I’m finally getting around to reading the ASTD State of the Industry Report for 2009 which was released in November. I found this graphic quite interesting. I suspect one of the greatest needs now is to come up with an actual strategy for implementation. Or is the plan just to let the horses out of the barn?

Might I suggest a first step if you’re talking the strategy route – understand the common problems that get in the way of execution and analyze your organization within the context of these overarching things:

• Process and governance
• Technology and standards
• Organizational and learning culture
• Utilization of local and global resources
• Skills and competencies

You’ll be looking for stuff like this:

Initially, I thought governance was out of step with Web 2.0. It’s not. I like this definition of governance from AACSB (my original link is now dead):

Governance is the process of decision-making and the process of implementing (or not implementing) those decisions. Learning governance consists of planning for learning, allocating investments to learning, and managing those investments.

Governance should be aligned with business objectives and performance goals. You’ll have a better shot at getting resources and support with common goals. That might be a no brainer but some organizations are a bit out of step.

If your goal is to create an environment for collaborative learning using technology, you’ll have to discuss a specific strategy for technology.

Not readily available to me is this oldie but goodie: Itami, H. & Numagami, T. (1992). Dynamic Interaction Between Strategy and Technology.
Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 13, 119-135. ABI/INFORM Global.

They defined three relationships between strategy and technology:

1. between current strategy and current technology
2. between current strategy and future technology
3. between future strategy and current technology

Typical questions they proposed include:

• How should technology be used as a tool?
• When should technology be introduced?
• What type of strategic focus is most effective given the constraints on the technology available?
• How should the organization cope with technological innovation and trends?

Basically, you’ve got a couple of ways to go…piggyback on an existing enterprise-wide strategy or move forward with baby steps.

If strategy is about doing the right things, implementation is about doing things right. (Harvard Business Essentials, 2005)

This is the process I used for executing:

Here’s a two-pager with some key points about learning 2.0.

(This post is based on a report I wrote just over a year ago. I hope you find the excerpts from it helpful.)

I just released a report on creating and implementing an e-Learning 2.0 strategy. I know some people want to hurl when they hear 2.0 so I’ll wait.

There. Better? Good.

Here’s something I found interesting: those organizations that lack a governance model say (more often than organizations that do have a governance model) that learning activities and business strategies are not well linked (aligned). Where is alignment most noticeable? Which projects get prioritized.

So this, to me, means >>>
Having Governance = Better Alignment = Successful Projects & Resources

Who knew? Governance is super-sexy. Even wicked.

Soon to be sticking out like a sore thumb in the potato chip section of a grocery store near you is Pringles, recently determined not to be a chip (crisp) at all but a cake. Thanks UK! Apparently the UK courts don’t know that I try to avoid cake. A cake that conveniently fits in the cup holder of my car. Did you know we eat one billion dollars of Pringles each year? I know right?

I’m sure you have (or have had at some time) some ‘pringle-like’ content in your training. You know the one…the course/class that is actually training for something that does/did not require training.

Remember the mandatory ILT for a group because one person has crappy customer service skills? (And they didn’t think the training applied to them anyway). Remember the off-the-shelf soft skill e-learning to address morale-type issues that are actually the result of a bad manager (yet no training for the manager…waahhh?).

Although you won’t be the most popular kid on the block this is probably one ‘fight’ worth fighting. At least I’ve always thought it was. Why? Because your training solution will fail – that’s what people will see. And you’re employees won’t be happy with you. Training that didn’t work. Yuk. No one wants that. You want to be helpful. You want to improve the performance of the work force. No time to be a yes man/woman. But being a realist, if you must provide training, at least don’t cave without stating your position. “I’m not confident it’s the right solution because…blah blah blah…I’m just sayin’.”

A process for handling (and rejecting) incoming requests should be part of your trainer DNA. Here are some suggestions for triaging those incoming requests.

1. is it a learning strategy item? (if not, why? is it new? should it be discussed? should it be politely turned down because of other strategy-linked priorities?)
2. is it tied to the organization’s business plan? (if not, why? is it new? should it be discussed? should it be politely turned down because of other strategy-link priorities?)
3. is it a problem that requires training intervention? (ask five “why” questions…Q: why do you think you need this? A: because we have complaints from the customers. Q: why? tell me about it. What prompted it? A: well, we received a complaint that was elevated to the C-level so I got a call to get some customer service training in here. Q:(thinking…aah, now we’re getting to it)…hmmm…one complaint? that doesn’t sound like much of a problem given the fact your employees are on the phone all day. why do you think you need this again? A: basically, I don’t. but I do have to address this promptly. Q: Why not a discussion with the one person that the complaint is against? Is it a pattern? If so, will training help this person or is it a performance issue or are they in the wrong job? A: I’m not sure that customer service is right for this person but she’s been coming along. Q: Why don’t you think about it – and the money that can be saved – by not making everyone attend training they may not need. A: OK. I’ll call you back.
   
4. is it funded or can funding be obtained? (the greatest solution in the world won’t fly if there’s no funding for it.)
5. if it’s not a strategy item…don’t turn it down right away. Is it something that can save the company money and be done quickly and inexpensively? (flexibility, value is a must)

I do hope you enjoyed the cheesy tie-in (or should I say Pizzalicious because that’s my fave) of Pringles and training. Proof that I am way uncool and always thinking about training. Sigh.