Finding the Time for Professional Development
When I talk with leaders, employees, executives – anyone in organizations really, I hear the same message, “I don’t have enough time!” In an era where things are changing so fast and we need to stay ahead of the technology changes, and upskill, reskill and ongoing development, it can be a challenge to find time to fit it all in.
I’ve had a long career helping organizations design and implement training courses and robust programs. While these formal courses are important, most people learn the most on the job – with their peers and with guidance from their leaders. There’s probably a lot of learning, upskilling and reskilling already happening.
I’ve shifted my focus and now emphasize learning that happens in teams and believe we need to equip leaders to create a culture of learning to embed growth in the DNA of their teams. Yes, learning still takes time, but it’s more effective than taking a course and then struggling to apply what you’ve learned and then eventually abandoning most of the new ideas and concepts.
Source: “Always be Upskilling” by Tom Fishburne at Marketoonist 2024.11.11 (link)
2024 I4PL Conference: Author Panel and Session
For those of you in Canada, last week, the Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL) hosted its annual conference for learning and development professionals. I joined the Author Session on Day 1 to launch my latest book! Into the Hands of Leaders: Employee Growth through Learning challenges traditional training methods and highlights the power of learning-driven leadership. It provides a fresh perspective on how leaders can inspire teams to grow, innovate, and thrive.
On Day 2, I presented Bridging the Gap between formal training courses and leader-led learning. We had great fun using my Lead, Learn, Grow conversation cards at the beginning to introduce ourselves to each other and warm up to the focus of the session.
We talked about the challenges our organizations face and ranked what was most pressing in each of our organizations.
We also talked about how we naturally learn through informal learning, and so continuing to focus on formal training courses to address our challenges we leave our leaders and our organizations ill-equipped.
We finished the session by using my Lead, Learn, Grow conversation cards again to identify specific actions we could bring back to our organizations to help leaders focus on creating a culture of learning in their teams.
Thanks to everyone who joined!
Creating a Culture of Curiosity: Why Leaders Must Encourage Experimentation
In today’s fast-paced world, when you encourage experimentation, you unlock your team’s potential for creativity and innovation. A culture of curiosity helps employees feel safe to explore new ideas and learn from failures. When you ask open-ended questions and support taking risks, you allow team members to experiment without fear of repercussions.
By fostering curiosity, leaders create an environment where teams are motivated to solve problems and think critically. Rather than focusing on quick fixes, leaders can guide their teams to discover better, more sustainable solutions. It all begins with the right mindset. Encourage your team to ask: “What haven’t we tried yet?” When employees are given the space to explore, innovation flourishes.
In case you missed it
I’ve shared some additional posts online. Here they are, in case you missed them.
- Unboxing my Lead, Learn, Grow conversation cards (video link)
- At the Canadian Nuclear Association one-day Workforce Planning Ontario Symposium (video link)
- Discussing Bridging the Gap at I4PL Conference (video link)
