Chief Learning Officer - October 2007 - (Page 60)

We make learning real™ what will build value for those involved in WLP. Filling this gap by using the business data to develop learning solutions will deliver lasting and tangible results for the organization. PRI SIM® Business War Games Economic uncertainties and rapid market changes make planning and decision making much more difficult, but exceptionally more critical, than ever. The best protection against uncertainty is figuring out how to avoid being surprised by having your organization proactively using the information presented to it. Learning’s revised role is to provide managers with the ability to quickly adapt to business scenarios and work closely with business units to have employees react instantaneously to changing business conditions. To reach their goals, companies must constantly improve their ability to identify, organize and analyze all the information (business data) available to them. Learning must be actively involved to help make this happen. First, forget the idea that any organization’s business leaders will recognize the importance of learning — their focus is on improved business performance, and learning and performance is one of many tools in their toolbox to help get them to where they need to be, and it is one of the more important tools available. Business leaders will listen to and use any catalyst that helps them get to their results. Learning must position itself to do this by connecting into their world and demonstrating it can link the business data to performance-oriented learning initiatives. Just as you would learn about the culture and language when visiting another country to facilitate your efforts in achieving your objectives, the same applies to your organization. In this case, you are in their country — not only do you have to speak the language (business and performance), you also need to turn the information provided into learning solutions that best apply to the environment (culture) and directly correlate to organizational results. Interpreting business data is a proactive role for learning and will lead it to be an essential enabler to improved business performance. Do your people have the business skills to make the right moves… or are they just pawns in a game they don’t understand? 2-3 day business training courses using customized computer simulations and classroom discussions: Business Acumen Strategic Thinking Financial Literacy Leadership Teamwork What Learning Needs to Know Learning professionals must understand business managers’ decision-making process and how they leverage an organization’s business data to be able to develop effective learning solutions. In effect, there are three kinds of decisions an organization can make. • Strategic: These are the major decisions that companies make in the perspective of their overall corporate mission and strategic objectives. These types of decisions are crucial to the overall success of the organization and often will affect every part of an organization when implemented. The value is large but occurence is infrequent. • Tactical: These decisions usually are the ones that use business data the most and are implemented in a relatively short period of time. They help to achieve strategic goals, leveraging the intelligence they have at hand. Examples include a product manager deciding what discount schedule to put in place, a pricing decision for a product or the marketing strategy required to build market presence and brand awareness. • Operational: These decisions occur on a daily basis. Individually, they do not pose a threat to the organization. When taken in aggregate, however, operational decisions can play a major role at the tactical and even the strategic level of the decision process. These types of decisions usually are made by employees who are not knowledgeable or too concerned with business data. There is an opportunity to gather these types of decisions to drive improved business performance. Every business decision can be categorized in one of these three areas, along with relevant and corresponding business data. Arriving at a proper decision What’s your next move…? Call 847-573-8981 Ext. 203 www.PRISIM.com www.prism.com www.prism.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chief Learning Officer - October 2007

Editor's Letter Table of Contents Letters to the Editor Taking the Lead Trends Best Practices Effectiveness Guest Editorial Elements of Social Media Arrive on the Learning Scene Trend Micro: Making Learning More Modular CLO Profile Learning’s Role in Talent Management INTTRA: Using Global Learning to Better Enable Talent Management Operationalizing Communities of Practice U.S. Army: Sharing Lessons from the Field Looking Back, Moving Forward Leveraging Business Data to Develop Strategic Learning Solutions Chrysler LLC: Metrics, Score Cards and Automobiles Advertisers' Index Editorial Resources Connecting the Dots: Recognizing Talent Development Differences at Nonprofits Nonprofits in Health Care: Learning at ENH Case Study Business Intelligence Case Study In Conclusion

Chief Learning Officer - October 2007

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