Training Industry Magazine - September/October 2020 - 17

SAM SHRIVER & MARSHALL GOLDSMITH

BUILDING
LEADERS

WHAT GREAT TRAINING
ORGANIZATIONS DO

If nothing else - over the last 40 years
- the two of us have had our fair share
of opportunities to work with a large
number of training organizations. Based
on our collective experience, we would
offer that great training organizations
(GTOs) separate themselves from the
pack by excelling in the following areas:
ADDING VALUE
First and foremost, GTOs understand and
embrace their role as a support function.
Sounds easy enough, but many training
departments lose sight of that fundamental
reality. Some become driven by recognition
from industry associations and their
professional peers.

A GREAT TRAINING
ORGANIZATION IS
PREPARED FOR THE
UNEXPECTED - EVEN
THE UNPRECEDENTED.
A true GTO is obsessed with their
internal reputation. They perceive
themselves as conduits between
organizational strategy and day-to-day
execution that exist to make the lives
of their sponsors easier. To achieve
that objective, they invest significant
time and energy into developing
active partnerships with management.
They prioritize truly understanding the
nuances of the business they support,
as that understanding serves as a
mechanism for ensuring the accelerated
development of employees. The
documented respect of sponsors

regarding the quality and relevance of
the training solutions provided is the
only recognition learning leaders in
GTOs are driven to receive.
ATTRACTING TALENT
A GTO is like any other highly successful
organization: Talented people want to
work there! They are intrigued by the
challenges associated with the work;
they are captivated by the energy that
radiates from the existing team. On a
personal level, they see themselves
fitting in and contributing to the
environment. So, how does one attract
great talent? We borrow heavily from
our friend and colleague, Sandy Ogg,
and suggest you consider the following:
* Role: How much does each role in the
training department contribute to the
impact and reputation of the training
function and the overall business?
This is not an easy question to answer,
but GTOs are distinguished by the
sophistication and effort employed in
its pursuit.
* Career appeal: How attractive is a role
in a GTO to people with other options?
If you are a career-minded learning
and development professional or a
high-potential company employee,
what would compel you to commit to
the training department? There are
several competing factors impacting
that decision, but these three make
their way to the top of most lists:
* Compensation: Does it make shortand long-term sense?

* Visibility: Would making this move
increase the probability that you
would have the option of more
upward mobility?
* Connection: Would this move put
you in a position to do work of
enhanced personal or professional
significance?
DEMONSTRATING AGILITY
Organizations around the world have
had ample opportunity to showcase
their resiliency in 2020. In one way
or another, the waves of change we
have experienced over the last few
months have drastically impacted us
all. When significant change occurs, an
organization's collective performance
readiness shifts. Skill gaps emerge that
are often accompanied by motivational
challenges - typically grounded in the
fear of the unknown.
A GTO is prepared for the unexpected
- even the unprecedented. As the road
to recovery is established and visions
of a new normal begin to emerge, a
GTO identifies skill gaps, develops a
tailored plan to address disparities,
implements that plan and monitors
its impact. In that regard, a GTO
serves as a reliable model of agility
and responsiveness in the throes
of disruption.
Marshall Goldsmith is the world authority
in helping successful leaders get even
better. Sam Shriver is the executive vice
president at The Center for Leadership
Studies. Email Sam and Marshall.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MAGAZ INE - BUILDING A GREAT TRAI NI NG ORGANI ZAT I ON I WWW. T RAININGINDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE

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Training Industry Magazine - September/October 2020

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