Four Factors That Make Or Break A Learning Platform

We’re in the midst of a technological revolution that’s transforming leadership development. As you probably know, though, the array of high-tech options for leadership training can be overwhelming. So how can you make the best choice for your organization?

Based on user feedback from when we created our leadership development platform, my company identified four factors that make all the difference in whether a high-tech learning solution succeeds or fails at an organization:

Image by Ghasoub Alaeddin from Pixabay

1. Usability: Can employees get up and running quickly?

There’s a simple truth about learning platforms that often gets overlooked: It doesn’t matter how great the platform’s content is if your employees struggle to use it. Remember, your people are already squeezed for time and distracted. A learning platform that feels like too much work is a platform that will eventually be ignored. So as you are selecting a learning platform, keep these usability questions in mind:

• How easy is it to navigate the platform? Does using it feel intuitive?

• What kind of training—and how much training—will your employees need to use the platform? Keep in mind that they have different experiences and comfort levels with using technology. They will also have different learning styles.

• Is the platform usable on different devices? According to Deloitte, mobile-only work will rise even more over the next several years—which means that platforms that only work on computers may soon be obsolete.

2. Engagement: Do employees want to keep learning?

After ensuring that your employees can use a platform, there’s another big question to consider: Will they want to use it? To keep employees engaged in learning, a platform must be relevant to their needs. If it doesn’t teach them skills they can apply, their interest will wane quickly. Effective platforms allow for customized learning paths, and they’re designed to help learners take what they’ve learned out of the platform and into their jobs. I’m sure you already know from your own experiences that you learn the most when you turn theory into practice. That’s why my company built our learning platform on the framework of learning, reflecting and then taking action.

3. Connection: Does the platform bring employees together?

When you imagine your employees using a learning platform, do you picture them interacting individually with their computers or phones? If so, it’s time to update that mental image. Leveraging the power of high-tech learning does not mean removing the human touch from leadership development. Connection is simply too important for both helping employees learn and setting them up for success in your organization. As you select and implement a learning platform, consider how it will help you bring employees together. A few ideas:

Utilize collaborative learning.

For example, you could form cohorts of employees who work through a leadership development program at the same time and meet regularly to talk about how to apply what they’re learning in the specific context of your organization.

Incorporate sponsorship and mentorship.

Consider assigning more experienced employees to meet regularly with employees using your platform to talk with them about how what they’re learning applies in your organization.

Involve managers.

The most effective platforms enlist managers to help amplify learning and make sure that the material being taught aligns with organizational goals

4. Practicality: Can you build on what’s already working?

My company has been helping develop leaders since 2008. That means we’ve seen a lot of learning and development trends come and go. We’ve also seen too many companies obsess over having the “latest and greatest” program. Yes, your leadership development solution should incorporate up-to-date information and be relevant to today’s work environment. At the same time, though, don’t assume you have to toss out your current program and start from scratch with a high-tech solution. Instead, consider what already works for you when it comes to developing leaders and how you can build on that. Any learning platform you choose will get better results if its content aligns with your organization’s goals and values.

Technology has huge potential to address the increasing need to develop more leaders. But implementing the right solution isn’t as simple as just giving everyone a login to your new platform. By considering the four factors we’ve talked about here as you choose your learning solution, you’ll help ensure a strong return on your organization’s investment in learning technology.

This article was originally published by Neena Newberry in Forbes.

How to Strengthen Team Relationships with Collaborative Learning

As a firm that helps top organizations develop their leaders, we get a firsthand look at emerging trends in learning and development. Three years ago, the coronavirus pandemic caused a sudden and massive shift to remote learning options. But, in recent months, we’ve been seeing the pendulum swing the other way.

In-person learning programs are on the rise again. One reason? Remote work has decreased the sense of connection among employees. Two-thirds of remote workers report feeling isolated or lonely at least part of the time. More than half of hybrid and remote workers also report having fewer work friendships.

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We’re seeing especially strong interest in collaborative learning. This article will help you better understand collaborative learning, its benefits and how you can implement it in your organization.

What Is Collaborative Learning?

Collaborative learning is centered on employees sharing their knowledge and expertise with each other. It can take many forms. For example, if your organization has a program that pairs employees for mutual mentoring, that’s collaborative learning. Affinity groups or employee resource groups can also create opportunities for employees to learn together.

Embracing collaborative learning doesn’t mean that you solely rely on your employees’ expertise, though. For example, our New Lens® app delivers bite-sized lessons on key leadership skills and gives options for learning with a cohort. Our WOW! Program℠ also utilizes the power of collaborative learning by combining audio lessons with in-person meetings.

What Are the Benefits?

At Newberry Solutions, we’ve seen organizations that provide collaborative learning reap a number of benefits:

• First, relationships among employees get stronger, which is especially important in this new era of remote work. Even before the pandemic, I frequently advised clients to pay more attention to their peer relationships (not just relationships with their bosses or direct reports).

• Feelings of isolation decrease. Instead of feeling alone in dealing with an issue, employees feel like their challenges are shared and that they can lean on each other.

• Collaborative learning can feel more relevant. Both employees and employers are tired of training programs that fail to address what they experience at work. Whether you are using outside content (such as the New Lens® app) or not (as with an internal mentoring program), collaborative learning focuses on effective solutions for your organization,

• Learning becomes more accessible. With how busy everyone is, it can be hard to get away for a conference, offsite or other event. Collaborative learning sets the stage for what The Josh Bersin Company calls “growth in the flow of work.” This kind of learning can happen every single workday.

Put Collaborative Learning into Action

This week, I want to challenge you to look for ways to drive collaborative learning for your team. Could you put them together in small groups to share their expertise? Or perhaps you could team up with other department heads to help your teams get to know each other and learn about each other’s work. We’re also happy to tell you more about our New Lens® app or WOW! Program℠. Just reach out for more info.