Rule of thumb for 'Transforming' organisations when it comes to 'Learning'...

"You can't use an old map to see a new land."

Gary Hamel

Rule of thumb for 'Transforming' organisations:

The level of change and new expectations in your Learning / Capability strategy should be proportional to the level of change and new expectations in your business strategy. 

The same level of new ambition and new commitment is needed here too because:

Most corporate learning and development priorities, strategy (and therefore) tactics are still out of sync with the challenges facing business and workers today

Content led, education based, (topic broadcast, 'school at work') 'L&D' is a hang over from the industrial era - when businesses only created their value by optimising and scaling efficiency

Businesses can no longer codify and transfer fixed skills fast enough to equip workers with the confidence they'll need to add value. 

Competence and compliance are no longer the scarce commodities behind successful, differentiated, sustainable, organisations 

The default cycle of 'topics > learning objectives > solution > repeat' is finance led and bureaucratic. It's a relic from when businesses were pursuing fixed targets in a stable landscape.

So, the new opportunity for 'L&D' is to lead, enable and facilitate the conditions for continual learning that have the potential to be transformational for the people in the organisation.


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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