Exploring the credibility of Learning & Development

Would you say the business community considers L&D to be credible? Are they viewed as having reliable and experienced people, processes, systems and tools?

If you’ve ever heard L&D described as ‘pink and fluffy’ you will probably have shuddered and rolled your eyes, but have you actually ever thought much about how to change this perception?  

I’m ashamed to say it but I don’t think I or many other people I know in L&D have deliberately gone out of their way to change the perception some people have of training teams.

Some questions to consider:

- Is your L&D function considered credible by the business?

- Are your trainers trusted to do a great job?

- Does the business believe that the L&D team has the right level of expertise and capability?

- Can you deliver the appropriate solution at the relevant time?

- Do you invest in the latest learning technology and keep up to date with innovations in training?

- If you can answer all of the above positively you should probably try and bottle it!  If, on the other hand, you have a little way to go yet, here are some thoughts around how to improve the credibility of L&D…

Aligning to business strategy

I know, it sounds simple but far too often time is spent on projects that don’t impact the bottom line or help the business achieve it’s long term vision. One of the reasons for that is because the business strategy is often changing. We need to have a flexible approach to support both the longer-term plans but also the short term ‘just in time’ needs that arise.

Ensure the L&D strategy is clearly aligned to business strategy and then make sure you communicate it, don’t hide it away. This shows the business you understand what their needs are and that you are responding.

Work with the business

A lot of the time, in my experience, learning solutions are developed in isolation of the business, with a finished solution being ‘delivered’ to the business, like a present on Christmas day (only without the receipt and 28 day return policy). This can lead to a lack of engagement and ‘buy-in’ from the business when an initiative is launched.   Working with small focus groups and/or SME’s and engaging the senior teams upfront, will help make the solution feel jointly owned and will be more likely to succeed.

Perhaps invite managers to launch events of new learning programmes and get their feedback?

Invest in the development of your L&D team

The key to a successful learning and development function is its people. Trainers, designers, managers all need to develop and grow to their full potential. L&D teams should be role models for other departments in the business when it comes to personal development.

It’s not just about delivering good presentations either! For a great trainer it’s about understanding how adults learn, making learning fun and interactive, being able to identify the needs of leaners…. And much, much more.

Brand L&D

Some definitions of credibility include reference to charisma and personal attractiveness, this is interesting when you consider L&D and its brand image. Do you have tired looking PowerPoint templates for example? Is your messaging consistent across everything you do? Do you embrace new learning technologies to appeal to all generations?

A well thought through and engaging L&D brand & personality will help to deliver the messages you want through the use of logos, slogans, colours, tone of voice, technology etc.….

“Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room.” Jeff Bezos

Brand isn’t just about what you see, it’s about what you hear and experience… Does your brand allow you to operate effectively within the company?  Trainers need to be the ambassadors of Learning and Development and help communicate the brand and everything it stands for.

What other things are you and your team doing?