opened its doors in the Dallas suburb of Westlake last October. The facility houses 35 classrooms, a 176-seat amphitheater, 800 guest rooms, a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, and a 12,000-square-foot fitness center. While DU is exclusively for the use of Deloitte
employees, how Pelster approached its design to foster learning has broad applications for confer- ence organizers. And when I interviewed him recently, he focused less on the gleaming, state-of- the-art building — and more on what takes place within its walls.
First, tell us why “talent development” is part of your title. We chose [that title] over the more typical one — chief learning officer — because we feel that to really learn is much bigger than taking a class. It is about all the experiences you have, about on-the- job training, formal learning, and recognizing that there is a link between what we do in learning and the broader talent needs of the individual.
With the trend toward virtual-learning environments, why did Deloitte choose to build a brick-and-mortar facility? Money was not an issue, because creating electronic platforms is a huge investment also. The debate was about understanding what our professionals really want. We are so connected to electronic devices that face-to-face was a big differentiator. We talked to our Gen Y and Millen- nials to understand if they wanted a physical loca- tion. Overwhelmingly, the answer was yes. They did not just want to use electronic tools. They felt the need for a physical connection. So, in 2008, the board decided to fund the uni-
versity. Collectively, we thought this was the right thing for our company for several reasons: One, we wanted to significantly improve the
way we deliver training by moving from a lecture- based to an experiential model. When you come to DU, you will see that the 35 classrooms are set up for experiential learning and not for lectures. You are actually doing work by solving complex prob- lems in small teams. Two, Deloitte has a very rich history that we
care about. We wanted to make sure that DU is a common place for employees to capture and under- stand the history. We actually have engagement letters going back to Abraham Lincoln! We want employees to know and understand that history.
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‘To really learn is much bigger than taking a class.’
Three, Deloitte is a large global enterprise. Our
staff understands that they joined a company that is global and has a brand around the world. We have 186,000 employees in 154 countries, and wanted everyone to have a common experience with the company and to understand the com- plexities of how we do business. Four, we are in such a virtual world that we
wanted to make sure that everyone coming into Deloitte, from a culture perspective, has a shared common experience. Coming to DU is the epitome and recognition of who we are as a company, of our culture and values. We wanted employees to experience it firsthand.
How do you make values and culture a part of the learning process? New hires get introduced to our culture through speakers who talk about values and the manda- tory ethics and requirements of the firm. When they attend DU, they see values in action. You are introduced to various scenarios and have to recog- nize the challenges: Are they in conflict with our values? What actions do you take? Learners have a chance to recognize this, to
do the right thing, which you are applauded for. If learners don’t do the right thing, it is considered a learning moment and they are educated about the values associated with this particular scenario.
What are some of the values? Deloitte has key values around transparency, hon- esty, diversity, and around the way we treat each other, which we call a sense of partnership. We tend not to be hierarchical but very flat. We oper- ate through influence as opposed to direct orders in our day-to-day interactions.
Please describe how learning happens at DU. When most people think of learning, they think of a presenter or a lecturer standing up front, with individuals seated and taking notes. At the end of the program, there could be assessments or quiz- zes as a way to test the knowledge. We have moved away from that model. When you go to [DU], you see a facility that is
optimized for simulations and case studies. The intent is to get people working in small teams, typically of five individuals. They will have a facili- tator as part of the team and work on solving com- plex, multifaceted problems over several days. One example is our senior managers’