{"id":1999,"date":"2018-12-31T08:00:22","date_gmt":"2018-12-31T07:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/modernworkplacelearning.com\/magazine\/?p=1999"},"modified":"2019-01-24T16:22:20","modified_gmt":"2019-01-24T15:22:20","slug":"janes-pick-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/modernworkplacelearning.com\/magazine\/janes-pick-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Jane Hart’s Pick of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Here are my 30 favourite posts and articles that I featured in the MWL Newsletter<\/strong><\/a> in 2018 – listed in CHRONOLOGICAL<\/strong> order. I think you will quickly identify the common theme running through them all.<\/p>\n

1 – Embracing L&D\u2019s evolving role: Less control, more influence<\/a>\u00a0 Dani Johnson and Jen Stempel, Deloitte, 2 January 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cthe research indicates that the majority of employee development is not under the direct influence of the L&D department. In fact, most of it is cultural and systemic in nature, leaving many of the more tactical, traditional practices of L&D less impactful than they may have been in the past ..\u00a0This finding necessitates a shift on the part of L&D organizations; in the future they will find themselves moving from being doers and keepers of learning to stewards and influencers.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2 – Why education is a terrible model for Learning<\/a>\u00a0 Nick Shackleton Jones, 1 February 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cEducation is a terrible model for learning, and even worse model for performance. The good news is that this is all starting to fall apart. The bad news is that many education people don\u2019t know what else to do, and many corporate learning people are still trying to educate.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3 –<\/strong> Is the Learning & Development bubble about to burst<\/a>\u00a0 Lizzie Rhodes James, 14 February 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe L & D industry and profession is in an identity crisis. This is the time to recognise that, and take steps to change, not bury your head in the sand. Like all other parts of the business, where people and their roles are continually evolving, it feels like L & D has stuck in the frying pan of evolution. Don\u2019t get me wrong, there are professionals and organisations who do seem to get the fact that L & D is there to support the development of high performance, productivity and prosperity, but it doesn\u2019t seem to be the common language yet.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4 – People Development: Stop Spending; Start Thinking<\/a>\u00a0 Gabor Holch, CLO Magazine, 20 February 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAt each year-end, managers decide where they will invest funds\u00a0allocated to elevating employees to their next level of success. Choices are tough: One mistake\u00a0and you can lose both your bonus and some of next year\u2019s budget. They are made harder by the proliferation of products, methodologies and gimmicks that claim to be \u201cthe next revolution\u201d in corporate learning. Under pressure to perform, HR often follows the best marketing. The cycle restarts the following year.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

5 –<\/strong> 5 unique ways to create a culture of continuous learning<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Marissa Levin, May 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cEmployees today expect employers to provide opportunities for continuous education. According to Harvard Business Research, workers across every generation, from boomers to Gen Z, state\u00a0\u201cbecoming an expert in my field\u201d as one of the requirements for employment\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

6 – What we learned from reading 1,000 articles on lifelong learning<\/a>\u00a0 Steve Rayson, Anders Pink, May 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201d\u00a0we reviewed the top 1,000 most shared articles on continuous learning to see what we could learn. The articles ranged from high level research reports by leading consultancies through to advice for specific professionals from College Principals to Musicians to Developers. Here are our top 20 takeaways from the research.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

7 – Three Ways Learning And Development Specialists Can Make Themselves More Useful To Leaders<\/a>\u00a0 Roger Trapp, Forbes, 15 May 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Harvard Business Publishing report\u2019s authors say that to succeed in becoming \u201can adaptable,\u00a0strategic function primed to move the needle for their\u00a0businesses\u201d, a learning and development team needs to focus on three key areas. Basing their findings on research carried out late last year among more than 700 learning and development specialists and line managers, they add that learning organizations that reshape themselves along these lines will be best-positioned to deliver\u00a0development and guidance that will help their organizations\u00a0capitalize on the opportunities of transformation\u2014and\u00a0break through the barriers along the way\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

8 – <\/strong>Evolving learning strategies to keep pace with the modern workforce<\/a>\u00a0 Shelley Usborne, Training Journal, 6 June 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time for L&D and HR professionals to promote the value of continuous learning and move their teams away from the static programs that helped to breed the bad reputation of corporate training.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

9 – Successful Companies Will Be Those That Embrace the New Employee Economy<\/a>\u00a0 Lindsay Witcher, Talent Management & HR, 7 June 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cEmployees are thinking differently too. They view their jobs as opportunities to pursue their passions, experience professional growth, gain new experiences, and expand their networks. Individuals want to learn and grow and are willing to leave if they think they\u2019ll learn more, or find more opportunities, somewhere else. One survey found\u00a070%\u00a0of employees say job related training and development opportunities \u2014 or lack thereof \u2014 impacted their decision to stay at their job.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

10 –\u00a0 How to attract continuous learners and keep them engaged<\/a>\u00a0 Jesper Bendtsen, Globe and Mail, 21 June 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCompanies don\u2019t always walk the talk on this one. On the one hand, they fill their ranks with continuous learners so that the fundamental pace of learning within the firm will be effortlessly fast. On the other hand, they don\u2019t create workplaces that allow the organization to capture learning, share it and act upon it in a coordinated way.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

11 – 4 Ways to Create a Learning Culture on Your Team\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and\u00a0Josh Bersin, Harvard Business Review, 12 July 2018\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result, there is now a premium on intellectual curiosity and\u00a0learnability<\/a>, the desire and ability to quickly grow and adapt one\u2019s skill set to remain employable. What you know is less relevant than what you may learn, and knowing the answer to questions is less critical than having the ability to ask the right questions in the first place. Unsurprisingly, employers such as Google, American Express, and Bridgewater Associates make learning an integral part of their talent management systems. \u201c<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

12 – Learn, unlearn and relearn: Future-proofing your workforce<\/a>\u00a0 Human Resources, 13 July 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIn view of the continuous rapid changes as the norm, we have specifically called the upskilling programme \u2018FutureReady\u2019 because our staff will need to be prepared continuously learn new skills on their own,\u201d she said. \u201cOur vision is to have proactive learners who are continuously keeping themselves equipped and updated to be innovative and competitive.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

13 –<\/strong>\u00a0 7 ways to foster a culture of learning in IT<\/a>\u00a0 Carla Rudder, The Enterprisers Project, 19 July 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cA\u00a0recent report from Harvard Business Review Analytic Services\u00a0underscores the value of continuous learning \u2013 and what IT leaders can do to make it part of their organization\u2019s culture. \u201cCIOs who are serious about transformation are building a learning culture, and a lot of learning comes from trying things that don\u2019t work out,\u201d the report states.\u00a0In light of the report\u2019s findings, we asked IT and business leaders to share the ways they are providing on-the-job learning opportunities and encouraging team members to take advantage of them. Read on for seven ideas to make learning interesting, fun, and a priority for everyone in the organization.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

14 –14 Low-Cost Training Initiatives Every Organization Should Employ<\/a>\u00a0 Forbes Human Resources Council, Forbes, 27 July 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCorporate training remains an essential component of any business\u2019 overall strategy, as it helps ensure employees are constantly engaged and feel like they are growing within the organization. Yet, as a small business or young department, you may not have the funds available to make this learning happen for your employees. You do have some options when it comes to providing internal development for your team that fits within your operational budget. There are a variety of low-cost (or even free) educational development initiatives that your business can take advantage of and provide for your employees.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

15 – How to become an HR trendsetter<\/a>\u00a0 Richard Justenhoven, HR Zone, 20 July 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

“To truly differentiate your HR practice, it\u2019s not enough to just read about new HR developments in the media. If something is being written about, then others will already be doing it. To get ahead of the pack, you need to consider what developments are noteworthy and what impact they could have on the management of people in your organisation. When you think something will have a positive impact, find a way to trial it. If you can do your own research and your own pilot testing, you could be adopting the \u2018next trend\u2019 before others have even heard about it. You\u2019ll then be reaping the rewards while others are playing catch up.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

16 – Selling Solutions Isn\u2019t Enough<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0Hannah Grove, Kevin Sellers, Richard Ettenson, and Jonathan Knowles, MIT Sloan Management Review, 1 August 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe word\u00a0solution\u00a0needs to be retired from the business vocabulary. What was once a meaningful, buyer-defined term that meant \u201cthe answer to my specific problem\u201d is now generic jargon that sellers have co-opted to mean \u201cthe bundle of products and services I want to sell you.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

17 – If you have to force people to train, you\u2019re doing it wrong<\/a>\u00a0 DisruptHR, 15 August 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve dehumanized learning,\u201d Clint Clarkson declares. \u201cWe have taken one of the most natural and exciting human processes, second probably only to our senses, and we have ripped the life right out of it.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

18 – L&D\u2019s Last Mile Problem<\/a>\u00a0 Mark Britz, The Simple Shift, 16 August 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cJust like Amazon will wipe out convenience stores, technology like voice, chat, and enterprise social will continue to pressure the course factory model of L&D. Tech has a knack for cutting out the \u201cmiddle man\u201d and since L&D sits between expertise and novice or knowing and unknowing, the need now is to carve more channels not create more content. L&D must\u00a0get involved or get out of the way.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

19 –<\/strong> The magic circle of corporate L&D<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 Paul Jocelyn, Work is Learning, 10 August 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is a familiar cycle for the way that many L&D teams operate in corporate organisations. The common recipe includes:
\n1. The organisation hasn\u2019t defined the role and priority of \u2018learning\u2019; (i.e. to accelerate change, move the work culture, improve individual and team performance, enable the business strategy)
\n2. The L&D team (who are unable to influence the\u2019Why?\u2019) get stuck as reactive training order takers
\n3. Ideas get watered down through rounds of \u2018pleasing the teacher\u2019 meetings resulting in \u2018Learning programs\u2019 and \u2018Learning solutions\u2019; (interchangeable words for ease of political passage)
\n4. \u2018Learning programs\u2019 are a drain on time \/ costs \/ interest for everyone; (especially for \u2018busy people\u2019 on the \u2018front line\u2019 doing the \u2018real work\u2019)
\n5. Measurement of benefits from \u2018Learning programs\u2019 is difficult \/ negligible \/ hard to keep people\u2019s attention on
\n6. As the work performance improvements weren\u2019t clearly defined, leaders don\u2019t take any collective responsibility
\n7. \u2018L&D\u2019 (the \u201cexperts\u201d) take the blame. (But round we go again)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

20 – Lifelong learning in unexpected places<\/a>\u00a0 Amanda Baker, Scientific American, 5 September 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThat kind of embrace of lifelong learning \u2026 thrives on the idea that learning takes place everywhere and opportunities come in embracing effort, failure, changing expectations, and asking people for help.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

21 – This is what I believe about learning in organizations<\/a>\u00a0 Stephen J Gill, The Performance Improvement Blog, 14 September 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Purpose of Business is Learning<\/p>\n

Yes, the purpose of business is to make a profit, retain customers, be sustainable, satisfy shareholders, and, for some, make a difference in the community. But none of this is possible without learning. At its core, any high performing organization is about learning; continually using new information to become smarter, better, and more effective.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

22 – Continuous learning for collaboration<\/a>\u00a0 Harold Jarche, 25 September 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the primary reasons to promote learning at work is because it is directly linked to innovation \u2026\u00a0Insights lead to innovation, which is not so much about having ideas as it is about connecting and nurturing ideas. When we remove artificial boundaries, we enable innovation. In complex situations, where various people are working on similar problems, it is important to know who has done what. The challenge for distributed teams and organizations is to find ways of understanding what is happening throughout the system and ensuring it is communicated within the network.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

23 – When Companies Should Invest in Training Their Employees \u2014 and When They Shouldn\u2019t<\/a>\u00a0 Ron Carucci, HBR, 29 October 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTraining is useful at times but often fails, especially \u00a0when it is used to address problems that it can\u2019t actually solve \u2026\u00a0Many well-intended leaders view training as a panacea to obvious learning opportunities or behavioral problems \u2026\u00a0Learning is a consequence of thinking, not teaching. It happens when people reflect on and choose a new behavior. But if the work environment doesn\u2019t support that behavior, a well-trained employee won\u2019t make a difference.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

24 – Want Digital Transformation? Encourage Continuous Learning For All Employees<\/a>\u00a0 Daniel Newman, Forbes, 30 October 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAllowing new experiences gives your team the benefit of new feedback and the ability to try new things. Change is frightening, especially for someone who feels comfortable in their current position. However, during the digital transformation, comfort will need to take a back seat to innovation. You must prepare your workforce by being an example and making education a part of the job, not just something to further ignore.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

25 – <\/strong>Today\u2019s Learning Agenda Exposed<\/a>\u00a0 Tamar Elkeles, Chief Learning Officer Magazine, 19 November 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t \u201cown\u201d learning or employee development. The employer-employee relationship has changed and so must our learning and talent organizations. We are facilitators of knowledge and information sharing across the organization but we cannot even begin to manage the massive amount of information or content that our employees seek or receive. There\u2019s too much input to manage today.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

26 – How To Make Learning A Habit You Enjoy<\/a>\u00a0 Liz Guthridge, Forbes, 21 November 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAdult learners don\u2019t have to sit in uncomfortable chairs with heavy textbooks and notebooks piled on their desks. Nor do adult learners have to sign up for monotonous online courses featuring videos of talking heads. You give yourself the permission and flexibility to integrate learning into your day as you see fit. And you\u2019ll discover that learning doesn\u2019t have to be a discrete activity that begins when a bell rings or a deadline looms. Instead, learning is more like a regular exercise routine you voluntarily do on your time schedule.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

27 –<\/strong> Reskilling future workers: who\u2019s responsible?<\/a> Nick Eason, Raconteur, 4 December 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSo who\u2019s responsible for the skills reboot? Government, individuals, industry and businesses all must play a part in a successful transition into new, yet to be developed, jobs. Our workplace ecosystem will also need to pull together to make employment function properly in the rapidly digitalised global\u00a0economy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

28 – To survive a digital future guide, guide employees to own their own learning\u00a0<\/a> Riia O\u2019Donnell, HR Dive, 4 December 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe market will leave behind those who think continuous learning is an option rather than a necessity. For businesses that don\u2019t stress the need for upskilling, and employees who don\u2019t heed that warning, current projections show that almost every type of job could be replaced by the digital revolution. Getting employees to take ownership of their own learning and growth is critical to future-proof them and their employers.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

29 – L&D Pain Points That Keep Executives Up at Night<\/a>\u00a0 Clark Quinn, Learning Solutions, 7 December 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cL&D has to walk the walk and make it work internally. You\u2019ll get better buy-in if you demonstrate with your own team. You\u2019ll also develop the skills you need to use with other folks. Change the nature of L&D practices internally; then sell them outward to the organization. Become innovative and share the innovations. Work, and learn, out loud. Turn L&D into a core contributor.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

30 – The threat and opportunity of lifelong learning<\/a>\u00a0 John Hagel, Edge Perspectives with John Hagel, 21 December 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Sure, we can try to motivate people through fear with the message that, if they don\u2019t sustain their learning efforts, they\u2019ll be increasingly marginalized. Good luck with that. They might invest some effort out of fear, but they\u2019ll never invest the level of effort required to truly excel at learning. Lifelong learning becomes a threat and they\u2019ll be reluctant and resentful.<\/p>\n

Yes, we all will need to embrace lifelong learning as a prerequisite for sustained success in a world of mounting performance pressure. But, we\u2019re going to need to embrace it as an exciting opportunity rather than as a burden or threat. To do that, we\u2019re going to need to commit to discover and cultivate the passion of the explorer that resides within all of us and to find ways to integrate that passion into our work.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n

The theme is clear: continuous lifelong learner is now an imperative for everyone, and the new work of L&D is to enable and support it in the organisation – not just through continually training their people, but by building independent modern lifelong learners. SO how can they do this? This is the focus of my recent work.<\/p>\n