Strategy and Learning Alignment

Considerable time and effort is expended to develop learning cultures intended to support the achievement of business strategies. Just what does this mean and how is it accomplished?

First let's look take a very basic look at how strategy is developed and driven throughout organizations. Senior executives and strategic planning teams work through visioning exercises, including research and analysis, to develop long term corporate strategy. These same people work with functional business leaders to craft functional business objectives based on corporate strategy. Functional business leaders work with managers and supervisors in their business units to develop business initiatives based on functional business objectives.

When managers and supervisors complete their business initiatives, business functions meet their objectives. And when business functions meet their objectives, the corporate strategy is attained. In theory the process makes sense, in practice, it's never easy.

Understanding how strategy is developed and driven through an organization is essential in creating appropriate learning solutions. Learning managers with support from senior executives, functional business leaders, managers and supervisors must review strategy, objectives and initiatives to determine what skill gaps exist. Once those gaps are identified, training is accessed to eliminate them. Again, in theory the process makes sense, in practice, it's never easy.

Creating a process that aligns learning with corporate strategy increases enterprise success potential, creates competitive advantage and develops employees who are continually prepared to meet new challenges.