Leader as Learner

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Ever have a supervisor who wasn’t from your area of expertise? Did you and your teammates develop the orientation manual for them, so they didn’t blow the work up? Sometimes you get the exception, I had one who made me include a monthly presentation about and L&D to him in my annual performance plan. After the first couple I realized this was more than a presentation, this was a transfer of knowledge and experiences. As I explained and described the topic of the month, the questions posed were focused on application.

This is where I started to see how asking “why” was a powerful asset to a designer of performance solutions and how leaders use it to push for deeper understanding. More than a challenge, asking “why” creates the space to explore options, identify alternatives, and deliver a robust solution. I saw how the curiosity of trying to connect the different components in an organization became a process of constantly finding new information. I saw how leaders are open to learning from everyone and how leaders are developed from all levels. I saw learning as a strategic business tool.

In this short video I share some key differences between those manage and those that lead. The key difference in a willingness to seek new information, new ways to work, and an openness to ask others to share knowledge and ideas with you. Let’s talk more about how you can use learning as your leadership development model and your strategic business and retention tool. We can Zoom or even use the phone to talk because together, we are stronger, and we don’t need being remote or at a distance to keep us from connecting and engaging – let’s learn and work together!  I’ll bring some coffee…. Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

More than facts, we need imagination!

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I was working on a project when a senior lead asked me if I had included all 4 “I’s”. The model described was that with the directions (instruction) and the content in context (information) and using an active assessment strategy (interaction) the result would be an improved work performance (innovation), the “I4”!  A recent post on LinkedIn noted the reliance on data to drive decision making I realized, as I share in this video, there needs to be a 5th “I”, imagination.  Data based on past performance may not be as valid in this current remote and hybrid work environment. Being imaginative can drive new questions resulting in new datasets yet the driver is still centered on people, so leadership needs to keep the 5th “I”, imagination, in place to drive performance.

Imagination opens up new conversations, it can lead you to think about the “what if” scenarios.  You can use it ask more than 5 “why’s” if you want, it can lead the curious learner to alternate ideas and solutions that older data might not suggest. Imagination combined with collecting new information can be a part of the performance process, together they can drive the innovation that leads to performance success.

This “I5” model is something leaders at all levels can use to support teammates, improve workflow processes, and drive performance.  Data can’t defeat you, but it can delay actions and disengage people so lead not by directive but with imagination and curiosity. Let’s talk more about how you can use these “I” processes as your strategic business and retention tool. We can Zoom or even use the phone to talk because together, we are stronger, and we don’t need being remote or at a distance to keep us from connecting and engaging – let’s learn and work together!  I’ll bring some coffee…. Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Lead your way to the Great Retention!

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With the Great Re(fill in your term!) going on what options are you using to fill your open positions? Have you looked internally? Do you know who has the required skills and is ready to make the move?  Odds are you don’t as I discovered on a project to create a common competency skills framework so workers could move seamlessly between different peers and competitors in this vertical. This innovative idea would certainly save time and money, why train someone on upselling techniques if they have already demonstrated this ability in a prior work experience?

Three common themes kept popping up no matter the organizations size. First, the career path was understood but most HR teams had not identified, or recorded, the technical or behavioral skills people use and need to be capable of demonstrating. Second, there wasn’t a clear way to acquire these skills in a meaningful manner that could be blended into the daily workflow. For a small business there’s a need to make this blend into a learn-as-you-work framework, but the model is still focused on just-in-time. Finally, the infrastructure to track people’s skill acquisition and identify internal candidates ready to move forward wasn’t in place.

This isn’t a technology issue as much as an opportunity for leaders to lead more and have deep impact. In this short video I highlight that culture, communications, and connections could be the start of your Great Retention as you develop and lead your people to new opportunities.  It’s about the high touch that you, as leader, bring to the team and to the organization. It works best when everyone clearly understands what’s needed to develop professionally using a learning ladder aligned to a career path model so let’s talk more about how you can use these processes as your strategic business and retention tool. We can Zoom or even use the phone to talk because together, we are stronger, and we don’t need being remote or at a distance to keep us from connecting and engaging – let’s learn and work together!  I’ll bring some coffee…. Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

It’s career more than content

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Learning, and developing people to perform better, is a strategic business tool. Yet it’s not about the learning that people care about. If you ask someone why they’re taking a training class, pursuing a micro credential, or taking courses that lead to a more traditional certificate or degree the response you’ll receive will center on their next job, a possible promotion, or a new professional path. In this short video I highlight that learning is the tool that’s a part of the advancement process, but the focus isn’t about the content, it’s about their career.

Then what’s the outcome that provides success for both employer and employee?  Implementing a career path that clearly outlines the growth opportunities available and identifies the technical skills along with the business behaviors the person will need to be successful in the new role. Then, align these criteria to a learning ladder that shows people how, and where, they can acquire and develop these capabilities.

Developing a robust internal talent pipeline is the real strategic business tool, learning is a key component to achieve this growth. It works best when everyone clearly understands what’s needed to grow using a learning ladder aligned to a career path model. Let’s talk more about how you can use these processes as your strategic business and retention tool. We can Zoom or even use the phone to talk because together, we are stronger, and we don’t need being remote or at a distance to keep us from connecting and engaging – let’s learn and work together!  I’ll bring some coffee…. Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Career pathing & Competencies, Part 4: Competencies to career path

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When there are career options and areas to grow people tend to stay adding their expertise and experience to the organization’s growing knowledge base. Knowing the competencies needed in a new role enables current employees to identify the specific business behaviors and professional skills they need to have to be prepared to grow and move in their career within the organization. In this short video I share how using this framework provides exposure to additional roles that can be career opportunities for employees and a quicker way for organizations to develop a robust, internal talent pipeline focused on meeting their business needs.

Creating this internal talent pipeline can benefit the employee and the organization and works best when everyone clearly understands the technical knowledge and business behaviors needed to demonstrate performance success and this can be done using a competency framework aligned to a career path model to develop people to grow. Let’s talk more about how you can use learning as a strategic business and retention tool. We can Zoom or even use the phone to talk because together, we are stronger, and we don’t need being remote or at a distance to keep us from connecting and engaging – let’s learn and work together!  I’ll bring some coffee…. Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Career pathing & Competencies, Part 3: Creating your competency framework

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The thought of creating a competency framework seems overwhelming when you are considering the knowledge, skills, and business behaviors people use in their role to achieve performance success. In this video I outline the steps you can use to streamline this process by observing, listening, interviewing, and focusing on the actions actual practitioners use in their daily efforts. The level of proficiency is a key component of each step as it relates to bringing new hires up to speed combined with ways existing, skilled workers have reached this level.

I outline the 4 basic building blocks your efforts will result in and how you can then expand and add additional blocks to craft your, unique, framework that can be used to evaluate the level of expertise current employees have, identify opportunities to target professional development, and enable accurate job postings.  Let’s talk more about how you can use learning as a strategic business and retention tool. We can Zoom or even use the phone to talk because together, we are stronger, and we don’t need being remote or at a distance to keep us from connecting and engaging – let’s learn and work together!  I’ll bring some coffee…. Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Career pathing & Competencies, Part 2: Building a competency framework

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Developing a framework of the knowledge, skills, and business behaviors that every person uses in the performance of their role sounds complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. In this 2nd of 4 programs, I share resources to use as an outline and I describe the building block process I use to define competencies and develop a competency framework involving skilled practitioners as they perform. Begin by observing what and how their work is done, identifying the level of expertise needed to be successful, and defining the level of proficiency required to perform successfully is then followed up with conversations focused on how to obtain these varied skills and how long it takes.

Creating a competency framework involves a thorough examination of the complete set of skills people use daily and provides an increased level of understanding and connection between the individual role, the team processes, and where the strategic alignment to organizational performance fits in. Let’s talk more about how you can use learning as a strategic business and retention tool. We can Zoom or even use the phone to talk because together, we are stronger, and we don’t need being remote or at a distance to keep us from connecting and engaging – let’s learn and work together!  I’ll bring some coffee…. Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Career pathing & Competencies, Part 1: A Framework

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If you are looking to attract and retain skilled talent, provide targeted ways to improve individual performance, and create a robust internal talent pipeline it may be time to consider creating a competency framework that can be applied to a career path model in your organization. In this 4-part series I will outline how the connection between professional development and business specific needs can create a successful performance ladder.  These learning tools deliver a strategic business solution providing people with clear expectations of the skills and business behaviors needed to grow professionally and how to acquire these including stretch assignments, training, and short-term projects to hone and practice with guidance.

In this video I will outline the reasons to develop and use these tools is that together they create a connection between professional development and the business criteria in a role that leads to performance success. Let’s talk more about how you can use learning as a strategic business and retention tool. We can Zoom or even use the phone to talk because together, we are stronger, and we don’t need being remote or at a distance to keep us from connecting and engaging – let’s learn and work together!  I’ll bring some coffee….  Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

Lessons learned from moving online

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A recent project took a traditional classroom program and moved it to a blended, online learning experience. During this process 3 items came into my focus as we ramped up for the synchronous web conferencing sessions.  Did you know that time zones don’t automatically convert in all calendars? There is also a place for communication plans in an active learning design that focuses on bringing real work problems into the live sessions, use peer-to-peer learning more than straight presentations to engage people. Finally, value social networking to build a community of collaboration that will create a highly engaged, interactive live session where participants are actively involved. Aligning purpose to passion impacts performance so trust in people’s curiosity to solve problems, to share information, and learn as a connected community.  Check out this video for more details and let’s keep the conversation going! Use the contact button above or visit our web site!

https://youtu.be/mxIPyqrqvUs

Attract (& Keep!) Your Dream Team, Part 4: Credentials to Careers

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Degrees have value however what has a deep impact on whether a person will be successful in a role is the ability to demonstrate they are capable of performing and using the skills and behaviors to a defined level of proficiency.  In this last of 4 videos, I highlight the value badges and other microcredentials can bring to an employer by focusing on the discrete tasks used in a role into a modular framework and award badges that represent successful demonstration of the specific skills & competencies. The beauty of badges is that they can stand alone or link with other badges and credentials into a “stacked” model that meets more complex role requirements leading to role growth providing qualified people to fill your internal talent pipeline.

Using the tools and techniques I’ve outlined in this 4-part series can upskill and fill your internal talent pipeline and more importantly, it will engage your employees by highlighting future career options available in the organization impacting retention. If you would like to talk more about how this model can be used in your organization let’s Zoom or send me an email and keep the conversation going!  I’d enjoy talking with you about how we can partner to strategically develop your team. Use the contact button above or visit our web site!