If a learning strategy will help show return on investment, why don't we make time to create one? 

Most leaders, particularly new ones, let their schedule constantly manage them. They bemoan too many meetings and deadlines and projects but never speak up, delegate, say no, or decline. I suspect they are not confident that they understand their priorities. I hear all the time that everything is a priority, but when you really dig, most time is spent on very low-impact items.—Melody Davis, Cypress, Texas

In my experience, learning organizations have become very good at firefighting the most pressing training issue. This behavior has been allowed to perpetuate the culture of the learning organization starting with leaders. The lack of prioritizing the development of a learning strategy only continues the culture of heroic firefighting.—Ed Chang, Seattle, Washington

While L&D professionals talk about ROI, they seem to lack the will to invest in this area. Strategic thinking is a learned way of thinking. If you spend your work life delivering at an operational level, what is going to prepare you to think in that "bigger picture, looking 'round the corner" way? What you practice, you get good at.—Helen Caton-Hughes, Willoughby, United Kingdom