[feat-img-left]Your learning and development process is critical to your long-term success as an organization. Every business experiences the ebbs and flows of changing talent and market demands, but it is the companies who are invested in growing and improving their offerings to keep pace with the desires of their customers who are able to succeed. A chief concern in the development of your training program should be encouraging experimentation and innovation.
Here are a few reasons why.
Sparking Innovation
You might be surprised to hear it, but allowing your staff to take risks and lead through tough times can help spark the innovations that will differentiate your business. In years to come, it’s fully possible that the most interesting developments may emerge from the teams currently experiencing the greatest challenges. Nothing creates opportunity quite like problem solving, so while it might be nerve wracking to give your team the reins in tough times, keep in mind this is their most natural moment to experiment and innovate. That risk-taking could be the spark your L&D process needs to create the leaders who will take your company to new heights.Try, Fail, Try Again
Your learning and development program should not suffer from lack of experimentation in its own right. There are such a vast amount of new learning systems available now; the standard lecture luncheon is being all but phased out. Technology probably changes faster than people do, and learning is one of the processes in organizations that changes as a result. New technologies fueled by the modern workstream such as social learning, gamification and mobile platforms all offer exciting and impactful learning tools that will provide your team with the tools they need to perform better day in and day out. Consider what your audience appreciates, what programs or learning opportunities really stick with them. Try something your company has not tried before. If it doesn’t work well, that’s a lesson you have learned, and you can adjust for future opportunities.Building a Learning Culture
The businesses with the strongest learning and development programs succeed because they not only provide employees with the opportunities to grow, but the entire culture of the company is based on their learning and innovating on the job. When a business does not offer opportunities for learning and development, or worse yet does not allow for the time employees need to invest in those opportunities, it is all but impossible for employees to delve into the experimentation and innovative thinking that provides long-term rewards in terms of their learning and knowledge base. It is not enough to simply offer learning opportunities. Your company must nurture and support the risk-taking and the time required to fully benefit from training programs. Only then will innovation come naturally and provide high rates of return on investment.Are you looking to keep your Learning and Development programs strong?
For more great tips on how to build a strong Learning and Development program, reach out to the team at Clarity Consulting today.
