My fortnightly blog considers the new role and opportunities for corporate L&D teams in the shifting world of work and teams. Here's a summary of my most read blog posts from 2019.

1. "Management was designed to solve a very specific problem - how to do things with perfect replicability
at ever increasing scale and steadily increasing efficiency. Now there's a new set of challenges on the
horizon. How do you build organisations that are nimble as change itself?"
Gary Hamel
The ideas in this blog, shared throughout 2019 have aligned to this. How can corporate 'L&D' teams start
to see new opportunities that are open to them?
The opportunity to move from serving the industrial mindset of developing compliant workers - to
enable organisations that recognise their employees as independent actors with unique contributions to
make.
The opportunity to re-balance a focus on reacting to existing problems with the real work of shifting the
underlying cultural norms of the organisation and its leaders.
The opportunity to put connections, relationships, participation and questions at the centre of our
strategy and tactics.
The opportunity to move away from a transactional, content led approach to helping to create an
environment built on enrolment and autonomy.
The opportunity to move away from the crutch of Learning Technologies.
The opportunity to help leaders to inspire excellence in their people.
The opportunity to keep score of new things - the things that are now difficult, differentiating and
valuable for organisations.
The opportunity to break down silo thinking and to demonstrate an alternative to bureaucracy.
The opportunity to identify and highlight group think.
The opportunity to facilitate uncomfortable conversations.
The opportunity to move beyond the digitisation of old thinking.
The opportunity to move beyond programme management work.
The opportunity to recognise learning as 'the work'.
The opportunity to see the work of L&D as leadership - and not just management.
I'll finish 2019 with another quote from Gary Hamel: ​"You can't use an old map to see new land."
Here's to 2020 and all its new opportunities for L&D teams.

2. What’s urgent for L&D?
"Tactics without a strategy is a scrum.
What's the long term plan?
What builds on what?
How do you build assets and leverage instead of merely keeping busy?
And how can you tell if its working?"
Seth Godin
Many organisations need support with leadership, choices, structure and clarity. Here are some
examples where "L&D" can choose to step up and ask new questions:
How does the organisation uniquely create value in its chosen market?
Which "capabilities" enable the organisation to do what it does better than anyone else?
What kind of learning environment can support the development of these capabilities?
How can L&D help leaders to develop the frameworks and commitment that enables the right kind of
learning environment?
If these kinds of questions still aren't urgent for L&D now it's safe to say they probably are "too busy...".

3. The role of "training" was simple and transactional
The basis of "L&D" came from the factory. The industrial era of repeatable work, low tolerance for
mistakes and individual skills for fixed jobs. Value was created from this efficiency and compliance. The
role of "training" was simple and transactional:
"Take what we've agreed workers need to know, to do what we need them to do. Make sure they
understand and follow."
The status roles were clear in the hierarchy:
The process owner - high status; needed to maintain this position so execution and results were always
the urgent default
The trainer - low status work; reacting to the process owners, dutifully serving by providing the tools and
tactics of knowledge transfer programmes.
The worker on the line - lowest status work; following orders, an interchangeable cog in the system
In so many respects this description of "factory work" sounds far removed from the work we recognise
today. Interestingly, this historical model still drives much of today's corporate L&D approach despite
the monumental shifts in the landscape of work it should serve.
We could describe the new and emerging patterns of value creating organisations in the "connection
economy" to include:
From business value created from scaling efficiency - to value from scaling and accelerating learning and
adaptability
From individuals and small groups of "senior people" owning strategy and the "means of production" -
to the autonomy and speed of the digital era
From a focus on individual fixed skills and jobs - to connected, focused, enrolled groups engaging
purposefully with customers and opportunities
It's easy to see what "L&D" used to be for. It's still difficult to describe what (and who?) it is for in work
today…

4. My talk at LearnTec 2019 “L&D - What is it for today?”
I was very grateful to be asked to speak at this year's LearnTec Conference as part of Jane Hart's ​Modern
Workplace Learning​ track.
Here are some of the ideas, assertions and question that I included in my presentation:
1. There remains an amazing, untapped opportunity to help people to work better together in a time of
unprecedented change in the world of work.
2. In the 2018 Harvard Business Review study of 1,300 executives only 7% ranked developing a
continuous learning culture as their number one strategic priority. This is a systematic leadership failure
and a call to action.
3. 'L&D' is mostly stuck in management mode at a time when organisations and managers need
leadership, inspiration and new ideas.
4. 'L&D' only seems to talk about the same three things:
a) Controlling 'content' and 'delivery' (tools and tactics)
b) Creating 'programs' (for 'speed to compliance')
c) Their useful identity...
5. 'L&D' was born as a tool for The Management. 'L&D's sole purpose was to ensure people did what The
Management needed them to do. People were viewed as interchangeable parts of an industrial system
based on scarcity. Standardisation was valuable so efficiency and repeatability were always the focus.
6. The old industrial system of value creation put Strategy making at the top of the hierarchy, supported
by organisational design, human resources and 'L&D' (in descending order of influence). These three
functions ensured control and consistency and were therefore dominated by management (not
leadership) thinking.
7. The old compliance model of work reflected stable process and slow rates of market change. The
culture of work reinforced a low tolerance for mistakes, uncertainty and asking difficult questions.
8. Today's disrupted business models can no longer rely on complete control so knowledge transfer can
no longer be the whole answer. Efficiency has to make a place for engagement and adaptability.
9. There are more resources, more access and more opportunities for connection than ever before in
the history of work, And yet, people have never been more disengaged.
10. Your learning program is always a lagging measure.
11. The familiar cycle of 'capability model > topics > learning objectives > solutions > repeat' is a finance
led bureaucratic cycle. It's a relic from when we were pursuing fixed targets in a stable landscape.
12. 'Competence' is no longer the scarce commodity in work teams.

5. 13. What if 'L&D' led a redefinition of "productivity"? From 'more output with less input' to 'scaling up
learning'.
14. 'Human' work will be in four areas:
a) Identifying unseen problems and opportunities
b) Developing new solutions to solve problems and address opportunities
c) Working together to implement new solutions
d) Iterating, reflecting and learning.
15. Learning means change. Change is leadership work
16. In many organisations the conditions and expectations for learning aren't prioritised or nurtured.
This is not a 'content', 'tools' or 'learning technologies' challenge.
17. ​"So many 'digital transformation programs' companies are pursuing today are really just using digital
technology to do what they have always done faster, cheaper and more conveniently".
(Esko Kilpi)
18. 'Digital' enables and accelerates the shift away from top down control needed to succeed in work
today. Work is now about the quality of your interactions and connections. A 'digital mindset' underpins
continuous learning.
19. Five principles for digital era work:
a) Change is inescapable - so it's curiosity and adaptability that create value in teams
b) Informed free choice, enabled by psychological safety and diversity is the basis for decisions
c) Active participation is the basis of growth and development
d) Focus shifts from individual tasks to connections and relationships
e) Productivity means increasing the quality and speed of learning
20. So, what ​is​ 'L&D' for today?
Defining and developing organisational readiness
(for now and for the future)
Increasing the organisations' capacity and capability to solve problems
(beyond compliance)
Coaching and supporting managers to lead and role model continuous learning

7. L&D language shapes culture
"Where we all think alike, no-one thinks much at all"
Walt Whitman
It's interesting to reflect on the industrial structures and bureaucratic language now adopted by
many corporate 'L&D' teams:
"Learning solution"
"Learning program"
"Learning delivery plan"
"Learning implementation"
"Capability framework"
"Learning requirements"
"Skills matrices"
"Learning deployment activities"
"Learning objectives tracking"
"Learning measurement framework"
This narrative reinforces a view of "learning" which is functionally structured and centrally
controlled.
I believe L&D's ongoing quest to be accepted as bona fide function has driven this shift in language.
The choice to align with what is familiar and expected by senior leaders, in particular Management's
apparent interest in only what can be "measured".
Here are some new words which 'L&D' could choose to associate with instead:
Opportunities
Empathy
Openness
Creativity
Enrolment
Possibilities
Choices
Context
Intuition
Confidence
Connections
Clarity
Alignment
Adaptability

8. Uniquely
Empowered
Proactive
Practical
Guide
Cultural
Progressive
Imagination
Collective
Aspiration
Freedom
Reflection
Curiosity
Autonomy
Influence
Participation
Communication
Meaning
Diversity
Interactions
Readiness
Supportive
Energising
Inspiration
Questions
Agency
Discover
Responsibility
Elevate
Latitude
Enable
Evolving
Challenging

9. New questions for 'L&D' and their corporate inductions
"What characterises corporate cult is the degree of control management exercises over employees'
thinking and behaviour.
This starts with recruitment, where employees are screened for their "fit". Once in, they then see
that on-boarding processes and incentive systems tend to reinforce the need for alignment."
Manfred Kets de Vries
Some questions for 'L&D' and their corporate inductions:
Does the induction set out the context for the organisation and the team the new colleague has
joined?
Does the induction describe the key challenges for the organisation and the new contributions
needed to solve these together?
Is the induction practically demonstrating the organisations' commitment as a continuously learning
organisation?
Does the induction enable and accelerate new connections for the participants?
Does the induction help the participants to form a new network(s)?
Is the induction encouraging participants to bring their unique, individual contribution?
Does the induction encourage participants to ask more and better questions?
Are the aims of the inductions focused beyond broadcasting "policies" and "logistics"?
Does the induction keep promises made in the recruitment process?
Does the induction enable line managers to take full ownership for realising the potential of their
new team members?
Does the induction reflect the ​future​ behaviours and values the organisation needs to grow?
(Or does the corporate induction seek only to initiate 'compliance', 'speed to competence' and
'higher productivity'?).

10. “Leading a learning culture” means leading change in the ​work system
"​Command-and-control managers like to buy change by training and projects, unaware that change
really requires changing the system and unaware that that means first being prepared to change the
way they think about the design and management of work.​"
John Seddon
Most corporate 'L&D' continues to collaborate with "command-and-control" managers.
Often 'L&D' are engaged in "capability and culture change initiatives" however the result of most of
their efforts is keeping the work system in their organisations consistent, standardised and scalable.
This includes:
'Training in' fixed, predetermined skills lists;
Compliance and mandated 'learning';
Developing 'content' that links to Management approved 'capability frameworks';
'High potentials schemes';
Designing 'interventions' to support standardised job descriptions.
So, some new questions for corporate 'L&D' to understand the system that drives the work and
culture in their organisation - if they are seeking to change the way that ​work​ happens.
1. How does their organisation describe 3-6 capabilities that they uniquely do better than anyone
else in their chosen market?
2. What is (a) ​difficult ​and (b) ​valuable​ for their organisation in order to deliver these unique
capabilities?
3. Is there a clear view on the role and priority of 'learning' in their organisation? Is it a ​deliberately
learning organisation?
4. Is the leadership culture hierarchical? or open and adaptive?
5. Is their organisation 'psychologically safe'? What is the level of Management intent and ambition
in this area?
6. Is there a clear priority on standardisation, consistency and compliance? If so, why?
7. In the organisations' culture is there systematic investment and recognition for problem solving,
critical thinking and feedback?

11. 8. How much 'latitude' is there? (Expecting workers to act on problems and opportunities,
individually or in groups, in a context-specific way to create value - without having to go through
layers of management);
9. Are there silos in their organisation? what challenges (and, benefits?) does this present? Why?
10. In the culture is there autonomy, accountability and decision making evident and encouraged at
lower levels in the organisational hierarchy?
11. Is learnability and investment in learning recognised and rewarded with the 'performance
management' approach?
12. Is there a clearly defined and well articulated 'L&D' vision and strategy? Who has developed
this? Who is seen as the 'owner'? Why?
13. How is 'learning' success measured in their organisation? Who decides? Why?
Once 'L&D' have understood the truths behind the system that drives the ​work ​in their organisation
what ​new​ work might they themselves choose to do next?

12. L&D - Why are we here?
"The frogs that fell into the well now think that's the universe"
Jim Harrison
I was grateful to spend the day at a brilliantly organised event for L&D leaders in London last week.
This annual gathering reinforced some well-worn themes for this audience:
The "future of work" is already here for many organisations - just unevenly distributed
A "seat at the table" always was (and still is) the wrong goal for 'L&D'
"Learning" and "performance" are two ​completely​ different things
Change is slow...
These themes reflect much of my own work to support L&D leaders facing new challenges and
shifting priorities, which I'd summarise as follows:
The role, priority and focus of workplace learning still needs to shift from the industrial mindset of
producing standardised workers to fit specific roles.
This change is urgent because the 'bureaucracy model' no longer guarantees businesses stability
and longevity. The goals for workplace learning need to be realigned with the way that ​human
workers contribute and create value for their organisations.
Consider this delicious opportunity - L&D leaders can now deliberately help to change the
traditional culture of work and leadership ​if they choose to.
However, defining ambitious new goals and a connected strategy to progress towards them
remains a struggle for many L&D leaders; (see list of annual conference themes above).
I believe the L&D status quo is rooted deep in organisational culture and has been reinforced by the
choices made over the last three decades. I also believe that reflecting on and acknowledging the
current norms in L&D is the first step to help leaders to move ​forward​. So here's my reflection on
the current L&D landscape and how and why I believe we have ended up here:
In the beginning...
The 'L&D' function was created as a tool for 'Management' to scale compliance and standardisation
across an organisation. Control was the overriding goal for a successful business in the cost and
efficiency led industrial era. This position in the hierarchy shaped and reinforced L&D's work and
relationships and it’s resulting level of ​influence​.
Which meant...

13. Positioning L&D lower down in the organisational hierarchy drove insecurity around it's ​value​,
which persists today. However, rather than looking outwards, to collaborate and to challenge in
order to define its own unique success measures, L&D chose to align itself to "​solving business
problems​".
Which led to...
L&D's adoption of familiar, safe, "business as usual" bureaucratic language and approaches;
("l​earning programmes​", "​learning requirements​", "​learning solutions​", "​capability framework​",
"​learning metrics​").
Which was a problem because...
In reality this approach only served to reinforce the myth in the minds of busy senior executives
that "learning" (training) was simply another thing to do ​to​ people. "​So, we can simply set our
"learning plan" alongside the other control plans for finance, operations and sales...​".
Which shaped and ingrained...
Another consequence of this approach was that it allowed leaders to passively contract out their
responsibilities for role modelling learning from and through their own work. (And yet, expect L&D
to ensure a supply of fully-contributing workers). (​AKA the "free-rider problem": Individuals enjoy a
benefit without contributing back, because there is no cost associated with doing so​).
Which meant the default L&D approach to make an impact in the organisation was...
Adopting the now customary "learning gate-keeper" control model:
Take a hot topic from the business >
Develop 'content' >
Place / broadcast the content >
Measure and report on the level of attention for the content >
Repeat annually
Which is linked to and perpetuated by...
L&D's obsession with new tactics, tools and technologies to support this cycle.
Which all begs the question - As an L&D leader, what will you now ​choose ​to do to reset your focus?

14. Everyone is busy
"Busyness is a major problem in business. Everyone is busy. Oddly, we also have a problem of
conservatism and lack of ambition."
Simon Terry
Here are some ambitions that L&D could adopt for the organisations they seek to change:
Purpose, autonomy, mastery, empathy, safety, belonging, clarity, connections, reflective, diversity
of thinking, responsibility, relationships, latitude, confidence, participation, enrolment.

15. A simple choice for L&D
"​For almost 100 years management has been associated with the five basic functions outlined by
management theorist Henri Fayol: planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling.​"
Joseph Pistrui and Dimo Dimov
"​Generative organising is about shifting the focus from planning of outcomes to participation in
inquiry."
Jan Hoglund
I think there is a simple choice for corporate L&D as it struggles with the increasing speed of change
in business models and expectations of workers.
Choice: ​Continue to align with industrial management priorities defined by Henri Fayol a century
ago:
Train in the fixed skills required to execute static job roles.
Develop content and interventions that (inadvertently?) reinforce the command and control model.
Search for new ways to link access to programmes with meaningful performance change.
Serve as grateful contributors to the existing business plan and culture.
Choice: ​Step up with a new focus: To lead and prioritise what is valuable, difficult and
differentiating for businesses today.
Prioritising support for the pockets of individuals, managers and teams where learning from and
through work is already encouraged.
Working with managers and team members to understand and agree the ​work​ that needs to be
improved.
Working collaboratively to agree the gaps in ​performance​ that need to be closed.
Coaching and role modelling that helps people to take responsibility for their own continuous, self
managed inquiry and learning.
Facilitating new opportunities to bring individuals and teams together across 'functional'
boundaries.
Enabling and accelerating new connections and introductions.
Building new platforms for better questions and reflection.

16. Finding and testing new ways for knowledge, ideas, information and feedback to move faster
between teams.