The three legged stool of L&D teams that are stuck

"Command-and-control managers like to buy change by training and projects, unaware that change really requires changing the system and unaware that that means first being prepared to change the way they think about the design and management of work." 

John Seddon

(I’m reflecting if many corporate L&D teams feel they are ‘stuck’ and if not, what might prompt them to reconsider?).

I see three common characteristics of L&D teams that have limited impact on changing the organisation:

1. ‘Order taker’ positioning 

The basis of the work of most L&D teams is ‘content’. Developing content, managing access to content, curating content, marketing content, tracking consumption of content. Inevitably, the work involves project and program management, reporting, governance and administration.

A 'content as the strategy' philosophy and the mindset and infrastructure that grows up around this inevitably reinforces an ‘order taker’ positioning. 

2. ‘Tactics first’ default approach

There is often a vague interchangeability between ‘goals’, 'strategy’, and ‘tactics’ in L&D. Linked to the point on ‘order taking’ above, there’s a natural default to lead with ‘solutions’ first. 

3. ‘Always aim to please’ mindset

This is a fundamental challenge, and a driver of the two characteristics described above. The work of L&D remains predominantly 'delivery' focused, allied to a sense of ‘needing to demonstrate its worth’. This is a risky combination as leaders now need ‘critical friendships’ that challenge current thinking, enable reflection, and help accelerate systemic change.