How to become an inclusive leader who values diversity
The evolution of human consciousness as studied and documented by a great number of people – from historians, to anthropologists, philosophers, mystics, psychologists and neuroscientists – has been found to develop in stages. Organisations, as an expression of the same human consciousness, have evolved over time too and correlate with each stage of consciousness. Gaining […]
The most read & commented TrainingZone articles in 2016
2016 was a busy year for TrainingZone, with the departure of our long-serving editor Jon Kennard in January, followed by several new content series, contributors and developments in the industry, so we thought it was time to take stock and look at some of the most popular features, blogs and discussions on the site in the past 12 […]
“If you’re finding another person difficult to work with, start with yourself – you’re the only person you can change.”
We're always curious to hear how our members and contributors tackle the challenges that the ever-changing world of L&D throws at them. We've got a wealth of experience and knowledge across the site, and what better way to showcase the diversity of our community than to get them to walk us through an average day? Want […]
Organisational design: here’s the dirty little secret
Whilst a plethora of books have been written about the right way to link the strategy of an organization to the work that people do and how they are organized to do it, our latest research suggests that the reality on the ground can be very different indeed. When interviewing for our research, we were often […]
Views on Elliot Jaques’ Requisite Organization?
Is anyone using Elliot Jaques' Requisite Organization work in Organisational Development or Talent Management? I have a client who is very much into it, but I can't find out much about it on the Internet. The Wikipedia page says, "The approach is somewhat controversial since some of Jaques' conclusions about organizations run counter to the […]
OD and L&D – the space in the middle is where we all meet
“What’s the difference between L&D and OD, and does it matter?” was the question posed for a recent online chat. (I recommend you follow the hashtag #ldinsight on twitter and join in the conversation each Friday morning 8.00am-9.00am). I got a sense during the conversation that OD practitioners can be seen as making themselves somehow “other” – that […]
8 golden rules to accelerate development
Fast emerging as THE pressing talent challenge of our age is an old, perennial issue: how to accelerate people’s development and help them learn and be ready for progression more quickly. It is not a new challenge; but it is increasingly becoming a vital one, driven by emerging markets with a need to rapidly develop […]
Book review: Under New Management – How leading organizations are upending business as usual
Burkus is no stranger to controversial approaches to business, having previously penned The Myths of Creativity: The Truth About How Innovative Companies and People Generate Great Ideas. It’s one I’ve already added to my Wish List for future reading, based on how engaging I have found his latest work. Burkus is not a sensationalist. He […]
Are you banking your knowledge?
How many times did you tell the prospective client that your company has years and years of experience in providing a particular service when in reality you are planning to work with a relatively inexperienced crew? Well, your inexperienced team need not be poor in knowledge if your company has a knowledge bank that stores […]
Book review: Purple Your People by Jane Sunley
Who wouldn’t want and need their organisation to be as successful as possible, asks the author. In the opening chapter, “The people stuff – why it matters”, the 2011 research of Purple People indicates that 100% of business leaders say you need a people plan but a third of organisations don’t have a plan at […]
Leading development
If I asked you to name the top reasons why organisational development (OD) fails in many companies what would your answer be? Setting aside the obvious answer, that for some leaders the day-to-day is so all-consuming they never get around to looking towards the future, it’s a fair bet that lack of resources, resistance to […]
OD through innovation
How do you approach organisational development? Is it imposed as a top-down highly defined structure or is it delivered as an intrinsic part of a culture which seeks to deliver solutions through innovation? I admit that these are two polar ends of a sliding scale but your answer could indicate your organisation’s current level of […]
A culture of development
Why do so many OD efforts fall by the wayside? It’s hard to understand isn’t it? After all the effort that the leadership team have gone to in order to define the strategy and with the OD team tasked with identifying and delivering the change required in order to deliver the strategy, what can go […]
Directing organisational development
In my last article (investing in good governance) I concluded by highlighting the importance of good governance, of having a boardroom team which fully understands the potential which can be gained from making decisions which will have a lasting impact on the organisation. That article was looking at return on investment but my concluding comments […]
Encouraging teams within a workplace – it’s more important than you think
Without teams, the workplace would be nothing. Imagine if each employee in an office had no form of communication with the other employees- it would be absolute chaos, and no work would get done. Maybe your workplace isn’t as bad as this, but you may feel that there isn’t enough camaraderie between your employees. It […]
Learning Futures: with Lynda Gratton
In this next chapter of our Learning Futures series Lynda Gratton, one of HR's premier thought leaders looks at the next five years of workplace trends. Read more about Lynda here In this next chapter of our Learning Futures series Lynda Gratton, one of HR's premier thought leaders looks at the next five years of workplace trends.Read more about Lynda here
Learning in 1s and 0s
A recent study revealed just how much the internet permeates people’s lives, counting more than 280m internet users just in the United States. With the average user spending nearly five hours a day on the internet, what does this mean for companies? “Over the last few years our customers have expressed a sharp interest in digital […]
The modern office – three changes to look for in 2016
A great man once sung ‘the times they are a changing’. Lo and behold; he was right, albeit an obtuse statement to say the least! As we get more and more advanced in terms of technology, we also learn more about ourselves and our capabilities. We learn how to make the most of our time, […]
Repackaged team title suggestions for HR, OD and Comms
Just recently, we have formed a new team that includes HR, OD and Communications. It’s now a bit of a mouthful, therefore we are looking to come up with a name that rebrands our area without us losing site. Any suggestions most welcome! Thanks in advance. Just recently, we have formed a new team that […]
Succession Planning
I am delivering a workshop for Head Teachers and will be covering a number of things around recruiting the right people and considering succession planning, does anyone have any good activities they can recommend that are not to long which will get them to thing about structures and succession planning? Thanks Nina I am […]
