No one in corporate 'L&D' wants to create LESS 'L&D'

"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 supporting tools and systems - agreed and in place to enable the performance standards required? (e.g., do they 'sum up' to the results required?)

Are adequate resources in place to enable the performance standards to be achieved and maintained; (financial, material, manpower)?

Are incentives and rewards (financial and non-financial) aligned and congruent with the stated performance standards required?

Is performance to the required standards always acknowledged?

Are there clear, consistent and proportionate consequences in place when performance standards are not met?

Are consequences consistently and transparently applied when performance standards are not met?

Etc.

By taking a more systemic approach to performance analysis, we limit the use of 'learning' or training interventions to only where it is i) required and ii) has the opportunity (space) to have a material impact.

(Who would support that though?...).