4 Responses

1. Get the The Big Picture Right
   Develop a learning culture by encouraging people to learn
   – characterised by statements such as; “It’s good to learn around here”, and “We’re expected to learn and to share our learning with those we work with”.

   Be clear about what individuals and the organisation need to learn
   – learn things that make a difference to the business.

   Encourage innovative learning solutions
   – create a ‘blend’ of learning interventions.Use technology appropriately but don’t be seduced by e-learning vendors.

   Develop a holistic approach to learning
   – going on a course is not the only way we learn around here.

   Encourage people to learn more effectively from one another
   – link this with the knowledge management strategy and develop mentoring and coaching as effective approaches to learning. If you don’t currently do knowledge management within your organisation use the L&D Strategy to make a start!

   Begin to develop the concept of ‘organisational learning’
   – consider how learning can be embedded into the business and how it can help build human capital and ultimately business value. This will help when it comes to budget time!

2. No quick tips but a good resource
   Hi Catherine

   I struggled with this myself (and still do) but I have found one book invaluable for helping me through my fog, Learning and Development by Rosemary Harrison, ISBN 0 85292 927 7, published by CIPD.

   It helped me to gain a clearer view of what is meant by strategy in the first place, how L&D has to be aligned to business goals and the importance of being able to add value to the organisation.

   Alan Pearson

3. learning strategy
   DON’T develop your strategy in isolation and from your own perspective – you must get buy in from your organisation. What do your Directors, managers, and staff want from learning? What is the corporate vision and strategy, what are your organisation’s objectives? Once you have got links to these then compile your draft strategy – and present it to the Board and get their approval – it will make your life so much easier!

4. Strategy is the beginning of a process to create learning cultur
   Your question is extremely pertinent because a strategy, once approved, saves you a lot of hazzle during the implementation process. Strategy is a good starting point but is just one element of a very long and complex process. Partnering with other players is key! More specifically, the strategy should explain the rationale for your efforts (why is learning important), including the clear link to your business goals and describe some key elements, such as elearning, coaching, role of informal learning. These key components you can then tackle without having to go back to your management asking permission for each of them and it helps to negotiate/retain budget. Marketing is also key…find learning champions amongst your clients and find some quick and positive deliverables once you have begun the implementation. Stand ready to modify your approach at any time. There is no boiler plate approach for anybody.

   Watch out for a book to be released by Cambridge University Press later this year on Creating Learning Culture, editor is Marcia L. Conner. She was the organizer of a conference at Darden College in the US which has produced some fine results (http://www.darden.virginia.edu/batten/clc/primer_articles.htm I was the CLO of the United Nations Development Programme until last year and I am willing to mail you their Learning Framework which I co-authored a few years ago, just to share an example. Good luck