My next few blog posts will highlight the top Learning and development challenges, their criticality, best resolution practices, and how Meridian Global Learning Management System can position you for success.
Alignment. It’s almost a taboo topic in business now-a-days. We all know we have to do it, but very few actually execute well.
Alignment is the key strategic principle in designing and deploying effective learning programs, but why?
This best practice post will define alignment, defend its importance, demonstrate how to effectively align L&D strategically to organizational and business objectives, and describe how Meridian LMS™ can help you achieve alignment success!
What exactly is alignment? Alignment occurs when the framework of your organization – HR, business units, L&D, quality, and IT – all work cohesively together to support the organization’s philosophy, purpose, and stated strategy. Culture also plays a huge role in the coming together of these support structures.
Think of it this way…
When building a house, the architect begins with designing the home and creating the blueprints. Next is meeting with the builders to determine the materials, cost, timing, and location. After that, groundbreaking with the core structure going up… if there was no alignment, communication, or strategy, the house build might start without the basement being dug.
You get the picture.
With the aligned business units coming together, the process is like constructing a well-designed piece of architecture. Each phase, strategically and functionally, comes together as a firm foundation to build the next phase in the process.
In the business world, the underlying framework needs to operate in the same manner. HR needs to be in constant communication with the business units, and L&D needs to be strategically tied to them for a clear understanding of the current business drivers. HR needs to act as an overarching enforcer of policy and procedure while each unit works to meet the organization’s goals and objectives.
- Alignment is key.
- Continuous Communication is key.
- Strategy and Planning are key.
- Learning is key.
Each of these processes works in harmony to create a synergistic business balance.
Learning and Development play a huge role in alignment. L&D must be fully aligned with the respective business units and the organization’s overall needs.
Let’s put this into a real-world context… The CLO wants the corporate onboarding program completely overhauled. The L&D managers have been tasked with redesigning the program and continuing the education program afterward. Where do they start? What resources do they bring in? What is the time frame? What is the core content?
To be strategically focused…
- The first key action item would be to create a cross-functional committee representing business units across the organization, from HR to Business Leaders, to garner a holistic view and business buy-in from each unit represented. Each unit would get to voice its opinions, discuss its business objectives, communicate its direction, and have the ultimate buy-in and approval for strategic success.
- The second action would be to conduct a needs assessment to fully review the existing program, including content, deployment, trainers, quality leads, and business leaders, to identify what works, what doesn’t, what they would like to see going forward, and business alignment, and document these into a “best practices” document to use as a guide in designing the new program.
- The third action would be to develop the core team with assigned responsibilities (project plan and direction) so all members are fully aware of their roles, responsibilities, timelines, and outputs.
Again, alignment is the number one key to pulling all this together. Each team, with its representatives, will be able to voice its opinions, business drivers, and strategic goals and, most importantly, get buy-in for ultimate success.
Now, the important question comes … how do you teach alignment?
It isn’t necessarily a course you can launch in the LMS that everyone must take. This competency comprises various skills such as strategic planning, project management, leadership, accountability, communication, and organization.
Learning and Development can collaborate with the Executive Leadership team to define your organization’s alignment competency and design courses, curricula, or certifications to educate and move the needle toward proper organizational alignment.
Meridian Global LMS offers a variety of tools that can then assist your organization in meeting its organizational and alignment needs. Certifications can be created to define the perfect Alignment learning path in a structured, sequential order, which can be delivered across many platforms on-demand, 24/7 via our LMS. Meridian’s OpenSesame Content Marketplace integration allows you to purchase relevant, aligned content that can be effortlessly imported into our LMS for seamless transactions. Meridian’s robust, real-time reporting tools also allow you to easily track, manage, and drive performance using custom dashboards and ad-hoc reporting. Collaboration spaces can also be configured to allow learners to post files, wikis, and discussions to aid in the sharing of best practices, white papers, and open discussions of current challenges and resolutions.
Alignment is the key to overall business success. Not just for L&D, but for every unit in the organization. To operate as a cohesive, strategic, business entity, all units must collaborate in a healthy, open arena for sharing, communicating, living and breathing the mission, vision, and strategic goals of your organization.
Meridian Knowledge Solutions is the leading provider of enterprise, web-based learning management software. Meridian’s powerful, easy-to-use solutions are leveraged by organizations dedicated to building world-class learning enterprises.