provides insights into core L&D drivers:
strategy; measurement; governance;
content; L&D staff, technology and its
steps on the bandwidth global > local
without being directive. The model
provides the opportunity for each
corporate organization to define both
the “As Is” and “To Be” for each L&D
driver and develop an action plan.
The model does not have the rigor
to globalize in every dimension;
100 percent globalized strategy and
technology can go hand-in-hand with a
more collaborative governance.

FIGURE 1

LOCAL AS POSSIBLE, GLOBAL AS POSSIBLE,

GLOBAL AS NECESSARY LOCAL AS NECESSARY

Global strategy for L&D, agreed

Domination of
STRATEGY
local strategies
Various country specific
MEASUREMENT benchmarks. No common
definitions. Local reporting
Local L&D sounding boards
GOVERNANCE largely focused on knowledge
sharing & local priorities
Learning content is locally
developed & delivered, no
CONTENT
globally-driven content
development
L&D Separate country teams with
ORGANIZATION occasional knowledge sharing
Some countries share strategic
principles but operate
autonomously
Some benchmarks common to
some practices. Little or no
global reporting
Learning councils
encouraging collaboration on
cross-border initiatives & best
practice sharing
Content development & delivery,
mostly local with limited global
initiatives focused on new topics
Separate country teams. Some
cross-border collaboration. Small
global teams focused on needs
of smaller practices
High-level agreement on strategy,
and championed by business
with particular focus on a small
leaders, HR leaders and
number of high profile priorities
L&D practitioners
Broadly similar benchmarks
Aligned KPI’s and metrics,
allowing for country specific
locally and globally, embedded
tailoring. Reporting loosely linked
in a firm-wide scorecard
to firm-wide scorecard
Robust governance, strongly led
Governance over global
by business leaders, with strong
investments and collaboration on
oversight of priority setting and
cross-practice initiatives
the achievement of KPIs
Best (content) practices identified Clear global-local development
and leveraged at global level; & delivery strategy with
strategy to reduce overlap in major investments driven
development & contracting by global priorities
People working on global
Global reporting and
programs report globally,
funding of all globally
even when funded through
focused L&D resources
regional/local budgets

Some cross-practice Integrated global

TECHNOLOGY Local technology platforms Greater commonality, but...
technology solutions technology platforms

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| 29
FIGURE 2
ALIGNMENT
GLOBAL DESIGN,
GLOBAL DELIVERY
L&D Infrastructure
Leadership Development &
Talent Management (high-end)
Digital Learning
Measurement & KPIs
L&D Processes
More than 20 CLOs have used the model
successfully in the past two years to
plot their specific L&D situation and
make the present and future of their
L&D operation transparent. In addition,
they’ve identified where and how
they could progress toward as global
as possible, taking the pros and cons
into account.
MANAGING GLOBAL-
LOCAL STRATEGY, CONTENT
AND TECHNOLOGY
A topic that has not been addressed so
far is how to find a global-local balance
in L&D content management. Based on
corporate benchmarking meetings with
CLO-peers and first-hand experience,
this clearly shows to be a huge challenge,
not only in terms of cost-efficiency but
also in relation to consistency, cultural
flexibility and buy-in from the local
L&D community.
Let’s explore the real case of an
organization with 16 different
onboarding programs developed and
rolled-out with one global business
strategy. A review showed that 80
percent of the onboarding content was
similar, but obviously countless time,
energy and resources had been invested
to design and deploy the 16 programs.
The review recommendation was to pull
| 30
EFFICIENCY
GLOBAL DESIGN,
LOCAL DELIVERY
Business & Leadership Skills
70:20:10 Strategy
& Implementation
Technical Curricula
& Career Paths
L&D Needs Analysis
Onboarding &
Core Skills Curriculum
together a global-expert design group
from different locations who drafted
a global onboarding program design
populated with existing best practices.
IT IS A RISK FOR
L&D TO HANG ON
TO TRADITIONAL
STRUCTURES AND
REMAIN FOCUSED
ON THE LOCAL.
The result of this was an 80 percent
blended onboarding solution, which
could be launched in each company
location with the opportunity for
maximum 20 percent local adaption to
realize a perfect culture fit, if needed
in terms of language and cases. Not
only is this method more efficient, it
also led to an increase in global L&D
consistency and buy-in from the local
L&D colleagues, who felt recognized
rather than neglected!
Based on similar examples related to L&D
content, technology and processes in
corporate L&D environments, the global-
local matrix framework that enables
CLOs to populate this framework tuned
in to their own organization (Figure 2).
EFFECTIVENESS
LOCAL DESIGN,
LOCAL DELIVERY
Local Bespoke Programs
Local Vendor Management
20% (max) Adaption
-Language, Cases, Delivery
For each content area, there’s an
opportunity to consider where it makes
the most sense to plot design and delivery
in your organization. For digital learning,
it’s most efficient and effective to design
and deliver globally. In practice, identify
and contract the best global provider
with a relevant portfolio available in
multiple languages. For personal skills,
it’s most effective and efficient to design
globally and deliver locally. In practice,
determine the core skills curriculum
and design incorporating benchmark
content with the option to locally adapt.
For a specific country-legal program,
it’s best when designed and delivered
locally, AND share this local initiative as
a possible best practice with the global
L&D community.
In summary, global L&D strategy and
local optimization are twin goals
attainable through exploring the “as
global as possible, as local as necessary”
balance. Local flexibility drives agility,
growth, and L&D community and
business sponsor engagement. All
these ingredients are necessary to
develop an L&D organization that is
globally “fit for purpose.”
Jan Rijken, former CLO for KPMG, ABNAMRO
and Mercedes-Benz, is currently the director
of the CrossKnowledge Learning Institute,
where he conducts strategic L&D research.
Email Jan.
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LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

 SQUIRREL!
AVOIDING THE BRIGHT,
SHINY OBJECTS AND
FOCUSING ON OUTCOMES
BY BRITNEY COLE

| 32
 REGARDLESS OF THE INDUSTRY, THERE’S
AN APPEAL TO WHAT’S NEW AND TRENDY.
IT’S EXCITING WHEN THE BRANDING OF
A PRODUCT CHANGES TO SOMETHING
MORE MODERN. NEW TECHNOLOGIES
AND WIDGETS ENTER THE MARKET DAILY,
PROMISING CONVENIENCE, AUTOMATION
AND ENGAGEMENT.

Recently, a team used an augmented

reality (AR) app to train retail store
associates, bringing “oohs” and “ahhs”
from colleagues. But then, just as the
team was celebrating, someone asked
rather skeptically, “Isn’t that just a fancy
alternative for a QR code?” The team
paused. QR codes are so 2012, and AR
is so new and so cool. One certainly
could have argued that the technologies
were completely different and that the
application of AR is much more seamless
and integrated than using a clunky and
unattractive QR code. But in reality,
the outcome the team was trying to
achieve wasn’t entirely different: giving
associates a way to learn more about a
product in the store while talking to a
customer. A QR code could work. And so
could AR.

ARE WE USING TECHNOLOGY

FOR TECHNOLOGY'S SAKE?
The “technology first” conversation
drives learning solutions more than
ever before. In many ways, it’s also a
“deployment first” conversation: “If I
want to use this app or technology to
design and develop and deploy content,
how can I reverse-engineer the entire
MANY L&D learning solution to make it work?”

PROFESSIONALS Many individuals in learning and

development (L&D) organizations
TEND TO GET tend to get blindsided on what looks
BLINDSIDED ON "cool" - whether it’s a live-action video,
hand-drawn animation, 3D e-learning
WHAT LOOKS module, flipped classroom, AR or virtual
reality (VR). It’s easy to understand why
“COOL.” – clients/business partners are asking
for assets that are visually appealing
and "micro” to meet employees’
short attention spans and competing

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| 33
demands. Clients and business partners
are integrating technology at home
and in their products and there’s an
expectation for learning to keep pace.
THERE’S SO MUCH OUT THERE…
The industry has become flooded with
so many new platforms and tools:
curation engines, applications that one
can design, develop and deploy content
all in one space, mobile learning, social
collaboration sites, MOOCs/SPOCs, AR/
VR, badging, and don’t forget that LMSs
are upping their game to stay alive
and relevant. The impact of flocking
to the "shiny object" can obscure
whether there was a learning need in
the first place.
HOW DOES L&D FEEL ABOUT THIS?
L&D professionals have become so averse
to having something that looks and feels
the “same” as what was done previously,
anything other than a technology-driven
solution is considered “traditional”
(such a dreaded term for any creative
professional to hear!). Many have
expressed concerns that if learning
organizations don’t embrace technology
and find newer ways to deploy and
distribute content, they will be left
behind and become irrelevant.
But how does L&D analyze learning
needs and the performance outcomes
for a particular role and stay on top of the
various learning experience platforms
or cloud-based content development
tools at the same time? How does L&D
ensure that outcomes drive the learning
experience, not the tools themselves?
And nobody's even talking about the
sustainment of any of the content that is
developed within these tools/platforms,
and the financial impact of organizations
if they choose to part ways.
When technology dictates the learning
experience, what often results is an
asset that can quickly become out of
date (with a high cost to update). Or
worse, the asset fails to help people do
their job. While the number of "likes"
or "views" may seem like an immediate
success, learning organizations must
stop focusing all efforts on the bright,
| 34
shiny objects and start realigning their
gaze with an outcomes approach to help
people perform their job and engage in
their career.
SO, HOW CAN WE
TURN IT AROUND?
How can learning professionals prevent
getting distracted by all that is shiny
and focus on the outcome of what
the business needs to achieve? How
can technology enhance (rather than
dictate) the learning experience? How
CONTENT MAINTENANCE
AND SUSTAINMENT IN A
LEARNING 3.0 WORLD:
AN OPERATIONAL EXAMPLE
A company went “all-in” on an e-book
platform that offers rich performance
support. If content changes, it’s updated,
published, and voila – the learner is
accessing current information via the
same link. Add in self-assessments,
embed videos and forgo the costs of
developers. But, what hapvpens when
the company no longer wants to pay
the yearly subscription fees? They can’t
click “Save As” and get a document
that replicates the same experience.
They can’t print, which was a benefit
originally. Before investing in any
learning platform solution, consider
the long-term impact. Some questions
to ask:
• Does the cost of the platform
proportionally reduce the cost of
resources to build the content using
“more traditional” technologies?
• Is there an alternative, cost-effective
platform that can be used?
• Do the benefits of on-demand
performance support that’s
accessible on any device outweigh
the fact that the content lives in the
cloud on a platform you don’t own?
• Does the cost have to be owned
by you? Can you work with other
functions who see the value and
share the cost?
can learning professionals balance the
need for innovation and creativity and
still ensure learners can do their job
well? By focusing on outcomes, and
then allowing those outcomes to drive
the solution.
Often, learning professionals join
the conversation when a business
partners says, “I need training.” And, if
technology is involved, it might sound
like, “I need training and an infographic
or video would be cool.” But one might
be thinking, “The performance issue is
sluggish sales on the newest product.
Will a video really solve those issues?”
This brings us to the five ways to control
the conversation around technology to
focus on outcomes.
STEP IF YOU SEE SOMETHING,
ONE SAY SOMETHING.
If you’re put into a situation in which
the learning solution is dictated to
you, call it out. In the case above, it
would be easy to execute and create an
infographic that’s visually appealing on
the sales process. Be bold and take the
conversation a step further. Here are
some conversation starters.
• An infographic could be a great
way to show the sales process,
but I’m wondering what our top
sellers are doing. Are they doing
something else to drive sales? How
can we add an application element
so that salespeople are learning AND
applying what top performers are
doing in their own work?

YOU CAN’T RECOMMEND
WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW.
• A video could be a great way to
introduce the product, but producing
one could be expensive and using it
to train on skills may not be the way
path forward. Could we use video
to call out specific behaviors on the
job or capture testimonials, and then
craft a learning experience in which
they can apply those behaviors?
DETERMINE IF IT’S A REAL
STEP GAP IN KNOWLEDGE,
TWO SKILLS AND ABILITIES, OR
SOMETHING ELSE.
If you can guide the conversation around
tasks and outcomes, then allow the
tasks and outcomes to do the talking.
For example, let’s say during analysis
you found that top performers who
were selling the newest product could
confidently use competitive intelligence
and proactively position the newest
product against the competition,
whereas average and low performers
were unable to defend against the
competition. That’s a gap.
If during analysis, the issue is something
else (e.g., product overload, low
motivation/incentive for selling,
ineffective systems/tools, etc.), then
training is not to blame. And regardless
of the technology used to deliver it, the
business issue will persist.
STEP ENGAGE WITH THE
THREE TECHNOLOGY.
You can’t recommend what you don’t
know. Go to trade shows and experience
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
these new learning technologies first
hand. Many of these platforms have a
free personal use account – download
it and figure it out. Once you do, the
benefits and drawbacks of many of these
platforms become rather evident.
STEP KNOW WHAT’S
FOUR AVAILABLE TO YOU.
Even if you learn about these
technologies, the cost or effort may
be prohibitive, especially in larger
organizations. Regardless, allow the
original gap and outcome to drive the
technology innovation options that may
be available to you.
Are there apps that individuals can
use to record videos of themselves
roleplaying their positioning statement,
and then send out for others to rate
and evaluate? Yes. But what if your
organization isn’t willing to invest?
Can you find an alternate way to
create a similar experience? The lack of
investment doesn’t impede the ability
to create an experience in which a
learner takes a video of himself using
a smartphone or tablet practicing a
positioning statement and sending it
out for others to review.
PROVIDE OPTIONS
STEP THAT ADDRESS THE
FIVE TASK THAT PRODUCES
THE OUTCOME.
Offer your business partners options.
You might be surprised they are willing
to pilot a new technology if you are
5 WAYS TO CONTROL
THE CONVERSATION AROUND
OUTCOMES (NOT DELIVERY)
If you see something,
1 say something.
Determine if it’s a REAL gap in
2 knowledge, skills and abilities,
or something else.
3 Engage with the technology.
4 Know what’s available to you.
Provide options – all options
5 should address the task that
produces the outcome.
able to articulate the costs, real and
perceived, and the work involved
to deploy it. At minimum, if your
business partners aren’t ready to
commit, you already have an alternate
plan that is creative!
SUMMARY
These five steps won’t prevent your
business partners or peers from
wanting to chase their inner-squirrel
and jump on the latest and greatest
technology bandwagon to drive
their decision-making. But applying
these steps can propel you to trusted
advisor status with them because
you remain focused on improving
performance outcomes. It’s exhilarating
when learning organizations can use
technology to enable people to do
their jobs and drive business results.
But there’s always more than one way.
Sometimes, a quirky QR code can get
the job done too (even though I’d much
rather use AR).
And wait ... is that a new app I saw on
how to deliver training...
Britney Cole is a learning strategist with
GP Strategies. Britney provides thought
leadership on the concept of Learning
3.0, learning architecture, leadership and
professional development, and experiential
learning via technology. Email Britney.
| 35
CONSCIOUS
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
FIGURE 1
LEARNING AS A REACTION TO
BUSINESS NEEDS
OUTPUT
Learning inputs in the form of
workshops, e-learning, executive
coaching, etc.
OUTCOME
Competency enhancement
of learners
IMPACT
Higher knowledge and
skill levels of individuals
Higher human capital readiness
index, in certain cases
| 36
Learning as a human need has always been natural and stemmed out of curiosity.
In an organizational context, it has often evolved as a reaction to business needs
with business being at the center of learning (Figure 1).
This has had its own benefits and, in
many ways, served the needs of the
time. But going forward, it is important
to stay aware of the mechanics of this
approach to learning:
• The modality of learning is usually
learner-centric, which means that
the target audience of learning is
the individual learner.
• Learning and development (L&D),
in such cases, is usually perceived
as a department or vertical with
certain deliverables, and learning is
consequently a process that learners
have to go through.
• From the learner’s perspective, the
organization may be considered a
demanding entity that aids in the
process of learning, but also expects
behavioral change (in both hard and
soft skills), which the learner may or
may not concur with, depending upon
the level of engagement.
IMPACT OF LEARNING AS A PROCESS
While the intention of learning
departments in organizations is
commendable and useful, approaching
learning as a process tends to leave
loopholes in the system, which may
make employees feel disengaged.
BY RUKMINI IYER
Let us explore the general status of
stakeholders in such a scenario:
• The organization usually acts as the
custodian and owner of knowledge
assets, and manages data relevant
to the business. The learner receives
and processes parts of these assets
in the form of training interventions,
certification programs, etc.
• The organization certainly benefits
from heightened competencies
of employees and it is likely to
result in the desired level of
business performance, should
market conditions be conducive.
The employee, on the other hand,
is helped to raise his/her skill and
capability levels through formal
or informal coaching and
mentoring processes.
• It is the responsibility of the
organization to maintain a
motivational environment
through engagement measures
and open communication. If this
is facilitated, the employees may
be open to receiving counselling
and feedback when required.
THE LOOPHOLES
The intent in this process may be right;
however, the impact as observed in
many organizations around the world is
not always encouraging. Here are some
of the loopholes that may occur due to
this approach.
Environment not
conducive to performance.
Sometimes, organizations are quick to
send learners into a learning intervention
without checking if the environment is
conducive to performance. For example,
if an employee has been trained in a
certain soft skill, such as assertiveness,
and has to go back to a supervisor who
expects him/her to not question back,
the learner feels let down. The perception
then is that the organization demands
something from the learner without
giving him/her a fair opportunity to
utilize the skill or knowledge.
Wrong intervention utilized.
At times, a wrong kind of intervention
is utilized for learning simply because it
is cost or process efficient. For example,
a low-performing sales person may be
sent to revisit a sales training course,
when he/she may already have the
ORGANIZATIONS
MUST STRIVE TO
EVOLVE LEARNING
AS A CULTURE, AND
THEN AS A PROCESS.
knowledge in place. What the person
may need instead could be allocation
of a mentor or a buddy who could help
to convert the existing knowledge into
performance through practical tips and
encouragement. If such instances are
repeated, learning is perceived as an
enforced activity conducted simply to
justify the existence of a department.
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
Lack of alignment.
Sometimes, engagement and rewards
mechanisms in organizations are
designed to fulfill a macro target, but
the reality at the micro-level may not
be aligned. Individuals may not feel the
need to perform or utilize their learning
productively perhaps because of a
specific relationship issue within their
teams, or even in their personal lives.
However, the learning system does not
have a way to address this.
These are general issues encountered
around the globe that impact
effectiveness of learning initiatives.
While some organizations do better
than others, the approach does not
lend itself to having an equal
conversation between an organization
and its employees.
THE CASE FOR
ORGANIZATIONAL VULNERABILITY
The times call for a change of tone in
the conversation. Learners need not
learn “for” the organization – that is, the
organization need not demand learning
simply for the sake of enhancing
performance while the system claims to
be conducive and facilitative.
Instead, the organization needs to
adopt a stance of vulnerability and
stating that the system needs to
learn through the individuals, so as to
facilitate collective growth. This opens
up the possibility of evolving learning
as a culture, and then as a process.
CONSCIOUS
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING
The conscious learning process is
an alternative approach that can
help organizations move toward a
vulnerable stance that can enhance
engagement (Figure 2).
This process begins with defining the
intent of learning in an organization: that
of optimal utilization and enhancement
of capability and capacity of both
employees and the whole system. While
FIGURE 2
LEARNING AS A
CONSCIOUS CULTURE
IMPACT
Active dissemination and
appreciation of knowledge
and skill assets
OUTCOME
Creation of a
learning organization
OUTPUT
Learning through engagement
Leadership through coaching
this takes care of the business objectives
and the mission of the organization,
against which the capacity is anchored, it
also facilitates the creation of a learning
culture. When we integrate this further
into rituals, engagement becomes the
facilitator of learning, and coaching
and mentoring may well be styles of
leadership in the system.
Here is why it is important to adopt a
conscious learning approach when we
are now working actively with disruptive
technology and millennials:
• The modality is learning-centric,
not learner-centric. This ensures
that individuals do not feel unfairly
targeted for learning even as the
environment around them may
not be perfect.
• Learning is perceived as a cultural
stance rather than as a process. There
is more depth and buy-in because the
system visibly learns simultaneously
with the learner.
| 37
• The organization now becomes a
vulnerable organism showcasing
that it values its people, because it
learns only through its employees.
STEWARDING CONSCIOUS LEARNING
For conscious learning to happen in an
organization, it is imperative to have
a perceptual shift of the roles of L&D
teams, including external vendors.
Figure 3 shows the evolution of L&D’s
role in organizations.
From being a department that was
approached only when a training
program had to be organized, L&D
evolved to integrate forward and
backward, and proactively take up other
allied services including organizational
diagnostics, content design and
delivery, effectiveness evaluation and
on-the-job integration of learning.
What a lot of learning teams seem to be
aspiring for now is to be a true business
partner: understand the mission, vision,
values and business objectives, and
track competency development in a
manner that results in achievement of
the objectives, even as motivation and
morale is kept up.
Conscious organizational learning calls
for a step forward. It requires the learning
team to adopt the notion of stewardship
and redefine engagement. Once the
impact of learning is articulated, they
need to execute systems and processes
that capture and disseminate learning
happening organically in the system,
through means such as an internal wiki
(crowdsourcing learning experiences
– technical and behavioral), facilitated
FIGURE 3
Learning resource
provider
| 38
CONSCIOUS LEARNING
REQUIRES L&D TO
ADOPT THE NOTION
OF STEWARDSHIP
AND REDEFINE
ENGAGEMENT.
through regular documentation and
other data capturing processes in the
regular course of work.
Leaders in such a system need to double
up as coaches and mentors when
needed – in fact, coaching may well be
the preferred style of leadership. At the
core of coaching is the belief that the
client (employee) knows the answers; it is
simply about asking the right questions
and holding a neutral space in a manner
that the answers emerge and are utilized
productively. The mentoring role of the
leader can help in aligning the answers
with the larger business cause.
FACILITATING CONSCIOUS LEARNING
Here are some competencies that
emerge as critical for L&D professionals if
they have to steward conscious learning.
Influencing skills
They need to engage with top
management to redefine their perception
Learning service Business partnership
manager through learning
and deliverables and get employees
to respond to engagement as a
learning mechanism.
Organizational engagement
While engagement is sometimes
equated to fun-at-work and low
attrition, it is powerful enough to be the
central learning enabler. If it becomes
the key deliverable of L&D, then design
and deployment of creative, organic
engagement practices may be the
order of the day.
Coaching culture creators
The tone of conversation in a system
can change with the principles of
coaching. This demands that coaching is
adopted not only just as a competency,
but as a value, by the entire system. At
the base of this is the belief that the
learner is capable of finding answers, if
he/she is asked the right questions.
Some companies already may be on
the path to create conscious learning
systems. We could look forward
to organizations speaking a more
compassionate language in the coming
years, even as they continually evolve
and adapt through learning.
Rukmini Iyer is a leadership facilitator, coach
and an organizational transformation
consultant at Exult! Solutions, based in
Mumbai, India. Conscious capitalism and
integral leadership (balancing the feminine
and masculine) are at the center of her
work. Email Rukmini.
Stewards holding space
for learning through
engagement
You know what
great training looks like.

Unfortunately, most corporate

training isn’t that great.

We can help.
Visit www.niit.com/greatlearning.
| 40
 MARKETERS ARE PROFICIENT IN USING A
CONTENT ENGAGEMENT CYCLE – A PRACTICE
IN WHICH THEY DECIDE WHEN TO ENGAGE
WITH WHO AND WITH WHAT KIND OF CONTENT
DURING THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY. THEY PLAN
MONTHS AND EVEN QUARTERS AHEAD IN ORDER
TO CREATE A CONTENT STRATEGY THAT ALIGNS
WITH BUSINESS GOALS AND ENGAGES THEIR
AUDIENCE PRE- AND POST-SALE.

L&D professionals, on the other hand,

often only think about one single
training program instead of looking
at the entire learner journey and
experience. Mapping out the learner
lifecycle and assigning content that
engages them along the way does not
only help create unforgettable learning
experiences, but also helps with the
transfer of knowledge after a training
session ends.

It’s time for L&D professionals to take a

IT’S TIME FOR page out of marketing’s playbook and
L&D TO TAKE look at how to create engaging and
A PAGE OUT OF thought-provoking content, how to plan
MARKETING’S content for the next quarters or even
year, and how this strategy helps drive
PLAYBOOK AND performance. Digital education success,
LOOK AT HOW A a concept that combines marketing and
CONTENT STRATEGY customer success best practices with L&D
principles, allows every L&D professional
CAN HELP DRIVE to create learning experiences that stick,
PERFORMANCE. are measurable and make a difference in
a learner’s journey.

WHAT IS A CONTENT STRATEGY?

According to Kristina Halvorson, CEO
and founder of Brain Traffic, content
strategy is the “creation, publication,
and governance of useful, usable
content.” It looks at content as a business
asset. “Content” includes written
content, images and multimedia.
Ultimately, having a strategy in place
helps create meaningful, engaging
and sustainable content, and allows to
identify the right content at the right
time for the right audience. It is easy to
determine what content already exists,

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| 41
what content should be created and,
more importantly, why it should be
created. Putting measurements in place
allows to see which content is in high
demand, and which content has barely
been touched.

FIRST STEP TOWARD A CONTENT STRATEGY

The basis for a content strategy could be a
simple shared document that your team
can work on collaboratively. Creating
the right format, however, takes time
and requires research from your end. A
great starting point is Brain Traffic’s
Content Strategy Quad, describing
the people and content-oriented
components L&D professionals should
keep in mind when creating content. At
the center is the core content strategy,
the central idea for using content to
achieve an organization’s business
goals or, in this case, L&D’s goals. There
are four components to achieve that
strategy effectively:
Content-focused components
• Substance
What kind of content do we need (e.g.,
topics, types, sources, voice and tone)?
Substance fulfills business objectives by
meeting the audience’s needs.
• Structure
How is content prioritized, organized,
formatted and displayed? Structure
makes content findable and usable.
People-focused components
• Workflow
What processes, tools and human
resources are required for content
initiatives? Workflow creates efficiencies
across content properties.
• Governance
How are key decisions about content
and content strategy made (i.e., policies,
standards, guidelines)? Governance
empowers, facilitates and aligns.
At first glance, these categories seem
rather marketing heavy. However, L&D
professionals do need to think about
substance, structure, workflow and
governance. For example, a content
strategy could align training initiatives
with quarterly product releases (topic),
whereas one part of this initiative is
an internal excitement strategy
(structure) run by the marketing
department (workflow), and another
part is the actual face-to-face training
session accompanied with hands-on
exercises and role-plays. The content
itself is provided by product managers
and being maintained by the HR
department (governance).
IMPLEMENTING A CONTENT STRATEGY
Many L&D professionals create learning
based on the ADDIE model – an
outdated way of approaching content
when considering marketing to give
your training a boost. Nevertheless,
ADVANCE YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY
ADDIE is already giving L&D professionals
some great basics when it comes to a
content lifecycle strategy. By adding some
additional steps such as topical ownership,
voice, branding and a maintenance plan,
everyone can be a great content creator.
Start advancing the content strategy
planning and think beyond repurposing
content. Curata suggests that 65 percent
of content should be created from
it is a great starting point and, in
combination with the seven steps
of creating a content strategy, the
solution that digital education success
is aiming for.
1. ANALYSIS
Identify learning content requirements.
Explore if training is needed (sometimes
a communication will do) and, if it is,
what content will help fill the gap. For
example, after successful completion of
onboarding, the staff still don’t perform
as expected. Analyzing the reasoning
behind this by interviewing stakeholders,
gathering historic documentation and
evaluating the content environment
(i.e., where and how the content is being
consumed), will lay the foundation for a
content strategy.
scratch, 25 percent should be curated and
10 percent syndicated.
Keep in mind who contributes to each step
and how those different contributors come
together to define the final product. There is
value in including multiple perspectives on
deliverables by inviting other departments
and specialists to the team. In the end,
L&D professionals don’t create content for
themselves, but for learners.

| 42

2. STRATEGY
Develop a content strategy. Following
ADDIE, L&D professionals would dive into
the design of a course. When it comes to
the content lifecycle, an additional step
should be added, namely determining
topical ownership areas and processes
for content creation. For example, who
writes content for staff onboarding vs.
content for process updates? To achieve
this, it is best to include a sourcing plan
and, most importantly, determine a
voice and branding for each topic.
3. PLAN
Develop the content plan. After
strategizing, you will either realize that
you have everything you need or that
some sources are missing. For example,
you might want to recommend staffing
solutions to help write content or bring
in a specialist to do so. Most important
of all, create a communication plan that
includes responsibilities and timelines
for everyone, as well as content
or learning management system
distribution and customization. Use any
of the free online project management
tools to help plan this stage and work
collaboratively with your team.
4. CREATE
Create structured and engaging content
that is reusable. For example, content
for process updates will most likely find
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its way to the onboarding program. If
marketing created an e-book for clients,
leverage this and create engaging
webinars for your staff. Collaborate
with coworkers who are responsible for
writing such content.
5. DELIVER
Deliver the right content at the
right time and place. For example,
not everyone needs to attend the
latest product update training if they
are already aware of the content and
using this knowledge successfully
every day. For those learners who need
training, identify if they will access it
online, on their desktops or tablets, or
prefer face-to-face sessions. Leverage
historical data, Google Analytics, your
learning platform or your intranet’s
metrics to identify how and when
content is being accessed.
6. MEASURE
Measure training success. Both ADDIE
and a content strategy measure
(content) success. For example, is staff
able to talk about the newest product
update and decrease call duration times
based on the right content delivered at
the right time? The best way to create
successful measures is to align them
to your business objectives and ensure
that they are realistic and attainable.
If the training doesn’t hit the mark,
the content wasn’t on par and needs to
be revisited.
7. MAINTAIN
Keep content fresh and up to date.
Maintenance is a step hidden in the
evaluation stage of the ADDIE model
and often overlooked. Manage content
in a definitive source, plan for periodic
audits, continuously improve high-
value learning content, and set regular
intervals for maintenance.
THE MODERN LEARNER
Modern learners want information
right at their fingertips when the need
arises, and they want to apply it in that
moment of need. A thorough content
strategy will help identify exactly
what content is needed to drive an
individual’s performance.
Put measurements in place, such as
video views or click-through rates, and
leverage your learning platform’s metrics
to be able to see which content is in high
demand, and which content has barely
been touched. Don’t be afraid of deleting
content you don’t need anymore, but
recycle wherever you can. Leverage
digital education success to become an
excellent L&D content creator and keep
the learner’s journey in mind at all times.
This will allow you to create learning
experiences that stick.
Bianca Baumann, CTDP, focuses on
digital education success, combining L&D,
marketing and customer success to create
outstanding learning experiences that stick.
She shares her expertise in her blog and at
conferences. Email Bianca.
3 Easy Steps to Get Started
Step 1: Create a content task force
Most organizations have an abundance
of content with no central repository or
one person responsible for maintaining
it. Get all stakeholders together,
including instructional designers,
facilitators, copywriters and someone
from marketing.
Step 2: Summarize what already exists
Create a content strategy template.
This can be a very simple Google sheet
outlining, for example, content titles,
descriptions, delivery channel, production
timelines, measurements, responsibilities,
tags and maintenance cycle. List existing
content and content being used on a
regular basis.
Step 3: Repurpose content
The last step is to look at content that
can be reused for the next two quarters.
Think about upcoming training initiatives,
look at existing content and mark
reusable pieces. This will help identify
current gaps and show what additional
content is needed to drive performance.
| 43
CASEBOOK
SLASH YOUR
TRAINING TIME
BY WISE SELECTION
BY DIANE EDWARDS
Making sure you have the right people
to train may seem like a blindingly
obvious statement. Yet it is not unusual
to find a disconnect between the
way that recruitment is done and the
learning function. All too often learning
professionals are tasked with training
or developing people who are not in
the right job. The Ports of Auckland
recognized this issue and chose to tackle
this head on; this is their story.
Ports of Auckland is New Zealand’s
largest major port, and through its
network of freight hubs, it facilitates the
supply chain throughout New Zealand.
The Ports undertook a major strategic
review of their training practices, but
not by following traditional assessment
and evaluation practices. In doing so,
they dramatically slashed the training
hours needed to build competent crane
drivers and in the process shaved almost
half a million dollars off the overall cost
of training in the first six months. Three
years in, it is estimated savings could
have been as high as $3 million.
TRAINING COST & EFFICIENCY REVIEW
One of the most expensive training
activities is the training of portainer
crane operators. Portainer cranes are
specifically designed to load containers
| 44
onto ships. Training a new crane operator
is incredibly expensive and takes up
valuable time of the trainer and trainee;
every hour of on-the-job training
means that a working crane is operating
well below its capacity. This learning
continues for a period after training,
significantly impacting both profitability
and profit. Four years ago, based on
these factors, the cost of training was on
average approximately $526 per hour.
As part of the efficiency review, it was
noticed that the time it took to train
crane operators varied considerably.
Some could train to full competency in
210 hours of training, others might take
as much as 352 hours or more. This is
equated to a cost difference of more
than $70,000 between the shortest and
the longest training time. And so, a Lean
Six Sigma Project was born, with the goal
to “reduce variation in the hours taken
to train crane operators to operational
status, to reduce training cost and
improve resource utilisation without
impacting quality.”
LEAN SIX SIGMA PROJECT
Lean Six Sigma is an efficiency
methodology designed to eliminate
waste and reduce variability using data
to identify root causes and collaboration

to design effective solutions. This
methodology was chosen to focus on
the variability in the training times.
The analysis of data was substantial.
A project team of trainers, crane
specialists and Six Sigma trained
business managers examined a range
of variables including the type of ships
being serviced during training; the
weather; the age and make of the crane;
the instructor; the frequency of training
sessions; and the time of day. Yet, despite
substantial statistical analysis, none of
these variables, nor the combination of
variables, showed a correlation that was
statistically significant.
So, the team changed tactics and started
interviewing the trainers about their
experiences with trainees. Suddenly,
an interesting factor took center stage.
Every trainer said that they could predict
reasonably accurately when a new
trainee started, whether they would
take a longer or a shorter time to train.
So, the project team focussed on trying
to identify what factors they were using
for their hypothesis.
At first the trainers found it difficult
to articulate how they made these
predictions. The variables used were
processed subconsciously. But with
careful questioning, the critical factors
slowly began to emerge. These were
tested and found to have a significant
correlation to training times. Two in
particular seemed to account for the
majority of the training time differential.
The first variable was the ability to
judge, on first attempt, how high off
the ground a container was. The second
was the ability to stop a container from
swinging excessively when moved out
over a ship.
These two variables were then defined
as specific skills and an “aptitude”
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test was devised to test for them. The
trainees would be given a specific task
to do and measures were put in place to
assess performance against a set of pre-
determined criteria.
For example, to test depth perception,
a potential trainee was asked to lower
a container as close to the ground as
possible without actually touching
the ground. This was repeated several
times. Trainees were not expected
to be perfect; achieving this needs
practice. But if they met the threshold
of lowering the container to no more
than 10 centimeters above the ground
without hitting the ground, they passed
the first test. To put this into perspective,
trainees were sitting 48 meters above
the ground in a crane cab with a glass
bottom. A good head for heights was
therefore also tested!
To test for swing control, the instructor
deliberately set up the container under
the crane to oscillate, as might happen
when a container is lifted over a ship.
An experienced crane operator can
land the container on the ship on the
first swing. Trainees were asked to
successfully stop the container from
swinging within three swings. If they
could do this, then they passed the
second test. If they passed both tests,
then they were cleared for training.
A pilot was run with two groups from the
next recruitment round. Half of those
recruited were given the aptitude test
and the other half were not. Everything
else in the recruitment process was the
same, but it did not take long to see the
difference in training performance.
OUTCOMES
Before the Lean Six Sigma Project
initiative, the average crane training
hours per trainee was 250.4 hours
THE SEARCH
FOR EFFICIENCY
IN TRAINING
IS NOT OVER.
equating to a cost of $131,368 per
person. During the first intake using
aptitude testing, the average crane
training hours per trainee reduced to
187.3 hours, lowering the cost to $94,219
per person. Following a few revisions to
refine the testing, and during the second
intake, the training time reduced again
to an average of 120.5 hours, costing
$70,941 per person.
After the first intake, total savings
across the trainee group that passed
the aptitude test was $185,745. This was
not even closely matched by the control
group. After the second intake (where all
trainees had passed the aptitude test),
a further saving of $302,000 was made,
making the total amount of savings
$487,745. Over the first year this trend
continued with estimated savings of
over $1 million, which means as much as
$3 million may have been saved over the
following three years.
The search for efficiency in training is
not over. Ports of Auckland have further
cut the cost of training using a crane
simulator. Crane operators are trained
initially by an instructor on the simulator,
reducing the need to use a crane in
an operational environment when
the trainee is at their least productive.
Virtual reality is also being explored to
see if it can further accelerate training.
The lesson is for trainers to be more
proactive in working alongside HR and
for managers to develop a recruitment
process where aptitude is considered.
A person does not need to arrive with
all the requisite skills, but consideration
must be given to whether those skills
can be easily acquired.
Diane Edwards is the general manager
people systems and technology at Ports of
Auckland, New Zealand. Email Diane.
| 45
G L O B A L
OUTLOOK
GOING GLOBAL
CREATING A GLOBAL MINDSET AT WORK
All organizations, regardless of the
country where they are headquartered,
are struggling with the development
and movement of talent to deal with
the globally dispersed and culturally
diverse workplace and marketplace. To
a large degree, the success or failure of
global business lies in the hands of the
training department.
Based on over 34 years of working with
over 300 Fortune Global 500 companies,
only a handful have a coordinated and
strategic training approach to going
global. This has resulted in billions
of dollars in lost revenue due to
CULTURAL culture clashes, inappropriate product
INTELLIGENCE development, inefficient global teams
TAKES OVER and humiliating public relations. With
headlines such as: “Home Depot Pulls
WHERE Out of China”; “Wal-Mart Leaves Korea”;
EMOTIONAL “Lockheed Martin Loses Out on Contract
in India”; ‘Puma Sneakers Offensive in
INTELLIGENCE Multiple Markets,” one would think that
LEAVES OFF. organizations would grasp the necessity
of understanding the buying habits,
cultural customs and negotiation styles
necessary for success in the global
marketplace. Yet, these headlines
will continue until organizations take
seriously the need for global mindset
and cultural intelligence (CQ) training
across their organizations.
Harvard Business Review reports that
CQ is the most important competence
for successful global business. HBR
reports that CQ takes over where
emotional intelligence (EQ) leaves off.
| 46
BY NEAL GOODMAN, PH.D.
The Economist reports that 70 percent
of international JV’s and acquisitions
fail due to cross-cultural differences.
There are many ways to create a
global mindset. While there are
integrated approaches, here are a few
successful strategies used by Fortune
Global 500 corporations.
1 | GLOBAL MINDSET TRAINING 101
Everyone in today’s organizations
needs a core understanding of how
to work effectively with associates,
clients and suppliers from various
cultural backgrounds. A core course to
meet this requirement should cover
cultural awareness of self and others,
ethnocentrism, the consequences of
cultural assumptions, ways to promote
effective working relations, reward and
recognition, vacation policies, styles
of doing business globally, cultural
differences in communication styles,
the impact of virtual communications
on intercultural understanding, an
overview for each major region, and a
review of available resources for more
in-depth information. Such a course
is part of the leadership curriculum
of many organizations and the core
competencies for promotion are
directly linked to the program’s learning
objectives. Participants can become
global mindset leaders who take the
initiative to bridge cross-cultural
misunderstandings. By the very nature
of the topic, these programs should
be in-person and highly interactive for
maximum benefit. When AT&T learned
that it was going to go global, it put over
125,000 employees through a program
called Working Globally.
2 | GLOBAL TEAM TRAINING
Global teams need to go through a
cross-cultural, team-building program
in the formative stages of the team’s
development to avoid misunderstandings
and establish trust. It is critical that
team members explore the cultural
nuances that often undermine global
team effectiveness. This includes team
members’ mutual perceptions, setting
global standards for roles, responsibility
and accountability, leadership and
management styles, discussion of virtual
and face-to-face communication styles,
and the development of a communication
plan. Other relevant topics to be covered
should include the cultural tendencies
of all relevant countries and how these
impact trust and teamwork. In one recent
training program, a team member from
China became very emotional as they
explained why they felt their American
team members did not trust their Chinese
associates. Additionally, since many global
teams communicate virtually, a separate
program on virtual communications
and leadership skill is used in many
organizations to promote teamwork.
3 | COUNTRY OR REGION SPECIFIC TRAINING
Employees working with specific
countries need in-depth, cross-cultural
training on the nuances of these cultures,
including communication styles;
approaches to risk-taking; negotiation
style; ways to promote effective
working relations with representatives
of the country; contrasting styles of
doing business between each relevant
country; an in-depth regional and
historical overview of the country and
its relationship to its neighbors; and an
as-needed review of available resources
and other functional topics such as
labor unions, quality/standards, work
habits, intellectual property, holidays,
etc. Far too many companies repeatedly
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
make the same mistake of not bringing
together people working with a specific
country into the same training program,
where they can learn together and share
their common challenges, cases and best
practices. In one program with China,
several business units were able to
create a cohesive approach to their sales
and marketing strategy based on their
new understanding of Chinese values,
customer habits and use of media.
4 | IMPLEMENTING
A GLOBAL LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM
All training and development
departments, by now, should have
a global leadership curriculum. In
addition to other skills, global leaders
need to be able to create personal
and organizational action plans for
effective intercultural leadership in the
multicultural/global/virtual workplace.
This includes not only an understanding
of globalization, diversity and cross-
cultural differences, but also an
intuitive grasp of the areas in which
misunderstandings are likely to occur,
so they can proactively forecast and
develop appropriate strategies in
advance. Many organizations make the
mistake of sending their current or future
leaders to a university-based program,
which prevents the opportunity for
leaders to address specific issues facing
their organization. Many organizations
we work with have created their own
curriculum – J&J created its own global
leadership development program,
which proved very successful.
5 | HIGH-POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Once a global cohort of future leaders
is identified, they meet over a period
of 1-2 years, receiving customized
training and working on global project
teams. Oftentimes, these projects are
sponsored by senior leadership. To be
effective, we have found that these
programs need to begin with an in-
person retreat with a strong cross-
cultural training component. PwC is
among the leaders in this area with their
Genesis program, and BD has an Early
Career Experience, which has improved
its pipeline of global leaders.
6 | SHORT- AND LONG-TERM
INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
All employees selected for an
international assignment will need
in-depth, cross-cultural training on
working and living in their respective
host countries. Family members or
partners who are joining the assignee
also need cultural training since they
often have the hardest adjustment. The
assignee needs to learn the cultural
nuances of their host country, ways to
promote effective relations, an in-depth
understanding of the country and region,
an understanding of how to balance
local vs. headquarters’ requirements,
strategies for dealing with culture
shock, and other functional topics as
needed. It is strongly recommended
that an executive coach with expertise in
global/cross-cultural business support
the assignee to make the most of the
experience. BMS, a biopharmaceutical
company, created a unique program to
develop leaders from emerging markets
through an international assignment
program. These programs are led
strategically by L&D, HR and talent.
7 | CREATION OF GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE
MANAGEMENT TRAINING DATABASE
To protect and leverage the investment
of learning, training departments should
capture and retain, in a central database,
all the information obtained through
every training program that has a global
and cross-cultural component. The
deployment of this information across
all groups within the corporation is
essential and will demonstrate the value
that the training department brings to
global operations.
Dr. Neal Goodman is the president of Global
Dynamics, Inc., the leading provider of
global mindset and cross-cultural training
services. Email Neal.
| 47
MEASURING
I M P A C T
BIG DATA VS. TRADITIONAL APPROACHES
TO MEASURING THE BUSINESS IMPACT OF LEARNING
BY PETER DOBINSON
The impacts of big data analysis can be
seen all around us. If you’ve ever bought
a product that Amazon’s recommended
for you, or found Google predicting the
exact term you were about to search for,
that’s it in action. So, what makes a big
data approach to learning measurement
so different from the old models, and why
should you use it to measure your learning?
BIG DATA VS. TRADITIONAL
APPROACHES
In a basic sense, measuring learning
using a big data approach isn’t too
dissimilar from utilizing approaches like
the long-established Kirkpatrick, Phillips
or Kaufman’s models. When using these
approaches, you start by generating a
hypothesis that a change you are going
to make to your workforce’s learning will
affect your organization’s performance.
You then measure a baseline, make the
change and measure again to see how
your baseline data has changed.
The difference with the big data approach
is that you start by harvesting and storing
data and then look for patterns, often
without a specific question in mind;
although, you should be aware of the
broad drivers for measuring, such as a
desire to monitor and improve aspects
of a course, or to better understand
impact. Then you look deeper into those
patterns and analyze the data, looking
for correlations which may prompt
unexpected insights or results, which you
can communicate or use to optimize and
improve your learning.
| 48
You can utilize big data analysis in a
much more in-depth way than traditional
methods. Traditional approaches can only
look at the impact of your learning on
one or two real-world metrics, whereas
big data analytics allow you to look for
the unexpected impacts of your learning.
You could, for example, measure if your
learning intervention has affected both
your sales figures and your NPS scores,
but also if call center staff are using more
positive language or providing better
descriptions of products. You can then
link these to improved performance and
business impact.
GETTING STARTED
WITH BIG DATA ANALYTICS
To start, you need some form of data
analysis tool. Big data analytics cannot
and should not be performed with
Excel. There are some excellent learning-
focused analytics tools out there. Find one
that allows you to import and utilize your
comparative data, rather than focusing
solely on the analysis of the learning data.
Once you have this tool in place, you
need to get access to your data and
get it into your tool. xAPI has given us a
wonderful tool for getting loads of data
out of our learning interventions, from
the standard tracking data like time spent
and completion score to more esoteric
data points like CPR dummy statistics,
and data mined from transcripts of one-
to-one sessions. True data analytics,
however, also need the comparative real-
world performance data (sales figures,
NPS scores, call satisfaction scores,
360-degree review data), which can be
harder to get.
Most organizations are beginning to
utilize this data for other analytics, so
it is often easier than you think to get
ahold of this and plumb it into your
analytics tool. Ideally, you’d collect
this comparative data as widely as
possible across your workforce for as
long as possible.
While a high-quality learning analytics
tool will give you an impressive amount
of well-structured analytics to get
started with, it’s critical to make sure
that these are set up correctly and you
are analyzing the results properly, as
data can easily be misinterpreted. To
ensure this is the case, I’d suggest you
get help (unless you're a statistics expert
already). Most organizations nowadays
have internal data analytics teams who
can help, and your analytics tool provider
should have experts to help you along.
In the right hands, you’ll be able to
correctly assess the validity of data,
as well as key elements such as
genuine signs of progress. In one case,
when the data analytics experts at
Watershed helped to create the VISA
University digital learning ecosystem,
they also helped the organization
to evaluate which key learning
moments contributed to exceptional
leadership development.
There are lots of reasons why any
conclusions need to be drawn carefully.
Bias, a lack of control studies and
variables like employees’ personal
learning are a few of the factors that can
affect the results of your training, or at
least make it more difficult to work out
what’s really going on.
USING DATA TO PREDICT BEHAVIORS
The level of analytics provided by
big data techniques are a lot more
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 17 I WWW. TRA I NI NGI ND US TRY . C OM/ MA GAZ I NE
detailed than what can be achieved
with traditional models. We are finding
that utilizing these approaches puts
us on the path of what are known as
predictive and prescriptive analytics.
This is the kind of information that helps
the likes of Amazon and Apple’s Siri to
be so pioneering and effective, and is
considered by many to be the holy grail
of analytics.
When your phone tells you how long
your journey to work will take, it uses
data on the distance between your
home and your office, as well as how
long the journey has previously taken
you. This is a fine example of predictive
technology, and it’s taken a step
further by prescriptive analytics, which
will increasingly allow machines to
automatically optimize what happens in
the future.
TRADITIONAL
APPROACHES ONLY
LOOK AT THE IMPACT
OF LEARNING ON
ONE OR TWO REAL-
WORLD METRICS.
Prescriptive data allows you to notice
that a person is showing the same
patterns of results that previous learners
in the organization have shown. By using
prescriptive analytical techniques on the
data, you can begin to predict a certain
set of results from people displaying
the same behaviors, like a computer
anticipating moves in a game of chess.
You might observe a particular series
of behaviors which have typically led
to employees leaving the company
six months later, or spot signs which
have previously led to people causing
a reportable event. Then, in the same
way Amazon might take data from a
user’s shopping habits, you can see
what interventions have stopped this
outcome in the past, and suggest (or
force!) the user complete these.
PUTTING DATA
ANALYSIS INTO PRACTICE
This is really useful for L&D departments
in terms of planning remedial action. A
machine might show that a person took
certain modules on a training course
to improve their knowledge and skills,
or learning managers could ask what,
empirically, stops certain unwanted
outcomes from happening. You can also
look at other valuable insights, such as
how a learner preferred to learn; if that
turns out to be video, for example, you
might serve more learning through
short films or animations.
The new methods of measuring learning
are much subtler and rewarding. For
AT&T, which provided focused learning
to 243,000 employees with the help
of training data, Watershed’s design
saved hundreds of thousands of hours
of employee and course production
time, increasing the time engaged with
learning by 25 percent.
Remember that you don’t need to
measure anything specific when you
set out. The data might initially look
unrelated because the patterns and
inferences offer an array of correlations
rather than more limited data from
a single experiment. Over time, this
data will go from useful to invaluable,
and you’ll be able to truly measure the
impact of training.
Peter Dobinson has had over 10 years’
experience in designing, building and
managing online products. At LEO, he is
responsible for some of the largest learning
architectures, working as both solutions
architect and technical lead. Email Peter.
| 49
Recycled & Reused
Repurposing Training Content for Digital Delivery.

Read the Report


TRANSFORMING FOR
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
Through our years of research on what
makes a great training organization,
we’ve identified eight core capabilities of
high-performing training organizations.
The first, and most important,
capability is strategic alignment – an
organization’s ability to design learning
solutions and processes that support
the business’ mission-critical objectives.
Our research found that most training
leaders understand the importance of
alignment. But, ironically, it also told us
that most training leaders struggle with
how to transform their organization into
one that is strategically aligned.
In some ways, strategic alignment seems
like a nebulous concept. But there are
very specific practices associated with
how to ensure that your organization’s
processes and solutions are aligned
to the needs of the business. These
activities are not about waiting until
after you’ve selected a course and later
trying to rationalize its usefulness and
value. All the practices of alignment are
proactive activities done prior to making
decisions about whether a course should
be offered, or more so, to determine if
training is even needed.
SUCCESS IS A
MOVING TARGET.
To implement these practices, some
training leaders recognize their
organization needs a transformation or
some type of change that transforms
them from traditional approaches of
training management to those that are
performance-oriented, competency-
based, and with processes that are
well-defined, measured and truly create
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
value. They are looking for a better way
to manage their function and recognize
their organization is going through the
motions of running courses but not
making a difference.
Transforming to an organization that is
strategically aligned means transforming
to one that focuses on the success of the
business, and the performance of those
that make the business successful. So,
here are a few ideas to consider prior to
beginning a transformation initiative.
Invest time in learning
the process of transformation.
Transformation is a change management
initiative. Change of this magnitude
requires a structured, methodical
approach. It is not an approach that you
learn as you go.
Change your focus to performance.
High-performing training organizations
are not course-oriented, they are
performance-oriented. Courses are a
vehicle for performance change, not the
reason your organization exists.
Create a vision of what your
organization should transform to.
This is often referred to as defining your
mission. I like to refer to it as defining
future state. Be very clear about what
you expect your organization to look
like, behave like, what it will deliver
and how it will measure success in the
future state.
Establish a baseline.
Before creating an implementation
plan, take a step back and assess
where you are. A common mistake of
training leaders is to begin creating
a plan of change without a clear
SECRETS OF SOURCING
DOUG HARWARD
understanding of their organization’s
current capabilities. Using a third party
to conduct an objective assessment
may help minimize bias and help you
focus on what your clients may see that
you may not.
Engage your constituents and partners.
The process of transformation is not your
initiative to manage alone – it requires
the collaborative efforts of your staff,
constituents and your partners. They all
have a vested stake in the success and
can contribute to the design, plan and
implementation process.
Optimize current resources.
Before a full-scale change, clean up the
easy wins that won’t require massive
effort. Evaluate your portfolio. Stop
doing things that don’t have value.
You may be surprised how much
improvement you can make quickly by
focusing on doing less.
Remember that change is
about incremental improvements.
Organizational transformation is not
a one-time effort. Change comes in
incremental steps: you implement
change, you assess and you implement
new changes. And when you think
you have arrived, it’s time to start over.
Everyone else is not standing still around
you; your company is changing while
you are changing, and technologies
are changing while you are changing.
Success is a moving target. So, think of
transformation as an ongoing cycle of
improvement.
Doug Harward is CEO of Training Industry,
Inc. and a former learning leader in the high-
tech industry. Email Doug.
| 51
ARE YOU BEING HEARD?

Ever feel like senior management isn’t really hearing you?

Start by speaking their language. Earn your Certified Professional in Training Management
(CPTM™) credential and build alignment between L&D and business goals.

Learn more at cptm.trainingindustry.com.


GOING THE DISTANCE:
SPEED
AND OTHER CONCERNS
Today’s workforce is on the move. Between
flexible hours, remote employees and
global teams, organizations need extra
bandwidth to go the distance and meet
the training needs of a dispersed workforce.
In fact, training all employees globally
in one cohesive way is cited as one of
the main objectives by learning and
development (L&D) professionals in
LinkedIn Learning’s 2017 Workplace
Learning Report. But, developing a
consistent training experience across
the organization proves challenging for
many L&D departments.
With so many moving pieces and
people, how can we develop an effective
training strategy that targets business
objectives and transforms the behavior
of learners in the face of constant
change? For starters, L&D must open the
lines of communication with business
executives – and the learners.
START TALKING TO BUSINESS EXECS
In many ways, L&D professionals act as
mediators between business executives
and the learners. Learning professionals
must understand the goals of the
business, design training solutions that
will deliver on those goals, and “sell”
learners on the value of this training.
To achieve all this, L&D must first sit down
with senior executives and stakeholders
and actively listen to the challenges,
vision and direction of the business. These
conversations will become the foundation
for the development of any and all training
programs. Training should begin with the
business in mind – and, when executed
effectively, should deliver results that
drive bottom-line value.
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TALK TO THE LEARNERS, TOO
Business executives are not the only ones
who are interested in hearing about the
value of training. Learners want to know
what’s in it for them, too. Learners need
to understand what training is available
to them, why it’s important to their job
role or function area, and how to access
the information.
It’s those details – like communicating
value, setting expectations and managing
performance – that need to be emphasized
to learners. Employees will appreciate
the transparency, especially the value-
seeking millennials who want to
understand how they influence and
impact organizational goals.
TRAINING SHOULD
BEGIN WITH THE
BUSINESS IN MIND.
Communicating with learners should
not wait until programs are ready to
be deployed. Getting learners invested
in training prior to deployment
will generate added buzz and help
employees understand what is expected
of them once the training is available.
THE SPEED OF CHANGE
The average shelf life of skills is less
than five years, according to LinkedIn
Learning’s study. That’s not very long
when you consider the amount of time it
takes to plan, design and develop training
programs. Just when L&D is ready to
deploy its “cutting-edge” program, the
content is already outdated. L&D must
strive to become more responsive and
GEN WHY
MICHELLE EGGLESTON
flexible to meet the evolving needs of
their organization.
While today’s learners are embracing
technology to find answers and
information outside of work, organizations
are still primarily investing in instructor-
led training as their delivery method
of choice. Although in-person training
remains king, organizations can offer
coaching opportunities, e-learning or
even videos to provide more flexible, just-
in-time learning solutions. In fact, high-
performing organizations use three to
five delivery methods to enhance the
learning experience.
For example, many people turn to
videos to learn how to do something.
The popularity of YouTube is increasing
every day. Garnering over a billion users,
YouTube has captured the attention of
almost one-third of the people on the
internet. Corporate training can take a
cue from YouTube and develop a library
of video content focused on navigating
software challenges, inspiration and tips
for young leaders, and do’s and don’ts for
giving presentations. These videos can
be utilized as part of a training course or
as standalone content.
MOVING FORWARD
The business world is rapidly changing,
requiring L&D to keep up. Improving
the flow of communication within the
organization and developing learning
solutions that are responsive to change
are necessary steps to help organizations
go the distance and provide a seamless
training experience across boundaries.
Michelle Eggleston is editorial director of
Training Industry, Inc. Email Michelle.
| 53

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
The world of corporate learning
is undergoing the most radical
transformation in a generation.
The impact of new technologies (AI,
machine learning, collaboration, etc.),
the onset of the Fourth Industrial
Revolution (digitization, robotics, and
cyber-physical systems) and sweeping
demographic changes (the gig
economy and the rise of millennials) are
placing a new set of demands on
learning professionals.
These changes provide an opportunity
for the learning department to reinvent
itself and establish a new strategic
position inside of their organizations.
What should such a roadmap for change
look like?
YOU SHOULD
OBSESS ABOUT YOUR
LEARNER’S JOURNEY.
As Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr
prophetically stated in 1849, “The more
that changes, the more things stay
the same.” In learning, this could not
be truer. Ever since the emergence of
e-learning and learning management
systems (LMS) in the 1990s, there has
been no shortage of technology at
our disposal.
However, whereas we previously focused
on the tools – which resulted in a lack of
engagement and strategic impact – we
have the opportunity today to focus on
the ultimate outcome: the employee
experience. Just as we use consumer-
centric apps like Netflix for our
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
entertainment, AirBnB for our lodgings,
and Uber for our transportation, we
need the learning we deliver to be as
easy and as intuitive to use as these on-
demand services.
Rather than a focus on buzz phrases
such as “data-driven learning” or
“microlearning,” we should focus on the
learner experience. This means a very
fundamental switch from “instructional
design” to “experience design.” You
must be experts in, and champions of,
service design thinking. You should
obsess about your learner’s journey and
produce learning that is simple and easy
in the flow of work.
A basic tenet of good design is that form
follows function. In the exact same way,
the technology, content and learning
programs you select should follow from
the employee-centric learner journeys
and experiences you design.
The huge advantage of this approach
is that the conversations you need to
have with your business partners and
employees in the design of your learner
journeys will force a strategic alignment
that is often missing.
There is a lot of chatter about whether
the LMS era is over. I don’t believe it is
today, but the signs are there that it may
be in the near future. The LMS paradigms
that were previously built were focused
on the idea of a course catalog construct
that makes sense for formal education.
But that no longer feels relevant for
today’s learning journeys.
As a result, the LMSs we built tended to
be very hard to use; they were admin-
centric and not learner-centric. They
TECH TALK
AMAR DHALIWAL
now often contain thousands of courses
(many outdated and irrelevant), and
most employees justifiably find them of
limited value.
If the past belonged to LMSs, the future
belongs to learning experience platforms.
I suggest you start planning now and
watch your strategic impact grow.
This does not imply that classroom-
based learning is also going away.
Instructor-led events play a very
important role, but almost inevitably as
part of a broader mixed program.
Josh Bersin calls these types of programs
“macrolearning” (as a very explicit
contrast to microlearning, which serves
a very different purpose and solves
very different problems). He goes on
to say that while we used to call these
programs “courses,” in the context of
digital learning, they are simply “macro”
in size and should be designed for use in
special ways.
Despite the influx of so many exciting
technologies, training initiatives
will inevitably be a combination of
macrolearning and microlearning.
This is no different than how we have
approached things in the past, but
with a very important difference. We
have to let the programs, including the
content and tools, be driven by both
the learner journeys we need to support
and the employee experiences we need
to deliver.
Amar Dhaliwal is the chief evangelist at
EdCast. He was co-founder of THINQ and,
after its acquisition by Saba in 2005, led
Saba’s product, engineering, cloud and
customer operations teams. Email Amar.
| 55
 CLOSING
D E A L S
DEVELOPING A ONE-STOP SHOP FROM
CONTENT TO OUTCOMES
About 15 years ago, FranklinCovey
embarked on a journey to transform
from a company focused on training
content to a company focused on
training results. That meant becoming
a one-stop shop for clients, providing
content but also, according to Adam
Merrill, executive vice president of
innovations, “connecting capability to
outcomes.” This strategy has informed
recent acquisitions, including the May
acquisition of Robert Gregory Partners
and the July acquisition of Jhana.
“A lot of learning leaders have to act
like a general contractor,” says Rob
Cahill, co-founder of Jhana and now
managing director of innovations for
FranklinCovey. Managing multiple
vendors can be time-consuming and
difficult, so FranklinCovey’s goal with its
All Access Pass is to reduce the number
of vendors needed by one organization.
The All Access Pass provides unlimited
access to FranklinCovey content and,
importantly, is “modality-agnostic,”
so clients can use whatever platform
they need for the results they want.
FranklinCovey’s acquisition of Robert
Gregory Partners expanded its offerings
to include add-on coaching services to
the All Access Pass, and its acquisition
of Jhana added microlearning for
managers to its portfolio.
Cahill founded Jhana six years ago to
provide the bite-sized, research-based
management content he felt was missing
when he became a manager. “The first-
level manager is a linchpin,” he says,
“and there’s data [showing] that teams
of effective managers have 25 percent
higher performance and 40 percent
| 56
BY TARYN OESCH
lower turnover.” Such a critical position,
he feels, requires good preparation and
continuous learning. Jhana provides
a library of specific, practical articles,
videos and worksheets developed by
its in-house research and editorial team.
Cahill says that Jhana’s learner adoption
rates are ten times higher than the
industry average.
FranklinCovey serves two audiences:
learning leaders and business leaders.
According to research by LinkedIn,
those audiences tend to look at different
types of outcomes to measure training
results. While learning leaders measure
qualitative feedback from learners and
POORLY
PERFORMING
MANAGERS ARE
EXPENSIVE.
their managers, business leaders look
at business impact and ROI. That said,
Training Industry research has found that
learning leaders are increasingly focused
on aligning training with business needs
and measuring the impact training has
on business results.
Merrill says that since FranklinCovey
clients are looking at outcomes through
both of these lenses, FranklinCovey
measures outcomes in both areas. For
example, customer loyalty training
for a retail chain not only measures
manager and learner feedback but also
customer loyalty per store across the
chain to see real business impact. For
manager training, according to Cahill,
organizations should measure not
only business outcomes, like increased
revenue, but also the impact on
learners. For example, has the training
increased new managers’ confidence
and decreased their stress?
Poorly performing managers are
expensive. According to Gallup,
“managers account for at least 70%
of variance in employee engagement
scores across business units” and, “when
companies can increase their number of
talented managers and double the rate
of engaged employees, they achieve, on
average, 147% higher earnings per share
than their competition.”
Obviously, having good managers is
a significant business outcome, and
aligning training with that outcome is
important. Grovo research has found
that over half of surveyed managers
believe faster manager training would
help their organizations achieve
key business objectives and that
effective manager training includes
small pieces of information that are
reinforced over time.
By acquiring a company like Jhana that
provides microlearning for managers
and focusing on connecting training
to results that matter to both learning
leaders and business executives,
FranklinCovey is working to support
training alignment in a one-stop shop
for training organizations.
Taryn Oesch is an editor at Training Industry,
Inc. Email Taryn.
 C O M PA N Y
N E W S
ACQ UI S I T I O N SAN DPA RTN E R SHIPS
Global Knowledge announced
its acquisition of ctc TrainCanada,
solidifying Global Knowledge’s position
as the leading provider of IT training in
Canada and around the world. With this
acquisition Global Knowledge increases
its broad portfolio of more than
2,500 courses to include training on
desktop applications, and expands its
presence to locations in 10 major cities
across Canada.
Degreed, the world’s first career-long
skills-building platform, has partnered
with C2 Technologies to bring an
award winning, consolidated learning-
experience platform to the US Federal
Government. C2 Technologies is
bringing Degreed’s innovative platform
to the Federal Government to centralize
all proprietary and external learning
resources in one place.
INDUSTRY NE WS
Reflection Software and Turning
Pointe Autism Foundation Partner
Reflection Software is a partner of
Turning Pointe Autism Foundation in
developing online training modules
for their Made to Inspire Café located
inside the Dan Wolf Lexus of Naperville
dealership. The training modules focus
on how to work the café equipment,
such as understanding the various
parts of the coffee grinder, the proper
procedure to grind coffee beans, and
how to brew different coffee, cappuccino
and espresso.
Coaching for
Customer Success Managers
SuccessHACKER, the leading customer
success management consultancy for
high-growth SaaS technology companies,
announced the industry’s first coaching
program for customer success managers.
T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
Alchemy Systems, the world’s largest
training company for the food and
retail sectors, has acquired Wisetail.
Wisetail provides restaurants, retailers
and franchises a modern employee
learning and engagement platform so
that they can deliver a consistent guest
experience and foster a great work
environment. The acquisition further
accelerates Alchemy’s expansion in the
restaurant and retail sectors.
Coursera, a leader in online education
and learning, is partnering with AXA,
the worldwide leader in insurance.
Coursera will work with AXA to curate
relevant content and integrate courses
into existing learning paths with a goal
to further equip the global workforce
with the knowledge and in-demand
skills required to succeed in tomorrow’s
workplace and economy.
The six-month, instructor-led, interactive
program is designed to empower
participants with the tools, knowledge
and support network they need to build
successful customer success careers.
Dress for Success® and
FedEx Launch New Interactive
Online Learning Platform
Dress for Success Worldwide, in
partnership with FedEx, is set to launch
The Career Hub, an innovative digital
platform that will provide access
to online learning and workforce
development resources for women
through their computers or smart
phones. The Career Hub, fully funded
by FedEx, directly supports Dress for
Success Career Centers which focus on
providing programming for women
at various stages of their employment
development cycle.
Accenture acquired marketing and sales
capability consultancy Brand Learning,
to help organizations drive sustained
customer-led growth by enhancing their
marketing, sales, HR and leadership
capabilities. The acquisition strengthens
Accenture’s ability to drive end-to-end
marketing and sales transformation for
clients by creating a seamless service
spanning marketing and sales strategy,
organizational design and industry-
specific consulting.
HMP, a leading healthcare education
and events company, announced it has
entered into a definitive agreement to
acquire Imedex, a privately held global
medical education company. With
this combination, HMP strengthens
its position as a foremost producer
of healthcare events for the global
healthcare community.
Facilitating In-House Career
Development and Skill Building
Startup Institute, the leading career
accelerator for the innovation economy
in Boston and New York City, has
launched its first intrapreneurship
program as part of its part-time program
offering. The program was a response
to the demand for innovation within
organizations looking for ways to upskill
their employees. The intrapreneurship
pilot was designed to teach students
to become innovators within their
company by identifying specific
organizational pain points and gaps.
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 WHAT’S
O N L I N E
T R A I N I N G I N D U S T R Y. C O M

ARTICLES

HOW TO DISAGREE WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE | By Doug Upchurch

Avoid workplace “difficulties” caused by strained relationships between coworkers.

THE SECRET TO GREAT INTERNAL COMMUNICATION:

ASK, LISTEN, ACT AND MEASURE | By Annabel Dunstan and Imogen Osborne
New technologies can help leaders gain more insight on their organization and people.

PROFESSIONALIZING DIGITAL TRAINING CONTENT | By Jonathan Halls

Editorial standards can align the voice and quality of content with a training department’s brand.

AGILE ROLE-BASED ENABLEMENT IS THE KEY TO ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS | By Juliana Stancampiano

Success in an organization cannot be achieved unless everyone is on the same page.

BLOGS RESEARCH WEBINARS

THE FIRST 90 DAYS: VIRTUAL IT TRAINING TALENT READINESS

5 SUGGESTIONS TO LABS FROM THE TRENDS: ACHIEVING
HELP NEW HIRES LEARNER’S PERSPECTIVE ALIGNMENT AND
By Meghan Godorov By CloudShare ENGAGEMENT
and Training Industry, Inc.

THE COMMITMENTS IDENTIFYING SALES BETTER DECISION-

THAT MAKE SALES TRAINING AND MAKING: THE
TRAINING STICK DEVELOPMENT INTERSECTION
By Anthony Iannarino INVESTMENTS THAT OF EMOTIONAL
DRIVE LEARNER INTELLIGENCE AND
© Mike Turner Photography
OUTCOMES RISK APPROACH
By Sales Performance
International and
Training Industry, Inc.

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 TRAINING
INDUSTRY

PO S
T A L K

5
Which of the following competencies is the most
important for a training manager to possess?

5%

TIPS TO
DEVELOP A LEARNING
15%
STRATEGY

18% 53%
1| COMMUNICATE
WITH THE BUSINESS
Talk with senior
executives to 31%
better understand
business goals. N=122

I nter personal sk ills

Business acumen
2| ADDRESS
PERFORMANCE GAPS Projec t management
Personnel management
Conduct a needs
analysis and identify any Technical literac y
performance gaps.
What is your preferred modality for taking a
sales training program?
3| ESTABLISH
TRAINING OBJECTIVES
Identify the organization’s
training objectives based
on business goals. 15%

4| SELECT
DELIVERY METHODS
17% 36%
Decide on a delivery
method that is most
suitable for the need. 33%

5| KEEP N=156
TRACK
Classroom
Track results to ensure
training is achieving Coaching
intended outcomes. E-learning
Online – Mobile

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 20 1 7 I WWW. T RAI NINGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE
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