The learning and development team is the backbone of an organisation's growth and success. As an L&D leader, you are tasked with assembling, nurturing, and managing a team that can drive learning initiatives effectively. This article delves into hiring and developing top talent in the L&D field.

1. Look beyond

When it comes to hiring L&D professionals, look beyond the traditional qualifications. Yes, education and experience matter, but transferable (power) skills such as communication, creativity and a passion for learning are equally important.

The best L&D professionals are those who practice what they preach - they are dedicated learners themselves.

2. Identify passionate learners

The field of L&D is dynamic and ever evolving, with new theories, technologies, and practices continually emerging. As such, the most effective L&D professionals are those who embody a genuine love for learning, those who are not only educators but learners themselves.

During the hiring process, it's crucial to identify these lifelong learners. This can be achieved by carefully crafting your interview questions to uncover candidates' commitment to personal and professional development.

Ask them how they are currently developing themselves, how are they staying up to date with the latest trends and movements in our industry.

Their responses will reveal their level of engagement with the broader L&D community and their proactive approach to staying informed.

In essence, the best L&D professionals are those who practice what they preach - they are dedicated learners themselves. By asking the right questions during interviews, you can identify these individuals and build a team that's always learning, growing, and evolving along with the industry.

3. Value transferable skills

Effective L&D professionals are much more than subject matter experts. They possess a unique set of soft skills that enable them to facilitate learning, engage learners, and drive the success of L&D initiatives. These skills - which include excellent communication abilities, creativity, problem-solving acumen, and empathy - are often more challenging to cultivate than technical competencies, making them vital attributes to look for during the hiring process.

Investing in the professional development of your L&D team is a smart business strategy.

Personally, I place a high value on creativity and a passion for delivering an exceptional learner experience. After all, your L&D team members are the ambassadors of your L&D brand within your organisation. They shape how your workforce perceives your learning initiatives, impacting engagement and outcomes. Therefore, prioritising these skills during the hiring process can help you build an L&D team that not only delivers effective training, but also elevates your L&D brand within your business.

4. Understand how adults learn

This is an important one. Understanding how adults learn is pivotal for learning and development professionals as it directly impacts the effectiveness of their training programmes. Adult learning is guided by principles that are quite distinct from child learning, with adults being largely self-directed, goal-oriented, and applying their learning to real-life contexts. 

Neuroscience has increasingly shown that adult brains are capable of neuroplasticity - the ability to form and reorganise synaptic connections in response to learning or experience. This means that adults can effectively learn new skills and information, change their behaviours, and improve their performance at any age. 

By leveraging insights from neuroscience, L&D professionals can design training programmes that align with how the adult brain learns best, thus facilitating more effective learning outcomes. For example, incorporating active learning techniques, providing opportunities for practice and repetition, and creating emotionally engaging content can all help to enhance neuroplasticity and optimise adult learning.  

Note: I would recommend Lauren Waldman, Learning Pirate for anyone wanting to learn more about the brain. Lauren is incredibly knowledgeable in this space and can help you and your team learn more about how the brain works and how you can better engage learners.

5. Focus on ongoing development

After successfully hiring the right individuals for your learning and development team, it's crucial to shift your focus towards their ongoing growth and development. Just as they are responsible for fostering the skills and knowledge of others within the organisation, L&D professionals themselves also require opportunities to learn, evolve, and stay ahead in their field.

As a leader in L&D, your role extends beyond managing and guiding your team. You are also a model of the behaviours and values that your team should embody.

6. Provide continuous learning opportunities

For L&D professionals, continuous learning isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a necessity. Their role involves equipping others with the skills needed to adapt and thrive amidst changing business landscapes. 

To fulfil this role effectively, they must also be agile learners, constantly updating their own knowledge and skills to keep pace with emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in the L&D sphere.

Investing in the professional development of your L&D team is a smart business strategy. It ensures that your team remains proficient in the latest L&D methodologies and technologies, which can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your training programmes. 

This could involve providing access to industry conferences, webinars, workshops, or online courses. Encouraging membership in professional L&D networks can also be beneficial, offering opportunities for peer learning and knowledge exchange.

Nurturing the ongoing learning and development of your L&D team is key to their success, and in turn, the success of your organisation's overall learning strategy. As leaders in the L&D field, we must lead by example, embodying the principles of lifelong learning that we advocate for others.

7. Encourage cross-functional learning

Encourage your team members to collaborate with different departments. This can provide valuable insights into the organisation's learning needs and foster innovative ideas. It’s even worth having them spend time with peers in other businesses, to learn from outside the organisation. This is where their external networks and professional communities will come in handy. 

Building a high-performing L&D team isn't an overnight task. It requires careful hiring, continuous development, and effective management.

8. Lead by example

As a leader in L&D, your role extends beyond managing and guiding your team. You are also a model of the behaviours and values that your team should embody, especially when it comes to continuous learning. 

Your active participation in learning activities and willingness to share your experiences can significantly influence your team's learning habits, setting the tone for a culture of ongoing development.

Building a high-performing L&D team isn't an overnight task. It requires careful hiring, continuous development, and effective management. With these strategies in place, however, you can assemble a team that drives learning and growth throughout your organisation.