L&D 2020: Shaping change in learning

Work & Business

Leadership and Management

The leading edge successful organisations of 2020 that excel in performance also ensure the well-being of their employees. These companies pay attention to collaboration, creative adaptation, customer integration, cultural inclusion and managing knowledge¹. They don’t so much adapt to change (as their forerunners in the 20th century did) they create the change themselves.

For leaders at every level the key challenge is mustering and fostering resources from inside and outside the organisations to support this creative adaptation. Their key tasks are to:

• anticipate, embrace and proactively respond to whatever changes are necessary for exceptional performance
• set the tone for a collaborate approach to workplace practices, teamwork, collaborative learning and cross-functional or cross-company integration
• ensure fast almost fluid grouping together with other providers or companies in partnership working arrangements to meet changing consumer demands.

Leaders in the fast changing world of 2020 need less business sector knowledge than they used to. Remember the music industry back in the mid-2000s? When the music industry fundamentally changed in nature, what good was knowledge of the former music industry? To lead the likes of the now defunct EMI in 2007 the CEO would have been better as someone with the skills to reframe uncertainty and a broker of resources to shift the company in a new direction.

Businesses are continuing to embed sustainability in their governance structures², for example with board-level sustainability expertise and environmental performance targets for CEOs. Many have designated environmental members – a government requirement for mining and timber – and annual sustainability ratings are regularly being used as a benchmark for awarding government contracts. So it helps if leaders care not just about their customers and the well being of their employees, it is essential to care about the environment too.

Management of virtual teams has created new challenges. Developing empathetic relationships is key³.

1. William A Guillory, The FuturePerfect Organisation – leadership for the 21st century Industrial and Commercial Training Vol 39 No 2 2007 www.emeraldinsight.com

2. Navigating effective sustainable development partnerships, International Business Leaders Forum, 2005

3. A guide to developing enlightened leadership: 26 lessons from A to Z, Roffey Park www.roffypark.com

Readers Comment

Be the first to comment on this article

Comment on this article

You must be logged in to comment.