Is your Learning and Development function a tactical cost centre?


"There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says "Morning, boys. How's the water?"

 The two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and says "What the hell is water?"

David Foster Wallace

Here are some common signs of tactical, 'cost centre' positioning from my experiences of working alongside corporate L&D teams:

 A lack of understanding of business goals / strategy / brand strategy / commercial differentiation

No compelling vision for the indisputable role of 'learning' in the context of achieving the business goals

No connected, aligned L&D strategy, tactics and success measures which enable the business goals

"Traditional" expectations from "senior leaders" of the work of the L&D team

A focus on "learning" as the goal - rather than work performance

"Received" L&D priorities, centred on only:

"Increasing productivity"
"Reducing costs"
"Meeting statutory obligations"
"Closing technical skills gaps"
"Ensuring delivery of existing processes"
"Identifying efficiencies"

An overriding focus on "learning content"

Transactional vendor and supplier partnerships; (KPIs not aligned to business goals)

A need to control: "content", "learning delivery" and "administration"

Evaluation of "learner satisfaction"

A lack of "senior level" practical commitment and buy in

 L&D plans are constantly under pressure from "business critical initiatives"

L&D budgets managed "top down" and annually


Paul helps L&D leaders to see new possibilities and to have more impact on the future of their organisation
https://www.jocelynconsultingltd.co.uk/





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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