Paul Duxbury

Learning and Development Working in Business Partnership

Are you a Learning and Development Manager who struggles to get people released for training courses? Or an L&D professional who really wishes that your organisation would try the brilliant new approach to learning that you encountered at a recent conference that you believe would make such a difference? Ever wondered why you struggle to get your voice heard within your organisation?

In a hard hitting post (Why L&D Can’t Ignore Alignment Anymore) Jonathan Kettleborough talked about the need for Learning and Development Professionals to ensure that their departments, their activity and their focus is aligned with the strategy of the businesses we work within.

Jonathan quotes a report by Capita which states that “The vast majority (82%) of leaders lack confidence that their firm’s L&D strategy and delivery are aligned to the company’s operational strategy. Half (50%) believe that their L&D function is stuck in a ‘business as usual ’mindset.” Or to put that another way only 18% of business leaders have confidence that their firm’s L&D strategy is aligned with the company’s operational strategy.

That is frightening! However hard L&D professionals might be working the perception in the vast majority of organisations is that we are not working with the operational teams to support their strategy. No doubt some L&D Professionals will counter that all too often it is hard to get our voices heard and that when we present innovative new approaches to L&D we are frequently ignored. I wonder whether some perceive themselves to be being ignored because they have failed to remember that it is the responsibility of the communicator to ensure the communication is relevant and understood? Do we find ourselves too wrapped up in the latest “fads” or learning theories? Too engaged by the glitter of the shiny new thing (approach to learning) that we forget that we have a need to be enabling the business to achieve their strategic and operational aims?

Learning and Development is fascinating because it gives us the opportunity to enable others and to achieve great things. But I wonder if, in the glimmer of the new and exciting, we sometimes forget the here and now, the urgent business need, the requirement to generate income to sustain the organisation? That is not to say that we cannot encourage an organisation to take new approaches to things or encourage our organisations to spend time and effort on new developments. It is essential, as Jonathan reminds us, that we ensure that what we are doing is aligned with the needs of the organisation and delivers a meaningful difference which enables the business to achieve.

Much has been heard over the past 15 years about HR Business Partnership (HRBP) and the focus has always seemed to be on our colleagues who work in the other branch of HR which dealt with all the personnel type issues. We have not tended to hear much reference to the need for Learning and Development to work in business partnership. Some might well argue that is because they have consistently sought to work in business partnership with the organisations they work within. However the evidence quoted above, where we saw that 82% of business leaders don’t feel that their organisation’s L&D strategy is aligned with their operational strategy, would seem to suggest that we haven’t got things right – yet!

We have a great opportunity to make a genuine difference if we are prepared to learn to look at things differently. Working in business partnership does require a different set of skills but as learning and development professionals we are of course open to learning – aren’t we?

When I think about the work I have done over recent years it has all been about aligning my activity with the needs of the organisation. At times that has enabled me to introduce new ways of doing things because I have been able to demonstrate the benefits it brings in terms of reduced costs, improved results or a more committed group of staff. If I think about what that has required of me then I think I would summarise it as following and would venture to suggest that the following encapsulate what is required of a Learning and Development Professional working in business partnership:

Being prepared to learn new things;
Understanding the business and business operations/functions;
Understanding the business environment we operate in
Being able to talk the language of business and the business I am operating in;
An ability to build trusting relationships with internal and critically with the organisation’s clients and talk their language;
Believing in my own ability, the value of what I offer the business and the difference it can make to the business;
Being confident in my knowledge of the business and being able to express my views;
Being focused on the delivery of results which meet the needs of the business.

Working in business partnership means adding value to the business by aligning what we are doing as Learning and Development Professionals with the needs of the business – not as we might perceive them but as the business clearly sees them. It also means speaking out at times, even if it might be unpopular, when we believe that a different approach is needed. But that must always be with sound knowledge and business focused reasoning.

Jonathan reminded us that 82% of business leaders don’t believe that their learning and development strategy is aligned with their operational strategy. It’s time to change that perception!

Is Learning and Development A Luxury?

Does your business or organisation invest in Learning and Development for your employees when the business is going through challenging times? Or do you see it as a luxury for the times when money is plentiful and you have time to allow your employees to undertake training? One of the things that I have seen over the years is a real change in the way Learning and Development is treated by forward looking businesses.

There was a time when, almost by default, training was one of the first things to be cut when times became hard. The focus was on survival and organisations didn’t see the development of their people as a key element in their fight for survival.

Research has shown that a significant percentage of those who resign from organisations do so because of a lack of skills training and development opportunities. If you risk losing your employees then shouldn’t you be doing something about it? It reminds me of an image that circulated on LinkedIn a short while ago which captured a discussion with the Chief Executive of an organisation who had asked “What happens if we train all our staff and they then leave?” to which the response was “What happens if we don’t train them and they all stay?”

I have seen and indeed experienced more and more Learning and Development professionals stepping up their games and moving into a business partnership approach to their way of working. Coupled with this forward thinking senior management operational teams have realised the value of continuous professional development for all their employees.

Learning and Development Business Partners

What do I mean by Learning and Development Business Partners? In recent years we have seen an increased emphasis on HR Business Partners especially for those who work in what were often refered to as HR Generalist roles. For brevity let’s talk about those roles being the ones that deal with all the people focused items that are not Learning and Development related.

The HR Business Partner is becoming an established concept in many organisations. Over the coming months and years I believe that it is crucial that those like me who are focused on Learning and Development fully embrace this role. I will deal in another post with what that means and the skills required because for now I want to focus on why Learning and Development needs to be on the agenda for every business and why it can never be thought of as a luxury.

I believe that it is critical for a business to invest in their employees to as to achieve both short term and long term goals and here are some of the key benefits of doing so:

Achieving Business Growth:

Employees with the skills and knowledge required to expand your business to its’ full potential are essential. If you equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to use new systems, work with new processes and approaches and to be informed managers and decision makers then you are preparing your business for growth.

Increasing Competitiveness:

Businesses whose employees have the required expertise are able to compete effectively with other business. They are able to use their newly acquired skills and knowledge to improve the existing products and services to ensure that they meet the diverse and ever changing demands and needs of the target customers.

Promoting Job Satisfaction and Individual Productivity:

As mentioned earlier, lack of training is one of the major factors that leads to employees quitting their positions. One of the surest ways of ensuring that your employees feel appreciated is by nurturing their professional skills through regular learning and development. This will in return boost their individual productivity and ability to contribute to growth of the company.

Embracing Technology and Adapting To Changing Markets:

Learning opportunities not only equip employees with new skills but also enable them to embrace technology and adapt to the ever changing markets your business invariably operates in. It goes without saying that modern management systems and applications will significantly streamline the manner in which you carry out various business operations. To derive maximum benefit from such systems, you have to fully train your employees on how to use them. In turn this will help your business to incorporate technological changes in your markets and profit from them.

Reducing Staff Cost:

Every business strives to reduce operating costs in a bid to increase their profits. One way of achieve this goal is by reducing staff costs. In fact, as we all know many global businesses are currently working hard to reduce their staff costs to ensure they remain relevant and profitable in the current economic environment. Cross-training of staff is something that businesses need to consider and employees need to be open too. Having all the knowledge and skills for key operations held by just one or two individuals is a very dangerous position to find yourself in as a business.

If only one employee has special skills, you will have a hard time replacing their knowledge if they suddenly decide to leave the company. Hence, cross-training will help you to spread knowledge around and save you time as you will not necessarily have to hire new employees every time. Simply put, it is like diversifying your investments.

Learning and Development is A Recruiting Tool:

We all know that the current generation and indeed many from previous generations now want more than just a pay cheque at the end of the month. They are more attracted to businesses that allow them to learn new skills. Businesses that offer such opportunities or platforms are more likely to attract and keep high productivity employees who are focused and committed to supporting you to achieve your business goals and objectives.

So to answer the question in the title of this post “Is Learning and Development a Luxury?” I hope that you agree that no it isn’t and that it is very effective in fostering growth and development of the business as well as employees..

Don’t Leave Your Professional Development To Chance

Are you leaving your own learning and development to chance or have you invested time in thinking about your personal and professional development?

When I am talking to people about their continuing professional development (CPD) I am often surprised how many haven’t actually considered their own development. Or they see CPD as simply a number of hours of “development” to be racked up to meet the requirements of a particular professional body they belong to. Many professional bodies require a specific number of hours per year in order for individuals to retain their membership and there is no particular thought given to the content of those hours actually developing the individual.

With new technology and increasingly skilled competition, I believe that there is simply no room to become stagnant in your career. People who are not constantly pushing themselves to become more flexible, knowledgeable and valuable to the organisations they work for, or want to work for, will soon find that they are expendable. The world is changing and in order to stay relevant in your field, you must change and develop with it. For these and many other reasons, having a personal professional development plan is critical.

The Benefits Of Drafting A Personal Professional Development Plan

Taking the time to create a personal professional development plan, gives you the opportunity to consider upcoming industry changes and prepare for them. As certain operations become automated, you can ensure that you are the first to receive the necessary technical training. New strategies for promoting efficiency can be adopted by you even before these become standard and widely known. You will be poised for promotion and better able to sell yourself to other companies should the need ever arise. Moreover, you will have sufficient confidence in your up-to-date knowledge for starting commercial endeavours of your own, should you choose to the self employment route at some point.

Surprising Advantages That You Can Gain By Planning And Preparing For The Future

People who take the time to consider what lies ahead tend to be far more proactive than those who do not. These professionals are aware of what new opportunities will entail and they are far more likely to have the skills for succeeding in them. When you know what challenges you are likely to face throughout the course of building and furthering you career, few things are going to take you by surprise. Best of all, better preparedness will mean less stress.

There are, however, a few additional advantages that can be gained through the creation and use of a personal professional development plan. Lifelong learning and self-improvement are said to be two of the most effective strategies for promoting long-term brain health. So, ultimately having a plan for your continuous professional development could bolster and preserve your physical, emotional and mental health.

Getting Started

The first and most important step in this process is to identify where you’re going and how long you plan on taking to get there. If you are content with the company you work with and the position you hold, you will need to establish a plan that helps to keep you valuable. Growth within a company will make it necessary to acquire skills that are suitable to higher positions and reflective of the direction in which the business is moving.

Enhancing skills that are specific to your current job duties will make you a more desirable candidate when appealing to other businesses. Ultimately, you have to define your career goals, break these down into measurable objectives and then give yourself a feasible time frame for completing these objectives.

Irrespective of what your personal professional development goals might be, you should check in with your peers. Find out what others in your industry are doing to stay relevant. While many businesses are willing to create professional development plans for their employees and then use these as part of the performance review process, keep in mind that these could prove limiting when it comes to reaching the goals that you have personally set for yourself. You can still, however, rely on these to give you a greater sense of direction when seeking out workshops and training programmes that will add the most value.

Your Personal Professional Development Plan Is Never Complete

Once you have drafted a plan that is best representative of your personal goals, abilities and circumstances, you will have to do far more than simply adhere to it. This will need to be revised throughout the coming months and years in order to reflect your growth, new obligations and new challenges. In this way, this plan becomes far more than just a guide for fostering and boosting your professional career. It will also be a guide for continuous improvement and one that will constantly challenge you to become better skilled, more efficient and more valuable in your industry.

If you are looking for a template for your Personal Professional Development Plan then do take a look at the templates and examples which the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) offer here.

A World Of Learning Opportunities With JCI

I have quite often talked about JCI (Junior Chamber International) and the opportunities that it presented me with. It opened up a whole world of learning opportunities for me and helped me to develop many of the skills which I highlight on my CV Website at Paul Duxbury – Learning and Development Professional.

I have always been a keen advocate of people taking responsibility for their own learning opportunities especially if they are keen to progress in their careers. If you haven’t considered getting involved in something like JCI then let me tell you a little about it and my experience of being a member.

Junior Chamber International is one of the largest non-political and non-sectarian youth service organizations. It is an international organisation for men and women between the ages of 18 to 40 which has the aim and purpose of creating positive change in the world. They provide the opportunity to develop management and leadership skills through practical involvement in projects complimented by formal training sessions, conferences and other activities.

During my time as a member and in time a local, regional and national officer I was involved in projects which enabled me to develop and improve my knowledge and skills whilst at the same time contributing to improving the communities in which we worked. From being involved in, leading or organising training conferences, Manchester’s Lord Mayor’s Parade, The Outstanding Young People Programme, Prison Visiting, Schools Public Speaking competitions I was able to develop many skills as I took advantage of the world of learning opportunities which JCI offered.

I had the opportunity to hold various offices including Local Chamber President, Regional Group Chairman North West; National Awards Manager, National Public Speaking Project Manager, National Chamber Development Director and National Assigned Officer to Northern Ireland. Each of these roles afforded me the opportunity to learn and develop skills in public speaking, project management, team leadership and development, networking and negotiating and so many more.

JCI also offered me the opportunity to gain recognition taking part in National Debating Championships and National Public Speaking Championships and to train as a Trainer with JCI delivering training locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. I was also awarded the highest JCI Accolade a JCI Senatorship in recognition of the level of involvement and contribution to the organisation.

I credit JCI with enabling me to move into the Learning and Development profession at a management level. I well recall that when I applied for my first Training Management role I was competing with nearly 100 other applicants. Almost all of them had a formal Institute of Training and Development qualification and I was one of the few who didn’t. However, the experience and knowledge I had acquired through JCI coupled with my commitment to seeking out learning opportunities secured me the role.

So if you are open to learning opportunities why now take a look at JCI UK or if you are outside the UK start at JCI. You will discover a world of learning opportunities and you will not regret it!

For Learning and Development Professionals There’s More To Life Than CIPD

No this isn’t a Work/Life Balance related post and nor is it a criticism of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) for whom I have an immense amount of respect.

It’s more something that I have become very aware of as I am now actively in job search mode and looking for a new role as a Learning and Development Professional. One of the things I have noticed is that there seems to be an increasing number of employers and their recruiters who are stipulating CIPD as a requirement for Learning and Development Professionals roles. That would be fine if that was the only qualification in town however, as those who operate in the L&D arena will be all too well aware there are various institutes focused on the profession whose qualifications and related post-nominal letters are based on practical as well as theoretical understanding of the L&D arena. For those who may not be aware of them they include

BILD – British Institute of Learning and Development
ITOL – Institute of Training and Occupational Learning
LPI – Learning and Performance Institute

Those readers of a similar age to me may well remember the ITD (Institute for Training and Development) which was the preeminent L&D organisation before it merged into the IPM to become the CIPD. Many members of the ITD never felt quite at home in an Institute which at that time had a primary focus on the Personnel side of Human Resources. That’s why many of the Learning and Development Professionals that I know migrated to the organisations I mentioned above. They are all institutes which are focused on certificating high standards of delivery from Learning and Development professionals

So why is it that we don’t see any mention of the three Learning and Development focused Institutes? I think it comes down to a lack of awareness. Many of the recruiters who have come from HR backgrounds will be familiar with (and probably have) the CIPD qualifications. Therefore when a client/employer asks them what a relevant qualification is they will automatically think of the CIPD and the client will accept their suggestion.

So what needs to happen? Well obviously there needs to be more awareness raising across the recruitment industry as a starting point and we need to see ITOL, LPI and BILD doing more to promote the relevance of their Institutes to the Learning and Development profession.

I mentioned this yesterday on Twitter and was delighted to see an almost instant response from BILD and also from two of the HR Recruitment Agencies in Manchester/North West – Adam Recruitment and Ashley Kate HR. They all indicated that they wanted to talk to one another. Now, having facilitated the start of a conversation, by introducing them to one another, I will watch with interest to see what comes of it.

ITOL and LPI the ball is in your court! What are you going to do to connect with recruiters and start raising awareness of the Institutes so that those Learning and Development professionals who have not gone down the CIPD route don’t find themselves excluded from roles which only stipulate CIPD? I look forward to seeing what happens there too.