Innovative Approaches to Employee Development

The DOJ consistently says that compliance programs should be effective, data-driven, and focused on whether employees are actually learning. Yet... The standard training "data" is literally just completion data! Imagine if I asked a revenue leader how their sales team was doing and the leader said, "100% of our sales reps came to work today." I'd be furious! How can I assess effectiveness if all I have is an attendance list? Compliance leaders I chat with want to move to a data-driven approach but change management is hard, especially with clunky tech. Plus, it's tricky to know where to start– you often can't go from 0 to 60 in a quarter. In case this serves as inspiration, here are a few things Ethena customers are doing to make their compliance programs data-driven and learning-focused: 1. Employee-driven learning: One customer is asking, at the beginning of their code of conduct training, "Which topic do you want to learn more about?" and then offering a list. Employees get different training based on their selection...and no, "No training pls!" is not an option. The compliance team gets to see what issues are top of mind and then they can focus on those topics throughout the year. 2. Targeted training: Another customer is asking, "How confident are you raising bribery concerns in your team," and then analyzing the data based on department and country. They've identified the top 10 teams they are focusing their ABAC training and communications on, because prioritization is key. You don't need to move from the traditional, completion-focused model to a data-driven program all at once. But take incremental steps to layer on data that surfaces risks and lets you prioritize your efforts. And your vendor should be your thought partner, not the obstacle, in this journey! I've seen Ethena's team work magic in terms of navigating concerns like PII and LMS limitations – it can be done!

Managers often resist performance appraisals—not just because they’re uncomfortable, but because deep down, they feel uneasy about passing judgment on another person’s worth. This insight, drawn from a 1972 Harvard Business Review article, remains just as relevant today. Douglas McGregor argued that traditional performance evaluations put too much power in the hands of managers while treating employees as passive subjects rather than active participants in their own growth. Instead, he advocated for a shift: let employees set their own performance goals, reflect on their progress, and work collaboratively with their manager to course-correct. This approach was groundbreaking then, and it still challenges the way many organizations operate. Despite decades of leadership development, many companies continue to rely on top-down, judgment-heavy appraisals rather than empowering employees to take ownership of their growth. The world looks different today—more remote work, shifting employee expectations, and a stronger focus on autonomy—but the core truth remains: people perform better when they have agency over their own development. Three takeaways for leaders today: (1) Turn Appraisals into Coaching Conversations Instead of judging past performance, help employees define clear, meaningful goals and guide them forward. (2) Shift from Evaluation to Self-Reflection Encourage employees to assess their own progress first. They often hold themselves to a higher standard than managers do. (3) Recognize That People Aren’t Products Performance reviews aren’t about "quality control." Employees aren’t widgets on an assembly line—they are individuals with evolving skills, aspirations, and challenges. McGregor’s ideas may have been ahead of their time, but they still hold a mirror up to how we manage talent today. If leaders want engaged, high-performing teams, they need to stop controlling and start empowering. How do you approach performance conversations in your organization? #performance #collaboration #coaching #teams #leadership #learning #growth #reflection #management #managers #conversations https://lnkd.in/e_tk9_DB

Your team isn't lazy. They're confused. You need a culture of accountability that's automatic: When accountability breaks down, it's not because people don't care. It's because your system is upside down. Most leaders think accountability means "holding people responsible." Wrong. Real accountability? Creating conditions where people hold themselves responsible. Here's your playbook: 📌 Build the Base Start with a formal meeting to identify the real issues. Don't sugarcoat. Document everything. Set a clear date when things will change. 📌 Connect to Their Pain Help your team understand the cost of weak accountability: • Stalled career growth • Broken trust between teammates • Mediocre results that hurt everyone 📌 Clarify the Mission Create a mission statement so clear that everyone can recite it. If your team can't connect their role to it in one sentence, They can't make good decisions. 📌 Set Clear Rules Establish 3-5 non-negotiable behaviors. Examples:  • We deliver what we commit to  • We surface problems early  • We help teammates succeed 📌 Point to Exits Give underperformers a no-fault, 2-week exit window. This isn't cruelty. It's clarity. 📌 Guard the Entrance Build ownership expectations into every job description. Hire people who already act like owners. 📌 Make Accountability Visible Create expectations contracts for each role. Define what excellence looks like. Get signed commitments. 📌 Make It Public Use weekly scorecards with clear metric ownership. When everyone can see who owns what. Accountability becomes peer-driven. 📌 Design Intervention Create escalation triggers: Level 1: Self-correction Level 2: Peer feedback Level 3: Manager coaching Level 4: Formal improvement plan 📌 Reward the Right Behaviors Reward people who identify problems early. (not those who create heroic rescues) 📌 Establish Rituals Conduct regular reviews, retrospectives, and quarterly deep dives. 📌 Live It Yourself Share your commitments publicly. Acknowledge your mistakes quickly. Your team watches what you do, not what you say. Remember: The goal isn't to catch people failing. It's to create conditions where:  • Failure becomes obvious  • And improvement becomes inevitable. New managers struggle most with accountability:  • Some hide and let performance drop  • Some overcompensate and micromanage We can help you build the playbook for your team. Join our last MGMT Fundamentals program for 2025 next week. Enroll today: https://lnkd.in/ewTRApB5 In an hour a day over two weeks, you'll get:  • Skills to beat the 60% failure rate  • Systems to make management sustainable  • Live coaching from leaders with 30+ years experience If this playbook was helpful... Please ♻️ repost and follow 🔔 Dave Kline for more.

Upskilling Strategies: Yesterday we looked at the Upskilling for business success and today we're going to look at customizing learning pathways for your Tech team. In today’s tech landscape, a one-size-fits-all approach to training just doesn’t work. To build a high-performing, future-ready tech team, upskilling programs need to be personalized and role-specific. 🔍 Start by assessing your team’s current skills: Use skills assessments, 360-degree feedback, and project performance reviews to understand the strengths and gaps within your tech teams. 🔑 Tailor learning pathways to meet the needs of specific roles within your organization. A few examples: ·       Cloud Engineers can benefit from certifications and training in platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud. ·       DevOps Teams should focus on tools like Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, and CI/CD pipelines to streamline workflows and improve collaboration. ·       Cybersecurity Specialists need continuous learning in threat detection, encryption, and certifications like CISSP or CEH. ·       Software Developers could advance their skills in languages like Python or Java, or explore microservices and API development. 🎯 Personalization matters. When you align learning paths with individual roles and career goals, your team is more engaged and motivated, and the impact of upskilling is much greater. To create a successful upskilling strategy: ·       Set clear development goals based on current and future business needs. ·       Leverage e-learning platforms that offer customizable learning paths and assessments. ·       Encourage mentorship and peer learning to reinforce new skills within the team. ·       Investing in personalized learning paths doesn’t just future-proof your workforce—it drives innovation, improves retention, and keeps your tech teams agile and ready for the challenges ahead. Are your upskilling programs tailored to the unique needs of your tech team? #upskilling #personalizedlearning #techtrends #cloudengineering #DevOps #cybersecurity #continuouslearning #workforcedevelopment

This week, I facilitated a manager workshop on how to grow and develop people and teams. One question sparked a great conversation: “How do you develop your people outside of formal programs?” It’s a great question. IMO, one of the highest leverage actions a leader can take is making small, but consistent actions to develop their people. While formal learning experiences absolutely a role, there are far more opportunities for growth outside of structured settings from an hours in the day perspective. Helping leaders recognize and embrace this is a major opportunity. I introduced the idea of Practices of Development (PODs) aka small, intentional activities integrated into everyday work that help employees build skills, flex new muscles, and increase their impact. Here are a few examples we discussed: 🌟 Paired Programming: Borrowed from software engineering, this involves pairing an employee with a peer to take on a new task—helping them ramp up quickly, cross-train, or learn by doing. 🌟 Learning Logs: Have team members track what they’re working on, learning, and questioning to encourage reflection. 🌟 Bullpen Sessions: Bring similar roles together for feedback, idea sharing, and collaborative problem-solving, where everyone both A) shares a deliverable they are working on, and B) gets feedback and suggestions for improvement 🌟 Each 1 Teach 1:  Give everyone a chance to teach one work-related skill or insight to the team. 🌟 I Do, We Do, You Do:Adapted from education, this scaffolding approach lets you model a task, then do it together, then hand it off. A simple and effective way to build confidence and skill. 🌟 Back Pocket Ideas:  During strategy/scoping work sessions, ask employees to submit ideas for initiatives tied to a customer problem or personal interest. Select the strongest ones and incorporate them into their role. These are a few examples that have worked well. If you’ve found creative ways to build development opportunities into your employees day to day work, I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

As employers embrace more advanced, data-driven people operating systems, employees are seeing a powerful shift: one-size-fits-all approaches are giving way to tailored, human-centered experiences that reflect the unique characteristics of each individual within today’s workforce. A recent report from McKinsey & Company envisions this as a full transformation of the people operations model. One where gen AI enables what they call a “Strategic Triumvirate” that unlocks workplace experiences that feel more intuitive and aligned with each employee’s personal goals. At Google, we strive to create a workplace where our employees can reach their full potential. By taking a data-driven, human-centered approach we not only work to facilitate stronger team performance and psychological safety, informed by research like Project Aristotle which identified key dynamics of effective teams, but also empower individual career growth through internal mobility platforms that match Googlers' skills and aspirations with relevant opportunities across the company. Learn more about Project Aristotle here: https://lnkd.in/eff_QGqw Read more about McKinsey & Company’s vision for the next era of people management here: https://lnkd.in/ehbecaKc #PeopleFirst #FutureOfWork #HRTech #EmployeeExperience #LeadershipDevelopment

Struggling with Skills Gaps? It's Time to Transform Your Strategy. According to EY, nearly two-thirds (62%) of companies are struggling to fully leverage AI due to gaps between technology and talent. This challenge spans industries, threatening to leave many organizations behind. Companies face two key types of skills gaps: scaling up existing capabilities and sourcing entirely new ones. For instance, while many businesses have machine learning engineers, few possess the advanced skills required to implement retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems or knowledge graphs. So, how can you close these critical gaps? Here are four strategies to get started: 1️⃣ . Upskill Your Workforce for Future Needs It’s not just about addressing today’s gaps but also preparing your team for future roles and skills while making your organization agile enough to pivot through future disruptions. Investing in skills like prompt engineering, AI model integration, and collaborating with AI agents will be essential for long-term success. 2️⃣ . Leverage AI to Boost Efficiency and Job Satisfaction AI tools like Copilot can improve coding speed by 55%, freeing developers to focus on more complex, fulfilling work. This helps alleviate skill shortages while boosting employee satisfaction by automating repetitive tasks and fostering meaningful engagement. 3️⃣ . Close Gaps in Data and Infrastructure Whether you develop in-house capabilities or partner with external AI providers, preparing proprietary data and sourcing the right infrastructure is crucial for effective AI integration. Addressing these foundational elements is key to long-term AI success. 4️⃣ . Build Buy-In by Addressing Employee Concerns AI adoption isn’t just about tech—it’s about people. One of the biggest challenges is earning employee buy-in. Leaders need to emphasize that AI isn’t here to take jobs, but to empower employees. Refactoring roles to collaborate with AI and creating new, AI-enhanced positions provide growth opportunities and help retain top talent. ⏳ The time to act is now. AI is reshaping tasks and roles, and businesses that fail to address these gaps risk being left behind. By upskilling your workforce, modernizing your infrastructure, and fostering a culture of acceptance, you can bridge the talent and technology gaps and unlock the full potential of AI. If this resonates with you, let’s connect. I’d love to hear where you are in your AI journey and explore how I can help. #futureofwork #digitaltransformation #aiandhumans #skillsgap

Upscale and Reskill Talent at Manufacturing Sites In today's rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, companies continuously seek innovative ways to enhance productivity, improve efficiency, and stay ahead of the competition. With the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to upscale and reskill talent at manufacturing sites and leveraging AI-driven solutions, organizations can optimize operations, empower their workforce, and achieve unprecedented success. 1. Identifying Skill Gaps through Data Analysis Machine learning algorithms and predictive analytics can analyze vast data and identify skill gaps within the manufacturing workforce. By examining factors such as employee performance, historical data, and industry trends, organizations can gain invaluable insights into areas where upskilling and reskilling efforts are required. This data-driven approach enables targeted training programs, ensuring employees receive the specific knowledge and skills needed to thrive in their roles. 2. Personalized Learning Paths It is crucial to provide personalized learning paths for each employee. AI-powered platforms can assess individual skill sets, learning preferences, and career aspirations to create tailored training programs. By offering personalized learning experiences, organizations can foster employee engagement and motivation and accelerate their professional growth. 3. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Training VR and AR technologies are revolutionizing training methodologies in the manufacturing sector. These technologies enable employees to simulate real-world scenarios, practice complex tasks, and develop critical skills in a safe and controlled environment. By leveraging VR and AR training programs, organizations can enhance the learning experience, boost knowledge retention, and improve operational efficiency. 4. AI-Enabled Performance Support AI-driven performance support systems provide real-time guidance and assistance to employees on the manufacturing floor. By utilizing sensors, IoT devices, and AI algorithms, these systems can monitor operations, identify potential bottlenecks, and offer actionable insights to optimize workflow. Furthermore, AI can provide instant feedback and suggestions to enhance employee performance, ensuring high-quality output and reducing errors. 5. Collaborative Robots (Cobots) Collaborative robots, "cobots," are designed to work alongside human workers, complementing their skills and capabilities. Cobots are equipped with AI algorithms that enable them to learn from human operators, adapt to changing production requirements, and perform repetitive or physically demanding tasks. Manufacturers can enhance productivity, improve workplace safety, and free up human resources for more complex and strategic assignments by deploying cobots. Embracing these best-in-class strategies will empower the manufacturing workforce, foster innovation, and pave the way for a successful future.

📈 Unlocking the True Impact of L&D: Beyond Engagement Metrics 🚀 I am honored to once again be asked by the LinkedIn Talent Blog to weigh in on this important question. To truly measure the impact of learning and development (L&D), we need to go beyond traditional engagement metrics and look at tangible business outcomes. 🌟 Internal Mobility: Track how many employees advance to new roles or get promoted after participating in L&D programs. This shows that our initiatives are effectively preparing talent for future leadership. 📚 Upskilling in Action: Evaluate performance reviews, project outcomes, and the speed at which employees integrate their new knowledge into their work. Practical application is a strong indicator of training’s effectiveness. 🔄 Retention Rates: Compare retention between employees who engage in L&D and those who don’t. A higher retention rate among L&D participants suggests our programs are enhancing job satisfaction and loyalty. 💼 Business Performance: Link L&D to specific business performance indicators like sales growth, customer satisfaction, and innovation rates. Demonstrating a connection between employee development and these outcomes shows the direct value L&D brings to the organization. By focusing on these metrics, we can provide a comprehensive view of how L&D drives business success beyond just engagement. 🌟 🔗 Link to the blog along with insights from other incredible L&D thought leaders (list of thought leaders below): https://lnkd.in/efne_USa What other innovative ways have you found effective in measuring the impact of L&D in your organization? Share your thoughts below! 👇 Laura Hilgers Naphtali Bryant, M.A. Lori Niles-Hofmann Terri Horton, EdD, MBA, MA, SHRM-CP, PHR Christopher Lind

I stopped performing annual reviews. 99% of the time they don’t increase actual performance.  Give me 2 minutes. I'll show you what I did instead: 👇 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 • Break free from traditional annual reviews. • Be a year-round coach, not a once-a-year judge. • Continuous feedback, like a sports coach, is key. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 • Avoid misalignment with clear, measurable goals. • Limit to 3 major goals. • Employees set personal goals aligning with these. • Focus: 80% on these goals, 20% on everything else. 𝗠𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝟭𝘅𝟭 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 • Essential for ongoing feedback. • Ideal timing: 60 minutes every two weeks. • Discuss progress on top 3 goals. • Address blockers & celebrate successes. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗜𝗻𝘀 • Extend a regular 1x1 to 90 minutes quarterly. • Explore the employee’s broader career aspirations. • Discuss quarterly performance. • Checkin on personal development (see next) 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 • Traditional reviews list too many improvement areas. • Focus on ONE key area for yearly improvement. • Agree on the area together. • Review progress in quarterly sessions.    👇 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 For 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 1. Make every 1x1 a coaching opportunity. 2. Consistently give feedback or praise. 3. Avoid canceling 1x1s – they're crucial. 4. Repeated mistakes may indicate a poor fit. 5. Link bonuses to both company and individual goals (50/50 split). Ditch the bureaucracy and transform performance management into a tool for real feedback and personal growth! 📈 _____ Enjoy this? Repost to your network and follow me Scot Chisholm for more! 📌  P.S. I'm writing about how to delegate like a pro this Friday to all my newsletter subscribers. Sign up here: scotchisholm.com