Strategic Learning & Development - 2008 Conference, Amsterdam 21-22 Feb. (3)

In this my final post relating to the recent Strategic Learning & Development conference, I want to highlight three models/frameworks I found particularly helpful.


Kerry Derry (Director of HR Operations - Coors Brewers) shared the following model as a simple, but very powerful & practical framework for engaging senior line leaders on their own learning.

The model consists of three overlapping circles - representing (i) Self, (ii) Context & (iii) 'Others' - i.e. employees/colleagues - with Leadership being the intersection of these three dimensions.

For me, this highlights the need for a focus on topics such as Emotional Intelligence, Business Acumen, & Interpersonal Skills ... equally: that these Leadership Competencies must be considered in relation to each other !



Nick Shackleton-Jones (Manager, Online and Informal Learning - BBC) described an Online Learning Strategy pyramid. This combines both top-down and bottom-up approaches.

At the top of the pyramid is the 'High End' driven by a top-down approach. This online e-learning is high-cost, involves extended development, and requires high interactivity.

At the bottom of the pyramid are 'Social Learning Technologies'. Wikis, blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook drive online learning from a bottom-up strategy.

In the middle of the pyramid is 'Rapid Development' (typically = Rapid E-Learning). The top-down & bottom-up strategies merge, thanks to the availability of inexpensive tools and templates for rapid content development.

In my view, this helps position the co-existence of these online learning approaches within an integrated strategy that needs to be both deliberate and emergent. It also suggests that the rapid e-learning tools may prove to be very valuable if the top-down and bottom-up strategies can be reconciled (e.g. to position SMEs to create e-learning that is more than just 'automated powerpoint presentations', and thus achieves 'top-down' quality standards)



Finally: Rainer von Leoprechting (Head of Management and Organisation Development - European Commission) provided the Commission's Emergent Learning Agenda.

• Professional development of HR Functions
• Organisational Development
• Action Learning
• Promoting 'on-the-job' Training
• Learning support as an internal consulting service
• Building Communities of Practice to enhance knowledge sharing

I'd suggest that this provides a great checklist for any organisation !



Also see my previous posts on this conference:

Strategic Learning & Development - 2008 Conference, Amsterdam 21-22 Feb. (1)

Strategic Learning & Development - 2008 Conference, Amsterdam 21-22 Feb. (2)

Strategic Learning & Development - 2008 Conference, Amsterdam 21-22 Feb. (2)

Here are a few memorable quotes from this event.



"The difference between learning and not learning is emotion" Nick Shackleton-Jones (BBC)





"Coaching = helping people find their own answers" Karen Daleboudt (ABN AMRO)





"People have to learn to make time to learn" Peter Caeldries (Fujitsu Siemens)





"Be your own chief learning officer" Peter Caeldries (Fujitsu Siemens)





"Engage, Educate, Encourage, and Embed" Kathy Morris (Hays)







also see my earlier post on this conference

Strategic Learning & Development - 2008 Conference, Amsterdam 21-22 Feb. (1)

Having just returned from the above conference - speaking on 'The Role of the Line Manager in Facilitating Workplace Learning' - I'm encouraged and inspired by the various conversations and presentations from fellow L&D professionals.

Firstly - a big thank you to all those with whom I had the pleasure to swap ideas and share stories ! (and share the odd beer or glass of wine).


Here are a few initial reflections:

• There are significant similiarities in the challenges we face in L&D across all sectors & countries !
• Equally, the business acumen of L&D professionals is impressive ... not only is it a 'given' that L&D services need to be fully aligned with the business strategy of the organization, but there is also clear expertise of applying people-orientated change-management strategies appropriate to the contextual factors of the company.
• Current 'Hot topics' include: Outsourcing of L&D services, and collaborative learning via Web 2.0 technologies and understanding the impact of learning.

Successful L&D strategies tend to have the following common features:

• Active sponsorship from the senior leadership of the organisation - (to drive organizational change).
• Understanding of the need to connect with the emotions of the learners - (since people are choosing to 'reference' vs. retain knowledge as the shelf-life of knowledge dramatically decreases)
• Deployment of web-based L&D technologies - (where global solutions are required)
• Recognise that you can only outsource the systems that facilitate learning - (not learning itself !)

I'll be returning to the insights from this conference in the coming days/weeks - meanwhile I continue to reflect on the question posed by Nick Shackleton-Jones of the BBC:

"What would a perfect learning environment look like ?"