L&D has a Learning Problem

Most L&D teams can’t prioritise their own learning and development. Ah, the irony!

No learning budget. No time to experiment. And definitely no formal learning plan.

And then we wonder why L&D struggles to stay ahead of what the organisation needs (new tech, new formats, new expectations).

I've spent the last few months talking to L&D leaders across banking, retail, tech and consulting. Different-sized teams, across the world, wildly different maturity. Some have outsourced all course creation to AI and moved their teams onto people and culture problems. Others are still stuck taking orders from the business.

The best L&D leaders are doing 3 things:

1/ Reimagining their teams from first principles

Really questioning why the team exists, what it should do and who should be part of it. Letting go of past baggage and embracing the world we actually live in now. If you’re thinking about this, Egle and Don's AI in L&D Report talks about 3 options L&D teams have with their Transformation Triangle.

2/ Spending resources on their own team's learning

Structured learning journeys for their teams. Time to experiment. Access to mentorship. A break from content delivery. Learning something new is rarely just an access problem; you need to set the right conditions in place for learning to take place.

3/ Solving business problems, not learning problems

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. When all you have is a training team, every business problem looks like a training need. The best teams are reimagining what learning looks like inside their organisations. That means saying no to training and embracing other non-traditional formats.

A large part of our work at Field this year has been helping future-proof L&D teams. Reimagining their roles and structures, building specific skills, mentoring teams and co-designing experiences with them.

The question isn't whether your L&D team is good enough for what's coming.

It is how you’re helping them get there.