Learning Leaders - Are You Ready For a Seat At The Table?

Tony Irace, VP Learning Solutions, ESource

When I speak with learning leaders about their wish list, what they want most is a seat at the table with the senior leaders of their companies. After all, as a learning leader, you strive to be a good business partner and add value to your organizations.

Plus, you want to be included. You want the opportunity to offer your perspectives, hear the strategy first-hand, and understand the issues in achieving the company’s business goals.  As a learning leader, you bring great value, as much as your finance, IT, and marketing colleagues, and can offer a different point of view.

But before you get your wish, you need to ask: are you ready for that seat at the table? In my experience, I found these four things to be critical:

1. Have a plan

Do you have a documented strategic plan or roadmap for your learning team? Your plan should include your team’s mission, goals, strategic initiatives, success measures and risks in achieving your goals. It should, at a minimum, cover one year, and should ideally span three years. You can use many formats, including my favorite, the “strategy on a page.” Remember, your business leaders have a strategic plan, so they expect you will too.

2. Know your value

Do you have metrics or analytics to show your achievements?  Efficiency measures like number of people trained or number of hours trained are useful, but you also need business-related measures.  Have your training programs improved performance?  Have your programs positively added to your business’s outcomes?  These are not easy numbers to find. You don’t need to have metrics for every course you have designed and delivered. But using a well-known, critical business initiative and tacking on quantitative training metrics will go a long way toward providing relevant analytics.

3. Be a partner

Let’s face it; we in the learning space support our businesses. Building relationships with your HR, IT, Legal, Finance, and Marketing partners is crucial for your success.  I have found that strong relationships build trust, and trust builds credibility. 

I once worked with an IT leader on a new product launch.  My learning team needed to see and experience the product so we could develop the appropriate training.  This leader only gave us a week, which was too short. When I explained our design process to him, he saw it was similar to his product development process, and understood why we needed more time—and we got it!

 4. Be visible

Do your business partners and senior leaders know what you do? I don’t mean to sound factitious, but in many cases, they are unaware. Market your team’s work and publicize what you do. This can be done verbally as well as through a newsletter, a website, and social media—which will broaden your reach.

Of course, every business has its own politics and culture. Some organizations may not view learning as an important component to be at the table. Hopefully, that’s not the case for you. So be ready. Incorporate these four suggestions into practice and request your seat at the table.

The Strategic Advantage of a Fractional Learning Leader

Michael J. Giambra, CEO & Co-Founder, ESource

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations are increasingly turning to flexible staffing solutions to adapt to dynamic market demands. One such innovative approach is the engagement of a Fractional Learning Leader. This role offers a blend of flexibility, scalability, continuity, agility, and cost-effectiveness, making it an attractive option for companies looking to enhance their learning and development (L&D) capabilities without the overhead associated with full-time positions.

Flexibility and Scalability

A Fractional Learning Leader provides organizations with the flexibility to engage experienced L&D leadership on an as-needed basis. This means companies can scale their L&D efforts up or down based on current business needs without committing to a full-time executive salary. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for companies experiencing fluctuating growth, undergoing a transformation, or needing to fill a temporary gap in leadership.

Continuity and Agility

Using a fractional resource does not mean sacrificing continuity. Fractional Learning Leaders are adept at integrating into an organization, understanding its culture, and aligning L&D initiatives with strategic business goals. Their agility allows them to swiftly adapt to the company’s changing needs, ensuring that the L&D function continuously supports the organization’s objectives.

Cost-Effectiveness

Hiring a Fractional Learning Leader is a cost-effective solution for many businesses. It eliminates the high costs associated with recruiting, onboarding, and maintaining a full-time executive while still providing top-tier expertise. Organizations can allocate their resources more efficiently, investing in direct growth opportunities while still benefiting from expert guidance and leadership in their L&D efforts.

Experience and Expertise

Fractional Learning Leaders typically bring a wealth of experience, having served as Chief Learning Officers (CLOs), Vice Presidents, or Directors of Learning & Development in various industries. This diverse experience allows them to bring best practices from across the spectrum and apply them uniquely to each organization’s context. Their expertise not only covers educational strategies and program development but also includes aligning L&D activities with strategic business outcomes.

The FARE Process

A key aspect of the Fractional Learning Leader’s role is following the FARE process, which stands for Familiarize, Audit, Recommend, and Execute. This structured approach ensures that they thoroughly understand the company’s culture and existing L&D landscape, which allows them to make informed recommendations and implement effective solutions. Here’s how it works:

• Familiarize: The leader integrates into the organization, understanding its values, mission, and operational nuances.

• Audit: They assess the current L&D programs and strategies to identify gaps and areas for enhancement.

• Recommend: Based on the audit, the leader proposes tailored strategies that align with the company’s long-term goals.

• Execute: Finally, they oversee the implementation of these strategies, ensuring alignment with business objectives and measuring the impact on organizational performance.

Who Can Benefit?

Virtually any organization can benefit from the services of a Fractional Learning Leader. Start-ups and high-growth companies find particular value in this model, as it allows them to establish robust L&D functions that support rapid scaling. Similarly, companies without a formal L&D department, those undergoing significant changes, or organizations looking to innovate in their training approaches can all benefit from the strategic input of a fractional leader.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the role of a Fractional Learning Leader is to provide strategic, flexible, and cost-effective L&D leadership to organizations that need to adapt quickly to changing market conditions without the overhead of a full-time executive. This role not only supports immediate business needs but also prepares organizations for future challenges, ensuring that their workforce is skilled, adaptable, and aligned with broader business objectives. As companies continue to navigate the complexities of modern business environments, the Fractional Learning Leader stands out as a key resource in fostering an agile, educated, and competitive workforce.