Gartner analysis in 2020 suggests that only eight of the 12 skills you brought to the job are relevant now and there are 10 new skills you will need to learn to do your job.
If that is true, then it’s likely the organisation you’re working for is aiming to grow in the face of rapid evolution brought on by the disruptive powers of technology. Research by McKinsey indicates most companies have made closing those potential skill gaps a priority and have put learning and development at the forefront of that effort.
Many companies are looking to create a reskilling curriculum that blends in-person and digital learning opportunities.
Strategic approach or tactical?
But is reskilling an organisation to adapt to the disruptive forces it faces mean hiring in some experts to dust off their slide packs for a series of training presentations? Or creating a catalogue of e-resources and ‘how to’ videos placed on the intranet under the heading ‘Training’? Or buying the latest learning management system from which to deploy learning?
Strategy. Structure. Support.
It could mean all of those things but research shows that leadership at an organisational level has the most significant impact on learning effectiveness, more than teachers and adopting new learning practices.
What Spinifex has learnt is that all those tactical measures can have a place if the foundational pillars of strategy, structure and support are in place.
STRATEGY: Is learning purposed to meet the business mission? Is there a clear vision? What’s the plan, actional steps and timeline? How will we promote learning throughout the organisation?
STRUCTURE: What’s the framework within which to deliver the learning and measure its impact on the business? How will we prioritise who learns what? What facilities and technology do we need to deliver the learning at point of need? Can it be financed to sustain a long-term commitment?
SUPPORT: How will we build a learning culture where individuals and teams have a thirst for learning? McKinsey’s Global Survey indicates 84% of companies adopting a successful reskilling program believe that culture is key.
How do you measure success?
Drawing a direct line between a skill development teaching point and winning in the marketplace is critical. Without it, there is no way of knowing whether what is being learnt is impacting directly on business success.
Learning content when designed using the right fit of technology can measure individual learning progression and identify learning gaps at a curriculum level, as well as measure the direct impact on business outcomes.
