Hope Knowles

October 2024 - TD Magazine

Understand the fundamental objectives of the endeavor.

7 Steps to Creating a Succession Plan

Blended learning is proving to be an effective development strategy. According to ATD Research, 75 percent of organizations are expanding their use of blended learning, and 87 percent of employees value the flexibility it provides.This ATD Research whitepaper explains that implementing a successful blended learning program takes a variety of skills. Furthermore, both internal and external organizational resources need to be balanced.How to do that successfully depends on the organizational context as well as how to motivate your teams. Motivate Your AudienceWhat motivates adults to learn? Clearly, there are different learning theories out there. Everyone has a unique mix of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors. These factors range from perceived reward and social or contextual influences to the quality and flexibility of available training.The UK’s innovation agency for social good, Nesta, details how to design a program to meet your audience’s readiness levels. For example, if you have a group in the precontemplation stage with no interest in learning, you can promote a change in cultural norms.Blended learning can be particularly useful for this type of audience because you can emphasize the “fun” aspect. Gaming experiences or book clubs for greater team bonding are some examples. As mentioned in our blog about why companies are moving toward blended learning, another powerful motivator is to integrate learning into the flow of work. The more people see relevance and the less it disrupts their work, the more they’ll appreciate the learning.Other ideas to motivate your teams to engage with learning:Self-driven blended learning – With multiple learning approaches, it’s easier to let learners lead so they feel empowered. Only then does true curiosity and learning blossom.Digital and leadership champions – Not everyone will have the same digital literacy so it’s important to provide the right guidance. Moreover, make sure you get buy-in and advocacy from your leaders.Career guidance and coaching interventions – Learning needs to be as beneficial for the organization as it is for the individual. With coaches, individuals can better align their personal goals and needs to the overall organizational learning goals.How Does Context Play a Role?Implementing a successful learning program is both about the content and the organizational learning culture.Promoting a learning culture and implementing blended learning encourages flexibility and innovation because of exposure to various learning modalities. As such, people find themselves becoming more curious and they feel empowered as they choose what works for them. Not only do they bring this energy and mindset back to the workplace but they also bring new perspectives. As this article on blended learning and learning culture describes, blended learning offers varied viewpoints and different problem-solving approaches that also nurtures greater diversity.Book clubs are another transformational activity because they create a group setting that boosts collaboration and reflection as detailed in this whitepaper on what separates good teams from exceptional ones. How blended learning supports a learning culture and vice versa:Continuous improvement – With small continuous feedback loops and incremental steps, learners gradually shift their mindset to bring this approach to their everyday work.Knowledge sharing and collaboration – Through blended learning, various groups and forums are created, which naturally encourages cross-learning. As this behavior becomes instilled, conflict shifts into a natural sharing of ideas rather than a competition over who is right.Personalization alongside team focus – How to balance individual with team needs is a constant paradox. Blended learning provides another opportunity to explore this balance, which shifts mindsets back in the workplace.Maximize Your Blended Learning EffortsGone are the days of reading out slides to people in classrooms with the hope that they will improve their day-to-day work. With technology, we have an opportunity to make learning fun, personal, and relevant.Most importantly, blended learning creates a more memorable and meaningful learning experience. It also encourages collaboration and innovation because of the varied multimedia methodologies now available.Don’t forget to watch the ATD webinar recording with more tips for how to apply blended learning effectively. To learn is to evolve and embrace life, so let’s keep moving forward in how we learn.

How to Successfully Implement Blended Learning

The future of federal leadership is fraught with uncertainties and shaped by continuing resolutions, limited regulatory power, AI adoption, hybrid workplaces, and waves of retirements and new hires. More than 2.2 million federal employees, the largest workforce in the United States, will experience the ripple effects of these changes in the coming years. Federal leaders must navigate these complexities while continuing to implement policies and achieve mission goals. Current leaders, already overwhelmed, and future leaders, potentially unprepared, must be ready for the impact.Despite the perception that the government is slow to change, upcoming policy and technology disruptions will necessitate an evolution in leadership. Learning and development (L&D) professionals can equip leaders with the strategic mindset and analytical skills needed to anticipate, prepare for, and adapt to a range of future scenarios with confidence.Shifting to the CityscapeThe “view from the balcony” metaphor illustrates the importance of leaders having a broad perspective rather than only focusing on daily operations. However, federal leaders must zoom out even further to view the entire federal landscape, understanding the dependencies and implications at a macro level across multiple agencies. Mid-level and senior leaders must deepen their competence in interpreting policies and regulations as well as understanding how technology and talent developments will affect the federal market landscape and their home agencies. This begins with gaining fluency in how the entire federal government, not just a specific agency, operates.L&D professionals can facilitate this by adopting strategies from the private sector, offering training and tools for market landscape assessments, policy analysis, and human capital readiness assessments. By seeing the bigger picture, leaders can identify knowns within unknowns, providing clarity and certainty to upcoming threats to the current operating environment. For example, they can take tactical steps to hedge against budgetary changes, knowledge loss, and gaps in talent capabilities and bolster workforce and succession planning.Adopting Strategic Foresight Tools are essential for helping leaders think beyond the immediate horizon and consider multiple futures. OPM’s Strategic Foresight Guidebook, particularly the Cone of Plausibility model and Knowledge Grid, can be invaluable. These tools help uncover potential blind spots and mitigate risks, ensuring agility and institutional readiness in any scenario. They can also instill confidence in leaders, fostering a workplace that operates from confidence rather than fear while positively affecting organizational morale and performance.Preparing Leaders for Increased StressAccording to Gallup, workplace stress is on the rise, with managers experiencing more negative impacts than nonmanagers. This trend, compounded with future uncertainties, will likely add strain to federal leaders, who are already overwhelmed. Gallup research suggests that optimism and hope for the future can lead to improved engagement. Managers, who play critical roles in employee engagement and well-being, must instill optimism and hope in their teams despite increased stress.Leaders can achieve this by embracing the T.R.U.E. pillars—transparency, reliability, understanding, and expression—which help them support their teams authentically, even in challenging times. L&D professionals can also emphasize techniques to develop positive habits for stress management and resilience, helping leaders meet the increasing demands of their roles effectively. Addressing this critical need is essential; neglecting it could result in the attrition of a vital workforce segment that drives organizational success.Ultimately, Leaders Need More SupportThe increasingly complex federal environment requires leaders to adapt to a new landscape while achieving mission goals, maintaining personal well-being, and supporting employee engagement. OPM’s Workforce of the Future Playbook acknowledges the upcoming challenges and offers proactive measures to support future leaders. L&D professionals can amplify this support by thinking ahead and serving as guides, equipping leaders with the skills, knowledge, and tools needed to navigate this evolving landscape successfully. By fostering a broad perspective, supporting strategic insights, and promoting resilience, L&D professionals can ensure that federal leaders are prepared to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex environment with confidence and competence.