Today's volatile global business environment requires leaders to connect with, engage and learn together with their staff. Read this article to learn how to multiply your ROI.

The ambition is that such managers will build an engaged workforce and achieve a high-performing (perhaps even "sexy") business that top talent clamours to work for. But why have only a handful of these leaders emerged? Could it be that just being high achievers in their areas of expertise is not sufficient to create true leaders? This is the basic premise of leader-led learning, which delivers a punch in two ways: increasing engagement and reducing external facilitating expenses.

Case study: International Publisher Professional Services

This company had been rolling out an annual sales training programme across Asia for years. Feedback scores were great, but did not translate into changed behaviours and downstream results.

Taking our advice, the Client switched their approach to leader-led learning.

First, we equipped their leaders to become great facilitators.

Second, we provided them with all the content.

Third, they practised with our consultant in coaching sessions before they delivered to their teams.

The impact?

Aligned to their regular weekly meetings and integrated into business as usual, ideas generated by the teams as a result of these sessions boosted their performance with immediate measurable results. By passing the programme over to the local leaders, they took ownership with our support.

flowers in the wind — Photo by Masaaki Komori / Unsplash

A REFRESHING CHANGE

Team benefits:

Bite-size learning, supported by those closest to the team, is relevant and hits the mark, each time, all the time.

Leader benefits:

Recognition as the best in class to their teams, showcasing leadership capabilities Personal growth and learning new ways to do things, then sharing this with others Increase team performance through collaborative learning and sharing.

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
Confucius

7 STEPS TO CREATING A SUCCESSFUL LEARNING CULTURE

1. Champion this new approach

Introduce the approach to the business at all levels, and drive it from the top to ensure line managers take this up.

2. Forge great teachers

Identify leaders who will facilitate the leader-led learning sessions and equip them with the right skills.

3. Deliver content with ease

Create core learning materials that can be used across the entire business, so your leaders can deliver with confidence.

4. Integration into Business-As-Usual

Decide frequency and fit it into your regular team meeting sessions.

5. Follow-through engagement

Use existing business / social media platforms to continue conversations and collaboration online. Gamification is a great way to keep things going!

6. Money talks

Decide how to make the learning measurable in terms of business gains.

7. Discover your tipping point

Review and finesse your process after an initial pilot to find out what works best for your company culture.

inspired man — Photo by KAL VISUALS / Unsplash

ALREADY HAVE A CULTURE OF SHARING AND OPENNESS?

Let's take it to the next level.

Learning driven by dialogue and stories is proven to be the most powerful way of engaging learners, such as sharing stories to illustrate learning points (i.e. a golden nugget during meetings) or a tip of the day.

This can be done in newsletters, emails or other written communication channels.

3-TOP TIPS TO REMEMBER

Not every leader will be a natural teacher, so equip them with the skills to facilitate and coach. Allow the team to practice and learn from honest, constructive feedback. Aim for incremental improvements; praise often and reward. Make it safe for people to make mistakes and improve. This is essential to building a learning culture. Drop me a line if you have any questions on how to implement Leader-Led Learning in your business, and shift your training budget to a sustainable, learning culture that your leaders and employees can own and enjoy.

I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.
Albert Einstein

Related Article: How to Multiply Your ROI in Corporate Training and Drive Engagement