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Feature
More than ‘ducks in a row’ Laura Overton on defining alignment for optimum outcomes T
hinking strategically, enabling performance, embracing mobile, facilitating collaboration, engaging learners and building talent are all
key themes at this year’s World of Learning. It is clear that L&D leaders around the globe realise that learning is no longer about delivering great courses but playing a key role in supporting individual and corporate performance. L&D leaders are under pressure to deliver a new, modernised learning strategy that is suitable for the fast-changing world of work. We get the vision; we talk about it endlessly, but how do we provide a modernised learning strategy in reality? When we go back to work tomorrow, where is the best place to start? Is it about getting to grips with the latest authoring tools or learning management systems? After all big data is big news! Should we first concentrate on updating the skills of L&D staff? Or is our best bet to choose high- profile programmes with which to ‘big up the blend’ and illustrate the impact of executing successful learning in new ways? All these are good tactics for taking your modernised learning strategy forward but I believe that
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there is one thing that is even more critical for success – alignment. If you do nothing else this year, concentrate on aligning learning with business strategy! The rest will then fall into place.
What is alignment?
The dictionary definition of alignment has two aspects to it – the first is to arrange in a straight line or in correct relative positions, the second is to create a position of agreement or alliance. So when it comes to aligning learning to business, we need to not only ensure that our learning provision clearly supports the priorities of business but also that, when it comes to learning, both business and L&D are in a position of mutual agreement. As Jonathan Kettleborough puts it in his book Seeing Eye to Eye (AuthorHouse): “Alignment is not a one-way street. It’s not just about making sure that you have all your ducks in a row; it’s also about making sure your business and customers recognise this fact and recognise that you have real value to offer; it’s about seeing eye to eye.”
What difference does alignment make? Last year, Towards Maturity started to dig deeper into the behaviour of the top learning companies within the Towards Maturity
Benchmark to identify what constitutes the ‘well-aligned’ learning and development function. We isolated seven habits of highly aligned L&D teams and used them to define a new Alignment Index to consider how well organisations are aligning learning and business priorities. We found that those organisations that
scored highly in the Alignment Index were more likely to report achievement of a range of business and staff benefits and that their managers agree that online learning delivers additional business benefits. Compared with those in the bottom quartile, those in the top quartile of the index are at least four times more likely to realise:
• Increased organisational revenue • Improved productivity • Improved staff engagement • Reduced staff turnover
What progress are we making? In 2012 we found that fewer than two in five L&D leaders felt that their learning initiatives supported the skills their business needed – perhaps not surprising given that just over half actually analysed the business needs before recommending a solution. Two years on, we see
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