Experience simulation, Artificial Intelligence, big data analytics, learning is certainly starting to move down paths (previously) less travelled. In this post Nadia Giaffar, Senior Learning Partner at Why Training reflects on what training providers can do today to be ready for tomorrow.

Are we adding value?

It’s an interesting time right now for L&D in many organizations. On the one hand, there’s a raft of new learning tools available, ripe for exploration and exploitation.  But for some reason, most companies seem to be content with just rolling out the same delivery methods they’ve used since the nostalgic days of the flipchart.

The ‘Brave New World’ of learning we now find ourselves in owes less to the advent of technology and more to the ‘everybody has to earn their keep’ approach that seems to govern today’s business performance.  If you don’t need a degree in data analytics to recognize the correlation between L&D spend and ROI, then perhaps L&D can finally be treated as key strategic partners? The challenge for L&D professionals of course is how to transition from being regarded as an ‘order takers to a ‘performance consultant’.

Get the environment right

Is it too bold a statement to say that we’re only as good as the learning we deliver? We’ve always attempted to provide engaging and beneficial sessions and programs, but now the appetite is for a more highly immersive, all-encompassing learning experience; ‘chalk and talk’ just isn’t gonna cut it anymore.

‘The Learning Organization’ has been an industry buzz word for some time. Those companies who fully embrace a culture of professional development and whose bottom-line results are testimony to its success.

In more established organizations it’s becoming apparent that L&D is rising to the challenge and has both hands on the wheel for the drive towards an immersive and enticing learning environment. As we continue to move in the direction of easily digestible learning nuggets, it’s our responsibility to ensure that relevant, cost-effective content is readily available to our learners.

If a learner struggles with a task and the support materials aren’t there at the time of need the development opportunity is lost. We need to develop a learning environment within our organizational structure that’s as robust and relied on as Google.

Just as upskilling and behavioral change have always been the mainstays of the corporate L&D function, we’re now seeing more emphasis being placed on the traditional line management roles of coaching, peer-to-peer learning, and mentoring.  Sharpening the skills of those involved in these areas is however still very considered to be L&D’s responsibility.

With the Millennial generation becoming predominant in today’s workforce, providing a video-based learning resource akin to YouTube is to coin a phrase ‘a no brainer’

Let’s be honest here, L&D departments haven’t always done the best job at marketing their wares … attendance of a training session has typically either been a) mandatory, b) linked to some performance criteria or c) an excuse to get away from your workstation for half a day. Moving forward L&D has to become a lot slicker at attracting people who want to be there as opposed to having to be there.

What does the future look like?

Given that L&D needs to approach the future from a different direction, what roles are needed to be able to meet tomorrows learning requirements?

• Performance Champions – who can not only quickly identify and get to the root cause of a business issue but can develop effective and workable learning solutions that address the corporate skills gap.
• Learning Experience Designers – who can initiate the optimum learning environment, utilizing a blended mix of formal and informal training methods.
• Human Interaction Specialists and videographers – who can relate to the subject matter experts and express their knowledge and wisdom through the medium of video.
• Data Analysts– knowledgeable in the extraction of business-critical data, who are able to present their findings in such a way that their role becomes the ‘go-to’ for how the business will move forward.

 The importance of transferable skills

Moving forward there will still be a demand for core skills such as learning developers. It’s true also that physical classroom sessions and workshops will still play a part in the bigger learning picture, and so too, almost by definition, the facilitators and presenters who relish being ‘front and center’.

That said, as we forge ahead towards on an ever more immersive blended journey, the skill set and attitude need to follow suit. The new learning environment needs the trainer to take more of a behind the scenes role, facilitating connections, curating new knowledge, and cultivating thoughts and ideas that promote learning.

They also need to be way more in touch with what makes the business tick, possibly a lot more so than they have in the past. They should be consciously aware of the impact they’re having on all the key business metrics, adopting an entrepreneur mindset and approach.

Perhaps most importantly they need to move away from the belief that training is merely a support function. They need the driven conviction of the analyst, always hungry for, and using insightful data on which to base their decisions.

Think digitally

Finally, the trainer will need to be able to transition seamlessly between the classroom, discussion forums, AR environment, video production platforms, and so on. bringing with them their development expertise but also stepping up to a higher level of technical savvy(ness) that has possibly been required in the past.

The transferable skills needed to succeed in tomorrow’s world falls into two distinct areas. The first being the ability to laser in on strategic corporate objectives. As the pressure builds on L&D departments to justify their existence, it will be of paramount importance that managers, in particular, focused on delivering meaningful business results.

The second core requirement is to be digitally competent with a comprehensive understanding of the nuances of learning. L&D is in the midst of a digital revolution, that has already transformed other sectors such as publishing and retail. It’s essential that as trainers we’re ready, willing, and able to embrace the future.

As learning moves from stand-alone events towards a digital blended journey, it’s essential that L&D professionals can slip effortlessly into the roles of trainer, marketeer, and business analyst.

Managing cultural barriers to change 

Effective business leadership involves dealing with change. As a species, humans have a certain inbuilt level of resistance to change. People from different cultures tend to regard change in different ways. All cultures have their own beliefs and ideologies, which is also true of company cultures. Although some cultures develop as a result of change the resistance is often greater than the impetus to change. Accepting the status quo can sometimes be a riskier strategy than changing. Managing cultural barriers to change looks at what can be done to address the issues of resistance and initiate cross-cultural buy in to change.

Resistance to change presents itself in many different ways. In business, it can lead to work not progressing, sabotage or even strikes and industrial action. The most effective way to implement any form of change is to first anticipate the likely resistance to it. Once you understand what you’re facing then you can go ahead a formulate a plan to overcome it.

People and businesses find change uncomfortable as they have their own routines, points of reference and attitudes. In this article, we take a brief look at cultural barriers, organizational change and personal development.

Cultural barriers within an organisation 

When people from different cultural backgrounds work together barriers may arise. Approaches to work vary as does the appetite for risk and change. To further complicate matters there may be subcultures within an organization who display similar characteristics.

International organizations are, almost by definition, widely spread geographically. Every office, therefore, can have its own corporate culture, its own way of doing things that aligns with its particular location and the people employed there. If changes to working practices are introduced on a global level it’s highly likely that resistance will be experienced on a national level. The form that resistance takes though will inevitably vary from region to region.

Overcoming cultural barriers 

Overcoming cultural barriers to change is an on-going and sometimes intense process. As a starting point, it is important to identify all concerned parties and their motivations. The objective is to foster a sense of allegiance and consensus by integrating different stakeholders as opposed to alienating them. Some points to consider;

• Communication is essential. It should be clear, honest and regular
• All concerned parties should be equally represented
• Two-way feedback must be sought and encouraged

At a corporate level, cultural barriers can be created as a result of the following;

Power Distance

Lower-ranking individuals typically expect and accept that the power within an organisation is not and will not be divided equally. Companies with a large power distance will often have leaders making decisions without input or consultation from the workforce. Both the management and workers regard each other as unequal but accept this as being the natural distribution of power. In cultures where this attitude is prevalent explanation or justification isn’t required.

In companies with a small power distance management and the workforce are considered equal; partners. The greater workforce feels the right to participate in the decision-making process because these decisions will have an impact on them. In cultures such as these, the struggle is for an even distribution of power and a justification for any deviation.

Cultures with a large power distance often experience a fear of punishment among the workforce. This fear is less apparent in cultures with a small power distance.

Masculine and feminine cultures

Managing cultural barriers to change is often about appreciating different points of view and formulating a way forward that is generally accepted. Another obstacle that can be encountered on the route to compromise is the existence of masculine and feminine cultures.

A masculine culture can broadly be defined as an environment in which social gender roles are clearly defined. Men are expected to be focused on material success and approach this in an assertive, no-nonsense way. Women, on the other hand, are expected to focus more on quality and balance and be modest and sensitive.

A feminine culture is further defined by a blurring of social gender roles, where both men and women conform to the feminine approach of modesty, sensitivity and appreciation of quality.

Avoiding uncertainty

Avoiding uncertainty is mainly concerned with the corporate appetite for uncertainty. It shows the level of comfort a culture and its members feel when faced with new, unexpected, unique and different situations. Cultures that do not deal well with uncertainty attempt to limit the opportunities for such a situation to arise.

Change falls into the category of uncertainty and will therefore always be met with resistance in a risk-averse culture. To overcome this it’s important to remember the approach mentioned earlier, communication, equal representation and two-way feedback.

Plus-points for cultural diversity 

While cultural differences do exist, they don’t always have to regarded as a challenge. Diversity in is something that should be encouraged and embraced.

Workplace diversity fosters a sense of mutual respect and tolerance among employees. Although the perfect environment may be difficult in practice to achieve, employees will recognize and respect the efforts in this regard.

People from different backgrounds bring different skills, experiences and approaches to the table that in turn can lead to new and previously untapped opportunities for a business. Within a business having people speaking a multitude of languages could be seen as a barrier, but equally it can be a bonus, giving access to previously unexplored markets. A diversity of skills and experience also means employees can learn from one another.

Culturally diverse organisations typically enjoy a positive public image. Good PR can lead to improvements in profit, retention and market share. A company that’s known for its support of diversity will attract a wider range of would-be employees. Customers also actively support culturally diverse businesses.

General obstacles to change

Managing cultural barriers to change is important, but it’s not just cultural differences that can put obstacles in the way of change. Resistance to change at a corporate level can manifest itself in the following ways.

Solo resistance

Fear of the unknown is largely responsible for resistance to change. Employees worry that changes at a corporate level will affect their social work environment. This is most commonly seen during change initiatives such as a restructuring or merger.

Communication is the key to overcoming this type of resistance. Employees will need reassurance and the opportunity to voice their concerns before, during and after the implementation phase.

Habits and routines 

We’re creatures of habit and holding on to tried and tested methods or approaches can make the introduction of change a challenge. Habits can be particularly hard to break because in many cases they’re performed subconsciously.

Introducing any form of change can be met with resistance. Add to that cultural reactions to change and something seemingly innocuous on paper can become a daunting task in practice.

Ensuring that your team are ready and able to deal with change can be achieved by investing in high-quality training. When businesses only invest in new methods but not their people, the investment won’t have the desired effect. Why Training offers many programmes that can you support you during a period of corporate or cultural change.

We’ve all been in the position where we have to have a tough conversation at work, many avoid and hope the situation will resolve itself, whilst others resort to anger which they may not be proud of may not be representative of them but down to not having been taught the tools for how to hold a conversation well.

This comes down to the stories we tell our selves about the particular situation which changes from person to person as we are all unique. Without all of the information we are unable to make an informed decision, it is therefore imperative to approach these conversations with an open mind and goal of trying to understand the other parties’ position before assuming we know all of the facts.

Here are a few tips on how to handle tough conversations and open a path for dialogue that matters:

Analyze the situation:

Write down the facts that you are aware of, what has instigated the need for this conversation Then internalize and look at yourself, what could you have done differently, what were your intentions? It is human nature to point blame but once we start looking at ourselves and our own actions we begin to realize everyone has a part to play in the ultimate result. Reflection is key for ensuring you enter the conversation with the right mindset.

Ensure you are fully prepared: Think about  “How can I make things better, what can I do differently next time? Is there a better way to start the conversation? How can I create a safe environment for the other person to open up? How will I handle thoughts or emotions that aren’t helpful in finding a resolution?”  Once you have thought about the responses to these questions, role-play the conversation.  Think about the conversation that needs to happen and the resolution you are looking for on both sides.

Lastly, practice: We’ve all heard that practice makes perfect and this is just as relevant when replaying conversations and looking at all possible outcomes, this will give you the confidence in your responses and yourself. We should spend more time practicing those important conversations we have in with a focus on the resolution. Another great idea is to find a coach that you can practice the conversation with We don’t often practice some of the important conversations in our life, but we should, think about the future and always have the end goal in mind. Explain the situation and ask them to think of different outcomes and practice, practice practice.

Finally, imagine that the conversation takes an unexpected turn, one you didn’t prepare for, what will you do? Thinking ahead will allow you to control your emotions and think rationally rather than doing something you may later regret. With practice, it will get easier and you will find yourself enjoying the outcome of addressing issues whilst still fresh rather than allowing small things to build up to later become much bigger problems.