Beyond leadership lip service

Learning & Development professionals have long recognized that active and visible support from leaders is integral to the success of learning initiatives.

According to a recent Gallup survey, “at least 70% of the variance in team engagement is explained by the quality of the manager or team leader.”  This data underscores the critical role managers play in every aspect of team performance, and it prompts L&D professionals to proactively leverage that role toward greater learning, behavioral, and organizational results.

My own recent research highlights a gap between what managers currently do to support learning initiatives and the methods L&D professionals use to enlist support that goes beyond mere “lip service” to become active and engaged involvement.

This article summarizes that data. More importantly, it offers strategies for tackling this challenge and building the support for development that’s required to ensure learning efforts lead to organizational results.

Top reasons managers don't support L&D efforts

Human resources and L&D professionals that were polled report that these are the top 4 reasons managers fall short of adequately supporting learning in their organizations:

1. Not enough time.
2. Don’t believe in the content.
3. Not sufficiently familiar with the content.
4. Don’t know what to do.

At first blush, it may seem that this list contains elements outside of a learning professional’s scope of influence; however, there are creative ways to view these challenges and paths to helping reduce the barriers.

Increasing support for L&D programs

Our research data and follow-up conversations with learning professionals indicate that many of them are already performing the table stakes practices of:

• Connecting their content to business objectives
• Actively briefing managers on content and methodologies
• Securing managerial buy-in by engaging leadership in content development

Further, our research revealed that some in the L&D field may not be capitalizing on all of the available tactics to bolster their development efforts. In fact, the least frequently used strategies by those we surveyed may actually be among the simplest and most effective ways to immediately elevate the quality and quantity of management support.

Consider these 3 adjustments to your current training plans:

1. Make it easy on them to do the right thing. Don’t assume that managers know exactly what to say or do to support learning efforts. Plus, even if they do understand, they’re strapped for time. Ease the effort required by providing coaching and feedback cues. These are examples of how new skills and behaviors should be expressed by learners and what to do when they’re demonstrated – and when there are missed opportunities. Another underused nudge is a pre- or post-learning conversation template. Busy managers appreciate an easy-to-follow roadmap. Just a handful of questions designed to help learners gain the greatest value from and reflect upon the experience will elevate the chances that managers will engage – and will dramatically elevate the learning of their employees.
2. Spotlight results. Nothing feeds success like success. Measure your efforts. Communicate tangible results – both in terms of behavior and how that behavior contributes to business results. Metrics matter – but so do subjective, human stories. So, also consider highlighting the wins of past participants in bringing their learning into their workplace. Find champions (both the learners and their respective team leaders) who will report the benefits of learning efforts – and broadcast their messages of support. (This is the best and most constructive use of peer pressure.)
3. Encourage managers to play a visible role. While time-starved managers may (understandably) resist this suggestion, some may welcome the chance to build their own skills and act, for example, as a co-facilitator. Consider offering options that require very little advance preparation such as kicking off a session, being part of a discussion panel, sharing a story, or even offering a quote to use in internal communication. Micro opportunities to contribute (that fit into the cadence of their lives) enable managers who – for the most part – want and need the positive behavioral outcomes of the learning effort to become an active part of driving learning results.

Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes the active, visible support of leaders to optimize learning and development efforts. To move managers beyond mere lip service for L&D initiatives, practitioners must continually find ways to capture the imaginations of managers and facilitate their meaningful yet efficient engagement.