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In the age of intelligent machines, HPC’s Kevin Hannigan explores the importance of adopting a human-centred approach to learning that puts people development and growth first.

In a world transformed by intelligent technologies, how we approach learning is undergoing seismic shifts. Automation and AI are reshaping not just what we learn but how we learn, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and critical challenges. At this pivotal moment, it is essential to adopt a human-centred approach to learning—one that places people, their growth, and their ability to thrive at the heart of organisational strategy.

Peter Senge’s seminal work, The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization, provides a timeless framework to guide us in this endeavour. Senge’s concept of a learning organisation remains profoundly relevant. As intelligent machines increasingly permeate our workplaces, the principles articulated in the The Fifth Discipline can help us move from distributing knowledge to designing learning that reflects how humans learn best.

Reframing Learning in the Era of AI

While AI excels at processing information and delivering precise, targeted training, it lacks the nuance to foster the deeper connections and adaptive thinking that humans require. The challenge is not just to disseminate information but to ask, “How should people learn?”

We know from decades of research that humans thrive on experiential, collaborative, and contextual learning. Unlike machines, we are driven by curiosity, reflection, and social interaction. To leverage this, organisations must shift their focus from delivering training to creating ecosystems where people can actively engage, explore, and develop skills that resonate beyond automation.

This formula does not apply to all learning that takes place in an organisation. There remains a strong case for utilising technology, and particularly AI, for simple information and skills. “Learning in the flow of work” as envisaged by Josh Bersin can be brought to life far more effectively through the targeted use of AI.

However, for more complex skills, for sense-making activities and building connection, we need to think again about how people learn. To do this, we can explore some of the principles that Senge believed were at the heart of the “Learning Organisation”.

Personal Mastery: The Foundation of Human Learning

Senge highlights personal mastery as the cornerstone of the learning organisation. It’s about fostering a culture of continual self-improvement, where individuals take ownership of their growth. In a human-centred approach, this means providing learners with opportunities to:

Learn through Practice: Whether it’s role-play, simulations, or hands-on projects, embedding practical experiences ensures knowledge is internalised.

Reflect and Adapt: Building in reflection time helps learners make sense of their experiences, connect theory with practice, and develop critical thinking.

Set Learning Goals: Encouraging individuals to align learning with their personal aspirations ensures that growth is meaningful and self-directed.

Team Learning: Harnessing Collective Intelligence

Machines process data individually, but humans flourish when learning collaboratively. Senge’s principle of team learning is particularly vital in our interconnected workplaces. Organisations can foster this by:

Creating Safe Spaces for Dialogue: Environments where teams can question assumptions, share perspectives, and build shared understanding promote innovative problem-solving.

Fostering Peer Learning: Collaborative projects and mentoring networks enable employees to learn from one another, leveraging diverse skills and experiences.

Embedding Social Technologies: Intelligent platforms that facilitate team collaboration and real-time feedback can complement human learning without overshadowing it.

Mental Models: Challenging Assumptions

To adopt a human-centred approach, organisations must help learners identify and challenge these assumptions. Encourage:

Exploration of New Perspectives: Use storytelling and case studies to expose learners to diverse viewpoints and complex scenarios.

Critical Thinking Exercises: Empower individuals to question the status quo, evaluate evidence, and make ethical decisions.

Adaptive Learning Pathways: Tailored experiences that evolve with the learner’s growth encourage flexible, open-minded thinking.

Balancing Technology with Humanity

Finally, while technology plays a crucial role in advancing learning, it is a tool —not a substitute —for human growth. The most effective organisations will integrate AI to enhance, not replace, human-centred learning. For example:

AI as a Coach: Intelligent systems can provide personalized feedback and recommendations, freeing up mentors to focus on deeper, relationship-driven guidance.

Insights from Data: AI can help identify learning trends and gaps, allowing L&D teams to target the most critical issues.

AI as Prompt: In complex environments, AI can guide and prompt individuals through the process, reducing time spent learning complex procedures and minimising the risk of error.

From Distribution to Discovery

Moving forward, the question is no longer about how we distribute learning but how we create opportunities for discovery. As intelligent technologies reshape our world, the value of human skills—connection, creativity, critical thinking—will only grow. By embracing Senge’s principles of the learning organisation and designing learning experiences that align with the way humans learn, we can ensure that our workforce is not only prepared for the future but inspired to shape it.

In this era of transformation, the most powerful investment we can make is in human potential. By fostering environments that support meaningful learning, we will empower individuals to thrive in a world where machines are intelligent, but our essential humanity remains.

Kevin Hannigan – HPC

Kevin leads the Learning and Talent Consulting offering and is also a Client Director at HPC. He works with clients to develop, deliver and evaluate bespoke solutions that drive performance across their business.

He is a highly skilled consultant and facilitator with a wealth of experience in designing the systems and processes that support effective learning, measurement and talent development.

Before joining HPC in 2013, Kevin was head of learning and development for Matheson, Ireland’s largest law firm and for C&C Ireland.

kevin.hannigan@wearehpc.com

Connect with Sinead on LinkedIn >>>

Ahead of HPC’s sponsorship of the L&DI’s National Learning & Development Conference, the Sunday Times’ article on “Actionable strategies and technologies in an age of AI” explores the themes that will be at the heart of this key event.

Highlighted by Thinkers50 on their Radar list of 2021, Matt Beane’s research and speaking focuses on the ways in which we bend and break rules to get results from technology and convert these practices into tomorrow’s solutions.

The Assistant Professor in the Technology Management Program at the University of California will be coming to Dublin on December 4^th to speak at the National Learning & Development Conference. This year’s theme is Sustaining Organisation Growth: A New Vision for L&D in an Age of AI.

Beane is one of the world’s top researchers on work and technology. Beane’s research, encapsulated in his latest book The Skill Code: How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines, explores how technologies such as robots and AI are disrupting traditional learning. Beane warns that if left unchecked, these technologies could erode essential human skills. His keynote will explore actionable strategies to incorporate intelligent technologies into learning, while preserving human capability.

This insight is especially critical when viewed alongside the findings of Solas’s National Skills Bulletin 2024, which identifies persistent skills shortages in IT, healthcare, engineering, and green energy sectors. The report underscores the need for organisations to foster skills that are adaptable to rapid technological advancements. As Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, will highlight in his session, building a resilient, skilled workforce is not just a challenge but an opportunity to strengthen Ireland’s competitive position in the global economy.

The conference will also explore the concept of the learning organisation, a term popularised nearly 35 years ago by Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline. While significant strides have been made toward building collaborative, innovative, and adaptive learning cultures, the L&D community must ask: are we truly there yet?

Panel discussions featuring L&D and HR industry experts will delve into the characteristics of a learning organisation in today’s world. What does a true learning culture look like, and how can L&D professionals influence their organisations to embrace it? These conversations aim to equip attendees with practical strategies to elevate their L&D practices, foster collaboration, and create environments where employees can thrive alongside technological advancements.

Although the post-pandemic disruptions have subsided, their impact lingers, particularly in how technologies and work strategies have evolved. L&D teams have been at the forefront of this evolution, adapting swiftly to support workforce readiness amidst constant change. The conference will provide a platform to share best practices, tools, and insights that highlight the creativity and agility L&D professionals have displayed in responding to these challenges.

As automation reshapes industries, the conference will examine what it means to be a learning organisation today. How can we better engage learners? How do we integrate emerging technologies like AI, while maintaining human-centric approaches? These discussions are critical for aligning L&D strategies with long-term organisational goals.

Sinéad Heneghan, CEO of Learning & Development Institute, underscoring the importance of the 2024 conference, said: “In a world that is being reshaped by intelligent machines and advanced technologies, the L&D community finds itself at the forefront of an unprecedented transformation. The National L&D Conference is not just a gathering of professionals but a meeting of minds, where the future of work and learning is being shaped. With automation, AI, and other technological advancements driving rapid change in the workplace, this conference offers a unique opportunity for L&D and HR professionals to explore the role of human skill development in this new era.

We’ll specifically be exploring how we can build human potential in a world dominated by automation and AI?”

As the recently published National Skills Bulletin 2024 notes, Ireland’s workforce is becoming increasingly diverse. This shift underscores the importance of inclusive learning practices, a key theme at the conference. From designing accessible e-learning platforms to fostering inclusive leadership programs, sessions will address how L&D professionals can build equitable learning environments that reflect and embrace Ireland’s evolving demographics.

HR and L&D thought leader Josh Bersin will be represented by Senior Vice President and Global Industry Analyst Kathi Enderes, who will present the latest research from The Josh Bersin Academy on the importance of creating learner-centric organisations, where employees feel empowered to build their skills continuously. This session will explore how organisations can leverage AI as an ally, rather than a threat, to human skill-building.

As Sinéad Heneghan aptly stated: “This is not about L&D adapting to change; it’s about leading it.”

Kevin Hannigan, Client Director at Conference sponsors HPC said: “Humans learn in profoundly different ways than machines. While AI thrives on vast datasets and algorithms, human learning is shaped by connection, curiosity, and context. As AI continues to transform workplaces, the organisations that thrive will prioritise and support human-centric approaches to learning, ensuring their people thrive alongside advancing technology.

Connection is at the heart of human learning—whether through coaching, mentoring, group problem-solving, or storytelling. These ways of learning not only foster deeper understanding but also build the trust and empathy that sustain teams.

We also grow through curiosity and exploration, embracing challenges that require adaptability and creativity. Supporting this growth means providing non-linear development pathways, encouraging critical thinking, and celebrating unique approaches to problem-solving.

Finally, people excel at sense-making—the ability to interpret complexity, context, and nuance. Machines may generate insights, but people give them meaning.

AI has already brought may advantages to how we work and will bring many more to how we work and how we learn. But we cannot learn solely through digital means. By focusing on how we learn—through connection, curiosity, and context —organisations can ensure their teams remain the ultimate decision-makers in a world increasingly shaped by AI. The organisations that build skills in this way will enable their workforce to complement, rather than compete with, AI.”

L&DI & HPC Contributors

Sinéad Heneghan – L&DI

She has vast experience with Individuals, Corporates, Further and Higher Education Providers and State Agencies and has represented the industry in an influencing and Advocacy role for many years.

She holds an MBA from DCU, MSc in Leadership & Change Management, a BA in Local and Community Development from Maynooth University and a Certificate in Training & Development.

Connect with L&DI on LinkedIn >>>

Kevin Hannigan – HPC

He is a highly skilled consultant and facilitator with a wealth of experience in designing the systems and processes that support effective learning, measurement and talent development.

Before joining HPC in 2013, Kevin was head of learning and development for Matheson, Ireland’s largest law firm and for C&C Ireland.

kevin.hannigan@wearehpc.com

Our nomination is a function of the outstanding work of our entire team and the transformational work we design, deliver and measure for our clients.

We have received the exciting news that we have been shortlisted for the Learning and Performance Institute’s (LPI) ‘Learning Provider of the Year’ Award.

Judges were looking for clear differentiators from other entrants, evidence of innovation, business impact and client value as well as compelling successes and achievements over the last year.

The LPI Learning Awards is one of the learning sector’s annual celebrations of outstanding achievement, best practice, and excellence in workplace learning and performance.

Since its inception in 1996, the Learning Awards has continually adapted to align with significant trends in L&D, and to ensure that categories represent current technologies, innovations and people skills. Attracting hundreds of entries from across the globe, the Learning Awards is truly a global event, judged by an independent panel of industry leaders.

HPC’s Head of Talent Consulting, Kevin Hannigan said that he is “honoured that HPC has been shortlisted by The LPI for Learning Provider of the Year. This nomination is a function of the outstanding work of our entire team. Every day, it is our mission to create powerful learning experiences that deliver measurable impact for our clients. This nomination also reflects the ambition of our clients and the trust they place in us to deliver that change.”

The LPI commented that “with the most international representation in its history, this year’s submissions highlight the ground-breaking advancements taking place in Learning and Development. The Learning Awards offer more than recognition; they provide a global stage to celebrate the innovators shaping the future of learning.”

HPC is delighted to be amongst these ‘innovators’ at a finalist level and will look forward to the rest of the awards journey.

Kevin Hannigan – HPC

He is a highly skilled consultant and facilitator with a wealth of experience in designing the systems and processes that support effective learning, measurement and talent development.

Before joining HPC in 2013, Kevin was head of learning and development for Matheson, Ireland’s largest law firm and for C&C Ireland.

kevin.hannigan@wearehpc.com

As our work continues to build in the UK, we’re reflecting our commitment to our clients by adding additional resources to our facilitation and coaching teams.

Following another year of growth, we’re delighted to be adding to the HPC team based in the UK. In addition to our existing team, we have recently welcomed a number of new faces.

The knowledge and experience of Dee Patel, John R. Hughes, Neil Atkinson and Sarah Davies will strengthen HPC’s ability to provide bespoke people development solutions to clients.

Like all of our team, each of them has a strong commercial background, enabling them to understand organisational challenges and respond to individual needs. This translates into the design and delivery of work which fosters positive behavioural change and delivers results.

We will also be working more regularly from our new London base in Heron Tower, Bishopsgate. Located on the northeastern corner of the financial hub of the City, its central location allows us to connect with existing and new clients.

HPC’s Head of Talent Consulting, Kevin Hannigan added, “We have been actively operating in the UK for many years – delivering solutions to the extended UK operations of existing Irish headquartered clients. Coupled with this is a growing demand from new clients who have a base in the UK. This has prompted us to establish a wider UK presence, enabling us to better serve our clients and expand our network of facilitators and coaches.

If you’d like to discuss your ambitions for people development, how to shape the appropriate solution and demonstrate its return, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Kevin at kevin.hannigan@wearehpc.com. He’d be delighted to share his experience and insights with you at any stage.

Kevin Hannigan – HPC

He is a highly skilled consultant and facilitator with a wealth of experience in designing the systems and processes that support effective learning, measurement and talent development.

Before joining HPC in 2013, Kevin was head of learning and development for Matheson, Ireland’s largest law firm and for C&C Ireland.

kevin.hannigan@wearehpc.com

HPC’s Head of Research, Justin Kinnear attended ATD24’s third and final keynote, delivered by Venus Williams, who took to the stage for the final hour of ATD24.

As the winner of seven tennis grand slam titles and four Olympic gold medals, she is one of the greatest tennis players of all time and is still playing tennis at the top level. She is also known for her advocacy work, fighting for equal prize money for male and female players. She won that fight in 2007 when Wimbledon and the French Open announced they would award equal prize money to all competitors in all rounds. Venus is no stranger to the world of business, as CEO to her own interior design firm in Florida. She has also launched her own fashion line, owns a share of the Miami Dolphins NFL team, and in 2010 released her first book.

MC Holly Ralston sat down with Venus and asked her to reflect on her career and share some key lessons with the ATD delegates. Venus began by discussing how she has never wasted time over her career looking back. “My dad used to say, unless you have a time machine why go back? Just go forward.”

In her view, having a winning mindset is determined by how you frame things. If you dwell on losses or setbacks and beat yourself up, you’ll end up mired in negative self-talk and won’t progress. In Venus’ view a loss is “just a moment in time”. She sees losses as opportunities because “now you found out what not to do” in a similar situation in the future. She also admitted that sometimes she did lack belief but moved forward by asking herself “what would I do if I wasn’t afraid?” adding that sometimes all you have is to project confidence and self-belief on the outside even when it’s not so solid on the inside.

Venus explained that in the mind of the elite performer there is nothing better than crushing your competition. However, you’re not going to feel great every time you compete. Venus shared how she prepared, played, and recovered by following a well-worn process. When times were hard the simple act of sticking to the process helped her to stay on track and get through challenging moments and disappointing results.

Venus also spoke about the expectations and standards that elite performers set for themselves. “You can’t allow your expectations to be low. If you get used to losing that’s a red flag”. Old-fashioned goal setting was a big part of how Venus set expectations from the start of her career, coupled with visualisation. She recalled walking the empty centre court at Wimbledon and soaking up the atmosphere and picturing herself winning in the fabled arena. Preparation was always key, echoing sentiments shared by Matthew McConaughey and Dan Pink, noting how solid preparation eases the pain of losing because you know you did all you could.

Venus spoke about stepping up in a moment of opportunity, because if you don’t step up someone else will. She spoke about going for it but “going for it smart”, taking an intelligent risk because the opportunity might not come again.

Venus shared how she doesn’t take criticism to heart, and tends not to read social media or news articles. She prefers to take time out to reflect on her performance and how she can improve. She noted the importance of coaches in her career, and how the person responsible for coaxing performance out of the performer can make or break the performer’s results and career. Echoing sentiments from Dan Pink, Venus spoke of her desire to not have regrets, and how she intends to use the potential she possesses to keep regrets at bay.

The final part of the conversation explored recovery – Venus has a daily recovery moment which is on her to-do list, leadership – Venus believes “leaders need to be someone worth following”, and building a team. Venus has built her team with people who love the work, and people who take everything in their stride. There will be stress and challenges but people who work through it don’t get stuck in it because it will all be forgotten in a few weeks from now.

Asked by Holly for a single takeaway reflection, Venus offered “stay positive, and love your life” quoting one of her favourite bands, 311.

Justin Kinnear – HPC

Justin is Head of Research at HPC and is at the forefront of creating blended content that is relevant, impactful and in line with the current needs of individuals and teams. Justin undertakes external research and analysis for leading L&D bodies and works in collaboration with our clients to evaluate the impact of HPC’s solutions within their organisations.

His passion for people development and his ability to inspire makes him a key member of HPC’s facilitation and coaching teams. His work with HPC focuses on the development of a high performance culture for our clients with a particular emphasis on accountability and feedback.

As well as his extensive research and facilitation experience, he was formerly Head of L&D at IBM and Britvic.

HPC’s Head of Research, Justin Kinnear attended ATD24’s second keynote “Five ways to navigate what’s next”, delivered by Daniel H. Pink, author of five New York Times bestsellers.

As an author of such provocative and award-winning books about business, work, creativity, and behaviour, the audience was captivated by his energy and presence.

He began with a whirlwind review of some of the current dynamics in the world of work. He illustrated that we have quickly moved on from “quiet quitting” – ‘so’ 2023 – to a world where “rage applying”, “resenteeism” and “bare minimum Mondays” are the new trends, and where employees want their managers to “quietly manage” them. We’re in a tumultuous, contradictory and confusing time and it’s not easy to guess what is coming next.

Dan sees this point in the history of work as “the great sorting” where we are all trying to work out new perspectives on what work means, when we work and with whom, where we work, what organisations should do, and what leaders are for. He suggests that the old sequence of understand, strategise, and act needs to be reimagined with action preceding understanding from now on. At this point in the history of work Dan suggests we need to “act our way into knowing”.

Dan shared his 5 key principles for effective work life, based on his examination of a wide body of research.

1. We need to get better at subtractive thinking – solving problems by taking things away rather than adding more elements. Specifically, Dan suggested creating a “To Don’t list” for the remainder of 2024. Include the things that drain or divert attention and then commit to not doing them every day.

2. We don’t get enough information about how we are progressing. This is especially problematic for people brought up on devices that give instant feedback, whereas when they enter a world of work they might only get one feedback opportunity per year. We need to establish progress rituals. Specifically, Dan suggested pausing at the end of each day and noting three ways you made progress each day. You don’t need to review the list, the mere act of capture will create a sense of progress and achievement.

3. Purpose is crucially important in the quest for high performance. Dan suggests we need to spend more time making sure our team members understand why we are asking them to do what we ask. Dan suggests each week from now to the end of the year we focus on having two fewer conversations with our team members about the “how”, and instead have two more conversations about the “why”.

4. We have a negative perspective on the value of breaks. Studies show that breaks are not distractions from performance but are a vital part of performance. He noted that amateurs don’t take breaks, while top professionals know the value of breaks and always integrate them into their approach. Dan suggests scheduling a 15 minute walk break every other day for the remainder of 2024, and to model this walk as a sign of strength to those you lead. If the boss does it, everyone else will do it too.

5. Dan’s last insight was based on his research on regret. For most people, the regret of not taking a chance is profound and lasting. Noting that you won’t take every chance that comes along, you might need to build up your risk-taking muscle so you spot and go after the big one that arrives. Dan suggested three ways of reframing how you think so you can make bolder decisions:

– Channel your inner Andy Grove: if I were replaced in the morning, how would my successor decide?

– Ask the simplest but most useful question: what would I tell my best friend to do?

– Connect with your future self 10 years from now, looking back with wisdom and care: what would they say, what would they want you to do?

Dan’s session ended with a standing ovation by the audience; a ringing endorsement of a fun, energetic, and practical sharing of his ideas on how and why we should work at this “great sorting” point in history.

Justin Kinnear – HPC

As well as his extensive research and facilitation experience, he was formerly Head of L&D at IBM and Britvic.

Connect with Robert on LinkedIn >>>

At a recent HPConnect networking lunch, we were joined for a virtual fireside chat by Professor Robert Brinkerhoff, an internationally recognised expert in learning effectiveness and evaluation. Joining us by Zoom from his home in the United States, Robert talked to HPC’s Kevin Hannigan about how organisations can increase learning transfer and impact.

Learning Transfer – what is it and what drives it?

Kevin and Robert began their long-distance conversation by talking about what exactly the term “Learning Transfer” means. While Robert shared the widely used definition of learning transfer as ‘the application of learning in the workplace’, he suggested this definition was not quite complete. Robert shared an anecdote about a person who attended a programme on developing financial acumen. After the programme, the person managed to apply the learning very successfully in his local church group but stated that he couldn’t apply the learning at work due to the obstacle of securing a host of approvals. Such a learning event generated inconsequential to no value to the sponsor of the learning. Learning Transfer occurs when we use training to generate “consequential value” for the organisation. In the work setting, learning is not just about absorbing knowledge but must involve using that knowledge in a way that delivers value back to the organisation.

Brinkerhoff suggests that our aim should be to seek “leveraged transfer” – applying learning in those actions and instances where use of the training will have the greatest payoff. He went on to note that these leverage-transfer opportunities will differ for each trainee, according to their particular job context, and so part of our training designs must included tactics to help trainees identify what their own leveraged transfer opportunities will be.

Kevin then asked Robert about what drives learning transfer. In Robert’s view, many factors drive learning transfer, some of which happen before the learning takes place, and some of which take place after the learning. In Robert’s experience, about 80% of the impact of learning depends on these before and after elements. Some specific considerations that Robert highlighted are:

– Does the learner’s manager know what the training is intended to do?

– Does the learner know why they are participating in the training?

– Are the objectives of the training aligned with the person’s work?

– Is there intent to apply the training in the work environment?

– Does the learner see a way in which the learning can be used?

– Will the learner have the space and time to apply their learning?

– What expectations does the learner have of receiving coaching and feedback as they apply their learning

Line manager involvement is key

Kevin noted how these elements suggest that the involvement and support of the learner’s line manager is key, and probed Robert a little more on this. Robert emphasised that the manager is key to the learner developing a sense of accountability for applying their learning and that this, in turn, depends on there being a dialogue with the manager before and after the learning. Robert noted how often “most people are held accountable for participating” but that this is not enough for learning to deliver real and consequential value to the organisation.

The conversation then moved to talk about the importance of generating more engagement from these same managers, with Robert noting that managers can easily undo the benefits of training if they are not careful. Robert shared an anecdote about his time in the US Navy, highlighting how a very positive experience attending a training programme in Washington D.C. was undone in mere moments by a dismissive comment from his superior officer upon Robert’s arrival back at his home base.

Kevin asked why L&D professionals often struggle to secure the engagement and involvement of learners’ managers, and Robert highlighted how L&D professionals sometimes approach such managers in a “supplicant” manner, essentially saying “I need your help…” This respectful tone of request conveys a submissive positioning of L&D and Robert suggested instead that a more appropriate approach would be as a business partner presenting the business value as the reason for the training. When a manager can’t see what benefit the training will yield for them it’s too easy for them to dismiss it.

In another anecdote, Robert noted how a senior leader at a major financial institution responded when asked “Tell me what you expected from the training”. “Not a damn thing, which is exactly what I got. As far as I’m concerned, the quicker it’s over the better,” was their response.

Managers and leaders need evidence about learning’s value, In Brinkerhoff’s view, much impact is lost because of what he calls the “manager self-fulfilling prophecy cycle” that occurs. That is, managers have not been shown explicitly how some training may help them increase their employee’s performance, thus helping them as managers improve their own KPIs. Lacking this awareness, they expect little from the training, and thus do not support it. This lack of support limits or even negates the impact, so the managers’ expectations are indeed fulfilled. “See?” they tell themselves, “I did not waste time supporting training that I didn’t expect results from, and I was right! There were no results” As L&D leaders, we have to try to reverse that negative cycle. Help managers see and expect the value the training can produce for them, help them see how to support it, then show them the evidence that training (when it is supported) does indeed produce value. If we as L&D leaders cannot make a case that the training will add value and produce impact and tell that story explicitly, then we have no business asking managers to support it.

Robert went on to share an example where he was able to supply data on how a programme generated a 42% increase in sales for those learners who attended the programme when they and their managers had engaged in dialogue about what to expect by way of applying the learning before and after the programme. There was also evidence that learners who did not have this before-and-after dialogue did not experience these strongly positive results. When the sponsors of his programme saw the evidence, they took aggressive steps to require managers (and in turn the managers of those managers) to be accountable for engaging in this support behaviour. These results continued to grow as more learners all discussed with their respective managers what they’d learn, how they’ll use that learning, and what their manager’s expectations of them were. In Robert’s summation words, “Where there’s evidence, you’ll get interest.”

The Promote® Platform

The final part of the discussion explored the value of the Promote platform. HPC uses Promote to facilitate learning transfer for clients and to create a compelling blended experience for programme participants. Since starting to use the platform in 2016, it has supported thousands of learners to continue their learning journey beyond the “classroom”. Kevin first came across the Promote platform when reading a report that Robert had joined the company as an advisor and he was curious as to how Robert had become involved. Robert first encountered the platform after he had retired, noting that for most of his career training was event-focused. Robert knew of the importance of the before and after factors that wrap around a training event, as well as the reliance on managers, all of which was hard to do. The Promote platform, in Robert’s words, was “what we’ve needed all along! When I saw it, I came off the retirement bench to get involved as much as I could in this promising technology!” The platform allows you to manage the before and after factors, giving you control and allowing you to connect with your learners in their workplace. Equally, there is no place to hide for a learner anymore because we can see it and do something about it. With Promote, learners are accountable for doing something useful with their learning.

Robert also discussed Promote’s Manager Support tool that is based on research conducted by him and Professor Kevin Ford of Michigan State University. This ground-breaking tool is designed to enhance training impact through strategic managerial support, providing a practical guide for managers to determine the right level and type of support for their teams. It is available to all Promote licensees, and Robert hopes many will give it a try.

Attendee Questions

As Kevin and Robert wrapped up their conversation, Robert graciously took two questions from the audience. The first question to Robert was “if he felt that L&D professionals needed to become more sales and marketing-focused to sell the benefits of learning solutions to a business.” Robert emphasised the importance of L&D professionals using data to provide evidence that training pays off, and even to show when learning is not being fully utilised and how a business could get more from it. He used the term “User education” to remind us that learning doesn’t just work magically and that you need to do something with the learning to get value from it. Being able to show a manager what is working, and where there is value not being fully exploited is very impactful. He spoke about a shift in the “user” mindset about learning. Learning is no longer about filling seats but instead is concerned with making sure L&D provides value to our clients. He ended this response by urging L&D professionals to “market the bejesus out of learning to clients”.

The final audience question asked how we can engage leaders of leaders in pre- and post-workshop activities. In Robert’s view, this challenge really reflects what our collective mission is moving forward. He noted that if we want to build a learning culture, we need to tell the story of learning’s value. This is a whole organisational effort and can’t just be delegated to the L&D function. When learning was successful it was because the learners and their managers all did certain things. When you don’t do those things, don’t expect positive results. Robert concluded by suggesting that managers should be held accountable for supporting the learning of those they manage.

Professor Robert Brinkerhoff

Robert is an internationally recognised expert in learning effectiveness and evaluation. For over 40 years, he has provided consultancy services to dozens of multinational organisations including the U.S. Postal Service, Apple and The World Bank. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and conference presenter and has authored several books including The Success Case Method, Telling Training’s Story and Improving Performance through Learning.

He is currently President of The Brinkerhoff Evaluation Institute and Head of Research at Promote International where he created the ‘High Performance Learning Journey’ (HPLJ) methodology. In 2018, HPC facilitators were certified as Ireland’s first HPLJ practitioners. His work powers the Promote platform – a learner-centric app that HPC utilises in client work to embed learning and instil behavioural change.

Find out more about the Promote Platform >>>

Kevin Hannigan – HPC

He is a highly skilled consultant and facilitator with a wealth of experience in designing the systems and processes that support effective learning, measurement and talent development.

Before joining HPC in 2013, Kevin was head of learning and development for Matheson, Ireland’s largest law firm and for C&C Ireland.

kevin.hannigan@wearehpc.com

In a world where near-constant change is the new normal, HPC’s Justin Kinnear explores how a courageous and curious mindset helps to unlock our in-built change capabilities.

Reflecting recently with a group of leaders on their experiences with change, some leaders declared themselves to be ‘good at change’ while others were not so positively disposed. Is it true? Are some of us “good at change” while others are not so lucky? Reassuringly, we are all equipped with the internal ability to enable change and now is the time to embrace and unlock these capabilities.

Your past is your destiny

Many of us were exposed as children to stories of the family business, where a founder grandparent passed down the reins to a child, who in turn did the same for their child. Some of these stories are humble while others are more noble and glorious, such as a line of ancestors in the military or at the top of sport. Without trying, many of us may have formed notions that, in some way, our destinies were set by the acts of our forebears. Previous generations brought up in turbulent times tended to emphasise the importance of stability, certainty, and being in control of one’s path through life. Growing up in an environment that suggested the family business or skillset was in one’s future, coupled with strong messages not to stray too far from previous successes, all helped to create conditions that suited low-risk, low-ambition thinking in many people.

I might change if you will help me

The world of course has changed, at first slowly but then more rapidly. Technology alone has changed every workplace and home through personal computers, internet, mobile phones, and recently AI. Margaret Heffernan noted in her book Uncharted that while humans don’t like change, favouring stability and routine, we are very good at change when it is demanded of us. However, our willingness to step towards change depends enormously on our feeling of psychological safety. The extent to which we think we will be supported and encouraged as we try something new matters greatly. Sadly, this is not always the case, and some of our change experiences have been poorly supported and have caused some of us to develop a deep-seated fear of change.

It’s how I’m made

Curiously as newer insights into the functioning of the human brain are revealed, we have come to discover that our brains are already positively disposed towards change. The amazing concept of neuroplasticity described by Norman Doidge, showed us how brains may create new neural pathways where existing pathways suffered damage. The spectacular work of Lisa Feldman Barrett explains how our brains are busy all night planning how to deploy emotional and energy resources tomorrow in a massive predictive effort. When those predictions go wrong our brains learn from the experience to do better next time, all without much conscious input from us as humans.

Environment still matters

In her seminal work on mindsets, Carol Dweck reminded us that how we choose to respond to the world we experience has a huge bearing on how open we are to change. Given how necessary change is, one could be forgiven for assuming everyone would just step toward change. Dweck’s work showed us that some of us are powerfully convinced that we can’t change and that we are indeed limited by what we have today. To fully engage the power of our change-oriented brains, we must revisit our beliefs about ourselves. We must make conscious decisions to learn, to fail, and to understand that all growth requires us to step into unknown spaces and engage with new experiences. An open-to-change mindset can thankfully be cultivated over time and will allow each person to be at their very best as they move toward the next change experience.

New era, new change expectations

When Bob Dylan released “The Times They Are A-Changin’” in 1964 it no doubt resonated with people who could see change happening all around them. History since then has taught us that every generation feels like this. Things are changing faster than ever before, and while we would like to stop all the change for a little while to draw breath, this simply isn’t going to be possible. So, as we face ever faster and more dramatic changes in our lives at work and home, we need to revisit our personal beliefs about change. While a yearning for stability and predictability is very human, not least because it tries to preserve scarce decisional resources, your brain is perfectly capable of learning, evolving, presenting you with decision options, and weighing risk. We can’t expect the level of change to lessen, so we must embrace the need for continuous change and personal evolution.

Which brings us to leaders

We know that individuals are more apt to move toward change when they feel psychologically safe, and this safety is created by those who lead us. We know our mindset shapes how we feel about change and personal growth. We also know our leaders play a big part in helping us understand our fears, beliefs, and self-efficacy profile. Most of all, we watch what others do when it comes to change. How they react to change matters. What they say about change matters. Nobody shapes our perspective on change more than the person we follow – the leaders in our organisations, communities, or families. Leaders show the way. Leaders set the tone. Leaders determine if change is good, necessary and exciting; will it generate possibilities; or if change is something else.

We might not all feel the same way about an upcoming change. We may not all relish the challenge of crisis or discontinuity. We can all cope with these challenges, but only by letting go of the worn-out belief that we can’t change. Our brains are designed to adapt, but our minds often try to avoid the work. In a world where more change is certain, embrace your own in-built capability to learn, try, fail, and ultimately change.

Justin Kinnear – HPC

As well as his extensive research and facilitation experience, he was formerly Head of L&D at IBM and Britvic.

Last December, the HPC team had the pleasure of meeting Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmondson at a private event in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin.

It was the eve of HPC’s sponsorship of the L&DI Annual Conference at which Amy was the keynote speaker. She had just flown in from London after winning the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year Award for Right Kind of Wrong – based on her research into psychological safety and how to learn from failure and take better risks.

Her book won over the judges with its “systematic, richly illustrated exploration of how to build on “intelligent failure” and its critique of the craze for failure that often hypnotises entrepreneurs and innovators.”

Attendees of the Annual Conference were buzzing about her presence and delighted when they all received a copy of her book. Having read his copy, HPC’s Head of Research, Justin Kinnear dives into the key messages from the book and the high level takeaways that resonate throughout.

A fresh look at a new time

Professor Edmondson’s writings on “psychological safety” have been well known and understood since 1999. Books, articles, podcasts, and videos have all explained the critical importance of psychological safety, and have painted a clear picture of what happens to a work environment and a person when psychological safety is missing. This book, while revisiting and reinforcing some of Amy’s long-standing contentions, comes at an opportune time for us all.

What’s the key message?

Creating and maintaining psychological safety is still as critical as ever. Particularly if we want people to disclose important failures and mistakes and to learn from them so we can avoid them or adapt how we do things. That message hasn’t changed at all. What has changed is the environment of work and life. We know that psychological safety is key, but that is no guarantee that we will do what’s necessary in our workplaces to bring it into existence.

Why is this so difficult?

We find ourselves living in a time of perfection, where many feel the pressure to always say, do, and be the perfect thing. Coincidentally, we also find ourselves in a time of reduced attention span and ever-weakened ability to focus in detail. Finally, so many of us are exhausted by the relentless pace of life and the unstoppable flow of information. Some of us feel burned out. These three environmental factors – demand for perfection; weakened attention; and exhaustion from the pace of life – all threaten our ability to learn from failures and mistakes. Perfect people shouldn’t make mistakes, or so it goes. Learning takes time and careful attention, and we don’t have either.

Taking the first steps into a new leadership practice

Naming, understanding, and learning from failure requires us to recognise that some people are extremely attached to being right. Being right has become their way of feeling like a valued human being. But we can’t be right all the time, and no human should feel like their value remains only as long as they are right. Helping others to see the value in learning, to embrace what can be discovered from a disclosure that something went wrong or failed, is a critical reframing of what it means to be wrong. Being wrong could create opportunity for powerful learning, for new ways of thinking, and for releasing yourself from the burden that ties your value as a person to being right all the time.

One other key lesson Amy shared in her original work, and still shares as she addresses audiences today, is to show the way by role modelling your own fallibility. She tells the story of a successful airline pilot who begins each flight with new colleagues by disclosing that he has never flown a perfect flight. He tells them that today’s flight will likely be the same and that he is depending on his colleagues to work with him and tell him when something is not right or needs adjusted. This self-disclosure of fallibility helps to tear down the perceived walls of perfection that others can put up around us, or that we ourselves put up, without us knowing.

Overarching advice

Don’t aim to be perfect or right all the time. Slow down and spend some time exploring what happened and what it is teaching us. And recognise that rushing, try to do too much, or working while exhausted causes avoidable mistakes and failures.

Justin Kinnear – HPC

As well as his extensive research and facilitation experience, he was formerly Head of L&D at IBM and Britvic.