ACCELERATE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITH OPTIMAL DESIGN SIX KEY PRINCIPLES

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4. Learning with Others Learning is a social activity, and it requires space and time with others to exchange ideas and make meaning from individual and collective experiences. “Who contributes to the learning?” is one of the most important questions we can ask as designers of learning solutions. Learners construct knowledge through interactions with those who know more than they do or those who have different experience and perspectives—whether a peer, coach, boss, expert, or facilitator. In today’s workplace, context changes fast—so fast that it’s difficult for organizations to codify lessons, practices, and techniques that are most relevant at the moment. We need others to help us learn and perform. Learning solutions that facilitate the timely and informal exchanges of content and context can greatly accelerate the adoption and creation of the right practices at the right time. Small-group learning can also significantly influence our learning. In small groups, interactions help managers draw meaningful lessons from their experiences, challenging them to broaden or refine their views, and providing opportunities to collaborate on real problems and workplace application. SAMPLE PRACTICES Learning with Others Leverage peer-to-peer learning experiences. Enable the involvement of the learner’s manager to provide support and reinforce the learning. Embed social learning within online learning experiences that leverage the wisdom of the crowd. DESIGN IN ACTION SOCIAL LEARNING BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS AT BIOGEN In the past decade, Biogen has experienced unprecedented business and organizational growth. Biogen has worked to address the challenges that accompany such growth through a new central learning organization, a focus on manager development, and an emphasis on helping employees build their networks through collaborative peer-led learning experiences. This emphasis is apparent in the peer learning aspects of its people manager curriculum. For example, in a unique nine-week program for those in critical middle management roles, participants experience both selfpaced elearning and group learning. Each manager is paired with five other managers from around the globe. These peer learning groups are designed to include individuals from distinct business functions, and to provide an opportunity to apply their learning to realworld management challenges in a confidential and constructive forum. They also provide a means to learn from different perspectives and experiences. These peerled groups help managers establish strong and valuable networks across the organization—something they can tap into now and in the future. Peer-led learning truly has an impact on learners: 94 percent of participants say they are more confident when doing their jobs and many participants continue to keep in touch with their peer groups long after the program ends. { 6 } ACCELERATE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITH OPTIMAL DESIGN
5. Learning by Teaching Whose job is it to develop leaders anyway? Many executives believe that ownership for leadership development resides solely with HR. Our experience shows that leaders should also take on responsibility for leadership development and building a learning culture. According to Noel Tichy, “winning companies—those that consistently outperform competitors and reward stakeholders—have moved beyond learning organizations to become teaching organizations. These organizations are more agile, come up with better strategies, and implement them more effectively.” Leaders understand the organizational context and priorities—while simultaneously understanding the specific strengths and performance needs of their teams and direct reports. They also know how ideas and practices apply—or don’t apply. Leaders can serve as the most important catalyst for an emerging leader’s development. And this leaderled development goes beyond coaching direct reports. Leaders can guide and mentor individuals throughout the organization and serve as a role models. In addition, the act of teaching or coaching requires leaders to demonstrate expertise. And the process of developing others reinforces their previous learning, while providing ongoing opportunities to develop new insights. Organizations can also scale their development faster by enlisting their leaders in this way. SAMPLE PRACTICES Learning by Teaching Provide opportunities to learn by teaching others. Involve senior leaders in the program to speak to importance and business relevance. Promote teaching and role-modeling opportunities via cascading learning throughout an organization. DESIGN IN ACTION LEARNING FOR BUSY RETAIL MANAGERS AT WALMART CANADA Walmart Canada runs a 10-week-long development program to help store managers be more effective in their roles. The program covers emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, decision-making, feedback, difficult interactions, and developing employees. It provides an opportunity for both new-to-role and experienced managers to come together to explore ideas, level-set practices, and share experience and outcomes. The program blends foundational sessions delivered live virtually, targeted inter-session assignments comprising Harvard ManageMentor® content, worksheets, customized case studies, and reflection questions. Before transitioning between topics, store managers attend facilitated smallgroup virtual debrief sessions where learners share both successes and barriers they encounter through practice. Notably, the program includes a leader-as-teacher component. Store managers are expected to leverage program materials and worksheets to develop their direct reports and expand the capabilities of their teams through their weekly operations meetings. Throughout the program, store managers apply their learning by opening a dialogue with their peers and by providing on-the-spot coaching, feedback, or best practices. This reinforces learning and helps participants build a trusted network of support. Market partners, accountable for store manager development and performance, are provided with coaches’ communication—a view to the weekly learning topics and discussion questions to encourage exploration and promote reinforcement of ideas and application. This aids the continued adoption and provides the coach with continued performance management insights. HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING CORPORATE LEARNING { 7 }
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ACCELERATE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITH OPTIMAL DESIGN SIX KEY PRINCIPLES

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