Newsletter #16 - Learning & Development: The Secret Weapon for Change
Learning & Development: The Secret Weapon for Change (6 min.)
The right learning strategy makes all the difference—discover how to align L&D with your change goals and empower your team to thrive.
Bottom Line Up Front
🎯 Tie Learning to Change Goals: Make sure every training program supports the bigger picture.
🌱 Focus on What Matters: Skills like adaptability, leadership, and collaboration drive real results.
🔄 Stay Flexible: Be ready to tweak learning programs based on feedback and outcomes.
🚀 Make It Stick: Keep learning going long after the initial rollout with follow-ups and recognition.Let’s Talk L&D and Change
You know as well as I do—change is never easy. Whether it’s introducing a new system, rolling out updated processes, or shifting team dynamics, one thing is clear: without the right skills and mindset, even the best plans can fall flat.
That’s where learning and development (L&D) comes in. Done right, it’s more than just a box to check. It’s the secret weapon that helps your team tackle change head-on and come out stronger.
Let’s break down how we can use L&D to not just survive change but thrive through it.
1. Tie L&D to Your Change Goals
First things first—learning programs shouldn’t live in their own bubble. They need to tie directly to your change strategy.
- Ask yourself: What does success look like for this change initiative? What skills or behaviors will get us there?
- Pro tip: Map training to the phases of your change project. For example, start with mindset training before rolling into the technical "how-tos."
- Measure what matters: Don’t just track attendance—track how learning translates into on-the-job performance.
Example: Say your team is adopting a new project management system. It’s not just about learning the software. It’s about teaching collaboration and accountability so the tool gets used effectively.
2. Double Down on Must-Have Skills
Let’s be real—every team needs a solid foundation of core skills, especially during times of change:
- Adaptability: Change can be messy. Teach your team how to pivot, stay calm, and keep moving forward.
- Collaboration: Silos kill momentum. Use group exercises or role-playing to help teams work better together.
- Leadership for All: Leaders set the tone, but every team member should feel empowered to step up when it counts.
Quick Win: Build scenarios into your training. For example, create a simulation where a manager practices responding to team resistance—or have employees work through a collaborative problem-solving activity.
3. Keep It Agile
Change is fast-paced, and learning needs to keep up.
- Be flexible: Offer a mix of options, like on-demand videos for busy schedules or live virtual sessions for deeper discussions.
- Think small: Microlearning is a game-changer. Bite-sized lessons are easier to absorb and apply immediately.
- Iterate, iterate, iterate: Keep an ear to the ground—feedback from learners can help you refine content and delivery.
Example: During a remote work transition, we created quick-hit guides on tools like Teams and Zoom. Short, actionable, and tailored to immediate needs—it made all the difference.
4. Feedback is Your Best Friend
Here’s the thing: no one gets it perfect the first time. That’s why feedback loops are essential.
- Ask often: Pulse surveys, one-on-one check-ins, or post-training questionnaires can uncover what’s working and what’s not.
- Show you’re listening: Make changes based on feedback and let people know their input mattered.
- Measure impact: Use data to connect learning outcomes to business results, like increased adoption rates or fewer errors.
True Story: Midway through a training rollout, we found out people were overwhelmed by too much content at once. Breaking it into smaller chunks improved retention—and satisfaction—almost immediately.
5. Don’t Stop After Day One
Learning shouldn’t end after the first session or even the first month. It’s an ongoing process.
- Reinforce the message: Use job aids, refreshers, and regular check-ins to keep skills sharp.
- Celebrate progress: Recognize people who are applying what they’ve learned. A little shoutout can go a long way.
- Keep momentum alive: Build a roadmap for ongoing learning so the team stays ahead of the curve.
Example: After launching a new CRM, one team added peer-led “office hours” where employees could troubleshoot issues together. It kept the learning alive and built camaraderie.
The Takeaway
At the end of the day, L&D is about setting people up for success—not just today but in the future. When it’s aligned with your goals, focused on real-world skills, and adaptable to change, it’s a powerful driver of progress.
Quick Tip: Start small. Pick one change initiative and make L&D a core part of the rollout. Learn from it, and scale from there.
Question for Reflection: How are you using learning to build your team’s capacity for change?
Let’s keep the conversation going. I’d love to hear what’s working for you—or what you’re still trying to figure out. Together, we can make learning a force for transformation!
Miguel Guevara
When you are ready, I can help you in three ways:
📞Book a 1:1 Planning call with me (Miguel)
👀 Follow me (Miguel) on LinkedIn
I help business leaders deliver complex projects and write about how to:
- Navigate difficult changes confidently using battle-tested strategies to plan, implement, and win.
- Lead resilient teams by building change management skills and strategies to facilitate change and thrive.
- Reduce risk and boost outcomes using a simple and proven change management framework.
- Excel in your role by gaining insider perspectives and powerful strategies about the corporate world.
