A Radical Approach To Workplace Learning

As a learning and development professional are you frustrated by the lack of support you receive from operational managers because they:

1. Do not take responsibility for discussing personal objectives with workshop delegates beforehand so they turn up to workshops unsure of why they are there and what they should hope to achieve?

2. Do not discuss the learning after the event so little gets put into practice on the job?

3. Tell their people, in the case of mandatory courses, to 'just show up to get it out of the way'.

4. Pull people off workshops due to operational pressures, or calling them out in the middle to deal with an issue?

The list goes on but there seems to be two key reasons for the behaviour of these managers:

1. They don't value learning in the way it is delivered in the workplace - based either on current or their own past experience.

2. They value learning but don't play their part - either because they don't know how or they are under too much pressure to deliver on shorter term goals.

Most Learning and Development professionals' are aware of these issues and have attempted to address them in a variety of ways. To tackle the first reason we've seen managers reminded, nagged, cajoled, named and shamed all with little effect. And we know this is not the best way to change beliefs!

For the second reason we've seen many management workshops offering sound advice on how to get the most out of the learning offer, including how to coach and support on the job. Great idea in theory but in practice we've experienced several things that get in the way of success. Most frequently these include not getting the support of senior managers (perhaps they have belief issues!), not continuing for long enough - this won't be an overnight change in behaviour, and perhaps the most damaging of all is stepping in to bail out managers who struggle to find the time or motivation to support their team's learning.

So, try a more radical approach. If you've tried and tried to increase the level of operational support you get for your learning initiatives with little impact - then stop providing them! It's the same principle as trying to sell a product that not enough people want to buy - stop selling it and find something they want to buy instead.

And that's the point for learning and development these days. It's always been difficult to gain operational support and in a time where people need to do more with fewer resources that simply is not going to change.

But what we can change is our whole approach to workplace learning so it becomes an integral part of our daily working lives rather than an occasional off the job activity.

That will mean a complete change for the Learning and Development function, this will also mean a new ownership for learning from every individual and finally this will require the support of managers.

by: Dilesh Desai

POST COMMENT

How To Measure And Execute Quality Control Of A Fitness Department Induction A Quality Voice Recording Sorts Out Various Issues How To Keep Away Stress From Workplace When A Good Quality Sound System Is Needed For Full Movie Enjoyment 2011 Hyundai Sonata Rewarded For Incredible Quality With President's Award Quality Lift-tables For Greater Functionality Increase Workplace Productivity With The Myers-briggs Type Indicator (mbti) A Quality Projector Gives A Theater Atmosphere Quality Raquel Welch Wigs To Choose From Quality And Price - The Secret Behind Dell Pcs Trying To Find High Quality Msr Snowshoes? Reclaimed Timber: Low Carbon, High Quality Nikon D90 - Taking Quality Photos Has Never Been Easier