Looking at 2014 : L and D what next?

Looking at 2014 : L and D what next?

I have been constantly asked : What perspective 2014 offer for L and D ...One of my response has been dealing with ambiguity/ arming oneself with the adaptability to learn things anew..This  reminds me of the book that I had read  Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb .. talking about the VUCA world..V is about Volatility, U is for uncertainty , C is for Complexity and A is for Ambiguity.

VUCA is an acronym : 
 used to describe or reflect on the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of general conditions and situations. The common usage of the term VUCA began in the late 1990s and derives from military vocabulary  and has been subsequently used in emerging ideas in strategic leadership that serves to enhance the strategic significance of VUCA foresight and insight as well as the behaviour of groups and individuals in organizations.

The deeper meaning of each element of VUCA serves to enhance the strategic significance of VUCA foresight and insight as well as the behaviour of groups and individuals in organizations

·         V = Volatility. The nature and dynamics of change, and the nature and speed of change forces and change catalysts.

·         U = Uncertainty. The lack of predictability, the prospects for surprise, and the sense of awareness and understanding of issues and events.

·         C = Complexity. The multiplex of forces, the confounding of issues and the chaos and confusion that surround an organization.

·         A = Ambiguity. The haziness of reality, the potential for misreads, and the mixed meanings of conditions; cause-and-effect confusion.

These elements present the context in which organizations view their current and future state. They present boundaries for planning and policy management. They come together in ways that either confound decisions or sharpen the capacity to look ahead, plan ahead and move ahead. VUCA sets the stage for managing and leading.

The particular meaning and relevance of VUCA often relates to how people view the conditions under which they make decisions, plan forward, manage risks, foster change and solve problems. In general, the premises of VUCA tend to shape an organization's capacity to:

1.  Anticipate the Issues that Shape Conditions

2.  Understand the Consequences of Issues and Actions

3.  Appreciate the Interdependence of Variables

4.  Prepare for Alternative Realities and Challenges

5.  Interpret and Address Relevant Opportunities

For most contemporary organizations – business, the military, education, government and others – VUCA is a practical code for awareness and readiness. Beyond the simple acronym is a body of knowledge that deals with learning models for VUCA preparedness, anticipation, evolution and intervention. [source http://en.wikipedia.org/ ]

It’s become a trendy managerial acronym: VUCA, short for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, and a catchall for “Hey, it’s crazy out there!” It’s also misleading: VUCA conflates four distinct types of challenges that demand four distinct types of responses. That makes it difficult to know how to approach a challenging situation and easy to use VUCA as a crutch, a way to throw off the hard work of strategy and planning—after all, you can’t prepare for a VUCA world, right?

Actually, you can. Here is a guide to identifying, getting ready for, and responding to events in each of the four VUCA categories.[source HBR ]

By all accounts, the chaotic “new normal” in business is real.

To survive in this NEW order , organizations need to look at engaging their talent differently.

DDI for that matter refers to this as 6 levers of preparedness viz :

• ·        Business agility
• ·        Strategic workforce planning
• ·        The pursuit of readiness
• ·        Gathering and using data
• ·        The learning organization
• ·        Talent management sustainability

Business agility and Talent of the organization are a crucial link to establish the expected outcome of the common vision. A robust strategy and  a plan of action is needed to drive the talent planning in order to meet the business and organizational requirements. And when we talk of building in a robust strategically  crucial workforce plan, the road map must be agile and dynamic enough to create opportunities and for the levels for the new leaders to fill in, for new talent to grow.This has to be based on proper assessment and evaluation of the talent. A framework based on the proper talent audit, scientifically mapped talent need and properly assessing the current talent would be a great tool to predict futuristic needs.
 This would also be a favourable tool to plan and roll out developmental maps for the current talent as well as prepare them for the next higher roles with enriched profiles. To strategize, plan out, and roll in the initiatives for development calls in for objective measurement and assessment which give an accurate picture of the situation in terms of business alignment and talent mapping.

In this current environment of constant business change and shifting focus, it is pertinent for the talent in organizations to be able to able to lead change, driving innovation and bridge across different functionalities in the organization as well. Alignment of various departments, levels, across different processes give more direction to the business. Sustainable processes and initiative only work effectively.

The approach /model to learning would emphasise more on the 70:20:10 framework. As it is rightly believed that maximum learning happens on the job when one does it to experience and learning is very powerful.70-80% of the learning happens while completing the task and 10-20% learning happens in a formal environment. It is a fact now and an   increasing awareness that most learning happens through our experiences including practice in the  workplace.

This is  framework is an integrated approach where it encompasses experiential learning, social learning  and  formal learning i.e, it is Experience, Exposure and Education.

Framework	Direction	Elements
Experience	70%	On the job, projects, a assignments, stretched assignments
Exposure	20%	Mentoring, reverse mentoring, coaching, action learning
Education	10%	Structured programs, classroom training

Major challenges for effective implementation  would be :

• ·        Customization of the approach for each individual employee
• ·        Driving the initiatives
• ·        Measuring the changes
• ·        Create a shared understanding for supporting the learning environment

This new approach is an integrated  approach as it builds in the learning environment by linking it to both work and mind spaces.