PDG Blog | High Performing Learning Organization

Creating the Learning Organization Structure

Posted by Amanda Holm on May 28, 2015 2:10:00 PM

How do you know if the design of your learning organization is accomplishing your business goals? In PDG's new white paper, “Creating the Learning Organization Structure,” we explore:

How to structure a learning organization
Benefits and risks of centralized and decentralized learning
What a hybrid learning organization looks like
The pros and cons of internal versus external capabilities

Here’s a preview of the white paper:

Overview

What is the right way to structure a learning organization? Should it be highly centralized, to allow for resource sharing and economies of scale? Highly decentralized, so the output is specific to the unique needs of different functions? Should it be a hybrid, incorporating the best of both worlds? Is there even a “right” way?

PDG has been fortunate to work with hundreds of learning organizations across multiple verticals, of varying size and complexity. This experience has allowed us to develop a series of considerations, trade-offs, and synergies that lead to best practices in learning organization design. In this white paper, we will provide a variety of situational examples, along with what we believe are factors that affect your decisions and what we believe to be best practice. Ultimately, the “best” design depends on your organization, your business, and your goals.

Perspectives on Learning Organization Design

Is there a “right” way to design a learning organization?

There is no absolute “right” way, no silver bullet. Each design has inherent strengths and drawbacks.

If there is not a “best” way, is there a “better” way?

Yes. Based on your organizations strategies and capabilities, there are design structures that are likely to work better than others. Structured analysis will help determine which alternatives are most likely to drive your goals. Issues you will need to evaluate include:

Making necessary compromises: You usually can’t have the “best” of everything. Given strengths and weaknesses, compromises are often needed and the final design is likely to be a hybrid of the best options.
Managing Tradeoffs: Decisions which way to go will need to be managed via the “levers” of leadership, decision-making, people, and processes.

To read more about creating the learning organization structure, download the free white paper!

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Topics: Organizational Learning, Learning Resourcing,, High Performing Learning Organization, Flexible Resource Management

The High Performing Learning Organization

Posted by Rich Mesch on Jun 24, 2014 2:18:07 PM

PDG recently published a new white paper called “The High Performing Learning Organization: 8 Attributes for Business Success.” The white paper focuses on what makes up a High Performing Learning Organization and the benefits to the business.

Here’s a section from the white paper:

What is a High Performing Learning Organization?

A High Performing Learning Organization (HPLO) is a Learning Organization that operates like a business, using the tools and processes of business to create workflows that are timely, efficient, cost-effective, and demonstrate a clear impact on the enterprise.

High Performing Learning Organizations:

• Are fully aligned with the business goals of the enterprise

• Speak the language of business, not just the language of learning

• Are able to define the return on investment (ROI) of their efforts—when the business can see the impact of their learning investment, they are more likely to continue investing in learning

• Are scalable, creating improved cost scenarios and more rapid delivery cycles

• Utilize Flexible Resourcing, so that costs are controlled while appropriate resources are available for critical and high-demand initiatives

So what are the tools necessary to build and sustain a High Performing Learning Organization? How do you identify the gaps in your organization that need to be closed to create a HPLO? While there are many categories that make up a HPLO, too many organizations focus on the solutions the learning organization creates. Great solutions are the result of an effective Learning Organization, but improving solutions doesn’t necessarily improve the organization. It’s not just where you end up; it’s the path you take to get there. High Performing Learning Organizations needs to be structured to perform optimally, by having strategy, process, people, and tools that support their path to success.

Successful HPLOs focus on the following eight key success areas:

Business Alignment & Performance Impact
People Capabilities & Development
Scalable Processes, Tools, & Assets
Organization Structured for Leverage
Global & Local Optimization
Governance, Demand, & Resource Balancing
Flexible Resource Management
Content Strategy & Asset Leverage

To read more about High Performing Learning Organizations, download the free white paper!

Rich Mesch

Rich Mesch is Senior Director, Customer Engagement
at Performance Development Group

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Topics: Organizational Change, Organizational Learning, High Performing Learning Organization

Top Trends - High Performance Learning Organizations

Posted by David Manning on May 8, 2014 11:26:00 AM

David Manning is the Founder and Managing Partner of Performance Development Group (PDG). David has over 20 years in the management consulting and learning outsourcing space, and has successfully led the growth of global organizations and start-up ventures. David formed PDG after serving as the Chief Operating Officer for a global training consultancy. He was interviewed at PDG headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania Spring 2014. David shared three trends in the learning field: High Performance Learning Organizations, Flexible Resource Management, and Globalization of Learning. In this article, he speaks about High Performance Learning Organizations; additional trends will appear in future issues of the PDG Fast Five newsletter and the PDG blog.

What is a top trend you have seen recently in the corporate learning and development field?
Executives are looking to get more value out of their learning organizations. More than ever before, the learning function is getting a seat at the table and aligning their priorities with solving key business issues versus solving training issues. In order to maximize this opportunity, companies need to increase the effectiveness within the learning function and are doing so by creating High Performance Learning Organizations, with the best people, the most efficient processes/tools, and governed by purpose. Near and long term goals are directly linked to and measured upon business impact. They see an opportunity for learning to drive shareholder value now more than ever before.

What has changed in the marketplace to drive these changes?
In many cases, learning organizations have not been well-aligned with the business strategy, and therefore the capability building which they were doing was not directly connected to what the business needs to execute their strategy. What has changed is that companies have identified this oversight and are now installing leadership within the learning function capable of leading the change to a High Performance Learning Organization.

Why is this trend important to those in the learning industry?
Opportunity. There will be a great opportunity for learning to drive organizational and cultural change and directly impact shareholder value. Over the next decade, the learning function will gain more visibility within the enterprise and be viewed as a strategic differentiator. High Potential employees within the learning function will be noticed and fast tracked for senior roles within the organization. Simply put, the companies with the best learning organizations will have the most success.

For more about performance improvement read the following resources: