Training That Directly Supports Strategic Goals

🚨 Most L&D programs start with learning objectives. But the most effective ones? They start with business strategy. Here’s the truth ↓ When L&D teams ask: ❌ “What should employees learn?” They often miss the mark. But when they ask: ✅ “Where is the business going—and how can we prepare people to get us there?” Everything changes. Learning becomes a growth engine—not just an expense. Here’s a simple 5-step formula to align L&D with business strategy: 1️⃣ Business Strategy Alignment Understand key business goals, not just training needs. 2️⃣ Capability Mapping Identify what people need to do—not just what they need to know. 3️⃣ Skill Gap Analysis Find the delta between today’s talent and tomorrow’s goals. 4️⃣ Learning & Enablement Plan Design experiences that drive action, not just attendance. 5️⃣ Impact Measurement Measure time-to-competency, internal mobility, retention, and business KPIs—not just completions. 💡 Real example: A tech company expanding to APAC. Instead of launching generic cloud training, their L&D team collaborated across departments to create just-in-time learning paths tied to product readiness and market-specific needs. The result? Faster ramp-up, better performance, and real business impact. 📣 If you're ready to stop checking boxes and start enabling outcomes... 💡 Want the full breakdown of these 5-step formula? ⬇️ Read the full article 🎯 Let’s transform learning into your competitive edge. --- ♻️ Did you enjoy this post? Repost it so your network can learn from it, too. For more content like this, follow Christina Jones, StackFactor Inc.! #LearningAndDevelopment #BusinessStrategy #FutureOfWork #SkillsGap #HRTech #StackFactor #WorkforceTransformation #LMS #LeadershipDevelopment #CapabilityBuilding #Upskilling #TalentStrategy #LandD

Demonstrating the value of learning is easier than you think! In a recent workshop with The Institute for Transfer Effectiveness, I demonstrated how! One workshop participant was designing safety training to help employees use Microsoft 365 strategically to prevent data breaches. She was struggling to capture the value of the program for organizational leaders to understand. I used an alignment framework that incorporates Rob Brinkerhoff’s 6 L&D value propositions and mapped out how to connect her learning program with metrics that matter to organizational leaders. Here’s what that looked like! Aligning learning activities, initiatives or programs to strategic business outcomes is like looking for the through line between disparate things: learning, human performance, departmental key performance indicators, and organizational metrics. This can feel nearly impossible. The glue that holds these seemingly disparate things together are Brinkerhoff’s 6 L&D value propositions. In the safety training example we started by identifying the most relevant value proposition for the program. In this case, it was Regulatory Requirements: a learning program designed to ensure employees are complying with industry specific rules and regulations. Then we connect the L&D value proposition (Regulatory Requirements) with the most relevant outcome for the organization. In this case, it was Net Profit. If employees are complying with industry-specific rules and regulations, this consistent practice will save the organization money in fines, lawsuits, or dealing with the unpleasant consequences of safety challenges (like a data breach). Then we must do the hard work unpacking what people will be doing to support the targeted departmental KPIs. If you’re struggling to figure out the KPIs, you’ll likely find them by asking department leaders what problem they are experiencing on a regular basis that they would like solved. In this case it was too many data breaches and too many outdated files on the server causing misinformation and inconsistent practices. I discovered that what people could be doing differently to support the desired KPIs was adhering to updated protocols on how to manage data and documents within the 365 suite. If people followed the protocols with 100% fidelity, departments would experience a reduction in data breaches. Now … we have the behaviors to target in our training program and the data to use to show the value of learning: Learning metrics: Training attendance and completion rates. Capability metrics: Percentage of fidelity to data and document protocols before and after training. KPI metrics: # of documents on the server that are outdated (being at 20% of lower), # of data breaches per department being at 1 or less annually. Organizational metric: Net Profit How will you use the 6 L&D value propositions and alignment framework to tell your learning value story? #learninganddevelopment #trainingstrategy #datastrategy

Transform L&D from a nice-to-have into a must-have – become a business partner.   15 years ago, our L&D team was disconnected from real business challenges. We worked in a silo, missing real business challenges. We've since transformed our approach, building strong partnerships and delivering impactful initiatives. -----Four Steps to Becoming a Strategic L&D Partner----- 1. Get to know the business inside and out ▪ Get comfortable with key financial metrics ▪ Understand what the company actually does ▪ Learn about competitors and market pressures 2. Spot the real challenges ▪ Understand and dig into performance data ▪ Talk to leaders about their pain points ▪ Keep an eye on emerging trends 3. Propose training that makes a difference ▪ Link learning to business objectives ▪ Present a compelling case for your solutions ▪ Show how your ideas will impact key metrics 4. Bring a different perspective ▪ Seek out different viewpoints ▪ Discuss opportunities for innovation ▪ Question assumptions, even when it's uncomfortable ----The Critical Insight: Earning Credibility and Trust----- Steps 1, 2, and 3 are your entry ticket. They're non-negotiable. Only after showing you understand the business, its challenges, and how to help, can you truly add value by bringing new ideas to the table. Think of it as earning the right to challenge. When the business knows you've done your homework, they're more likely to listen to your unique perspective. -----Beyond Alignment: The Power of New Ideas----- True partnership isn't about always agreeing. The most valuable L&D professionals bring new ideas, grounded in business understanding. Don't shy away from tough conversations, but make sure you've earned trust first. Your outside perspective can drive real change, but only when paired with insider knowledge. -----The Payoff: Increased Impact and Innovation----- By aligning with business needs while also challenging assumptions, we become true partners. This approach increases commitment to employee development, enhances L&D's impact, and drives innovation. Becoming a business partner is an ongoing process. Start by building your business knowledge, then use that insight to challenge assumptions and drive real organizational growth. How well do you really understand your business? Are you ready to bring valuable new perspectives, or do you need to invest more in steps 1-3 first?