Table.
L&D is always talking about a “seat at the table.” It’s the definitive path to moving from order-taker to strategic business partner. If we have that seat, the organization will finally value our contributions and make learning a priority in the workplace.
But is that seat what we really need?
The seats.
Who’s already at the table? The congregation varies by organization, but you’re likely to run across lots of people with Cs in their titles like the …
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief of Staff (COS)
Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
General Counsel
Seats may also be occupied by VPs from various functions. There may even be representation from the board of directors, depending on how things are going within the company and the topics being discussed.
The table.
It’s a crowded table. Everyone seated is there for a specific reason. For example, the CEO looks out for shareholders by finding ways to maximize the value of the company. Meanwhile, the CTO tries to improve the organization’s digital capabilities while simultaneously reducing costs and mitigating risks.
If your company has a CHRO, CPO (Chief People Officer) or CLO (Chief Learning Officer), L&D is theoretically at the table already. However, HR considerations like workforce management, talent acquisition and regulatory compliance are likely to dominate the people side of the conversation. The chances of learning and development getting to the top of the agenda are slim when a company is trying to deal with ongoing economic uncertainty, shifting consumer demand, shareholder pressure and competitive disruption.
If workforce capability does come up, it’s likely in service of someone else’s agenda. The CMO may include employee training as a priority in their go-to-market strategy for a new product launch. Or the General Counsel may require training as part of a new compliance requirement. Even at the table, L&D is viewed as a service provider, not a decision maker.
Influence.
I don’t want a seat at the table. I want the table. I need everyone at the table advocating for the value of learning and development, even if it’s not part of their day-to-day responsibilities. That’s what it's going to take to shift the organization’s mindset, secure additional investment and advance L&D practices.
This is why I dedicated a chapter in The Modern Learning Ecosystem to influence. Everything that comes before chapter 13 - all of the discussion about strategy and tactics - doesn’t matter if we can’t get the rest of the organization to change the way they think about learning at work.
Rather than putting all of our focus on getting that vaunted seat, L&D teams must find ways to influence the right people across the organization. Sure, the executive team is a critical part of the puzzle, but we also need subject matter experts, frontline managers and employees to buy into our modern learning practices.
L&D is a unique profession. Everyone has an opinion on how we do our jobs. They believe they know how learning works because they went to school. It takes time, effort and evidence to overcome this legacy and influence people to adopt a modern learning mindset. We must start building our value proposition and demonstrating our ability to impact business results. That means running lots of small experiments, stacking quick wins and turning heads with all of the different ways we can help people accomplish their goals.
If we become master influencers, we’ll never have to talk about that stupid table again.
Grab a copy of my book for more ideas on how to influence people to adopt a modern learning mindset. I’ll also be sharing proven influencing tactics during my session at the Training 2023 Conference in Orlando this month.
One thing this week.
Clear your desk. Consistent exercise has proven to be my most effective tool for dealing with burnout over the past few years. Clearing my desk came in a close second. The clutter wasn’t just piling up in my workstation. It was stacking up in my head, making me feel like I was falling even further behind. So one day, I threw everything off my desk and started over. I designated a place for paperwork that’s out of view while I’m working. I added hooks underneath my desk to hang multiple pairs of headphones. I mounted lots of poles and trays so I can push equipment in and out of reach when I need to reclaim space.
My desk is now a clean, multi-functional, perfect work from home space … until I inevitably decide it’s all wrong and completely redo it again.
Coming up.
The Big Easy. I’m headed to New Orleans for my first work trip in three years. I’ll be speaking and signing books (also a first) at ATD TechKnowledge this week. My session is on finding value in learning technology trends. We’ll discuss the potential for buzzy concepts like AI, VR, skills, microlearning and the metaverse to improve workplace learning.
Stop by and say HELLO if you’re attending in-person. If not, there’s still time to register for the virtual event.
Next week, I’ll tell you what happened in New Orleans.
Be well. JD.