Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2015 - (Page 48)

G LO B A L PERSPECTIVES BY SURYA PRAKASH MOHAPATRA INDIA COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE: INDIA THE FUTURE OF WORKFORCE LEARNING The pace at which current knowledge is turning obsolete and new knowledge is being created is mind-boggling. The knowledge we use today, at work or in business, was never taught to us in college. And, a lot of the knowledge we are going to use a decade from now, doesn't exist today. Organizations that learn faster than this rate of change are going to survive in the 21st century. So the question is whether organizations are geared up for this and if they have the right learning strategy for the 21st century? Conventional learning methods will not be able to address the need for creating and disseminating new knowledge at a fast pace. The lead time required to analyze needs, design, develop and distribute content through conventional means like classroom training or e-learning is too long and will often not deliver the desired results at the desired speed. Bestin-class organizations will adopt various other means of learning, including informal and social learning. Organizations that foster a culture of collaboration, sharing and seeking knowledge in an informal setting through communities of practice are apt to learn faster than organizations heavily relying on formal learning strategies. Therefore, communities of practice (CoPs) are going to be a key component of the future of workforce learning. It is a business imperative 48 for organizations to fully leverage the potential of their workforce. Yet, organizations have not figured out how to build and sustain communities. Here are some of the primary challenges facing organizations: LEADERSHIP APATHY Business leaders often do not see a tangible return on investment (ROI) with their CoP program. While CoPs are set up to create business value, they often don't offer tangible returns in the short-run. Leaders need to see their CoP program as a journey rather than a project with tightly defined goals. Many business leaders believe that CoPs don't fit into their organizational culture or they think that their organization is not ready yet. Because of this attitude from leadership, in some organizations, CoP is often a non-starter. CULTURAL/GEOGRAPHICAL DIFFERENCES In the age of globalization, organizations have virtual teams. Team members work across different time zones. Oftentimes, they come from different cultural backgrounds and speak different languages. These differences pose a serious challenge to the CoP program in organizations.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2015

Tracking Trends
Table of Contents
Guest Editor: Training Trends across the Spectrum
From Training to Continuous Learning in the Workplace
Integrating Accommodations for Learning Disabilities into Training
Emerging Learning Technology Trends
The Business Potential of Cloud-based Learning
A New Role for Instructional Design
Social Motivation: The Key to Adult Learning ROI
Key Trends for 2015: Transforming the Training Function
Bite-sized Learning Turns Less into More
How C-level Executives View Corporate Training
Learning Content Modernization: Why, What and How
Casebook: Boy Scouts of America: Reimagining the Learning Experience
Communities of Practice: The Future of Workplace Learning
VUCU Leadership in Today's Muligenerational Workplace
It's All About Climate Change
Closing Deals
Company News
What's Online
Training Talk

Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2015