What it would take to enable '702010' to scale?

"They don't want you to maximise efficiency. They want to optimise it without altering the existing power dynamic. That is not the same thing."

Charles Lambdin

The '702010' model fails to scale because no one is incentivised to do so.

Vendors fill the learning strategy vacuum (because they need to SELL), whilst corporate L&D leaders act as internal vendors ("comfort is the enemy of progress").

Leaders are happy with just enough PR noise around 'growing talent' and 'learning culture' - as the present model contracts out responsibility and protects their preoccupations in the current power system.

So '702010' fails because the systemic prerequisites needed to embed this approach are still unpalatable:

1. Acknowledgement of the fact that working and learning are inextricably linked

2. Acknowledgement that the majority of workplace learning comes from and through the work itself; followed by learning from and with colleagues and peers, managers and wider networks

3. Acceptance that formal learning (courses, E-learning, training programs) have minimal impact on individual and team performance

4. A commitment to exploiting these principles as the basis for 'solution' design

5. An appetite to support - and expect - enabling task competence as the basis of improving work performance

6. An expectation that the role of leaders at all levels is to create and sustain deliberately developmental environments (psychologically safe, feedback and reflection rich, clear expectation of performance).


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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