Is your L&D function playing on 'defence' or 'offence?

"The status quo of organised learning benefits those who benefit from the status quo."

Beth Salyers


Three reflections on my experience of annual L&D investment planning:

1. Most corporate learning strategies are built around control and looking backwards

2. L&D leaders rarely (if ever) describe the trade offs they are making when deciding on an investment plan

3. Even in 'sophisticated' organisations most learning strategies are a collection of to-do lists


Two questions to help you reflect on whether your L&D function is playing on 'defence' or 'offence':

1. How much of your L&D investment is currently driven by?

- The business reacting to external events?

- Cost reduction initiatives?

- Digitisation of existing business processes?

- 'Standardisation' projects?

- Compliance audit risks?

2. What proportion of your L&D priorities are enabled through these strategy choices?

- Standardising fixed skills for individual roles?

- Ensuring consistency and consolidation of learning programmes?

- Digitising 'learning solutions'?

- Scaling access to 'learning content'?

- Optimising and tracking 'learning content' 'engagement' and consumption?


How do these questions help you to reflect on what currently drives your L&D goals and enabling strategies?

(And - is L&D on 'defence' or 'offence' in your organisation?)


I benchmark, refocus and reinvent corporate L&D functions

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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