Starting Up L&D for the New Year: Onboarding's important, but how do we do it well? In this episode, I review some of the latest research and bring the best stuff to you, keeping in mind most of us are juggling other projects as well. I explore the differences between onboarding and induction, the six C's of a successful onboarding program, techno-stress (yep, that's a thing) and managing social isolation in hybrid work contexts. I read about evidence-based suggestions for different roles, such as salespeople, software engineers, and delivery consultants. I dig into a juicy meta-analysis that emphasises the importance of proactive behaviors and personalised learning and get sidetracked by a study implying that at least 10% of Canadian Public Servants don't have access to email (actually I'm a lil' jealous). Lastly, I introduce my onboarding design bingo card to organize and prioritize elements for an effective L&D program.

01:59 Onboarding vs. Induction

03:33 Onboarding Models and Dimensions

07:54 The 6C's of Onboarding (Dr Bauer!!)

13:35 Hybrid Work and Technostress

18:13 Onboarding Specific Roles

29:18 Best Practices and a Bingo card

Promised Citation List

Jen Sadler is experienced in those roles where HR and L&D are closely interlocked. Sometimes so closely they’re the same person. We have a great chat about:

·       Getting from transactional to strategic.

·       Lauren’s imposter syndrome rears its head again, this time about being in the team HR meetings and what I’m working on vs the rest of the team’s “Very serious and important” projects/issues

·       Jen’s vision – nurturing that positive work environment

·       Jen is playing 4D chess – instead of just solving performance problems, arrange the environment in a way that they don’t happen in the first place.

·       Business values – not just getting people to remember them, but using them as our north star to shape our focus.

·       Jen quotes something I said in a previous episode (omg!!)

·       Small business shouldn’t have to choose between HR and L&D.

·       CLIMBS model – a step by step journey to higher performance, with L&D and HR as equally necessary contributors (and winners)

·       Why “you should do a session on that” is the best tool in your L&D kit

02:58 The Intersection of HR and L&D

06:24 Proactive Performance Management

21:00 Balancing Organizational and People's Needs

33:54 Practical Application and Continuous Learning

Capturing and curating knowledge is something nearly every organisation battles with, especially as they outgrow that stage when everyone fits in the same room. Join me as I talk with David King, CEO and founder of Tribal Habits. David shares a heap of actionable tips, including six structured methods for gathering and sharing knowledge, which I fully intend to swipe and use at work next week. I invite you to do so as well.

Focusing on the right SMEs, starting small and leveraging FOMO to get the attention of the indifferent ones, practical advice on getting started and the importance of fostering an organisational culture that encourages knowledge sharing. David even tempers my excitement with some practical warnings (the perfect guest!)

01:50 Introducing David King and why he’s my go-to for this topic

03:34 Don’t assume Engagement (like I did)

04:06 Engage the Right Subject Matter Experts (ignore everyone else)

05:24 Cultivating Willingness and Ability in SMEs

09:19 Practical Tips for Capturing Knowledge

17:35 Creating a Sustainable Knowledge Sharing Culture (is not just up to L&D)

25:09 Organic Growth in Knowledge Management is a relief

26:21 Knowledge vs. Training

27:40 Tools for Managing Training

29:36 Six Approaches for Extracting SME Knowledge

36:00 Lauren’s brain can’t keep up with David’s Six Approaches for Extracting SME Knowledge

37:07 Mistakes and Challenges in Knowledge Management

41:22 Continuous Improvement and Final Thoughts

Show Notes:

Now that there's an official L&D person, expect a lot of requests coming your way. This episode is about managing business expectations and your capacity. L&D is the the #1 thing people talk about in engagement surveys, that the development opportunities are what engage them. Now that there's someone 'official', people are going to try and shift anything remotely L&D related onto you. This isn't a realistic approach. For them or you.

If you're spending your days delivering the same product training sessions to new starters and having 1:1 mentoring sessions with every employee, you will not have time to do anything strategic. You'll have fun, but you won't get that "thank goodness you're here" result.

Tune in for a coffee metaphor to explain the 70:20:10 model, why emergency evacuation tools prove training is shiny but not the default solution and how to reduce the number of times you need to say no. You're here to teach them to fish, not make batches of tuna sandwiches.

00:45 The Realities of L&D: Beyond the New Year's Resolution

03:36 Order taking sucks – and sometimes we have to do it

11:26 The impact of working on the wrong things

16:35 Your caffeinated guide to the 70-20-10 Model

19:49 The Shiny Appeal of Training

21:30 Managing Expectations and the Reality of Training

25:11 What people expect of L&D vs What we can really do

30:27 Navigating No as a human with finite capabilities

35:39 Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead

Episode 5: Pilot Groups, Outcomes and Using Learning Data to Bring Others on the Journey.

In this episode, Neil John Cunningham and I talk about practical approaches for setting up the L&D function, starting with setting realistic initial goals and engaging teams and leadership. We talk about why pilot groups are amazing for testing strategies and how to use data to tell compelling stories that build support for L&D initiatives, and why we need to manage expectations.

Want more? Connect with Neil John Cunningham on Linkedin or buy Neil's book "The Strategic Order Taker" (I got the inside scoop that book 2 is in the works!!)

01:47 Engaging Teams and Leadership

01:53 Setting Sensible Initial Goals

16:57 Pilot Groups and Strategic Execution

26:15 Data Storytelling in L&D

33:29 Conclusion

· How can you create hype and generate motivation for embracing L&D? – without making promises you can’t keep?

· How can you build relationships with managers and other influential stakeholders to demonstrate how L&D can help them achieve their goals?

· Who are the influential individuals within the organization that can act as ambassadors for the L&D department and help spread your message?

Everyone wants to be friends with the CEO. Help start up L&D by connecting with stakeholders you might not have thought about. When something new hits the market, there are the early adopters, the late majority and the laggards. L&D in your company is a new product. Find your people, your ambassadors. The cool kids that are connected to everyone else and will help you get things going. Make connections with managers so they know who you are as a person and how you're going to make their jobs easier. You’re going to be relying on them a lot, so if there’s anything you can do early to build your relationship, get into it.

Everyone loves L&D (naturally), but if your first impression is rocking up to their inbox forcing them to learn about cyber security for an hour, it’s going to test that love.

03:04 Connecting with Key Stakeholders – what even is one of those?!

04:19 Group Dynamics and #Influencers

06:51 Targeting Innovators and Early Adopters; ignoring laggards

07:50 Social Proof and Success Stories

12:48 Learning to be okay with inconsistency

24:29 Connecting with people

26:07 Giving Generously – and sensibly

30:22 Conclusion and Next Steps

Fighting for Your Life: Making an impact and doing it quickly.

*Bonus content – my brush with impostor syndrome, brought on by reflections on past and present.

Actual episode content: Just because the decision to establish L&D has been made, doesn’t mean it’ll stay made. We have to make the right impact quickly and effectively, so that they couldn’t dream of being without us. I had three months to prove the value of what I was doing, with my entire plan fitting on a single sticky note.

When you’re fighting for your life, it comes down to priorities, people and proof. Start with the most important problem, talk to everyone, focus on your MVP and communicate what you’ve achieved, using language that aligns with business strategy. And try not to get hung up on doing this perfectly – we’re all learning how this works.

00:00 Introduction to Setting Up L&D

02:47 The Importance of Making an Impact Quickly

05:57 My Story

08:37 1. Make the Right Impact

14:45 2. Make the Right Impact - Fast

18:40 Creativity is Problem Solving without Resources

22:26 Grab That Low Hanging Fruit

24:01 3. Help the Right People Understand the Impact (and help them understand it was you)

27:23 Storytelling Helps Demonstrating Impact

29:15 4. Plan Ahead to Get Evidence (Activating ‘Science Mode’)

32:13 5. Keep Fighting!

36:14 Conclusion: The Five Step Plan to Fight for Your L&D Function

Starting Up L&D Episode 2: “Fluffy and Expensive”

In episode 2 of 'Starting Up L&D', we challenge the misconception of L&D being ‘fluffy and expensive’, starting with a dive into the historical evolution of Learning and Development. When you know what decade your stakeholders’ expectations are based in, you’ve got the power to work with them, show how valuable what we do really is, and get them excited to work with you.

00:00 Introduction to Starting Up L&D Episode 2

00:33 Understanding the Perception of L&D

01:37 Exploring the History of L&D

02:45 The Evolution of Workplace Training

04:23 The Shift Towards Investment in Training

04:47 The Emergence of Human Capital Theory

06:09 The Rise of External Training Vendors

06:55 The Impact of Technology on L&D

08:04 Understanding Organization Development

16:17 The Role of L&D in Strategic Business

18:23 Addressing the Perception of L&D as Fluffy and Expensive

19:22 The Academies Framework for L&D

26:36 Managing Expectations and Shaping Perceptions of L&D

31:09 Conclusion and Preview of Next Episode

Resources:

Early History of the Fields of Practice of Training and Development and Organization Development – Torraco, 2016 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1015&context=cehsedadfacpub

Bersin “A new paradigm for corporate training: learning in the flow of work” https://joshbersin.com/2018/06/a-new-paradigm-for-corporate-training-learning-in-the-flow-of-work/

McKinsey ACADMIES Framework: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-essential-components-of-a-successful-l-and-d-strategy

Deakin Co and Deloitte L&D investment research: https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/news-and-media-releases/articles/deakinco.-and-deloitte-report-on-significant-returns-on-l-and-d-investment 

Starting Up L&D - Episode 1: Where Do L&D Functions Come from?

Welcome to Episode 1 of Starting Up L&D, your 'been there' guide to setting up L&D from scratch. Get ready for real-life stories, evidence-backed insights, and expert interviews, all centered on emerging L&D functions, with a side order of fun

Let's explore some common reasons for establishing L&D and how knowing the reason the organisation is taking the plunge can help you get off to a great start.

Performance reasons

1. Sales Enablement

Product knowledge and efficient sales processes are vital for revenue, but it's not easy. Rapid growth where I worked meant we needed focused onboarding and sales strategies, ASAP.

2. Leadership Development:

Promotions often lead to management roles without proper leadership training. Boosting your leadership bench strength is a power move that lifts all ships, but it's not easy to do. It's big business though, and for good reason.

People-y reasons

3. Talent Attraction and Retention:

L&D is the top reason people join (and the main reason they leave if it doesn't meet expectations). If you want to get and keep great people, intentional development planning is a good place to start.

How to use this knowledge

L&D functions often emerge from critical organisational needs. If you know what that need is, you know how to make an impact, fast. When you've got the job, knowing the priority lets you focus on fixing the problem. If you're applying for the job, at least you'll know what you're signing up for! "Why now" is a powerful interview question to ask.

Thanks for listening to my first episode!! I'd love it if you would share it with those who would benefit and subscribe for future episodes to keep the momentum going.

Next time: I rant about the myth that L&D is 'fluffy and expensive', using a hundred years of business history as ammunition (more fun than it sounds!!)

Links and Resources:

- McKinsey - The Boss Factor: Making the World a Better Place Through Workplace Relationships

- UKG - Mental Health at Work: The Impact of Managers and Money

- Prosci - The Role of People Managers in Change Management

- Leadership Development Program Market Report

- Society for Human Resources Management - Pulse Survey on Continuous Training

Stay tuned for more episodes that will help you navigate the world of Learning and Development (L&D) and make a difference in your organisation (while looking AMAZING!)