1
Q
The goal for many organizations today is to become a
A
“Learning organization,” constantly acquiring and sharing new information, constantly expanding its treasure of skill, knowledge, and abilities.
2
Q
Most organizations today are faced with the challenge of…
A
Reassembling the capabilities of their workforce. This is due in part to massive layoffs during times of economic turmoil, changes in the demographics of organizations as older workers phase out of the workforce and are replaced by younger workers, and a shift toward globalization. Additionally, marketplace realities such as cost pressures, increased competition, and rapid industry change create a new imperative for how organizations link learning and development to strategy.
3
Q
A distinction can be made between training and development activities:
A
Training involves a process of providing knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) specific to a particular task or job. It is appropriate when skills and knowledge are missing and the individual has the willingness to learn. It provides skills that can be used immediately and is an excellent solution for solving short-term skill gaps.
Developmental activities have a long-term focus on preparing for future responsibilities while increasing the capacities of employees to perform their current jobs. These activities are broader in scope than training activities.
4
Q
Traditionally, organizations have focused their learning and development initiatives around…
A
Training.
A need or gap in KSAs is identified, and training is designed, developed, and implemented to remediate the need or gap; then an evaluation is done to see that the need has been met.
Training is still being used, but organizations now recognize that the majority of adult learning occurs through one’s experiences on the job and in life. It occurs through activities performed and relationships with others
5
Q
Experiential learning in the workplace should undergo the same…
A
Rigor as training, and it needs to be set up “behind the scenes” to facilitate its greatest impact. This means analyzing individual, group, or organizational needs. It includes identifying competency-based performance standards, developing individual or group goals, and designing learning activities and experiences to foster growth in meeting those goals. Experiential learning initiatives also require evaluation to determine their effectiveness.
6
Q
Push model of training:
A
Example: An employee was invited to a training session in a classroom at a specified time, listened to a series of lectures, and was sent back to work.
Content was “pushed” to employees based on the training department’s schedule, and success was measured by how many employees attended the class. “Push” training is still generally used for required training such as compliance-related subjects.
7
Q
Pull model of training:
A
Learning and development is a continuous process, easily accessible anywhere and anytime—commuting to or from work, during work, or outside of work hours—and delivered via devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptop computers in formats as varied as videos, blogs, games, quizzes, simulations, podcasts, or slide shows. “Pull” training is usually linked to acquiring skills, abilities, knowledge, and competencies needed to better perform one’s job.
Many younger workers in the workforce expect training to be as readily available as an internet search.
8
Q
The Center for Creative Leadership designed a model of learning called the 70-20-10 rule:
A
This rule is based the Center’s view of how executives learn, but it can also be a good guide for adult learning in general. The rule proposes that to develop managers it is important to engage them in three clusters of experience using a 70-20-10 ratio: challenging assignments (70%), developmental relationships (20%), and coursework and training (10%).
9
Q
Many organizations do not use a systematic type of design for developing leaders or employees in general. This may be due to several factors:
A
Managers and their bosses do not have the knowledge they need to select and sequence work assignments and career moves. Additionally, they lack the motivation to take ownership for developmental relationships for themselves or their teams.
Organizations are unable to match the learning needs of high-potential managers to the experiences most likely to provide that learning.
Past research has focused on the experiences of U.S.–based corporations, and organizations may find it inappropriate to generalize this knowledge outside the United States.
10
Q
HR professionals play a critical role in the development of the organization’s worforce by…
A
Ensuring that learning and development functions align with the organization’s strategic goals. This is accomplished by participating in the strategic planning process and incorporating input from stakeholders such as corporate leaders, learning and development specialists, managers, and employees.
In addition, HR professionals may be involved in initiating, facilitating, and interpreting workforce analytics used to guide decisions on workforce development needs. HR should regularly scan the internal and external environment and do needs assessments to identify critical learning opportunities.
11
Q
Topics specific to global employee learning and development include:
A
Cross-cultural awareness.
International assignment preparation.
Global team building and managing virtual teams.
Issues related to laws, ethics, and organizational values. (Examples include anticorruption and antibullying.)
12
Q
Global HR professionals charged with the responsibility of designing, developing, and delivering cross-border or cross-cultural learning and development programs must do so within the context of two important influences:
A
Strategic orientation (how the organization steers a path between global integration and local differentiation) and stakeholder buy-in and support. These two key factors have implications for all aspects of the learning and development process.
13
Q
The learning organization is a…
A
Systems-level concept in which an organization is characterized by its ability to adapt to changes in its environment and respond quickly to lessons of experience by altering organizational behavior.
14
Q
In a learning organization:
A
Learning is accomplished by the organizational system as a whole.
Systems thinking is practiced.
Employees network inside and outside the organization.
Change is embraced, risk is tolerated, and failures are viewed as opportunities to learn.
The organization adapts and changes as the environment changes.
15
Q
Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline discusses five disciplines that interface and support one another in order to create an environment where learning can occur:
A
Systems Thinking
Mental Models
Personal Mastery
Team Learning
Shared Vision
16
Q
Systems Thinking
A
Is a conceptual framework that makes patterns clearer and helps one see how things interrelate and how to change them.
17
Q
Mental Models
A
Are our deeply ingrained assumptions that influence how we understand the world and how we take action.
18
Q
Personal Mastery
A
Is the high level of proficiency in a subject or skill area.
19
Q
Team Learning
A
Is aligning and developing the capacity of a team to create the results its members desire.
20
Q
Shared Vision
A
Is a look into the future that fosters genuine commitment and is shared by all who need to possess it.
21
Q
If these five disciplines are adopted, an organization has a learning climate in which:
A
Learning is competency-based and tied to business objectives.
Importance is placed on how to learn, not just what to learn.
The organization continues to develop knowledge, skills, and abilities.
People take responsibility for their own learning.
Learning is matched to people’s learning preferences.
Learning is both a part of work and a part of everyone’s job description.
Leaders are designers, stewards, and teachers.
(HR professionals wishing to assist their organization in becoming a true learning organization need to ensure that the five disciplines identified by Senge are present and working at all organizational levels through effective HR development programming.)
22
Q
A learning organization is a type of organization that has…
A
“Learned” to react and adapt to its environment. A learning organization provides the environment for organizational learning.
23
Q
Organizational learning
A
describes certain types of learning activities or processes that may occur at any one of several levels within an organization—individual, group, or organization.
24
Q
Individual Learning
A
Individual learning occurs mainly through experience and what is learned from others and training such as self-study, classes/seminars, and technology-based instruction.
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Group Learning
Group learning occurs through the increase in skills, knowledge, and abilities accomplished within groups or teams.
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Organizational Learning
Organizational learning begins through the shared insights and knowledge of individuals and groups and then builds on past organizational memory such as policies, strategies, and models.
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In a culture that supports organizational learning:
Members recognize the importance of organizational learning.
Learning is a continuous process that runs parallel to work.
There is a focus on creativity.
People have access to information that is important to the organization’s success.
The organization rewards individual and group learning.
Quality and continuous improvement drive the organization.
There are well-defined core competencies.
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Learning organizations are committed to...
Retaining knowledge over time
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Knowledge is commonly categorized as either...
Explicit or tacit.
Explicit knowledge can be more easily shared than tacit knowledge. For example, explicit knowledge might be shared through a database or taught through a learning intervention.
Because tacit knowledge is personal and experience-based, it is more challenging to quantify.
From an individual perspective, both explicit and tacit knowledge are important to help employees do their jobs better and be more productive. When explicit and tacit knowledge are retained in an organization, valuable knowledge assets are never lost.
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Knowledge retention involves capturing knowledge in the organization so that it can be used later. When creating knowledge retention strategies, an organization needs to consider:
What knowledge may be lost.
The consequences of losing that knowledge.
The actions that can be taken to retain that knowledge.
Knowledge retention strategies set the stage for creation of knowledge management systems.
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Generally speaking, technology-based systems and “softer” systems can help to retain crucial organization knowledge:
Technology-based systems: These can include programs or databases that employees can access. A collaborative Wiki could be used to allow employees to add and edit information. Technology-based systems are great for retaining explicit knowledge but not as effective for tacit knowledge.
Softer systems. Softer systems include meetings or other activities that take place to share knowledge and help people connect with one another. There are numerous examples of softer systems such as post-project “lessons learned,” job sharing, cross-training, mentoring, shadowing, Internet messaging, various social media applications, or communities of practice (CoPs) where groups of individuals with shared interests come together in person or virtually to tell stories, share and discuss problems and opportunities, discuss best practices, and so forth. Stay interviews, exit interviews, and alumni networks are also examples of softer systems.
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Softer systems may also include the use of knowledge maps or knowledge cafés.
Knowledge maps visually represent the inventory of knowledge and where it is spread throughout the organization. They can be used to identify how knowledge moves through the organization and so can identify bottlenecks, risks, and opportunities for the organization.
A knowledge café is a process that introduces individuals from across the organization so that they can share knowledge and experience about a topic that is of interest to them. Knowledge cafés can be informal and don’t require any specific expertise to organize or run. This tool may not result in specific, pre-determined outcomes. It functions to enhance problem solving and awareness of capabilities throughout the organization and increase networking.
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Success of the strategies and systems ultimately depends upon several factors, such as:
A culture and structure that champions knowledge sharing and learning.
Proper planning, design, and evaluation.
Effective knowledge-sharing practices.
Adequate financing and sound financial management.
Sustained leadership support.
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Training and development are part of the process of improving...
Organizational effectiveness.
Training may support skills and knowledge that employees need to do their jobs now. It can also communicate new information to align with business strategies (for example, new skills required for a strategic initiative, such as developing a supply chain) and with changing environments (for example, new processes and laws). It applies rapidly expanding technologies for delivery to established theories about adult learning.
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Prior to embarking upon the design and development of any learning/development program it is crucial to pause and consider...
Adult Learning Principles.
Learning and development programs need to be designed to meet the needs of adult learners
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Andragogy is the discipline that studies how adults learn. Pedagogy, conversely, is the study of the education of children. Andragogy is based on the following assumptions about the differences between how adults and children learn:
Self-concept - As people mature, their self-concept moves from being dependent personalities toward being self-directed human beings.
Experience - As people mature, they accumulate a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning.
Readiness to learn - As people mature, their readiness to learn becomes oriented increasingly to the developmental tasks of their social roles.
Orientation to learning - As people mature, their time perspective changes from postponed application of knowledge to immediate applicability, and, accordingly, their orientation toward learning shifts from subject-focused to problem-focused.
Motivation to learn - As people mature, their motivation to learn becomes increasingly internal.
Unlearn to learn - As people mature, they are often entrenched in how they approach experiences and other learning interventions. Adult learning interventions need to help them accept fresh perspectives and embrace new ways to do things.
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Adult Learning Principle: Adults want a focus on "real world" issues
Show how learning can immediately transfer back to the job.
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Adult Learning Principle:
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Adult Learning Principle: Adult learners will come with goals and expectations
Discover the employees’ expectations at the onset of any learning and development initiative and address those that will not be covered.
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Adult Learning Principle: Allow debate and challenge of ideas, but keep disagreements unheated
For some people, this interaction enhances the learning. Create a safe learning environment.
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Adult Learning Principle: Adults expect to be listened to and have their opinions respected
Promote a learning environment that is collaborative. Allow participants to receive feedback from the instructor and peers.
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Adult Learning Principle: Adults will wish to be resources to you and others
Take the knowledge and experience of the person into account.
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Adult Learning Principle: Adults seek out a learning experience because they have a need for the knowledge or skill being taught
Explain the “WIIFM” (What’s in it for me?) concept. Apply learning and development experiences to current and future needs.
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People gain knowledge and retain more information from...
Active participation in many different situations and activities. Being actively involved in learning fires up our brains and aids in retention of what is learned. Thus, passive listening is the lowest form of learning engagement, next to reading information. Adults rely on prior knowledge, experiences, failures, and successes when learning, and new information is often encoded and retained in relation to these prior experiences.
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Learning for adults can be enhanced by...
Asking questions and having discussions. Adults are also oriented toward solving problems and applying new knowledge or skills. Relevancy to the learner’s issues is key to retention of the learned information. Using common experiences to relate new and difficult information provides a bridge to familiar encounters. More critical learning points need to be repeated in a variety of ways so they will move from short- to long-term memory.
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Active learning stimulates cognition and the use of...
Higher-level thinking skills like analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. It means learning activities where the learner is doing something and is involved in critical thinking while doing it. While active learning strategies may require more up-front work, ultimately these strategies increase an adult’s learning and retention of knowledge and skills.
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Resistance to learning can be caused by...
External or internal factors.
Obstacles will mainly be an issue for learning activities that are “pushed” to the employee.
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Obstacles to Learning: Low tolerance for change
Given the speed of change in today’s environment, organizations need to continually adapt to keep competitive. Accepting change is more difficult for some than for others. HR professionals can impress upon employees that without change and growth, the organization, and hence their jobs, may not survive. Change makes their jobs more challenging as well as more secure and prepares them to accept a variety of responsibilities that will increase their value as employees.
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Obstacles to Learning: Lack of trust
If employees do not trust that learning is worthwhile or have had negative experiences in the past, they will not commit the attention and energy to make it worthwhile. To overcome this obstacle, it is helpful to involve these individuals in the design of their learning and development plan. Additionally, the connection to the corporate mission, strategies, and tactical plans must be clear. When employees see how training fits into the overall plan, they become more supportive.
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Obstacles to Learning: Peer group pressure
Many employees are influenced by their coworkers’ perceptions. If employees perceive that a learning/development program is inconsequential, those perceptions may transfer to others in the department. HR professionals have to find the root of the negative perceptions. Once the resistance is understood, HR professionals can better explain the program objectives and communicate how participation will help employees in their jobs or career goals.
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Obstacles to Learning: Bad experience with previous learning programs
Many employees have attended boring or irrelevant learning programs. This negative prior experience can cause resistance to new efforts. Emphasize the “What’s in it for me?” factor of the learning initiative.
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Obstacles to Learning: Lack of organizational commitment to learning
Situational barriers can negatively impact employee engagement and learning. For example, an employee’s immediate manager needs to support participation in learning intervention and learning transfer so that the employee can apply what is learned when he or she is back on the job.
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Most adult learning occurs through...
Job and life experiences and from relationships with others. Adult learners come to the table with skills and knowledge. Use this knowledge and integrate learning and development programs into employees’ day-to-day experiences as much as possible. Evaluate their current skills against the desired organizational goals and involve the adult learner in the planning of learning and development activities. Foster learning relationships through coaching, mentoring, on-the-job training, and apprenticeships, as appropriate.
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Learning style refers to the way...
Individuals take in and process new information. The concept is based on the idea that people learn differently and that tailoring the delivery of the information to address those differences will enhance learning and retention. Observation and instructor inference about learner behaviors are required in order to identify the learning style. An awareness of these styles allows HR professionals to interpret and reflect on ways to accommodate each style in learning situations.
As an HR professional, it is important to understand your own learning style. You tend to teach others with the method in which you prefer to learn, which will then meet the learning needs of only one-third of the participants.
Understanding learning styles and modifying your instruction to meet all of them helps to increase the retention rate of your adult learners. Meeting the needs of all learning styles requires a well-balanced use of various learning methods that incorporate various levels of participation.
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Three distinct learning styles:
Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (tactile)
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Visual learners
Visual learners learn best through seeing. These learners need to see body language and facial expression to fully understand content. In a traditional classroom setting, they prefer sitting at the front in order to avoid visual obstructions. They may think in pictures and learn best from visual displays, including diagrams, illustrated textbooks, PowerPoint slides, videos, computer graphics, flip charts, and handouts. During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information.
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Auditory learners
Learn best through hearing. Lectures, discussions, talking things through, and listening to what others have to say are their preferred methods of learning. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed, and other nuances. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a recording.
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Kinesthetic learners
Kinesthetic learners, also known as tactile learners, learn best through a hands-on approach. They prefer to actively explore the physical world around them. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.
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It is imperative that employee learning objectives and programs closely align with and support...
Organizational Strategic Goals.
A systematic and complete process is used to determine needs, develop training, and evaluate outcomes
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ADDIE Model
A well-known and standard instructional design model that is conducive to any type of learning. ADDIE Stands for:
A = Analysis (of needs)
D = Design
D = Development
I = Implementation
E = Evaluation
The ADDIE model is cyclical in nature and the success of each phase depends on the time, effort, and resources dedicated to the previous phase. If the analysis is skipped, for example, because the organization has “a pretty good idea of what the problem is,” the program design might not address the cultural differences of the audience or contain the content necessary to meet the real needs.
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Analysis Phase
Data is collected to identify gaps between actual and desired organizational performance. When those gaps point to a lack of employee knowledge or skill, objectives are established to address training needs.
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The analysis phase is accomplished via completion of a needs assessment or needs analysis. A needs analysis is the process used to identify, articulate, and document the organization’s developmental needs. A needs analysis can be used to identify:
The organization’s goals and its effectiveness in reaching those goals.
Gaps or discrepancies between current and desired performance.
Competency and skill gaps.
Types of programs needed.
Critical cultural influences that will affect the design and delivery of training.
Training program content based on fact rather than intuition.
Anticipated challenges and areas of potential learner resistance.
Base-line information to evaluate effectiveness.
Resource and logistical limitations.
Parameters for cost-effective programs.
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Techniques for a needs assessment/analysis: Interviews
Interviews with stakeholders at all organizational levels can identify needs, provide in-depth information, and generate ideas from multiple perspectives for how to address the discovered need. By interviewing stakeholders, you can also generate early buy-in and support for any changes.
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Techniques for a needs assessment/analysis: Observation
Observation is a valuable technique if skill-based training is needed, as those conducting the analysis can observe and witness the actual conditions surrounding a problem, providing a clear and realistic impression of what is happening and insight into what might be needed.
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Techniques for a needs assessment/analysis: Surveys
Surveys are an organization-wide tool for collecting clear and structured information from large, diverse, and dispersed groups. While surveys can generate feedback from large numbers of respondents, they can miss critical insights if such content is not covered by the questions asked.
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A needs analysis assesses and identifies developmental needs at three levels:
Organizational, task, and individual
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Organizational Level
Identifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities employees will need in the future.
Where is training needed in the organization?
What are the conditions under which training will be conducted?
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Task Level
Compares job requirements to employee knowledge and skills to identify areas requiring improvement.
What needs to be taught and what must be done to do the job effectively?
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Individual Level
Focuses on individual employees and how they perform their jobs. Sometimes determined through performance reviews.
Who should be trained, and what kind of training do they need?
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Design Phase
Information discovered during the needs analysis will be used to develop broad goals and objectives, broad plans for the treatment of the content, and the strategy for implementation. The outcome of the design phase is an architecture or rough sketch of what the final program will look like. All major content components are included, together with the order and method in which they will be presented.
During the design phase, all stakeholders should have input and potential conflicts should be surfaced and resolved collaboratively. Key components of the design phase include composing goals and objectives, outlining the flow and structure of the program, and further defining the target audience.
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Effective instructional design is based on a succinct statement of the...
Goal of the training program and creation of corresponding objectives that describe in greater specificity what participants will do and learn.
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Objectives are the results that will occur and the behaviors participants will practice at the end of the program. They are based on the goal of the program and serve many functions, including:
Providing a focus for the design.
Alerting participants to what they should know at the end of the program.
Contributing to the process of knowledge and skill transfer.
Providing a means of measuring what was learned.
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HR training professionals should make sure that program objectives include the...
acquisition of both knowledge and the skills for which this knowledge is required.
For example, employees may see or read content related to workplace bullying, but they should also be able to respond appropriately when confronted by an incident.
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Bloom’s taxonomy (in which learning objectives proceed in a hierarchical manner)
Starting with the lowest level, Bloom’s taxonomy cites:
Knowledge, or remembering facts.
Recognition of learning content when content is presented differently.
Application of learning to an example in order to draw a conclusion or to identify a principle at work.
Using learning content to analyze the causes or possible outcomes in an example.
Making judgments about the value of materials and methods for given purposes.
Using learning content to create new solutions to a problem.
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Development phase
Phase during which materials are created, purchased, or modified to meet the stated objectives. In many cases, existing materials may, with minor modifications, be acceptable to meet specific needs. At other times, new materials must be developed. During the development phase, choices are made among the many types of learning activities, methods of training delivery, and technological tools that can be used.
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Passive Learning Activities:
In which the learner reads, listens, or observes, include readings or programmed instruction delivered by computer or mobile devices, lectures, panel discussions, and demonstrations.
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Participatory Learning Activities:
In which the learner interacts with the instructor, a group of co-learners, or a learning object/process, includes facilitated group discussions and question-and-answer sessions as.
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Examples of Participatory Learning:
Case Studies - Participants apply new knowledge/skills to a hypothetical situation or case.
Round Robin - A participant or team competes against every other participant or team to answer a question or complete a task. Failure to win one of the competitions may result in elimination.
Role Plays - Participants assume and act out roles to resolve conflicts or practice appropriate behavior for various situations.
Structured Exercises - Participants complete tasks that are similar to those they encounter on the job.
Simulations - Participants perform an assigned role within a complex scenario designed to resemble a real-life challenge.
Fishbowl activities - A group of learners, sitting in the center of a circle, debate or discuss a topic while the remaining learners observe the discussion. (This is a blend of active and passive learning. For those discussing, it is active; for those observing, it is passive.)
T-groups - (also known as sensitivity training). A group of people investigate and explore patterns of authority and communication among themselves.
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Those developing training must pay careful attention to the activities they use, since activity choice will affect participants'...
Interest levels, their ability to remember and apply new knowledge, and the resources required to develop training.
The selection of learning activities is guided not only by the demands of the program’s goals and objectives but also by cultural factors and learning styles.
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The following are some key questions to bear in mind when selecting appropriate learning activities:
What are the learning objectives for the program? How will the activities chosen enhance or limit achievement of the objectives?
What will the participants be assessed on?
Who is the audience?
Where are the members of the audience geographically located?
What are the cost limitations?
What are the technology and resource limitations?
What is the time frame for the program?
What is the nature of the content? Is it stable or subject to frequent changes?
What are the cultural perceptions associated with various learning activities?
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Implementation Phase:
Phase of the ADDIE process where the program is delivered to the target audience. Several types of activities, including pilot programs, revisions to content, announcements and launch events, participant scheduling, and preparation of the learning environment, are done during implementation. A large number of factors can influence the choice of the most effective way to implement a program.
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Pilot programs
Offered in a controlled environment to a segment of the target audience to identify potential problems and assess initial effectiveness.
Based on the results of the pilot test and feedback from the pilot audience, content is revised and final adjustments are made. Revisions made in this phase of the process may involve the elimination of ineffective or inappropriate learning activities or changes required to allocate more or less time to specific aspects of the program.
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Pilot testing allows for evaluation of:
The level of content detail and the sequencing.
The effectiveness and cultural appropriateness of the selected learning activities.
The time allotted to key activities.
The usability and potential constraints of the physical space in which the program will be delivered.
Whether the content and the design result in meeting the intended objectives.
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Instructor selection is a critical aspect of classroom training. Questions that must be answered during the process of instructor selection include:
Who should deliver the training?
Will headquarters instructors, local instructors, or independent contractors be used?
How will instructors be prepared for and introduced to their responsibilities?
What does the audience expect from the instructor? What characteristics will give the instructor the greatest credibility with the audience?
(Note: It may be difficult to find all of the required characteristics in one individual. Pairing facilitators is an effective strategy that may allow for larger groups and simultaneously reduce the stress on the primary instructor.)
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Selection criteria for instructors should be determined early in the process and be based on the cultural and learning needs of the audience. Factors that may be important during the selection process include:
Training expertise.
Subject matter expertise.
Consulting skills.
Credibility with the local audience.
Qualifications, education, and certification.
Cultural familiarity.
Communication and language expertise.
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Some aspects of the program or delivery methodology may need to be changed due to
Logistical and practical reasons.
Time zones, holidays, flexible work schedules, shifts, conflicting organizational events, technological challenges, and resource limitations such as trainer or room availability often require that rollout and delivery plans be modified to adjust to specific local conditions.
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Logistical considerations for classroom and single-location training include:
Location.
Equipment and environmental concerns.
Space requirements and facility availability.
Security clearances for trainers and students to access training spaces.
Technical requirements, such as Internet access, sufficient bandwidth, access to external websites, and installing of necessary firewalls.
Learner and participant travel considerations.
Seating arrangements.
Organizational constraints such as shift schedules, workloads, and the effect of participants’ absence on productivity.
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Considerations for remote and multiple-location training include:
Number of participants at each location.
Equipment availability and technical support/coordination at each location.
Time zone differences.
Need for on-site moderators or translators at each location.
Scheduling and organizational constraints such as shift schedules and workloads at each location.
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Evolution Phase
The final phase of the ADDIE model involves measuring the effectiveness of the training. Evaluation consists of comparing the program results to the established objectives to determine whether the original needs were met. Participant reactions, retention of new information, application of new procedures, changes in behavior on the job, and changes in organizational performance are all indicators that should be considered when evaluating training results.
Training program evaluation is also essential to the evaluation of the transfer of learning.
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While an important component of the process, evaluation is a step that is often overlooked by organizations. Training program evaluations can:
Determine whether a program achieved its objectives.
Identify best practices as well as the strengths and weaknesses of individual programs.
Help the organization assess the cost-benefit ratio of training.
Identify which participants benefited the most and least from the training effort.
Gather data to assist in designing and marketing future programs.
Determine whether the program content and learning methods were appropriate.
Establish a database of information to assist in future strategic decision making.
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Two other approaches to the development of training materials are the:
Successive approximation model and Action mapping.
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Successive approximation model (SAM)
Created by Dr. Micheal Allen, is a version of ADDIE that works to gain feedback and build models earlier in the process than ADDIE does. In its simplest form, SAM has three phases: preparation, iterative design, and iterative development. Each step in the design and development phases is repeated and returned to as necessary, continually improving on the previous work.
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In Successive Approximation Models, the preparation phase consists of...
gathering information about scope, requirements, and goals.
At the conclusion of the preparation phase, the process starts the iterative design phase with what Allen called a “Savvy Start,” where collaborative brainstorming is used to create the project foundation and reach consensus on the overall approach. A prototype is developed and reviewed, feedback is gathered from stakeholders, and the prototype is adjusted as a result.
Once the prototype is finalized, it is implemented and evaluated in the iterative development phase. The evaluation may result in a return to earlier design phases to continue to adjust and prototype solutions to problems identified.
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Action mapping
A technique proposed by Cathy Moore in response to her observation that learning and development often tend to participate in information dumps, where a stakeholder has information that they wish to share and requests that training be built around that information. This can result in training that doesn’t actually address organizational needs and that fails to solve any performance problems. Instead, Moore believes that training should be tightly focused on specific performance measures that the organization has determined are important.
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Moore suggests a process for action maping consisting of the following steps:
Identify, with stakeholders, a specific problem based on current metrics or measurements. Using that identification, create a project goal.
Create a list of performance objectives consisting of specific behaviors that are observable, and prioritize them.
Determine how to help people practice the skills and behaviors that have been identified. For training delivered virtually, the activities must be contextual. This means that they must feature specific, realistic challenges and the feedback given must show the consequences of the choices the learner makes.
Identify the key information needed for each learning activity to be completed successfully. Taken together with the list of performance objectives and practice activities, the result is a map that identifies key activities and information required to achieve the specific project goal, without unnecessary items causing additional work or confusion.
Create an activity stream, consisting of the activities identified, to create engaging content. Avoid presenting knowledge and testing or doing activities at the conclusion of the training. Instead, focus on using the activities as a tool to share the information throughout to help drive understanding.
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Major training delivery methods include:
Self-directed study, instructor-led training, and on-the-job training.
Instructor-led and self-directed training methods may also be combined in blended learning.
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Self-Directed Study
Self-directed study (or self-study) allows learners to progress at their own pace without the assistance of an instructor. Self-study can include not only training materials but also performance support materials, such as job aids that provide step-by-step instructions for work tasks. Materials may be delivered in various ways. The oldest form is print—the workbook. Audio and video accommodate different learning styles and increase flexibility. More recently, electronic methods have been introduced, using the Internet and cellular technology to deliver electronic content, which may be interactive in nature.
Self-directed study may be combined with other methods.
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Advantages of self-directed study:
Flexible, self-paced learning.
Opportunities for testing and retesting.
Can focus on certain areas.
Cost-effective.
Reduced need for trained and experienced instructors.
Consistent training messages made available to learners in many settings.
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Disadvantages of self-directed study:
Learners must be highly motivated and organized.
Direct feedback is limited unless supplemented by online feedback or instructor support mechanisms.
Self-directed learners sometimes miss important concepts.
Development may be expensive.
Absence of an instructor may make the program less credible in some cultures.
Some learners are uncomfortable with high levels of responsibility for their own learning.
Sharing of knowledge may not be possible.
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Instructor-Led Training
Instructor-led training is a traditional and frequently used mode of training. Training is delivered by an instructor to an audience. The setting may be a classroom or a conference room on site. Organizations may also use external resources such as colleges and universities, trade associations, and training vendors to provide traditional classroom training. Classrooms may be virtual (for example, webinars), with individual learners or entire classes accessing an instructor at a central location. Instructor-led training may incorporate several types of learning activities, including presentations and lectures, case studies, readings, demonstrations, group discussions, infographics, and simulations.
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Advantages of Instructor-Led Training:
Allows the instructor to provide feedback and more individual attention.
Supports a wider variety of learning activities.
Encourages group feedback and idea sharing.
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Disadvantages of Instructor-Led Training:
Time- and resource-intensive.
Decreased opportunities for participation as group size increases.
Greater logistical and geographic challenges.
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Experiential Learning: On-the-job training (OJT)
On-the-job training (OJT) is provided to employees by managers and supervisors at the actual work site; it may also involve peer-to-peer training. The skill is demonstrated, the learner is allowed to practice the skill, the trainer delivers immediate feedback on the learner’s performance, and then the learner is retested. The learner is often supplied with learning aids to support performance after the OJT. These might include diagrams, infographics, or process models.
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On the job training advantages:
Relevant to the job and “just in time.”
Relies on and takes advantage of the real environment.
Opportunity for immediate feedback.
Applicable for individuals and small groups.
Allows for gradual buildup of skills needed for the job.
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On the job training disadvantages:
May be difficult to schedule.
May be potential safety issues in the real environment.
May be distracting to coworkers.
Time- and resource-intensive.
Subject matter and process experts needed to demonstrate and provide feedback.
If unstructured, performance may dip when unsupervised.
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Experiential Learning: Job Rotation
In order to help employees learn new skills (and keep them through use), an organization might offer opportunities to move through a variety of positions within the department or team. This strategy helps employees stay fresh and engaged, develops their skill sets, and also allows them to help others within their department or team.
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Experiential Learning: Simulations
Sometimes it is not possible to put an employee directly into an actual job role. However, simulations can replicate certain aspects of a job and provide an employee with the opportunity to practice skills or knowledge. The simulation might be based on a potential future promotion or transfer or be a more general skills development program (for example, interviewing, conflict resolution, customer service interactions).
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Blended Learning
Blended learning is a planned approach that includes a combination of instructor-led training, self-directed study, and/or on-the-job training. Studies have shown that the right mix of learning strategies, based on the learning objectives and the needs of the target audience, may be more effective than a single strategy. Blended learning methods represent a viable option for organizations that are struggling to deliver standardized training content in a multicultural context.
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Advantages of Blended Learning:
Multiple methods to meet learning objectives and cultural needs.
Adaptable to multiple cultural needs.
Facilitates both independent and collaborative learning.
Scheduling and facility flexibility.
Lower delivery costs than strategies that rely exclusively on face-to-face training.
Array of possibilities for interaction and enhanced learning.
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Disadvantages of Blended Learning:
Methods must be carefully chosen based on strategic objectives, or efforts may fail.
There may be technology and security constraints to overcome.
Participants must be organized and motivated to complete the learning.
More coordination required as a result of the use of multiple methods.
Costs of all strategies must be fully anticipated.
More time may be required to develop all aspects of the program.
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Technology has helped deliver training programs more...
Efficiently and, often, more effectively.
It has helped make access more equitable, and it aligns training with the way employees lead their lives—allowing them to learn when and where they choose. It has also given HR training professionals more control over the administration of training.
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Tech tools for learning and development:
E-learning, learning portals, learning management systems, webinars, mobile learning, simulations, artificial intelligence, and social media.
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E-learning
E-learning refers to the delivery of training and educational materials, processes, and programs via the use of electronic media, such as web- or computer-based learning, virtual classrooms, and mobile devices. E-learning can be delivered via the public Internet, an organization’s intranet/extranet, satellite broadcast, streaming to mobile devices, or other electronic means.
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It is important to understand that e-learning technology can be used to implement distance learning, which is...
Generally defined as the process of delivering educational or instructional programs to locations away from a classroom or central site. This essentially allows for the ability to learn everywhere, allowing the learning to fit the needs of the learner.
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When e-learning is used as a delivery method, instructors are often positioned as...
Additional resources to moderate discussions, provide feedback, and suggest supplemental activities and resources. When functioning in this capacity, the instructor should be adept at working in and managing the e-learning environment, which is quite different from a traditional classroom learning environment.
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E-learning can be designed to be either synchronous or asynchronous:
In a synchronous learning situation, participants interact in real time, for example, in virtual classrooms or online discussions that last for a specified time period.
In asynchronous learning environments, participants access information (often individually) at different times and in different places by completing web-based modules and activities.
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E-learning may use gamification concepts, microlearning, and just in time learning:
E-learning may use gamification concepts, which take some elements of games (such as points, leaderboards, and competitions) to increase engagement with training.
It may also take the form of microlearning, which uses short learning activities. These don’t take as much time to create and are easier for busy learners to access and complete.
E-learning may also be just-in-time learning, which provides only the information that a learner needs, exactly when they need it. This relies on the use of devices to access e-learning whenever the student needs it, quickly and easily.
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In many e-learning programs, the complex relationships between the...
User, the training program content, and the system’s technical and engineering requirements come together in the user interface. A user interface is a graphic and software program structure that enables information to be passed between the human user and the hardware or software components of a computer system. As with most other aspects of training program design and development, the choice of photos, images, video, audio, interface, and navigability that characterize an e-learning program may need to be adjusted to reflect specific cultural dimensions. For these reasons, e-learning program designers and developers should be familiar with the key dimensions of culture and their potential impact on website, e-learning, and user interface design.
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Advantages of E-learning:
Distributes information widely and quickly to many employees.
Assists globalization efforts through virtual communication.
Keeps information consistent and current.
Permits schedule flexibility for employees.
Allows choice of synchronous or asynchronous methods.
Permits practice and repeat exposures to training.
Provides opportunities for simulation and higher-level learning and testing.
Shows cost efficiencies compared to face-to-face sessions.
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Disadvantages of E-learning
Technology constraints affect multimedia options and learner access.
Employers may be concerned with intellectual property and electronic security.
Developers and technical staff need to monitor, administer, and update programs.
Dropout and noncompletion rates may be higher than with other forms of training.
Some learners, especially those who are technophobic, may experience anxiety. Online support is required.
Design requires more investment of time in order to provide meaningful participant interactions.
Development and other start-up costs can be high.
Content revisions and changes may be difficult.
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Learning Portals
“Portal” is a term sometimes used to describe a gateway or access point to the Internet. A learning portal is an Internet or, more often, intranet site that provides access to an organization’s database of information and resources regarding learning and training. Portals present information from diverse sources in a unified way. Learning portals represent a vehicle through which training- and learning-related applications and information can be channeled and communicated efficiently and effectively to employees. They are often used in conjunction with learning management systems as the primary vehicle through which human resource and training professionals manage data, provide access to internal training programs, and distribute training-related information and resources to employees. Some organizations even use portals as a knowledge management application to capture tacit knowledge residing with individuals.
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Learning Management Systems
A learning management system (LMS) is an electronic system that holds course content information and suggested curriculum and certification paths. It has the capability to track and manage employee course registration and completion, career development, and other employee development activities. Many learning management systems also offer testing and measurement capabilities.
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Webinars
A webinar is a specific type of webconference. Webinars typically occur in real time and usually involve a leader or facilitator at one location who communicates electronically (via telephone, satellite, computer, or other technical means) with audience members, who may reside in one or multiple remote locations. Communication can be one-way, with limited audience interaction, or two-way, which adds collaborative, polling, and question-and-answer activities to allow full participation between the audience and the presenter. In some cases, the presenter may speak over a standard telephone line, pointing out information being presented on the screen, and the audience can respond over their own telephones (preferably speaker phones). There are webconferencing technologies on the market that have incorporated the use of VoIP audio technology to allow for true web-based communication.
The presence of an instructor and the opportunity for audience interaction have made webinars a popular delivery choice for training and human resource professionals. This technological solution provides many of the benefits of live classroom training without many of the attendant costs of bringing the instructor to the audience or the audience to the instructor.
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Webconferencing
Is used to conduct live meetings or to give presentations over the Internet. In a webconference, each participant sits at his or her own computer and is connected to other participants via the Internet. This can be either a downloaded application on each of the attendees’ computers or a web-based application where the attendees simply enter a URL (website address) to enter the conference.
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Mobile Learning
Mobile learning can be defined in different ways, but we will define it as learning content and tools that can be accessed on or delivered to small, handheld devices, such as smartphones or tablets. The use of mobile learning is growing quickly. It was adopted early in Europe and Asia and is a way of achieving a degree of equity in training access in remote regions. It is also a congenial and familiar delivery method for younger employees.
Mobile learning content can be delivered via a firm’s own communication networks or can be distributed through online app stores.
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The uses of mobile learning are varied:
Content Delivery - Employees can listen to podcasts during commutes or read texts in e-book formats.
Simulations and Exercises - The capacity for interaction is built into mobile devices.
Assessments - Assessments of learning and satisfaction with learning content/experiences can be completed online.
Performance Support - Learners can access decision support systems to diagnose a technical problem or review correct task processes before performing them.
Knowledge Management - (programs that focus on expertise sharing and organizational learning along with knowledge recovery and retention). Employees working remotely can access current product information.
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Virtual-World Simulations
Although simulations do not require technology, use of technology can support greater complexity. Virtual-world simulations, also called virtual reality, have been used for advertising and research and as a meeting space for dispersed audiences. Training-related simulations place the learner in a virtual work environment (such as an office) and present a series of real-life challenges. The learner has the opportunity to practice new skills and make decisions in a supportive and low-risk environment.
Simulations have been used successfully to train teams in processes required for product launches or to engage teams in creating and testing complex strategic initiatives such as acquisitions.
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Simulations offer a number of important benefits, including:
Appealing to young learners with sophisticated technological expectations.
Actively engaging individuals in the learning process.
Providing additional opportunities for individuals to learn complex or potentially dangerous skills, such as piloting an aircraft or practicing a new surgical technique, in a realistic but safe and low-risk environment.
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Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) offers enhanced ability to personalize learning experiences for users. This may come through the creation of personalized tests and assessments, learning that is tailored to a person’s specific learning style preferences, and increased accessibility. It may also provide the ability for custom-tailored mentoring and interactions using chatbots, helping guide learners and answer questions they may have. While performing all of these services, AI can also provide advanced analytics to organizations, helping to show the value of training and where gaps may be present.
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Social media can be used in many ways for learning and development, including:
Announcing scheduled training events through intranet social platforms. A brief message can describe content and link to fuller text descriptions or videos.
Conducting “getting to know you” exercises over social intranet platforms. Participants arrive at training events already familiar with each other’s backgrounds and interests.
Delivering lectures and videos by posting them to video-sharing sites on the organization’s intranet. Employees can access this content over mobile devices, anytime and anywhere.
Allowing participants to share experiences and perspectives. This can improve the interaction in virtual training. Activities can also be modeled as online competitions.
Facilitating post-training support through expert directories.
Supporting ongoing learning. Internal discussion boards or social media spaces allow employees to collaborate and exchange ideas and experiences.
Supporting post-training collaborative assignments and action plans.
Facilitating opportunities for employees to interact with specialists in their field.
Supporting alumni networks and employee resource groups.
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Social media should be used cautiously, however, since it may be hard to...
Control the spread of information once it is posted. The need for confidentiality and the proprietary nature of information should always be reviewed and considered first.
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There are benefits to be gained by using social media in training. Social media can help organizations overcome obstacles associated with...
Physical distance, allowing employees to access learning and interact at their convenience. More significantly, social media allow employers to recognize and make good use of younger employees’ ease with and preference for this new form of communication. Social media are ideal tools for building collaboration and opportunities for continual learning into training. Social media can transform the workplace into an environment where people learn naturally with each other all the time, not just during a single training event.
Organizations will need to change how they think about training and learning programs, however. Training models that focus on controlling the content and pushing information out to learners will not work in the collaborative environment of social media.
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Career development is an important factor in...
Building and sustaining employee engagement.
The employer is not solely responsible for career development; it is a mutually beneficial joint project between employer and employee.
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Career development
Is the process by which employees progress through a series of stages in their careers, each of which is characterized by relatively unique issues, themes, and tasks. Through a strong career development program, organizations can design and implement strategies that are simultaneously aligned with the organization’s business objectives and the personal interests, goals, and aspirations of the individual employee.
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Career development consists of two processes—career planning and career management:
The actions and activities individuals perform to give direction to their work lives are collectively referred to as career planning. Managers, supervisors, and human resource professionals often assist employees as they assess their skills and abilities in order to establish a career plan, but the focus of career planning is on the individual and his or her personal responsibilities.
Career management is the term applied to the process of preparing, implementing, and monitoring an employee’s career path with a primary focus on the goals and needs of the organization.
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Career Planning: Focus on the Individual
Identify personal abilities and interests.
Plan personal career goals.
Communicate development preferences to manager.
Assess career path options within and outside the organization.
Design a career plan that accommodates the organization’s needs.
Seek out and participate in learning and development opportunities.
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Career Management: Focus on the Organization
Identify future organizational staffing needs.
Assess career strategies and development programs.
Create career development programs (career paths and ladders).
Match organizational needs with individual abilities.
Provide on-the-job development, coaching, and career training.
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Every employee bears primary responsibility for...
His or her own career.
This may be an important message to communicate in some cultures, because some employees believe that the organization holds the responsibility for leading them through their careers. The individual is in the best position to understand his or her own unique needs and aspirations, so it is logical that every employee should take a proactive role in planning his or her own career, with the full understanding that the organization has a role in providing support.
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Managers and supervisors should serve as the support linkage between the individual and the organization. There are four roles managers can perform in order to further their employees’ career development:
Coach—listening to, clarifying, and assisting in identifying the employee’s career concerns
Appraiser—giving feedback and clarifying performance standards and job responsibilities
Advisor—suggesting options, making recommendations, giving advice, and helping the employee set goals
Referral agent—consulting with employees on action plans and linking them to available organizational resources
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Human resource professionals play a vital role in career development. They must...
Exercise care to suggest and design career paths and enrichment experiences that enable employees to achieve their goals and coach managers in their role to support the employee process. HR, the manager, and the employee all need to be involved in putting together a well-defined career path. This involves evaluating gaps against the current job or a potential position and devising an individual development plan and development strategies.
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Individual development plan (IDP)
Details an employee’s intentions and learning outcomes as well as the support necessary to meet the employee’s tangible growth goals.
IDPs should incorporate components of adult learning, organizational development, and corporate culture.
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There are various formats and templates for IDPs. At a minimum, an IDP should include the following information:
Employee profile—name, position title, name of the employee’s supervisor, and other relevant position information
Career goals and objectives—identification of the position(s) and roles to be pursued and the time frames; identification of short- and long-term goals with estimated and actual completion dates
Development objectives—statements linking organizational and/or business unit mission, goals, and objectives and the employee’s career goals and objectives
Training and development interventions—activities the employee will pursue to build knowledge, skills, and/or behaviors with estimated and actual completion dates
Outcomes—how development-building efforts will be measured or assessed
Signatures and dates—sign-offs by the supervisor and the employee
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Training and development interventions may include:
Formal classroom training, e-learning, rotational assignments, shadowing assignments, on-the-job training, self-study programs, professional conferences and seminars, 180- and 360-degree feedback, mentoring, or other activities.
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IDPs are most effective when they:
Align with organizational needs.
Reflect an objective, accurate assessment of the employee’s current strengths and needs.
Feature SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based) goals.
Focus on challenging development activities tied to individual needs.
Include opportunities for coaching and feedback between the employee and HR, the manager, or any other appropriate people.
Are embraced and owned by the employee.
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To establish a culture that fosters career development, leaders should:
Clearly link career development to the organization’s mission and business objectives.
Clearly communicate business goals so that career management plans are aligned with business systems and needs.
Place value on and reward managers and supervisors who help employees with career planning.
Participate in career development workshops and meetings.
Identify measures of success (metrics) to track performance.
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Organizations that offer a wider variety of developmental experiences are more likely to...
Meet the varying personal, cultural, logistical, and skill development needs of their employees.
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Employee Self-Assessment Tools
Self-assessment activities usually focus on a systematic process for employees to identify their career goals and preferences.
An example of a self-assessment tool is career mapping, which results in an individual career map tailored to an employee’s interests, knowledge, skills, and abilities. Similar to mapping, career pathing identifies potential jobs and roles an employee aims to hold in the organization over their career. It identifies skills, knowledge, and abilities the employee will need to develop in order to move up their career ladder.
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Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are often associated with technical skill development. Trade associations, unions, employers, or groups of employers design, organize, manage, and finance approved apprenticeship programs, typically under a set of government-approved standards that combine on-the-job experience with classroom instruction.
Finding talent in short supply in certain positions, companies themselves may also recruit workers to be trained in skills that are critical to the talent supply chain.
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Job rotation
Also known as cross-training, refers to employee movement between different jobs. In a manufacturing setting, for example, an employee may work one day in assembly and the next day in inspection or packaging.
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Job enlargement (or job expansion)
Occurs when the employee is given additional, different tasks within the same job. Adding more tasks gives the employee a variety of responsibilities that require the same level of skills.
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Job enrichment
Increases the depth of a job by adding related responsibilities such as planning, organizing, tracking, and completing reports.
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Projects, Committees, and Team Participation
Involvement with special projects, committees, and task forces represents another on-the-job employee development option. Employees given this type of developmental experience are able to enhance and build their cross-cultural communication skills; they also gain exposure to and knowledge of other areas of the organization, the influence of other cultures, and cross-cultural decision-making and collaborative processes.
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Internal mobility
Refers to career development through employee movement to other positions
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Internal Mobility: Promotions
Promotions involve assuming new and different duties of a different position at a higher grade or assuming a position that involves increased responsibilities and the acquisition of additional knowledge, skills, or abilities in the same line of work. A promotion may involve an increase in pay.
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Internal Mobility: Demotions
Demotions are usually the result of staff reductions, consolidations, or reorganizations; an attempt to move an underqualified employee to a more suitable position; or an employee’s request (for example, an employee may not want to continue as a supervisor or may request a part-time schedule).
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Internal Mobility: Transfers
Transfers involve moving an individual to a different position at the same pay grade and with the same amount of responsibility. They are another way to expand an employee’s experience and match his or her skills and abilities to the staffing needs of the organization. Transfers are usually considered a lateral move with no salary adjustment.
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Internal Mobility: Relocations and international assignments
These represent another significant career development experience. Some factors to be considered when managing such moves are:
How the organization benefits.
The effect on employee morale and productivity.
The costs, including moving costs and possible adjustments in compensation and other allowances.
Employment opportunities for the spouse.
The need for an orientation program to help employees and their families adjust to the new location.
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Internal Mobility: Dual Career Ladders
Dual career ladders provide a meaningful career path for professional and technical employees without requiring that they be placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Dual career ladder programs are common in scientific, medical, information technology, and engineering fields. This type of program typically serves as an effective way to advance employees who may have particular technical skills and/or education but who are not interested in or suited to a management or supervisory track.
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One advantage of a dual career ladder is that it ...
Can potentially reduce turnover among senior staff by allowing employees to remain in their chosen careers with expanded career opportunities and pay raises. This type of program can also encourage employees to continually develop their skills and enhance their value to the organization.
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Dual career ladders may have some disadvantages that need to be considered. The program may...
Inadvertently shelter low-performing managers. Some companies may not be able to effectively use such a program due to size and revenue restrictions. Some professionals may not want to add management duties to their role, which would take their focus away from the work tasks they enjoy. In addition, there may be resentment from employees not chosen for the program or from managers who feel that the employees in the dual career ladder program are not “earning” their pay since they are not managing other employees.
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Coaching
Individual coaching involves one-on-one discussions between an employee and an experienced individual. Some organizations integrate coaching as a part of leadership or professional skills development.
Internal coaching generally consists of ongoing, but sometimes spontaneous, meetings between supervisors and their employees to discuss the employees’ career goals and give career advice.
External coaching is generally done in a private and/or confidential relationship with a trained or certified consultant/coach who offers support and candor while moving the employee to action.
Executive coaching supports managers in mastering the fundamental principles and practices for achieving extraordinary results and empowering staff success. A third-party vendor quite often conducts executive coaching.
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Mentoring
A developmentally oriented relationship between two individuals (the mentor and the mentee, sometimes called the protégé). Mentoring usually pairs a senior colleague and a junior colleague or perhaps peers, but usually not a supervisor. In nearly every case, a mentor is someone other than an employee’s immediate supervisor.
Mentorships can be formal or informal.
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Formal mentorships
Formal organizational mentoring programs are often developed in response to a specific organizational issue or development need (for example, as part of an overall talent management program or as a retention strategy). Formal mentorships are connected to an organization’s strategic business objectives.
In formal mentorships, a mentor serves as an advisor, counselor, confidant, advocate, cheerleader, and listener. A mentor should be confident, secure, and sensitive to diversity and should be a good communicator. The mentee must be clear about what he or she wants from the relationship and help to shape the overall agenda. A mentee must be open in communicating with the mentor, help prioritize issues for action or support, be prepared for sessions with the mentor, and solicit feedback.
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Formal mentoring typically involves:
The strategic selection and matching of mentors with mentees (by HR or the group who sponsors the program).
Program guidelines and/or training for mentors and mentees.
Resources provided to help identify career goals.
Goal setting with measurable objectives.
Defined mentoring engagements (for example, 9 to 12 months).
Support for participants and ongoing monitoring (again, by HR or the group who sponsors the program) to ensure that outcomes are achieved.
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Informal mentorships
As the name implies, informal mentoring has a less structured approach. The mentoring relationship evolves in a more spontaneous manner and is generally initiated by the mentee self-selecting someone whom he or she admires or believes could assist with career development. Informal one-on-one mentoring typically does not involve developing specific goals, objectives, or development plans. No expert training or support is provided. Often, the mentee simply asks the mentor for advice on issues as they arise. While most informal mentorships are one-on-one relationships, informal mentoring can be done in a group setting, through information forums or seminars, where a more experienced expert or senior colleague shares knowledge and experience in a fairly informal manner.
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The reason for formalizing mentorships is not to replace informal mentoring but to...
Embed mentoring as an important part of the organizational culture and talent management strategies.
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Common benefits for the mentee include:
Advice on developing strengths, exposure to new ideas, creating a growth mindset, and increased visibility in the organization.
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Mentors can use the experience to develop:
Their personal leadership style, reflect on their own goals and practices, and expose themselves to fresh perspectives and ideas.
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Mentorships are a good way for the organization to:
Identify and retain emerging talent, improve employee morale and performance, and reduce workforce turnover.
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Coaching and mentoring have conceptual career development similarities, but there are some distinctions that are helpful to understand. For starters, coaching and mentoring are:
Generally delivered by individuals with different qualifications.
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Additional differences between coaching and mentoring include:
Roles - A coach has a set agenda to reinforce or change skills and behaviors. Mentoring is a power-free, two-way, mutually beneficial relationship where mentors act more as facilitators and teachers, allowing mentees to discover their own direction.
Focus - Coaching is short-term and task-based (sometimes timebound) and focused on specific development areas/issues. Mentoring is typically longer-term and takes a broader view of the person.
Agendas - Coaches help individuals to identify their own values, align goals to those values, and then self-analyze in order to improve performance and behavior. Mentors use their expertise in the field to guide others, from their own experience, to be successful.
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Tuition reimbursement programs are sometimes offered by organizations to...
Support an employee’s education and development. Such programs are often used by organizations that employ individuals with special skills or certifications that must be maintained through ongoing participation in structured continuing education programs.
Most organizations require that the program attended by the employee directly pertain to his or her job responsibilities. These programs should also be clearly aligned with the employee’s career plan. This increases the organization’s satisfaction with its investment: It is building the talent needed to support its strategic plans. It also ensures that the employee sees a return on the time and energy invested in a certification or university degree in the form of career development.
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Some organizations use education programs as a...
Structured intervention to build an internal talent pool. For example, an organization might partner with a university to run a program and create a pool of certified candidates for a business process.
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Career Development trend: Multiple Jobs and careers
Previous generations of workers expected to have only one, two, or perhaps three jobs in a lifetime. Moves into entirely new careers were rare, and career development efforts focused on job enlargement and enrichment and emphasized the importance of upward mobility.
Research is revealing that current and future generations of workers expect to have many jobs and potentially more than one career during their working lives.
This shift has significant implications for career development as a retention strategy.
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Career Development Trend: Greater individual responsibility
Greater responsibility for career planning is now on the shoulders of the individual employee.
Career development has become increasingly collaborative.
The statement “The individual ‘decides’ and the organization ‘provides’ ” reflects employees’ new thinking with respect to formal career development. The expectation is that the organization will provide the support, resources, and experiences necessary.
This shift in thinking places greater demands on the individual to share his or her career plans.
It also places greater responsibility on the organization to listen carefully and to take positive steps to meet the employee’s needs and expectations once they have been expressed.
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Career Development Trend: Nontraditional employment
More workers are considering the value of a major career change from one function to a completely different and unrelated function.
In Free Agent Nation, Daniel Pink writes that careers are now characterized by a great variety of skills and experiences that can be assembled and reassembled, “much as kids play with Legos.”
This kind of flexibility allows workers to find new, enterprising ways to fulfill customer needs and create opportunities for their own career development.
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Career Development Trend: Temporary, contract, and contingent work
A growing number of workers are exploring the role and benefits of temporary, contract, and contingent work as part of their career planning.
In addition to providing workers with options in a field, these alternatives represent a valuable strategy for gaining experience in a new field.
These options may also be used to ease the transition from one career to another unrelated career.
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Career Development Trend: More responsibility more quickly
Workers and employees in emerging markets are more frequently required and expected to take on significant levels of responsibility quite quickly.
While the career paths of employees in Western cultures have tended to advance steadily but slowly (allowing time for experience and skill development), this is often not the case in other cultures. Markets are growing so rapidly in emerging economies that greater levels of responsibility are being pushed down the organizational hierarchy to younger, less-experienced, and less-prepared workers.
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Career development is now in the hands of the...
Individual rather than the organization.
However, organizations can guide and support their employees’ career development trajectories through learning and development interventions to the benefit of both the employees and the organization.
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One of HR’s organizational responsibilities is to ensure the quality of the leadership pipeline:
That high-potential employees are identified and given the resources to become the next generation of leaders. This supports continuity in strategic management and reinforces organizational values and culture. It also strengthens innovation by developing a diverse group of leaders.
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Leadership
Is the ability of an individual to influence a group or another individual toward the achievement of goals and results. Leadership is not necessarily attached to a specific position in an organization’s hierarchy; it may evolve from situations and opportunities. When considering the subject of leadership, especially in a global context, it is important to recognize that it is not synonymous with and should not be confused with status, power, or official authority. Global leaders must be able to influence across cultures, not simply impose a possibly ethnocentric plan on local managers.
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Leader development
Used in the context of human resources management, refers to an organization’s training and professional development programs targeted to assist management- and executive-level employees in developing the skills, abilities, and flexibility required to deal with a variety of situations.
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The War for Talent by Michaels, Handfield-Jones, and Axelrod offers the following to support the need for leadership development:
One-third of Fortune 500 CEOs last fewer than three years.
Failure rates among all top executives range between 30% and 75%.
Over half of first-time senior managers stumble; some never recover.
Studies indicate that executive leadership quality accounts for as much as 45% of an organization’s performance.
Only 3% of executives think their company develops people well.
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Leadership development is part of a:
Comprehensive employee development system. Leadership development initiatives must be linked in explicit and coherent ways to best manage the leadership talent of the organization and must be tied to the strategic plan (goals) of the organization.
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Organizational survival in a competitive business environment depends in part on having...
Identified and developed leaders and their replacements. When an organization has integrated succession management and leadership development programs in place, it is well positioned to handle the departure of key leaders. In such cases, the loss of any one individual is not so traumatic to the organization because of a greater overall capacity for leadership. There is not one person but any number who can step in and assume part or all of the open job responsibilities until a successor can be appointed either from the inside or as an external hire.
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An implication of this deep leadership capacity is that...
No one is irreplaceable. Indeed, the greater the number of irreplaceable employees in an organization, the more at risk the organization is to turnover trauma.
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Regardless of industry sector, there are several overarching and interrelated reasons why succession planning and leadership development are crucial concerns:
The speed of change is increasing, and the type of change that organizations experience is likely to be radical and discontinuous. This argues for greater shared leadership in organizations. Shared leadership supports more effective change management in terms of both sensing needed organizational changes and building momentum for change more quickly than relying on a single change leader.
Complexity in the challenges faced by organizations across most industry sectors is increasing exponentially. Such complexity typically exceeds the capacity of any single leader to make sense of and develop workable solutions.
Task migration occurs whereby traditionally higher-level leadership responsibilities are transferred to leaders at lower levels. This is partly a function of the trend toward flatter organizations, but it is also due to the greater speed and complexities of challenges. What was typically handled by senior leaders in the past has been handed down to junior leaders so the former can focus on even more complex issues.
The growth of senior leaders is contingent on the second level of leadership development below them.
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Zenger and Folkman identify five fatal flaws that lead to failure as a leader:
Inability to learn from mistakes
Lack of core interpersonal skills
Lack of openness to new or different ideas
Lack of accountability
Lack of initiative
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Finkelstein, in Why Smart Executives Fail, cites seven habits of spectacularly unsuccessful executives:
They see themselves and their companies as dominant.
They identify so completely with the company that no clear boundaries exist between personal and company interests.
They think they have all the answers.
They eliminate anyone who isn’t 100% behind them.
They are obsessed with the company image.
They underestimate major obstacles.
They stubbornly rely on what has worked for them in the past.
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Leaders may have the knowledge and intellect to succeed but may fail due to...
A lack of people skills. They may not be able to build a team or maintain productive relationships.
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Finkelstein points out that executives who moved up the ranks based on only past successes were...
Particularly prone to failure. It seems that many who were lauded for their past strengths had begun to rest on their laurels. They had difficulty picking up new skills and thus failed in new jobs that involved competencies they didn’t already have.
It turns out that the most successful leaders experience developmental jobs and bosses.
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The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) concluded in their research that there are four major groups of experiences that were most beneficial:
Key jobs, hardships, training, and important people.
Challenging and multifunctional work assignments may teach self-confidence, toughness, persistence, knowledge of the business, skill in managing relationships, a sense of independence, and leadership. Bosses and mentors can demonstrate strong leadership (good and bad) by example.
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Human resource professionals have a dual focus on leadership...
They must first consider their own responsibility as leaders. They are in a position and have a role that requires them to bring about the change necessary to keep the organization competitive and thriving. At the same time, they have the responsibility to identify other leaders (and potential leaders) in the organization to maximize leadership bench strength.
HR professionals must regularly assess the organization’s leaders and leadership needs based on the company’s strategic goals. They must make sure that leaders and potential leaders are provided with the appropriate developmental experiences, relationships, exposure, and training needed for their continual development.
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Leadership can be learned, but most human talent regarding leadership remains undeveloped. There are many obstacles that prevent leadership from being developed to its potential:
Slowly developing crises (as opposed to explosive crises that seem to call forth leadership talents)
Suppressive effects of large and complex organizations and communities
Educational systems and business rewards that value individual performance over teamwork
Negative publicity often associated with high visibility
Lack of a global mindset
Insufficient organizational focus on leadership development
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Whether or not a person has inherent leadership abilities, those abilities...
Need to be developed in a strategic way in order for that person to become an effective leader.
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When assessing leader development needs, the HR professional must start by looking at the current leaders in relation to the organizational strategy or goals. The following may need to be analyzed:
What is the organization’s strategy now and in the long term?
What needs to be accomplished now and in the future to facilitate the organization’s strategy?
What types of leader competencies does the organization need now and in the future?
What are the current competencies in the organization’s leadership and management ranks?
What leadership development needs exist, who should the development initiatives target, and what initiatives should be implemented?
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Every job requires a specific set of knowledge and skills, depending on the type and complexity of the job. Best practices typically use the process of...
Competency mapping to identify key competencies for a particular position—the behaviors and personal skills that distinguish excellent and outstanding performance from the average. Such key competencies may be used for recruitment, training and development, job evaluation, performance management, succession planning, and more.
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The list of key competencies resulting from mapping forms...
The basis for a competency assessment.
In turn, a competency assessment identifies an individual’s skills gaps against those specific competencies that the organization considers valuable.
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Competency Assessment: Skills Gap
Identifies gaps in employee skills and training interventions
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Competency Assessment: Skill Assessment Center
Uses role plays, case studies, structured experiences, simulations, business games, and other activities to provide a holistic perspective of individual competencies aligned to a position
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Competency Assessment: 360-degree assessment
Collects data in a full circle around an individual; compares self-ratings to ratings by others (e.g. an immediate supervisor, peers, subordinates, internal/external customers, suppliers)
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Competency Assessment: Personality assessment
Uses data to evaluate leadership potential on the basis of personality, looking for traits such as integrity. Assessment must be careful to avoid bias.
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Competency Assessment: 180-degree assessment
Collects data in a half-circle around an individual; compares self-ratings to ratings by others but limited to internal personnel
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Competency Assessment: Competency-based interview
Screens candidates who qualify for a job by targeting specific competencies required for the position
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Competency Assessment: Manager assessment
Allows a manager to evaluate direct reports on competencies for the current job or future jobs of interest
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Competency Assessment: Self assessment
Allows individuals to evaluate themselves against a competency list for the current job or future jobs of interest.
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Competency Assessment: Certifications
Involves supervisors or other subject matter experts and evaluators in verifying (certifying) an employee's competencies. If the employee is successful, he or she receives positive feedback and certification. If the employee is not successful, he or she recieves positive but corrective feedback and prescribed follow up actions.
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A critical part of performance management is:
Coaching people to develop the skills that may be holding them back from achieving success and/or eventually assuming management and leadership roles. Competency assessment results indicate how well a candidate or an employee is able to perform the required job skills in relation to specified performance standards. They also provide the foundation to create an individual development plan and identify the necessary training and development programs and performance management to cultivate talent with the abilities to perform at their maximum potential.
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Specific to leadership development, selection stakeholders need to complete an organizational analysis that reflects the following factors:
The fundamental or generic nature of all executive work
Changing phases in the growth or progress of the hiring organization
Current contextual challenges facing the organization
The strategic direction of the organization intended by current top executives and the board of directors
(A proactive practice is to attend to such factors on a continuing basis so that the organization is more prepared for any sudden leadership vacancy. The organization must have an understanding of the roles of leadership at all its levels.)
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Common Elements of Lower-Level Leaders’ Work
(Daily to 1-year time frame)
Administering and managing within existing policies and structures
Translating organizational goals provided by superiors into more immediate tasks, plans, and responsibilities
Addressing the obstacles to progress at this level using existing organizational mechanisms and contingencies
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Common Elements of Middle-Level Leaders’ Work
(1- to 5-year time frame)
Extrapolating and putting into operational terms new structures and policies derived by top organizational leaders
Leading multiple organizational units (managing other lower-level managers)
Performing requirements including operational planning and the coordination and integration of actions across multiple functional units
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Common Elements of Executive-Level Leaders’ Work
(5- to 20-year time frame)
Conducting long-range strategic assessment and planning
Communicating a vision or plan for organizational progress and growth
Managing relationships with external stakeholders
Implementing organization-wide structural and policy changes
Fostering a climate that motivates high performance across the organization
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At the executive level, leaders are mostly involved in:
Originating policy and structure to be implemented across organizational systems. They need to balance multiple roles more than managers at lower levels (for example, mentor versus director, facilitator versus producer, innovator versus coordinator, broker versus monitor). These qualities are insufficient for fully describing what a company may require in a particular leader position.
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Achieving a better fit between eventual leaders and position requirements entails an...
Analysis of the environmental pressures, challenges, and internal dynamics that are unique to the organization.
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More surveys suggest a significant shift in the kinds of attributes considered most important in future leaders. These attributes emphasize more skills in...
Managing in a dynamic, fast-paced environment that extends across national boundaries. They also indicate more complex social capacities as emerging key attributes.
Sessa and Taylor refer to similar kinds of capacities as reflecting the ability to develop and maintain high-quality relationships with organizational stakeholders. These relationships become crucial for such tasks as motivating employees, building effective teams, and establishing multilevel collaborative relationships.
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Tools that can be used to assess leadership ability include the following:
Inventories
Leadership work samples, simulations, and assessment centers
Emotional intelligence assessment tools
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Inventories
A number of inventories measure sets of leadership styles, skills, and strengths, either as part of 360-degree assessments or as solely self-administered tests.
These measures assess the strengths that rising leaders can potentially bring to new or higher-level executive positions. The 360-degree or multi-rater versions of these scales request ratings not only from the leader but also from that person’s supervisors/superiors, peers, and subordinates.
These inventories may help identify skill strengths and weaknesses of individuals and help guide leader development initiatives.
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Leadership Work Samples, Simulations, and Assessment Centers
Assessment tools that call for candidates to demonstrate levels of attained leadership proficiency are called work sample measures. Work sample measures include situation judgment tests, assessment centers, and simulations.
Research suggests that some measures are more useful than others, although all measures possess some limitations. Work sample tests, situation judgment tests, and other tools that require demonstrations of leadership exhibit high validity. However, these also have the highest development costs and, except for SJTs, the highest administration costs.
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Situation Judgment Tests (STJs)
Present prospective leaders with sample situations and problems they might encounter in a work environment, along with possible answers. Candidates are asked either to provide the best answer, to choose the best and worst answers, or to place the answers in order from best to worst.
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Assessment Centers
(And simulations) Are similar to SJTs in that they can provide to candidates a wide range of leadership situations and problem-solving exercises. These can include in-basket tests, financial or business data analysis, leaderless group discussions, interview simulations, role plays, and psychological inventories. The batteries of exercises are observed by multiple raters who provide judgments on each of the targeted performance dimensions. Then, assessors come together to integrate the ratings and provide an overall assessment score.
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Emotional Intelligence Assessment Tools
There are specific emotional intelligence (EI) assessment tools designed for screening candidates for hiring, spotting high-potential candidates, and providing information for performance feedback and coaching. Different instruments work best for each of these HR tasks, and there are dozens of EI tools. Many of these assessment tools have not been empirically evaluated.
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The 70-20-10 rule proposes that to develop leaders it is important to engage them in...
Challenging assignments (70%), developmental relationships (20%), and coursework and training (10%).
Leadership development strategies can be formal or informal.
223
It’s been found that having bad bosses can teach one
How not to lead, what not to do, and how to survive bad situations.
Studies have shown that people often learn compassion and integrity more from experiences with bad bosses than from good bosses.
(This is not to downplay the effectiveness of positive mentoring and coaching. Research by Yukl supports the findings from the CCL work, reporting that many of the skills learned by corporate managers are based on experience more than formal education. He states that “managers are more likely to learn relevant leadership skills and values if they are exposed to a variety of developmental experiences on the job, with appropriate coaching and mentoring by superiors and peers.”)
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While useful, this type of informal leadership development needs to be balanced with...
Formal development.
Informal development is often reactive and opportunistic; it risks wasted time and money in terms of potentially developing the wrong things in the wrong people. Without a formal process that links experiences with expected developmental outcomes, there is no oversight in terms of what is being developed and when.
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Formal systems require organizational discipline to design, implement, and sustain. The result can be instrumental in buffering an organization from succession surprises, and it can be a source for competitive advantage in other ways:
A system-wide perspective on leadership development helps build leadership capacity.
Leadership development initiatives should connect across all levels and provide a road map of skills, competencies, attitudes, and perspectives to be developed from one level to the next.
Every managerial employee should have an IDP and be held accountable for making progress on it each year.
Leadership development should be part of ongoing work-related experience.
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Effective leadership development methods and strategies include the following:
More-Challenging Assignments
Risk Management
Real-life problem solving in "controlled" environments
Training
Action Learning Leadership
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More-Challenging Assignments
For individuals to develop leadership skills, they need to have a variety of experiences that test and expand their abilities to handle a variety of situations and issues. Research has shown that high-potential employees perform at their peak in new assignments within two years and that performance declines if they are not given new and more-challenging assignments.
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Leadership skills often do not emerge until an individual moves out of his or her area of comfort and expertise. Giving high-potential employees challenging positions in an area where they have little expertise will force them to identify collaborative resources and to figure out what to do on their own.
The CCL’s research identified the following types of experiences that contributed most to leadership development:
Starting something from scratch
Fixing something that is broken
Assignments outside of one’s home country
Switching from line to staff or staff to line
Making big leaps in scope (complexity) or scale (size)
Handling various types of projects, such as product launches, acquisitions, or reorganizations
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They also found that one of the worst things one can do is to become...
Very good at one thing. This leads to a too-narrow focus and perspective. It is important for leaders to gain a wide variety of experiences across a variety of domains. The CCL’s work determined that leadership development occurs primarily through work experiences rather than through traditional training programs. Similarly, Locke and Latham, in an examination of their high performance cycle, found that leadership success was the result of having challenging goals coupled with high expectations, feedback, adequate levels of ability, and relatively few constraints in the work environment.
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Risk Management
As the employee is given more-challenging assignments, the risk will increase proportionately. Potential leaders should be given appropriate training, mentoring, coaching, and other forms of support to minimize the risk of failure. At the same time, providing too much support may compromise the value of the experience and prevent the individual from doing independent problem solving and drawing on his or her own personal resources. Organizations need to be open to accepting the risks and rewards that these types of opportunities present.
High-potential employees cannot be totally risk-averse, because fear of failure will prevent them from making decisions that can grow the potential of the organization. Leadership candidates must learn from measured and calculated risks through the various assignments.
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Real-Life Problem Solving in “Controlled” Environment
Many of the strategies described above can be brought together by giving potential leaders multiple opportunities to tackle real-life problems. Doing so in a controlled environment such as a special task force or leadership development center allows the organization to manage the risk and gives it some control over the situation.
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Training
Although varied job experiences and supportive relationships are key to leadership development, there is still a place for specific training for leaders. Formal training is most beneficial when delivered at a time when the person needs to know something in order to achieve a result and has an opportunity to use the new knowledge in a real-life application. Development of this type is likely to include internal or external formal learning opportunities such as workshops, seminars, and classes.
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Action Learning Leadership
Action learning is based on the concept of learning and building skills while working to solve real business issues. It can be applied to a variety of situations, including individual and leadership development efforts. Action learning leadership moves leadership development one step further by adding the opportunity to apply insights immediately in a structured and supportive way. Because action learning mimics the process of continuous learning and integrates new ideas with actual business challenges, it has direct applicability for leadership development.
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Action learning is built on a foundation of core organizational values, including:
Continuous learning as part of the “real work” of organization members.
Continuous improvement in behaviors and processes.
The central importance of reflection in action.
Feedback and open and honest communication.
The need to learn how to learn.
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Action learning requires that leaders and managers immediately implement what was learned. When compelled to apply new skills immediately, leaders and potential leaders:
Take the learning more seriously.
Pay closer attention.
Actually try the new methods suggested.
Test what is really understood.
Retain information more effectively.
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Dilemmas of global leader development:
The extent to and the way in which leadership can really be taught
The impact and influence exerted by culture
The changing nature of leadership
The comparative nature of leadership
The measurement and evaluation of leadership development interventions
The integration of leadership programs with other organizational systems, such as career development or reward systems, and the degree of linkage with business strategy
The commitment of leaders to actually implement and share lessons learned to further the development of organizational capabilities
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Evans, Pucik, and Björkman emphasize that the presence of a...
Global mindset differentiates effective global managers and creates the ability to work effectively across organizational, functional, and cross-cultural boundaries.
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Human resource professionals can foster development of a global mindset by:
Ensuring that talented employees worldwide have equal access to development opportunities. When the goal of a leadership development program is equal access for all talented employees, the choice of a leadership development program becomes more obvious.
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As more and more organizations expand their operations into the global market, it is critically important for them to recognize that...
Westernized models, which form the foundation of many leadership development programs, are not universally accepted throughout the globe and that leadership models may vary significantly in non-Westernized cultures.
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Human resource professionals may face culturally related challenges during development and implementation of leadership programs. The following are factors with potential implications for overall program success and local acceptance:
Born vs. made perceptions
Local acceptance and support
Organizational culture
Leadership Models
Localizaiton requirements
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Born vs. Made perceptions
The question of whether leaders are born or made has been debated in HR management circles for many years. Culture has a strong impact on employee perceptions of the effectiveness of training and skill development experiences in creating leadership qualities. Cultures that perceive that leadership is an innate attribute are unlikely to recognize the value of leadership development programs. As a result, efforts to recruit individuals to participate in these programs may have only limited success.
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Local acceptance and support
Leadership development initiatives are often a very low priority in locations that believe leaders are born rather than made. In addition to difficulties in recruiting participants, programs in these locations may be poorly communicated and poorly supported.
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Organizational Culture
In some cases, a strong organizational culture that reinforces leadership development and communicates the message that leaders can be “made” may offset national cultural belief to the opposite. Organizations and human resource professionals should give special consideration to the positioning, communication, and long-term support of leadership development efforts in cultures that may not see the value of these programs.
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Leadership Models
Leadership values and models are highly culture-specific. Human resource professionals implementing leadership development programs must be vigilant to avoid imposing cultural leadership beliefs and values on others who may not share those beliefs.
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Localization Requirements
When creating and implementing leadership development programs, it is also essential that human resource professionals present the organization’s leadership competencies and values in the way they are demonstrated and reflected in the local culture.
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Developing global leaders:
Understand the role and characteristics of leaders in the organization’s headquarters culture.
Recognize that a leadership model should not be directly applied from one culture to another.
Analyze the host country in terms of value dimensions and other key characteristics.
Balance centralized organizational leadership requirements with local differentiation.
Solicit feedback and get sign-off on leadership criteria from international locations.
Develop a systematic leadership development and training program and process.
Develop the competencies proposed by global leadership models.
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Effective practices for developing global business leaders include:
Longer-term international assignments.
International cross-functional team participation.
Internal management/executive development programs.
Development of global management teams.
Mentoring and coaching.
International leader development centers.
360-degree feedback.
SHRM
flashcards
Decks in class (22)
# Cards
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Leadership & Navigation Competencies77
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Ethical Practice Competencies43
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Inclusion and Diversity Competency85
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Relationship Management Competencies59
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Communication Competency55
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Global Mindset Competency102
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Consultation Competecny44
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Business Acumen Competency126
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Analytical Aptitude Competency98
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Structure of the HR Function (Organization)127
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Organizational Effectiveness and Development98
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Workforce Management163
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Employee & Labor Relations + Technology Management221
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HR Strategy141
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Total Rewards320
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Learning and Development247
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Talent Acquisition267
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Corporate Social Responsibility91
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Managing a Global Workforce150
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Employee Engagement and Retention203
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Risk and Risk Management137
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US Employment Law & Regulation301
