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How to Experiment to Innovate in L&D | Acorn Skip to main content

Just Why L&D Innovation Comes Down to Enthusiasm and Experimentation

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Just Why L&D Innovation Comes Down to Enthusiasm and Experimentation

Learn why you should pilot programs more and how to build strong stakeholder relationships between L&D and business units

Rita Slogrove, Learning and Organisational Development Manager at Fletcher Building, joins Blake Proberts on the Strategic L&D Podcast. They chat about how L&D can deliver on business outcomes (both business improvement and people uplift), the power of piloting programs first, and how to give learners freedom within a framework. Listen to the full episode above or watch below.

Key takeaways

“Write your business case down on the page. And if you can’t finish the business case, it’s not a good one.”

1. Apply a little psychology.

If something doesn’t fit strategy or support people, you’ve got to ask why you’re doing it.

“We wanted to create a… culture of learning where learning is pulled, rather than pushed. So we made learning smaller and bite-sized and relevant.”

2. Storytelling is the best form of influence.

Identify influencers and decision-makers early and then align proposals with business needs to ensure initiatives are timed correctly to get approval and support.

“Everything is a pilot, until it’s not.”

3. I.e. Test, test, test.

Don’t assume you know what’ll work. Have solid metrics to measure and evaluate outcomes meticulously. Also be prepared to pivot fast if something’s not working.

“A lot of it is… knowing when to do what. There’s nothing wrong with thinning back your offering and making it more impactful.”

4. The right training happens at the right time.

Adjust training schedules based on business cycles. Focus on quality and context over quantity and completions.

“People don’t like… change being done to them—they do if it was their idea, and they were part of it. So spend the time getting to know people.”

5. Personalised is always better.

And it can be done at scale. Prioritise learning that aligns with strategy first, then design training that can be validated in the workplace.

See more from our host: Blake Proberts

Learn about our guest: Rita Slogrove

Hear more of the Strategic L&D Podcast on Spotify and Apple. You’ll also find us in video form on YouTube.

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