Continuous learning - The 4Es plus 'Expectation'


I'm a big fan of the '4Es'. In my experience they provide a helpful way to unpack the "702010" bundle and, to diffuse the wrangling over which three numbers should sum to one hundred.

The idea covers these elements of a continuous learning approach in an organisation:

Creating the learning Environment:
Developing performance support opportunities, available at the exact time an employee needs to learn something new.

Enabling Exposure to learning opportunities:
Building networks of peers and fellow professionals, supporting mentoring and coaching (formal or not), encouraging joining social networks and associations and following though leaders through social media.

Providing access to Education resources (where required):
Necessary / mandatory / process / procedure 'knowledge transfer' provision (AKA training).

and

Facilitating learning Experiences:
Opportunities including job rotations, structured shadowing and stretch goals. These experiences give employees opportunities to learn from one another.

There's a fifth 'E' that is critical and nearly always overlooked as the L&D team look to move their plans forward:

Confirming the Expectation of the business with regard to supporting the engagement and development of the employees in it's care.

 For example:
What kind of team do we need to develop to become the business we want to be?

 How different are the features of that team compared with today?

 Do we want and need 'learnability' as a trait in the organisation and why?'

 Do we think of our customer and employee value propositions 'as one'?

 How important is it to expand the ability of our people to change the way we do things today?

 How important is it to change the way our employees think versus what they do?

 How important is it to be a more social and connected organisation and why?

 How much control does the leadership group want to hold over ideas and plans and why?

By starting further upstream L&D can be clearer on where to put effort and investment across the other '4Es' and why. This is the real 'L&D's seat at the table' conversation that needs to be had, well ahead of tactics, tools, supplier partnerships and marketing plans.


Paul helps L&D and OD teams to build more adaptable and connected organisations.


I work as a thinking partner and advisor with mid sized, value oriented companies going through significant change. I help you to build new capability and mindsets through shifting your approach to organisational development.

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