Even in the Training/ Learning/ Knowledge Management spaces…

Not everything is worthy of investments in Training, Learning and/or Knowledge Management solutions – even though those needs be valid.

How do Good Stewards make the right investments in Training, Learning and/or Knowledge Management solutions?

They take their lead from their Enterprise Clients and Stakeholders. Those are the folks who know where the business really needs help. They can prioritize your efforts. If you would only let them.

They can help you decide which target audiences should be addressed Formally versus Informally.

Some areas are obvious. But not all are.

You should be taking your directions from your clients and other key stakeholders. And the more complex that context, the more clients and stakeholders that you have, the more you probably need a more Formal approach to client alignment. To get them all on the same page as to what you will be doing when (until something intervenes and you move to Plan B perhaps).

Here is a graphic that portrays but one of many approaches to a more Formal approach to alignment with your clients and stakeholders:

The model above portrays 3 levels of alignment, two of which are permanent, and the third is project-by-project and therefore temporary as those teams are sun-setted as each project ends.

If you think this looks like some “command and control structure” you’d be right. That is after all, what alignment is all about.

This more Formal Approach to Alignment is covered in the 12 O’Clock portions of my book: T&D Systems View (2002) – which is available as a free PDF here – along with other book PDFs.

There is also an Audio Podcast Series (4) on “T&D Systems View” available here.

And a Presentation: “Aligning to the Voice of the Customer at 3 Levels” on this topic here.

Good Stewards stay aligned. And change as the needs of their clients and stakeholders change. Which is probably inevitable, right? That’s really the tricky part…staying current with the inevitable changes in strategies and/or tactics as the Enterprise moves forward.

Start thinking about how to both get aligned and then stay aligned…

Stayin’ Aligned.

With apologies to the Bee Gees.

# # #