Leadership development with an organisation development mindset
Integrating organization development principles into leadership development creates a more effective approach to lasting organizational change. This method combines OD’s humanistic values, emphasis on participation, and systemic change tools with L&D initiatives to build leaders who drive organizational effectiveness and strategy achievement.
The future of learning at work part 5 – capability building
Capability building extends far beyond classroom training. While it traditionally focused on formal courses, effective capability building leverages a mix of experiential learning, peer interaction, and structured programs to develop workforce skills aligned with organizational needs over medium to long-term horizons.
The future of learning at work part 4 – performance support
Performance support helps people do their jobs better through information and tools at their workplace, rather than traditional classroom training. L&D professionals should focus on providing the right information at the moment of need, since classroom learning is quickly forgotten without immediate application.
Navigating the challenges in developing mobile elearning content
Developing mobile elearning content requires understanding specific device challenges, including varying screen sizes, operating systems, and browser compatibility. Key considerations include designing for distraction-prone environments and ensuring content works across multiple smartphone platforms and tablets.
Free resource: Holding a development discussion
A practical guide for line managers to conduct effective development discussions with team members, created by James McLuckie of eden tree and shared with the Training Zone community.
Organisational development: Vive la difference?
Professor Daan van Knippenberg argues that effective diversity management requires more than tolerance and inclusion—leaders must actively leverage diverse strengths to benefit organizations. His Categorisation-Elaboration Model challenges traditional diversity training approaches, suggesting that respect alone produces insufficient business outcomes.
Leadership transitions: More than just business sense
Successful leadership transitions depend on more than business intelligence—they require specific character strengths and personal qualities that vary by organizational level. Research shows nearly 40% of high-potential employees fail when promoted, highlighting the importance of understanding the distinct threshold and success factors needed at different leadership tiers.
Top 10 tips to design and implement a successful mentoring programme
Learn the 10 essential tips for designing and launching a successful mentoring programme, from establishing clear objectives and gaining organizational support to selecting appropriate formats and matching mentors with mentees effectively.
Figuring out the complex world of organisational development
Organisational Development involves balancing seemingly contradictory theories and approaches to change management. This article explores how OD practitioners can integrate both conventional planned-change models and contemporary complexity-based approaches to become more effective in today’s complex business environment.
The skills jigsaw puzzle
Identify skill gaps and competency needs in your organization using a “Can-Do chart,” a workforce planning tool that maps team members against critical competencies using judo belt color-coding. This approach helps organizations prioritize training investments strategically and address skill shortages before they become operational risks.
Modern leaders: Time to look again
Modern leaders often fall short of the character virtues displayed by those in frontline roles, raising questions about whether our approach to leadership development is fundamentally flawed. This series examines whether breaking leadership into measurable competencies has caused us to miss something essential about what truly makes effective leaders.
How to realise your leadership potential
Discover seven key strategies to unlock your leadership potential, from finding your context and vision to taking decisive action. Expert tips cover managing emotions, improving communication, and seeking feedback to become a more effective and authentic leader.
Would you pass the leadership test?
Great leaders navigate economic turbulence by leading from the front, making bold decisions quickly, and maintaining integrity. According to New Balance’s HR director Paul Kennedy, effective leadership during challenging times requires motivating employees, clear communication, and building strong teams rather than acting alone.
Leadership for changing times
Jonathan Gilbert outlines a three-phase Organisational Change Management Life Cycle to improve leadership effectiveness during change initiatives. With 75% of change programmes failing due to lack of employee support, leaders must address how change affects people alongside processes and technology. The methodology emphasizes identifying change clearly, engaging employees, and implementing systematically to build organizational buy-in.
Organisational change – which model should I use? Part five
Appreciative Inquiry is an organisational change model that focuses on building strengths and bottom-up engagement rather than solving problems from the top down. Using the 4-D cycle—Discovery, Dream, Design, and Destiny—this approach engages employees by exploring what already works well and how to enhance it for future success.
Organisational development – which model should I use: Part 4
Systems theory helps organisations understand why change doesn’t always produce expected results. This approach, popularized by Peter Senge, views organisations as interconnected systems where small causes can trigger massive effects through reinforcing loops, explaining counter-intuitive outcomes.
Magic pills are poisonous!
Quick-fix management solutions often fail to address underlying organizational problems. Rather than applying generic remedies like leadership training or engagement surveys, effective strategies require proper diagnosis of specific issues and clear evidence of expected value and impact.
Competence is not enough
While competence matters, selecting leaders based on character is equally critical for building organizations where people thrive. Mark Loftus argues that systematic character assessment, often overlooked in favor of competency-based evaluations, is essential to choosing leaders who will shape their organizations’ culture effectively.
Knowledge management: L&D’s hidden asset
Knowledge management helps L&D measure workforce skills and competence while identifying development gaps. Regular employee assessments—measuring knowledge, competence, and confidence—enable targeted training, improve productivity, and reduce costs across the organization.
Organisational superheroes
HR and learning professionals must work together to create an effective people management strategy. Without alignment on selection, reward, culture, and development practices, learning initiatives alone cannot drive organizational success or transform company performance.