More and More tools...
It’s over a year since I posted the article “A fool with a tool is still a fool”. At that time, I was writing about the transition that many were experiencing moving from in person work to remote working and that the technology (IQ Skills) we were using was not the differentiator in our experience, it was our people skills (EQ Skills) that created that human experience.
As I reflect back on that article, I find myself repeating the saying that “a fool with a tool is still a fool” but this time in a different context. The context that I am referring to now is the crowded space of learning content provision. According to a recent Mckinsey Study 58% of respondents say that their organisations have a higher priority on skill building than before the pandemic. The pressure for L&D teams to deliver a solution for this priority has only increased, and many L&D teams look for help from learning content providers to bridge this need.
More and more providers are in the learning marketplace all but guaranteeing that their platform will solve this massive skill building challenge. Unfortunately, the learning content platform is just another “tool” and we know where this can end… We have a responsibility to invest our company’s money in the right way to ensure that we get a tangible return. However, the lure of a quick fix can be overwhelming, and the company end up with a wonderful content platform that is not used as much as one would have anticipated. The platforms are not bad tools, and the L&D team is not foolish for investing in them its just that the “quick fix” to this bigger issue doesn’t work. Up and Reskilling at scale is a complex and somewhat thankless process. Nobody will run to the L&D team if they get it right and thank them, they will soon tell you though if you don’t have something in place and again having something is better than nothing.
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In the Mckinsey article they talk about a 9 step process. It is only really at step 6 – “determine learning infrastructure and enablers” that the content platform is considered. I wonder how many of us have jumped to step 6 before considering the other 5? It’s an easy thing to do, and its something that can be undone and made to work better.
What is your experience in this regard? Are you frustrated with your learning infrastructure working?
Learn more about the journey and approach we use to address these challenges by following us Logicearth.
Tony, thanks for sharing!
Love it Tony - completely agree with your latest application of my very favourite phrase. There are a lot of fools with tools out there, looking for more tools to answer their challenges. Yet answers are often found by facing into the challenges and having a straightforward and honest discussion.
Great points Tony. You're spot on in your comments. The landscape is full of great content, talented L&D professionals, and strategic directions (as it pertains to the individual and the organization). The gaps persist in learning transfer and learning culture. We can provide all the tools we want or think we need. L&D initiatives need solid follow up, on-the-job opportunity, and coaching to make sure the learning is applied and sticks. Managerial support is crucial to allowing the individual to create a psychologically safe space for learners to be courageous enough to explore outside their comfort zone. An organizational structure built on a foundation of a culture of learning that showcases and connects people who take the lifelong learning route is where the real work begins.