"I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.' Maslow The Shirky Principle  prevents corporate 'Learning and Development' teams (note the how this team title reinforces what's coming...) from looking beyond a 'learning' 'solution'. In the complex organisational systems in which the 'L&D' team work, there are a host of influences and factors that could be reviewed, considered and challenged first: Are performance expectations clearly defined? Are performance expectations fully understood? (Are the barriers to achieving the agreed performance expectations understood and accounted for?) Is there a routine of regular and insightful feedback provided to support people to achieve the agreed performance standards? Can people easily access information, data, resources and guidance needed to achieve and maintain the agreed performance standards? Are performance and processes - and supp...

"In any organisation, the likelihood of exceptional performance is inversely related to the number of bureaucrats." Gary Hamel The industrial education model relies on keeping 'Learning' separated from working: There is a separate 'Learning' team There is a separate IT system where people go to find 'their Learning' There is a separate budget allocated to pay for 'creating' 'Learning' 'Learning objectives' are proposed / suggested 'Learning hours' are tracked and reported upon. Reframing 'learning' beyond education and providing content (AKA communication) is unpalatable to those who benefit from and rely on keeping 'Learning' separate from working.