Ideas@work Vol.4

VOLUME 4
BUSINESS INSIGHTS FROM UNC EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT
WHITE PAPERS FEATURED:

Beyond Smiley Sheets: Measuring the ROI of Learning and Development
Leadership Agility: Using Improv to Build Critical Skills
Talent Builders: Lead the Way in Developing Your People
Wired to Learn: How New Technologies Are Changing L&D Delivery
Ready to Serve: How and Why You Should Recruit Veterans
A message from the President and Associate Dean of Executive Development at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
Welcome to the latest volume of ideas@work, a journal dedicated to exploring best practices in talent management. Each edition of ideas@work includes a collection of our latest white papers in which members of the UNC team share the knowledge and expertise theyve gained from working with our partners as they develop their talent all around the world. This volume of ideas@work features 5 new white papers covering a range of current talent development topics. Talent Builders: Lead the Way in Developing Your People is an informative piece co-authored by our friends and colleagues - Marc Effron, Corey Seitz and Jim Shanley three noted and respected leaders in global talent management. In addition to this article, the authors recently led our first Talent Management Institute, a new program designed specifically for talent management leaders. We had a very impressive group here in Chapel Hill for the inaugural program in November, and were looking forward to another great program in June. I hope you can join us. As always, thank you for your support of UNC Executive Development. I hope that you find value in this latest edition of ideas@work. If youre interested in our resource library that includes past issues of ideas@work and all of our white papers, on-demand webinars, research, and more, please visit our website (www.uncexec.com). Another paper featured in this volume is titled Beyond Smiley Sheets: Measuring the ROI of Learning and Development. This paper offers recommendations to help you evaluate the ROI of your leadership development efforts and provides examples of companies that have effectively demonstrated the value of their talent development programs. Weve also included a white paper that explores the use of improv to develop more agile business leaders and another that examines how new technologies are changing the way organizations deliver learning and development. Our fifth white paper details why companies should hire U.S. veterans and provides useful resources, suggestions and tips to help you recruit those who have served our country.
Susan Cates Susan_Cates@unc.edu
Consistently ranked one of the worlds best business schools, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School is known for experiential learning and teamwork, superior teaching, innovative research and a collaborative culture. Our commitment
to developing socially responsible, results-driven leaders distinguishes our programs. We educate people at every stage of their careers and prepare them to lead successfully in the global business environment.
At UNC Executive Development, we are committed to providing new, impactful learning experiences to help our partners successfully manage and develop their employee talent.
ALL CONTENT UNC EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT 2013
To subscribe, visit www.uncexec.com
Inside this issue

page 4

page 14

page 24

page 34

page 44
(Note: The information or conclusions expressed in the following white papers are the authors review of findings expressed by the organizations. All brand representations are registered trademarks owned by the respective companies or organizations.)

Keri Bennington Account Director UNC Executive Development Tony Laffoley Program Director UNC Executive Development
Introduction
A recent report by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development found that evaluation was a top priority among learning and development (L&D) professionals (Personnel Today staff, 2012). Despite this fact, calculating return on investment (ROI) on development programs is still rarely done; a McKinsey Quarterly report found that only 8 percent of organizations actually evaluate the value of L&D initiatives (Palmer, 2010). And too often, those who do track ROI rarely go beyond asking for feedback from participants immediately after the event. With todays challenging economy, L&D budgets are receiving more scrutiny than ever. Participant feedback forms (i.e., smiley sheets) administered immediately after a learning program are no longer enough, and HR and talent management professionals are feeling the pressure to look for more solid evidence to justify the investment in their programs. This is particularly the case in leadership development programs, where the focus is often on the development of intangible skills. Because L&D programs often provide more long-term value rather than shortterm effects, senior leaders may consider eliminating them as an easy way to cut costs. Even if executive sponsors are satisfied today, they may not be tomorrow. It makes sound fiscal sense to go beyond smiley sheets and to establish robust measures that capture ROI so that even the most critical of reviewers can see the value of L&D programs in an organization. In the mid-1990s, Laurie Bassi, then a researcher for the American Society for Training and Development, discovered that the more a company invested toward developing employees, the higher its stock value went the following year (McCann, 2011). Her research put actual dollar figures to something L&D professionals have known for years-- investing in employees pays off. Learning opportunities result in higher levels of employee promotion, retention, satisfaction, skills and knowledge, and this translates to better organizational performance. Yet connecting the dots by demonstrating a real bottomline ROI remains a continued challenge.
Promise
To help connect the dots and overcome the challenge of measuring the ROI of development programs, this white paper: R eviews the classic four-level model of evaluation. D iscusses the challenges in assessing value for new and existing development initiatives.
MEASURING THE ROI OF L&D PROGRAMS
O ffers suggestions on how to ensure that L&D evaluations reflect what executive leadership expects. P rovides steps to consider when evaluating the ROI of development programs. S hares examples of companies that have effectively demonstrated the value of their L&D programs.
performance or behavior and how those changes have benefited the entire organization (i.e., bottom-line results). Kirkpatrick argued that to obtain a meaningful evaluation, it was necessary to evaluate the L&D experience at each level. This has proven easier said than done. Most learning professionals find it a challenge to assess beyond the first level to demonstrate long-term learning and organizational benefits, and it is this longer-term, bottom-line impact that many senior leaders want to see.
Kirkpatricks Four Levels of Evaluation

Donald Kirkpatrick is perhaps best known for creating the classic four-level model of evaluation. His simple paradigm which still serves as an excellent framework when evaluating development programsidentified four distinct evaluation tiers: 1. Reaction 2. Learning 3. Behavior 4. Results The first level, reaction, captures participants satisfaction with the experience immediately following the event. These smiley sheets gather participants thoughts and feelings about the program, the moderator, the content, the venue, etc. Level two, learning, captures the increase in knowledge, skills or capabilities as a result of the experience.
Level three, behavior, assesses the transfer of learningwhether participants successfully applied what they learned to their work. This level can also involve assessing changes in behavior and attitudes that result from the experience. The final level, results, assesses participants changes in
The Challenges in Assessing the Effectiveness of a Learning Program

Not surprisingly, evaluating effectiveness is particularly challenging when the targeted outcomes involve softer skills such as improved collaboration, decision making, innovativeness and the ability to think strategically common learning objectives in many leadership development programs. It can be difficult to assign a hard-dollar value to such skills, or to show a correlation between the learning initiative and the acquisition of the targeted skills. It is also often a struggle to find the time to follow-up appropriately after the program has occurred (a step that is important in determining long-term impact and transfer of learning). Additionally, if the post-program evaluation process and measures were not carefully planned at the program development stage, such postmortem evaluation may lack a budget and adequate support. These challenges can be overcome, however, and the acquisition of skillseven soft skillscan be assessed.
lead the discussion. Some questions to keep in mind when speaking with executive sponsors: W hat correlations will be considered valid measures of ROI? For example, one could correlate a leadership development program that targets high performance and strategic change with an increase in employee motivation and engagement survey scores and/or retention rates. W hen the learning program cant take all of the credit, what attribution will it receive? If it is agreed that the program will have a positive effect on a particular organizational goal, but it cannot be attributed with 100 percent of the achievement of that goal, delve further with senior leaders to agree on a percentage of credit. For example, the learning program could receive partial credit (i.e., 5 percent) for any operational cost savings found in the supply chain process. Baseline assessments may be taken during this phase if part of the evaluation will be a before and after assessment. For example, if a goal is to improve collaboration across departments, a baseline assessment among participants from each department can occur before the program and again at appropriate intervals afterward (three months, six months, and one year) to determine the level of improvement. Palmer (2010) recommends five steps for HR and talent management professionals to take when designing successful learning and development programs: 1. Know the organizations strategic priorities. 2. Understand how the L&D function can contribute to those priorities. 3. Identify L&D programs that will support the organizations strategic direction. 4. Build it with metrics. 5. Pitch it like youre the CFO. When designing a program from the ground up, these steps ensure that a focus on ROI is directly connected to the organizations strategic priorities.
The Critical Conversation: Connecting ROI to Expectations

In an article published by Denmark-based management firm Mannaz, Scott Saslow from the Institute of Executive Development emphasized that successful evaluation starts well before the learning event occurs, at the pre-program stage. In fact, it should begin at the needs assessment stage, as the organization explores existing and anticipated skills gaps and identifies ways to close those gaps. It is at this point that L&D managers should have a critical conversation with senior leaders to answer the question, What will constitute success for this learning initiative? Mutual agreement on the evaluation criteria at this stage is critical, and L&D professionals should come prepared to
Tips to Measuring ROI

1. Dont go overboard. ROI need only demonstrate value beyond a reasonable doubt. Find out what the executive sponsor identifies as success and stick to that. 2. Shift from a quality to a results mindset. When designing L&D programs, its all about delivering a quality experience that encourages learning. When evaluating, its about results. When calculating ROI, focus less on the quality of the experience and more on the effect of learning. 3. Calculate ROI continuously. Always know how the L&D program is performing so adjustments can be made. This not only helps improve the program, but can justify how dollars are being spent at any time. 4. Build a step-by-step case for ROI. Analyze organizational needs and develop strategic learning plans, prioritize them and present them with sound justificationbased on anticipated ROI about why senior leaders should support them. 5. Gather data beyond the program delivery and dont forget data that is already available. Evaluation and feedback should come from as many sources as feasibly possiblefrom participants, their supervisors, peers and senior leaders. 6. ROI isnt just about money. When analyzing results, consider such learning measurements as quality, effectiveness, job impact and business results. 7. Be conservative in ROI calculations. To compensate for bias, self-reported ROI should be factored down and follow-up evaluations should be weighed more than evaluations reported immediately after the program. 8. Represent the money outlay as a per participant ratio. Personalize it. Show the per participant cost (versus a total cost) to make the investment more palatable (e.g., for this target population we are looking at a $7,000 investment in learning for an employee responsible for, on average, $1million worth of business). 9. Communicate the story behind the numbers. This is where using anecdotal information can be helpful in confirming the numbers. It never hurts to highlight data with meaningful examples. 10. If the ROI numbers are low, dont be discouraged. ROI is intended to assess what is working and what should be shelved or revamped.
Source: Garvey, 2012.
Example: Texas Health Resources

Senior leaders at Texas Health Resources (THR) realized that they needed to cost-effectively develop all of their employees to deliver a comprehensive, integrated and coordinated level of care with a culture of excellence. The organization developed partnerships with local colleges to improve learning programs. THR evaluated the ROI of this program by looking at the number of registered nurses (RNs) who passed their licensure exams, decreased vacancy rates for RN positions, and faster time to productivity. THR found that RNs participating in the program had an almost 100 percent pass rate on their licensure exams. Vacancy rates for RN positions fell from 11 percent to 2 percent, employee familiarity with equipment, facilities and hospital policies increased, and employee orientation time fell from three to two weeks.
Source: Chief Learning Officer staff, 2010
Its Never Too Late to Have that Critical Conversation and to Assess a Programs ROI
But what should L&D managers do when asked to provide more measurable ROI data for established learning programs? It is important to remember that it is never too late to have that critical conversation about what constitutes a successful learning experience. HR and talent management professionals should initiate this conversation, keeping in mind that even if senior leaders express satisfaction with anecdotes and smiley sheets now, long-term satisfaction and expectations can change with little notice. To stress the point again, HR and talent management professionals should work with senior leaders to mutually identify ROI measures (beyond smiley sheets) that are linked to the organizations key strategic objectives. ROI measures should be related to performance after the L&D experience and, according to some, tied to a dollar figure. For example, time saved or increased output (or both) as a result of improved performance following participation in a development program can then be compared to a dollar figure (Lang, 2012). Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick, however, argue that tying ROI to a dollar figure may not always be the best metric and suggest that calculating the return on expectations (ROE) may be a better one. When considering ROE, HR and talent management professionals should begin with an understanding of the desired learning outcomes, and this starts by having critical conversations with all key stakeholders--senior leaders, supervisors, peers and subordinates--all of whom can play a role in the evaluation process. Regardless of when that critical conversation occurs, asking the right questions to gauge what stakeholders expect is vital. Some L&D professionals may make inaccurate assumptions about key stakeholder expectations (Carder, 2012). This is because they fail to ask the right questions about what the measurement outcomes should reflect, and as a result, design measurements that are off the mark, too complex or too impractical to execute. In other words, what do senior leaders want? What do they consider successful when it comes to learning outcomes? For some organizational cultures, executives may see feedback and anecdotes from participants as sufficient to assess the value of an in-house leadership development program. Again, it is important to remember that while this may be enough to assess the learning in the short term, L&D managers should ask themselves if it will be enough in the next three to five years and identify more robust measures that even a chief financial officer would find hard to dispute.
Ways to Evaluate L&D Initiatives

The metrics that could be used to evaluate L&D initiatives are extensive. Here is a laundry list of measures that organizations often use to evaluate their learning programs: Average change in performance appraisal ratings over time Customer satisfaction ratings Employee engagement survey scores Turnover rates Percentage of promotions Productivity rates over time Retention rates
These metrics can be used effectively for standard training and development programs. The challenge, however, is to capture the less tangible, more higherorder benefits of learning, such as revenue generation or cost-savings realized through application exercises built into the program. Because leadership programs often focus on the development of skills such as adaptability, collaboration, communication, decision making, innovativeness and leading change, the intangible benefits are more challenging to measure using conventional metrics (Kalman, 2012). Linda OConnell, principal of Learnologies, LLC, recommends blending ROI metrics with participant and stakeholder feedback and anecdotes to better convey the total value of leadership development programs. Jack Philips, chair of the ROI Institute agrees. He recommends integrating anecdotal evidence at the same time traditional data is collected. It can then be used to augment the data when it is reported to senior leaders (Kalman, 2012).
What Fortune 500 Companies Are Using to Measure L&D Effectiveness

Employee replacement costs* Turnover costs Economic value of employee behaviors Economic benefits of increased job satisfaction, organizational commitment or similar job attributes *According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the average replacement cost of an employee is between 100 and 125 percent of the employees annual salary.
Source: Green & Brainard, 2005
Steps to Consider When Evaluating the ROI of Development Programs

The following steps can serve as guidelines for L&D professionals who want to create development programs that effectively demonstrate ROI. If possible, request the same feedback from the participants supervisor, peers and subordinates. To build collaboration and to set expectations, identify this goal during the planning phase and conduct a baseline assessment before the program
Step 1: Have that Critical Conversation

This cannot be emphasized enough. The first step in any evaluation processregardless of when that process beginsis to initiate a discussion with senior leaders to identify what success for each learning program means to them.
Step 3: Include Real Business Challenges in the Program

Leadership programs often focus on helping highpotential employees think and act more strategically. To measure such a programs effectiveness, consider building actual strategic business challenges into the design so participants can apply what they are learning. For example, if the strategic challenge is global expansion, challenge individuals or teams to craft a market-entry plan and have them present it to senior leaders. Such a deliverable, if implemented, can represent significant ROI in the eyes of executives.
Step 2: Make Smiley Sheets More Robust

Smiley sheets can be biased due to the immediacy effect. To minimize this bias, re-assess participants three to six months after the program and combine the data with concrete examples from participants that outline how they have applied what they learned.
Example: Owens Corning

Senior leaders at Owens Corning credit the companys culture of innovation as a key reason why the company remains an industry leader in the glass fiber industry. When the company approached UNC Executive Development, they wanted to expand on that culture and foster innovation that lead to real business results. Therefore, it was important that the program be developed with measures that could be reviewed at its conclusion. Owens Corning worked with the university to design and deliver a two-week Innovation Boot Camp for some of their global business leaders with an objective that at the end of the experience, participants would be ready to return to their offices with an innovative idea that could be commercialized and developed into a new product, service or solution. The first week of the program focused on teaching teams business foundations. The second week focused on the development of the innovative ideas identified by participant teams. At the end of the program, teams presented their ideas to peers and received a go or no go recommendation to determine whether the idea should be presented to Owens Cornings senior executive team. Owens Corning measured program success by tracking the number of innovative ideas senior executives identified as most viable and approved to develop further. The company has significantly increased market share and revenue in targeted growth areas, offering two very concrete measurements of the programs success.
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Duke Energy has used this approach to good effect. Its two-week Strategic Leadership Program, focuses on developing mid-level managers leadership skills, teaches participants how to evaluate business decisions and how to execute business strategies. The program culminates with participants working through an actual strategic challenge identified by senior executives (Palmer, 2010).
Step 4: Integrate Learning Programs into the Organizations Performance Management System and Hold All Stakeholders Accountable
To increase the probability that the targeted outcomes of a program remain a focus area for participants, ensure performance appraisal goals reflect those targeted outcomes for participants and their supervisors. This step may require gathering information about an employees productivity before and after the program. In cases where it is too late to gather pre-program data, consider using a control group of equivalent employees, business units or organizations to compare against.
In cases where hard data is difficult to identify, think creatively. At IBM Europe, for example, a key aspect of a leadership development program for high-potential women is a robust mentorship program. To ensure the mentorship program is working as intended, the company expects participants to be promoted within a year of the start of the mentorship. Failure to obtain a promotion is seen as the sponsors failure, not the candidates (Cater & Silva, in Kelly, 2012). While this may be too radical a metric for some organizations, the lesson here is not to be afraid to think differently when creating evaluation criteria. Also, do not overlook data that is often readily available when planning evaluation. Retention rates of program participants versus non-participants and promotion and engagement scores which translate to increased employee participation and productivity are areas where employers realize real value. These should be tracked and measured, not only for participants, but for their subordinates and supervisors too.
Example: J.C. Penny

In 2008, J.C. Penney found itself among the bottom of all retailers in customer satisfaction. The organization needed to engage and educate its 155,000 associates in 1,100 stores, logistics centers and headquarters to raise its customer satisfaction rating from 43 percent. J.C. Penney therefore had a straightforward measure for their programs success: improved customer satisfaction ratings. The retailer educated its associates through a multi-faceted approach that had distinct messages for each targeted population (store leaders, store associates and home office associates). A key to the initiatives success was to obtain support from all store leaders. Store managers then received the learning so they could champion the message. All store associates then participated in learning sessionsdelivered by store managers and the training supervisor team--within three months of the store managers learning program. Customer satisfaction ratings increased from 48 to 63 percent by the end of 2010, ranking J.C. Penney as top in customer service.
Source: Chief Learning Officer staff, 2010, Business Impact Division.
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Step 5: Assign Participants Actual Projects after the Learning Experience

This step can be particularly helpful when assessing the effectiveness of leadership development programs. For example, if the goal of a leadership development experience is to improve project management skills, assign
participants an actual project to manage after the program concludes, and establish check-point measurements as the project progresses. Check-point measurements could include the participants ability to assemble an effective strategy, the effectiveness of his or her communication skills, the ability to acquire the necessary resources and the ability to meet budgets and timelines.
Conclusion
Employers today expect all business units to meet higher standards of accountability, and the HR and talent management function is no exception. L&D professionals cannot (and should not) accept that smiley sheets will be enough to demonstrate the ROI of learning programs. Instead, they need to engage senior leaders early to decide which measures should be used to determine the ROI for these programs. This conversation is critical because L&D professionals need to demonstrate the value of their learning programs based on metrics previously agreed to with the ultimate decision makers to justify the investment in learning and development.
Bersin & Associates staff (2012 January). The Corporate Learning Factbook 2012, Executive Summary. Oakland, CA: Bersin & Associates. Businessballs.com staff (n.d.). Kirkpatricks learning and training evaluation theory. Businessballs.com. Retrieved from http:// www.businessballs.com/kirkparicklearninge valuationmodel.htm. Carder, D. (2012 Spring). Six critical measurement mistakes and how to avoid them. Training Industry Quarterly. Retrieved from http://www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ. Chief Learning Officer staff (2010). 2010 Business Impact Division. Chief Learning Officer. Retrieved from http://clomedia. com/articles/view/business-impactdivision-1/print:1. Chief Learning Officer staff (2010). 2010 Vanguard Reward. Chief Learning Officer. Retrieved from http://clomedia.com/articles/ view/3946. Chief Learning Officer staff (2011). 2011 Vanguard Reward. Chief Learning Officer. Retrieved from http://clomedia.com/articles/ view/2011-vanguard-division-1/.
Garvey, A. (2012 September 24). Ten tips to measure training ROI. Trainingzone. Retrieved from http://www.trainingzone. co.uk/topic/leadership/10-tips-measuretraining-roi/179893. Green, T. & Brainard, M. (2005 April 28). Calculating the return on investment (ROI) for organizational development (OD) and human resource (HR) initiatives. Brainard Strategy. Retrieved from http://www.apexps.com/articles/ODHHROI.pdf. Kalman, F. (2012 January 27). Express learnings ROI through storytelling. Chief Learning Officer. Retrieved from http:// clomedia.com/articles/view/expresslearning-s-roi-through-storytelling/print:1. Kelly, K. (2012). The new business imperative: Recruiting, developing and retaining women in the workplace. UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Retrieved from http://www.kenanflagler.unc.edu/executive-development/ custom-programs/~/media/ 3A15E5EC035F420690175C21F9048623. pdf.
Lang, A. (2012). Training program evaluation. Integral Defense Solutions. Retrieved from http://www. integraldefensesolutions.com/wp-content/ uploads/2012/06/Training-ProgramEvaluation.pdf. McCann, D. (2011 June 1). Measured response. CFO.com. Retrieved from http://www.cfo.com/printable/article. cfm/14577155. Nielsen, L. (2012). Dispelling the touchyfeely stigma. OD Practitioner, 44, 1. Retrieved from http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/ www.plexusinstitute.org/research/resmgr/ files/odp-quantifying.pdf/. Palmer, S. (2010). Making the business case for learning and development: 5 steps for success. UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Retrieved from http://www.kenanflagler.unc.edu/executive-development/ custom-programs/~/media/5D2A2B1BFB79 4F8AAA023BD33D68844F.ashx. Personnel Today staff (2012 April). Measuring the impact of learning: Quickfire links. Personnel Today. Retrieved from http://www.personneltoday.com/ Articles/23/04/2012/ 58483/measuring-theimpact-of-learning-quick-fire-links.htm.
Philips, J. (2007). Calculating the impact of ROI on HR programs. ROI Institute. Retrieved from http://www. competentiebeleid.be/assets/waarom/ Measuring_ROI.pdf. Philips, J. (2008). Measuring ROI in the public sector. ROI Institute. Retrieved from http://www.calhr.ca.gov/Documents/ measuring-roi-in-the-public-sector-coursematerials.pdf. Poulin, M. (2012 Spring). Assessing learning and performance. Training Industry Quarterly. Retrieved from http:// www.trainingindustry.com/TIQ. Saslow, S. (n.d.). Measuring the impact and ROI in executive development programs. Mannaz. Retrieved from http://www. mannaz.com/articles/impact-and-roi-inexecutive-development. Yeo, K. (2009 July 22). Measuring organizational learning: Going beyond measuring individual training programs. Human Resources iQ. Retrieved from http:// www.humanresourcesiq.com/metrics/ articles/measuring-organizational-learninggoing-beyond-mea/.
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The Power of Experience.
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Kip Kelly Director of Marketing & Business Development UNC Executive Development
Introduction
Look around you; everything is changing. The global economy, medicine, technology, the environment, geopoliticsyou name it and chances are, it is undergoing dramatic change. Of course, this has always been the case but the rate of change is increasing. These changes can have dramatic and unexpected consequences for your organization. Just keeping up with the rate of change can be a significant challenge, much less anticipating and staying ahead of the curve. Companies that want to thrive in this constantly evolving business environment need the ability to change quickly and they need agile business leaders who can learn, develop and adapt quickly. How can you develop agile business leaders in your organization? While knowledge and experience remain critical, it is becoming increasingly important to develop leaders with the ability to deal with ambiguity and change, to lead and foster innovation and creativity, and to make and implement decisions quickly. Organizations require leaders who can adapt, think on their feet and lead with confidence through the shifting business landscape all skills and behaviors that can be a challenge for talent managers to develop. Developing these unique capabilities requires a different approach, encouraging some talent managment professionals to embrace unconventional
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LEADERSHIP AGILITY: USING IMPROV TO BUILD SKILLS
methods. In the following pages, we will explore one of these non-traditional methods using improv to develop more agile business leaders.
About Improv
Some people misunderstand improv.It seems that improv is all about being funny. But it is not. Improv is about being spontaneous. It is about being imaginative. It is about taking the unexpected and then doing something unexpected with it. The key is to be open to crazy ideas and building on them. And funnily enough, this is exactly what is needed if we are going to make our enterprises more creative and agile. Paul Sloane The Leaders Guide to Lateral Thinking Skills (in Gotts and Cremer, n.d.).
Promise
This white paper: Defines what improv is (and isnt). O utlines the rules of improv and discusses how these rules apply to your organization. E xamines how improv can be used to develop specific skills and behaviors and build agile business leaders. O ffers examples of how organizations are using improv to effectively develop talent. P rovides practical ways you can introduce improv in your organization.
What Is Improv?
In essence, improv, short for improvisation, is performing without a script; it is spontaneous invention (in the form of acting, singing, playing musical instruments, etc.) that is often needed to create something entirely new and unique. Improvisation is often thought of as off the cuff activity, with little or no preparation or forethought but this can be misleading. Giving an impromptu, extemporaneous speech or presentation requires skill and confidence that one can acquire through improv but its not improv. Real improv requires preparation, and often practice, to develop the ability to act and react in the moment. Some of the basic skills improvisation requires are the ability to listen and be aware of the others, to have clarity in communication, and to possess the confidence to find choices instinctively and spontaneously. Improvisation can take place as a solo performance or in collaboration with other performers. It can be dramatic or comedic and the popularity of improv comedy continues to grow. Many people had their first exposure to improv comedy through the British (and subsequent American) television show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, a popular improvisational comedy show that featured the short-form style of improvisation. There is no doubt that improv can be funnythink Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Bill Murray, Wayne Brady, Tina Fey or Amy Poehler. But being funny is not necessarily the goal, according to Greg Hohn, a member of Transactors Improv group since 1989, its executive and artistic director since 1996, and the teacher for UNCs Applied Improvisation for Communication course at UNC Kenan-Flagler. Improv is performing without a script, notes Hohn. Its about working off the top of your head, being mindful and reacting to whats around you and being entirely in the momentnot the past or the future, but the now. Improv is about realizing that everything you need is in the moment. If you are aware of it, you can act on it. explains Hohn. Bob Kulhan, CEO of Business Improvisations in Chicago/ New York/Los Angeles, adds honesty to what defines improv. Improv teaches people how to react, adapt and communicate honestly with each other. Honesty is a key to improv, notes Kulhan, who has worked with the top business schools and companies in the world. The focus, concentration and honesty required in improv readily apply to the communication skills required in business, says Kulhan.
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Example: Business Improvisations

Business Improvisations (www.businessimprov.com) offers hands-on, custom programs to organizations, based on interviews and meetings with clients. Executive leadership classes encourage creativity, team building, effective communication, conflict management, change management, and more. Program length is determined by the client and can run anywhere from a half day to a week. Business Improvisations, with offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, has offered customized programs to a host of organizations, including Capital One, Ford, Hewitt and Raytheon.
Improv Rules
Improv may imitate life in that it is unpredictable and totally unscripted, but that doesnt mean that it is without rules. These rules may vary depending on whom you ask, but they serve as guidelines for the performers. While these rules appear simple on the surface, following them can be a little more challenging in practice. A master of improv, Tina Fey, writer, actor, and alumni of Chicagos famed Second City and Saturday Night Live, discussed her rules for improv in her book, Bossypants (see page 19). Her rules apply equally well to the workplace. Tina Feys rules for improv: Rule #1: Agree and say yes. Rule #2: Not only say yes, say yes AND. R ule #3: Make statements. Rule #4: There are no mistakes, only opportunities. These 4 rules can also be applied towards building better leaders in the workplace. Negativity stifles creativity and innovation. Saying yes is about being open to new possibilities. It is positive, affirmative, confident and optimistic. Saying yes is the first step in turning around a negative organizational culture. Saying yes can spur creativity, innovation, collaboration and teamwork. Creativity and innovation, incidentally, are talents that several studies identified as being critical skills business leaders will need in the near future (in Theleman, 2011).
Rule #2: Not only say yes, say yes, AND

Yes establishes openness and acceptance.Yes, and takes that openness and acceptance one step further by building on what another person has said. This is the heart of teamwork and collaboration when two or more people are working toward a common goal. Yes, and is co-creation. As many in the improv industry say, yes, and means to accept the gift the other person has offered and then add to it. It is the social lubricant that keeps creativity flowing and communication open. Yes, and can be a very powerful tool in the workplace. Yes, and allows employees to take ideas and build on them to create something altogether new. Information is increasingly fragmented throughout an organization disaggregated into different business units and divisions. Yes, and encourages everyone to bring their ideas to the table in order to collaborate and co-create. Yes, and
Rule #1: Agree and say yes

Yes is such a simple word, and in improv it is a governing philosophy. Yes is the acceptance of new ideas and perspectives, and it establishes recognition and respect for the person speaking. It ultimately sets the stage for positive communication and real dialogue. In todays struggling workplaces, it is often easy to be negative and cynicalattitudes that will quickly erode employee morale, engagement and satisfaction.
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can be a useful framework for brainstorming, ideation and innovation, problem solving, and conflict resolutions. Yes, and can help to foster cooperation among employees because it requires active listening, acceptance of different points of view, and contribution; it serves to build rather than tear down, which can allow for more honest and effective interactions.
Rule #4: There are no mistakes, only opportunities

If you follow the other rules of improv, then the possibilities are limitless and there are no mistakes. You listen, react and create something new, and this simple act can lead to something novel and unexpected. While there are definitely mistakes to be made in business, this fourth and final rule of improv is about accepting and moving on. Improv is about moving forward and exploring new, unchartered territory not looking backward or placing blame. Organizations and business leaders can waste a lot of time pouring over past mistakes and casting blame, which can lead to an overly cautious culture where everyone is afraid to make mistakes and no one takes chances. Good leaders take responsibility, learn from mistakes and move on. To be successful now and in the future, companies need to be free to try new things, take risks, experiment and innovate. The real failure is not learning from past mistakes. Popsicles and penicillin, Slinkies and stainless steel, Play-doh and Post-it notes, they were all happy accidents. The inventors of all these innovations regarded their mistakes as opportunities and enriched (and in some cases, actually saved) lives.
Rule #3: Make statements

As Fey writes in Bossypants, whatever the problem, be part of the solution. People who constantly ask questions put pressure on others to find solutions or to make suggestions. We have all worked with those people. They have the power to slow progress, sometimes causing the organization to grind to a halt. Organizations need problem solvers, or people who make statements; they need solutions. Theres no shortage of hard questions and challenges to overcome, and while its important that you ask tough questions, organizations need leaders who can bring solutions to the table. Making statements in improv sets a direction that everyone can follow. It provides a roadmap, not a final destination but a direction. Making statements in improv is leadership and everyone takes the lead - helping to create a path and setting down that road together.
yes AND...
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How Improv Builds Better Leaders

Talent development professionals are tasked with a huge challengeto create business leaders who have the knowledge and experience to be effective, and the ability to adapt when that knowledge and experience is insufficient. No amount of work experience can fully prepare senior business leaders for the challenges they will face in the complex and constantly changing global economy. How do you prepare individuals for the unexpected, when the challenges they will face depend less on what they know and more on how they think? Talent management professionals must find ways to help their leaders transcend knowledge and experience to become more dynamic and agile. Business leaders need to be outstanding communicators, innovators, decision makers, change agents, critical thinkers, not to mention be able to handle ambiguity, promote teamwork and collaboration, and to be the best coach and mentor they can be. It is a tall order indeed. Developing these leadership abilities that are so critical to organizational success will force many leaders outside of their comfort zones. Talent management professionals should view improv as a powerful resource in the development of these skills. In many ways, the tools and techniques of improv are uniquely suited to help business leaders develop these critical skills and behaviors. According to Sara Finch, director of learning at Second City Communications in Chicago, the core elements of improvsupport, trust and embracing the ideas of othersalign well with these much-needed skills. Improv, she says, can help employees better manage uncomfortable conversations (such as conversations about work performance, feedback, etc.); improve listening skills; and create a supportive and nonjudgmental atmosphere (Hastings, 2009). The rapid-fire nature of improv also improves the ability to think on ones feet, a skill that applies well in leadership and negotiation situations (Tutton, 2010). Improv allows organizations to be more nimble, flexible and open to change. It teaches people and organizations that they can adapt without making it a huge emotional crisis, says Greg Hohn, a seasoned improvisational artist, senior lecturer at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, and program manager for the soft skills and leadership training company, FIZ. There is also evidence, according to Gary Golden, associate professor of business at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio, that improv skills can remove some rigidity and structure that can impede organizational growth (Golden, 2011). Improv techniques can be particularly effective in developing future leaders from the Net Generation those recent college graduates and current students poised to enter the workplace in the next few years. This generation likes to learn by doing (e.g., learn by inductive discovery), are visual communicators, enjoy social interaction, are collaborative, and are emotionally more open than previous generations. These characteristics align well with the rules and results of improv (Berk & Trieber, 2009).
Example: Fiz
FIZ (www.thefiz.biz) offers leadership development experiences designed for soft skills such as thinking on ones feet, creativity and coaching. It puts the principles and techniques of improv theater to work in non-theatrical venues such as corporations, academic institutions, organizations, and professional groups. FIZ programs are experiential and focus on discussion rather than lecture. Their length is tailored to the clients needs and can range anywhere from 30-minute interactive presentations to in-depth seminars, retreats, and courses that can last from two hours to two weeks or even a semester. FIZ clients include Burts Bees, Manpower, Inc., and Microsoft.
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Tina Feys Rules for Improv

The first rule of improvisation is AGREE. Always agree and SAY YES. When youre improvising, this means you are required to agree with whatever your partner has created. So if were improvising and I say, Freeze, I have a gun, and you say, Thats not a gun. Its your finger. Youre pointing your finger at me, our improvised scene has ground to a halt. But if I say, Freeze, I have a gun! and you say, The gun I gave you for Christmas! You bastard! then we have started a scene because we have AGREED that my finger is in fact a Christmas gun. Now, obviously in real life youre not always going to agree with everything everyone says. But the Rule of Agreement reminds you to respect what your partner has created and to at least start from an open-minded place. Start with a YES and see where that takes you. As an improviser, I always find it jarring when I meet someone in real life whose first answer is no. No, we cant do that. No, thats not in the budget. No, I will not hold your hand for a dollar. What kind of way is that to live?
The second rule of improvisation is not only to say yes, but YES, AND. You are supposed to agree and then add something of your own. If I start a scene with I cant believe its so hot in here, and you just say, Yeah were kind of at a standstill. But if I say, I cant believe its so hot in here, and you say What did you expect? Were in hell. Or if I say, I cant believe its so hot in here and you say, Yes, this cant be good for the wax figures. Or if I say, I cant believe its so hot in here, and you say, I told you we shouldnt have crawled into this dogs mouth, now were getting somewhere.
To me YES, AND means dont be afraid to contribute. Its your responsibility to contribute. Always make sure youre adding something to the discussion. Your initiations are worthwhile.
The next rule is MAKE STATEMENTS. This is a positive way of saying, Dont ask questions all the time. If were in a scene and I say, Who are you? Where are we? What are we doing here? Whats in that box? Im putting pressure on you to come up with all the answers.
In other words: Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Dont just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles. Weve all worked with that person. That person is a drag. Its usually the same person around the office who says things like Theres no calories in it if you eat it standing up! and I felt menaced when Terry raised her voice.
(Tina Feys Rules for Improv continue on page 20.)
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(Tina Feys Rule for Improv continued from page 19.)
MAKE STATEMENTS also applies to us women: Speak in statements instead of apologetic questions. No one wants to go to a doctor who says, Im going to be your surgeon? Im here to talk to you about your procedure? I was first in my class at Johns Hopkins, so? Make statements with your actions and your voice. Instead of saying Where are we? Make a statement like Here we are in Spain, Dracula. Okay, Here we are in Spain, Dracula may seem like a terrible start to a scene, but this leads us to the best rule: THERE ARE NO MISTAKES, only opportunities. If I start a scene as what I think is very clearly a cop riding a bicycle, but you think I am a hamster in a hamster wheel, guess what? Now Im a hamster in a hamster wheel. Im not going to stop everything to explain that it was really supposed to be a bike. Who knows? Maybe Ill end up being a police hamster whos been on hamster wheel duty because Im too much of a loose cannon in the field. In improv there are no mistakes, only beautiful happy accidents. And many of the worlds greatest discoveries have been by accident. I mean, look at the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, or Botox..
Source: Fey, 2011.
How Talent Management Professionals Can Use Improv

Using improv for the development of business leaders is particularly appealing because it can be applied immediately and can be continually reinforced. Improv activities and exercises are easy to implement, and they provide tools, tricks and techniques that individuals can practice and refine. Applied learning that can be easily reinforced can provide real sustainable change in an organization. Cathy Salit, CEO of organizational change firm Performance of a Lifetime and accomplished singer, actress, director and improvisational comic, agrees that real organizational change through improv is possible. We develop people and organizations through the art of improvisational performance, she says. We use improvisation to establish an environment in which we can move executives out of their comfort zones and support them in taking risks, embracing their mistakes and exercising their creativity. Their abilities, mind-sets and behavioral repertoires expand and the process of professional and personal transformation begin. To help sustain that change, Performance of a Lifetime engages executives in improv-based performance coaching groups. Executives experience their capacity to make different kinds of behavioral choices, says Salit. In our language, they begin to see and experience themselves and others as performers, as producers of their own conversations, and as creators of new, more varied social relationships. The performance coaching groups provide a rehearsal environment for real-time direction and support for navigating leadership and communication challenges. We support executives by encouraging them to continue developing their improv muscles through these performance coaching groups. We feel that it is vital to ongoing developmentand to change that sticks.
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Example: Performance of a Lifetime

Performance of a Lifetime (www.performanceofalifetime.com) is a global organizational change company headquartered in New York that develops people and organizations through the art of performance. It designs and delivers customized programs to develop leadership, enhance collaboration and communication, and to drive culture change. Performance of a Lifetime clients include American Express, Credit Suisse, TripAdvisor, Marathon Petroleum, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and PwC.
Next Steps: Applying Improv in Your Organization

Improv can be a very effective method to develop the critical skills required for todays business leaders in a hands-on, energizing way. Improv is increasingly finding its way into leadership development programs. Pepsi, McDonalds and the United Way have all used improv in their corporate training programs (Glazer, 2008). U.S. Cellular has used improv to improve diversity awareness in their organization, and Nike used improv to help managers design new shoes (Hastings, 2009; Thilmany, 2007). Alain Rostain, founder of the New York-based consulting firm Creative Advantage, has used improv with such clients as Kraft, Starbucks, GE and R.J. Reynolds to improve creativity and brainstorming (Golden, 2011). Improv can develop a wide range of skills and behaviors, but it does have limitations and may not be the best solution for every talent development challenge you face. As you consider whether improv would be effective in your organization, you should: R eflect on the qualifications and competencies that your leaders will require. H ow well do they align with the skills you can develop with improv? C onsider the individual business leaders and whether they would benefit from this type of experience. A re there specific leaders, teams, divisions or business units that would be appropriate or others that might resist this non-traditional approach? E valuate other leadership development activities that may already be in place to develop these skills and whether they would be more or less effective than improv.
IMPROV
TO A WORKPLACE NEAR YOU
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COMING SOON!
Improvisation provides a set of tools for developing authentic leadership skills, and just like other leadership techniques, it is not right for every occasion, says Bob Kulhan of Business Improvisations. How and when you use these tools must depend on the leader, the team and the specific situation. If you think improv may benefit your organization and your leadership development efforts, then there are a number of resources available to you. There are a number of excellent companies focused exclusively on bringing improv to the workplace for leadership development. In addition, if your organization works
with an academic partner, they may have established relationships with reputable improv companies that focus on leadership development. In some cases, academic partners may have improvisation experts on their faculty. Improvisation courses are part of the curriculum in the business schools at UNC Kenan-Flagler, Duke University, UCLA, Columbia University, MIT, the University of Virginia, Carnegie Mellon, and Babson College (Glazer, 2008; Golden, 2011). If you choose to employ improv in your organization, it is strongly recommended that you work with a highly trained professional, well-versed in improv and how it applies to leadership development.
Conclusion
Implemented properly, improv can help build trust, increase collaboration and team building, improve communication skills, promote innovation and creativity, improve tolerance to ambiguity and change, and help leaders feel more self-confident, open, and less afraid to take risks. It can help you and your organization develop the skills and behaviors that are critical to lead in the modern global economy.
Berk, R. & Trieber, R. (2009). Whose classroom is it anyway? Improvisation as a teaching tool. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 20(3), 29-60. Bschool.com staff (2011 February 1). 25 improve tricks that will make you a better business person. Bschool.com. Retrieved from http://www.bschool.com/ blog/2011/25-improv-tricks-that-will-makeyou-a-better-business-person/. Christiansen, B. (2011 December 14). Tina Feys rules for improveand the workplace. Balanced Worklife. Retrieved from http:// www.balancedworklife.com/blog/tina-feysrules-for-improv-and-the-workplace/. Creative Engineering staff (n.d.). History of improv. Creative Engineering. Retrieved from http://www.creative-engineering.com/ history.html. Fey, T. (2011). Bossypants. New York: Reagan Arthur/Back Bay Books.
Golden, G. (2011 February). Creating improvisation-enhanced marketing coursework. ASBBS, 18,1. Retrieved from http://asbbs.org/files/2011/asbbsv1/pdf/ goldeng.pdf. Gotts, I. & Cremer, J. (2012 February). Using improv in business. Smarter Ideas. Retrieved from http://iangotts.files. wordpress.com/2012/02/using-improv-inbusiness-e2-v1.pdf.
gain serious benefits. The Hiring Site. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/ article/ SB122244981379579337.html. Ramirez, J. (2010 August 31). Famous inventions and advances that came about by accident. The Daily Beast. Retrieved from http://www.thedailybeast.com/ newsweek/ galleries/2010/08/31/famousaccidental-discoveries.html. Smith, N.D. (2011 March 28). Using
Thilmany, J. (2007 January 1). Acting out. HR Magazine, 52, 1. Retrieved from http:// www.shrm.org/publications/hrmagazine/ editorialcontent/pages/0107agenda_ training.aspx. Tutton, M. (2010 February 18). Why using improvisation to teach business skills is no joke. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn. com/2010/BUSINESS/02/18/improvisation. business _skills.html/.
Hastings, R. (2009 October 5). Organizations add drama to diversity and inclusion training. SHRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/ hrdisciplines/diversity/articles/ pages/ organizationsadddrama.aspx. Interview with Greg Hohn (n.d.). Building trust through improv. Faith & Leadership. Retrieved from http://www. faithandleadership.com/multimedia/ building-trust-through-improv. Kulhan, R. (2012 March 28). Disney cruises
improv for business. Slice of MIT. Retrieved from http://alum.mit.edu/pages/ sliceofmit/2011/03/28/using-improv-forbusiness/. Spencer, S. (2011 November 10). Improvisationa different way of solving business problems yields big rewards. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes. com/sites/work-in-progress/2011/11/10/ improv-different-way-of-solving-businessproblems-yields-big-rewards/. Theleman,, B. (2011). Closing the gaps in leadership development. UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Retrieved from http://www.kenanflagler.unc.edu/executive-development/ custom-programs/~/media/ D38ECCA30B1341A18E65F85D150E1104. ashx.
Watson, K. (2011 September 16). Using rules of improv comedy to build a better business. Biznik. Retrieved from http:// biznik.com/articles/using-rules-of-improvcomedy-to-build-a-betterbusiness. Wu, L. (n.d.). Economic natural selection improvisation is imperative to business survival. Xavier Leadership Center. Retrieved from http://www. xavierleadershipcenter.com/ economicnatural-selection-improvisation-isimperative-to-business-survival/.
Glazer, E. (2008 September 30). And now, something completely different. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online. wsj.com/article/SB122244981379579337. html.
through the rocks. Business Spectator. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/ article/SB122244981379579337.html. Lorenz, M. (2010 February 4). Employers who say yes, and to improv comedy
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23

Jim Shanley Partner of The Shanley Group Corey Seitz President of Seitz Talent Consulting Marc Effron President of The Talent Strategy Group
Introduction
So, you say you want to be known as a leader who builds talent? If that sounds like a reputation that you want, then there are some time-tested actions that you should be taking to build talent in your organization. Developing talent is a long-term investment that must be executed by line leaders in an organization. HR organizations can help pave the way and increase the probability of accelerating development in an organization, but ultimately line leaders must get it done. Even if a companys practices are robust and up to date, talent management will fail without serious commitment and execution from line leaders. We have found that there are about a dozen critical actions that all talent builders must take to ensure the development of their people. Most of these actions are not dependent upon anyone but the leader him or herself. Over the years, we have noticed that great talent builders perform most, if not all, of these actions on a consistent basis no matter what organization they are in. What follows is an action plan that will help line leaders become talent builders.
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TA L E N T B U I L D E R S : D E V E L O P I N G Y O U R P E O P L E
Promise
This white paper will benefit all leaders who are serious about managing talent effectively in their organization. It also provides helpful perspective for HR Professionals and Talent Management Specialists in the field. The authors, Jim Shanley, Corey Seitz and Marc Effron, are three of the worlds most experienced and accomplished Talent Management Practitioners and have led the Talent Management Function at some of the worlds most successful talent machines, including Bank of America, Avon, Novartis and Johnson & Johnson.
Become Students of How to Build Better Leaders, Faster

Talent builders stay current on talent management best practices. They read at least one book or article a year on building talent. They invite experts to audit their talent building practices and are open to implementing new innovations that fit their business and talent development needs. They reach out to great talent developers inside and outside their organization to discuss and learn new tips and tactics to develop their team. Great developers leverage teaching moments. They recognize and act on memorable teaching moments, especially with high potentials. They continually ask their people two critical questions: W hat did you learn from that? What would you do differently next time?
Win Today and in the Future

Talent builders identify the organizational capabilities and talent that they need to have in their organization to perform at a high level in todays environment. In addition, they also look ahead and identify the organizational capabilities and talent that they will need to win in the marketplace in 36-48 months. This requires that they assess their talent against both todays requirements and tomorrows projected requirements. It means that they must constantly ask themselves, Am I recruiting and developing against tomorrows standards? They ensure that no matter what form their organizations talent review process takes, they are looking to the future and predicting what type of talent and how much talent they will need for the future.
Ensure that Talent Is on the Agenda

Great talent builders communicate to their organization that leadership and talent mattersthey are passionate that the organizations with better leaders will drive higher results. They demand that they and their leaders are producing leaders better than themselves. They ask their direct reports several key questions: W hom do you have in your organization/team today who is as good or better than you and could replace you immediately? W hom do you have in your organization/team who has the potential to be as good or better than you and could replace you in 1-2 years? W hom do you know within the company but outside your organization who could replace you (and is as good or better than you?) today and in 1-2 years? W hom do you know externally who could replace you today and in 1-2 years?
Drive and Expect World-Class Performance at All Levels

They demand performance that is at a higher standard. Talent builders drive the mindset in their organization that performance must continually improve. They are never satisfied with status quo performance. They realize that without top performance, nothing else much matters.
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Continually Assess and Develop Their Team to Ensure World-Class Talent

They keep a stack rank of their direct reports, listing those leaders that are the highest performers and have the greatest potential for the future. They constantly ask themselves these questions:
Talent builders also ensure that each of their direct reports is focused on addressing at least one developmental issue the most important issue for their continuing growth. They require detailed specific goals and measurable actions. An example of a focused development plan is included on page 30 of this white paper.
Are my top direct reports in the top 20% of global talent for the compensation I am willing to pay them? If not, what are my plans? Have any of my direct reports been in role for more than 30 months? If so, what are my plans to promote them, significantly expand their responsibilities or export them to another unit in the company in the next 6 months? Or, alternatively, are they technical experts that should stay in role? Do I really know them? What are my direct reports strengths, weaknesses and career aspirations? Do I understand the situations when they are most successful and when they are most challenged? Are my bottom third direct reports coachable to the point, that in six months, they can perform in the upper half of my direct reports? If not, what are my plans to move them out or move them into other roles where they can be strong performers? Are my direct reports blocking any high potential below them from an opportunity to grow?
Talent builders can articulate the strengths and development needs of their direct reports in an insightful and multi-layered manner in clear language, reflecting a deep knowledge of the individual. The next page starts an example of a nuanced assessment, which includes the type of detailed knowledge that a seasoned talent builder would have of a direct report.
Continually Recruit and Export Internal Talent

Talent builders meet with peers and ask them to identify their top 3 most talented people and ask for an introduction to those people. They create a list of the people in each city they travel to whom they want to get to know (at their direct report level and a couple levels below). While traveling, they schedule breakfast, lunch or dinner with these people to get to know them. Talent builders are willing to offer their services to mentor talent of their peers and others. They typically mentor at least 5 high potentials outside of their business unit/function in addition to people within their business unit/function. In addition, they continually export their high potential talent to other units because they realize they have an obligation to develop talent for the enterprise, and they know that good talent wants to go to leaders who are interested in their long-term development. In fact, talent builders measure themselves on some key indicators, such as: H ow many leaders have I brought into my organization from external companies and other internal businesses and functions? H ow many talented leaders did I promote or expand into significantly new roles in my organization? H ow many misplaced leaders did I remove or re-assign in my organization? H ow many talented leaders did I export from my organization to another business/function in order to accelerate their development?
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Example of a Nuanced Assessment Towering Strengths

Chris Sample is a leader that leverages his smarts, work ethic, deep industry knowledge and broad financial acumen to enable him to identify opportunities others dont normally see and creatively solve complex problems. His ability to process a huge amount of information and to critically think through issues and opportunities are his signature skills. He easily moves from the tactical to the strategic on most topics. He has strong conceptual skills and can break down complex concepts in ways that others can understand. His broad based knowledge of financial systems, accounting and his granular knowledge of the plumbing of XYZ positions allow him to thrive in the emerging risk environment. Chriss broad and deep experience in both line and staff roles has given him insight into the decision making process at XYZ that few others have. He has a deep understanding of XYZs formal and informal organization. His strong personal relationships with key executives help him maneuver through the political and organizational mine fields to get issues resolved. He has an uncanny ability to move issues in a way to drive closure. Finally, Chriss work ethic is unrivalled. He is tireless and has demonstrated unlimited capacity. He is extremely achievement oriented and has consistently exceeded expectations over time in a variety of roles. Chriss towering strengths can be summed up as: 1. Critical thinker who thrives on solving complex problems. Delves deeply into problems & opportunities, makes connections, and gets to the essence. Leverages these insights to drive results a. Intellectually rigorous; looks deeply and broadly at many sources; hunts for parallels and contrasts. Masters complex situations b. Displays unrivalled complex problem solving and critical thinking skills c. Demonstrates a high degree of discipline and detail focus 2. Unrelenting work ethic, drive and achievement orientation a. Endless, tireless, and tenacious work capacity b. Delivers results time and time again in a variety of situations
(Continued on the next page.)
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(Continued from the previous page.)
3. Broad based and deep industry and technical knowledge a. Possesses a superior knowledge of corporate finance along with deep understanding of financial services industry b. Understands the financial levers for profitability and has a nose for making money c. Is externally focused and leverages broad and deep knowledge and experience to connect the dots to take an enterprise perspective
Development Needs
For Chris to continue to grow and more effectively perform in his current role and be better prepared for his next role, hell need to address three key development needs. He will need to: Become more transparent in his approach Increase his decisiveness Improve his communication skills Chris holds his cards close to his vest and tends to be guarded in his opinions and thought processes. While he may be formulating a hypothesis to an issue, his style creates the perception that he has already come to a conclusion and is feeling others out to see where they stand. He is also indirect and cautious around controversial issues and tends not to declare his position. This approach can come across as political and not necessarily transparent. The most likely cause of this behavior is that Chris generally trusts only those in his inner circle and wants to avoid getting his agenda derailed by someone else. Chris is also regarded as conflict averse and slow in making decisions. As Chris continues to take on more responsibility and operate at the next level, he will need to get more comfortable in making decisions with less information and facts than he is currently comfortable with. He will also need to display thought leadership by staking out positions early and often. The most likely cause of this behavior is his perfectionist nature and his discomfort around publically being wrong and/or getting criticized by those whose opinion matters. Finally, Chris needs to increase his interpersonal communications and group presentation skills. He has average dialogue skills and needs to be able to engage others in conversations in a more natural style and one in which he both draws out information and openly articulates his thought processes and positions.
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With regards to communicating in groups (whether 5 people or 500), Chris needs to project more and develop a presentation style that fits him, but also engage his audience. The most likely cause of this is a skill deficiency and lack of practice.
Key Questions
C an and will Chris modify his personal leadership style to be more open and transparent in order to build the broad based followership? C an and will Chris decrease his high need for being right and get comfortable in increasing the speed of his decision making by 50%? W ill Chris make the effort and put in the required time to improve his communication skills? C an and will Chris demonstrate that he can gain broad followership from people not like him or not as smart as him?
Continually Recruit External Talent

Talent builders meet with external recruiters to better understand what the gold standard is for talent in their space and to ensure that their calibration of talent is world class. They continually recruit external talent even when they have no current openings. They identify individuals at other companies who represent the gold standard for talent in their organization at their direct report level and two levels below them in the organization. Talent builders are willing to cold call these individuals to get to know them and establish relationships that may result in future recruits or sources of talent. They create a talent map of top talent outside their organization for future use. Talent builders identify non-natural sources of talent. Looking for companies where the talent has requisite skills but brings a different/fresh perspective into the mix of talent at their organization. They also make frequent (twice a year) external presentations to industry groups to showcase their organization and create a brand for the area they lead to attract top talent.
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Accelerate the Development of Talent

Talent builders identify the highest potential talent one to two levels below their direct reports. They personally and professionally get to know this group, understanding their hopes, dreams and aspirations. One effective method they use is scheduling a weekend offsite where individuals identify their core values, core talents and core purpose (what they are playing for). This allows the talent builder to fully involve these high potentials in their development and deepens their engagement to the organization. They require their managers to identify two potential next assignments and the timing of these moves for all their high potentials. They ensure that the development plans accelerate the likelihood of these individuals obtaining these next assignments or target jobs. To further accelerate the development of high potentials, talent builders use these approaches: E nsure they go through an experience where they get personal insight and multi-rater feedback C reate action learning experiences where they are required to solve sticky strategic issues in the organization P rovide transparency with them about their status and the higher standards that will be demanded of them R equire them to have specific development plans based on target jobs U se the 70/20/10 approach (job experience, role model, training) Provide stretch assignments Create forums for exposure Match them with thought leaders
Example of a Focused Development Plan

1. Increase openness and transparency: Go from being seen as one who is driving his own agenda with peers and colleagues who may not be in my perceived inner circle to looking and acting more like a confident leader who: a. Reaches out to broad audiences and is truly interested in drawing out the opinions of those who differ/disagree with me. b. Demonstrates to others that I understand and appreciate their point of view. c. Is comfortable sharing my emerging point of view even when it is not yet fully baked.
Development Focus Area: Create more personal transparency in my approach and relationships.
1. Actions Ill take on my own: a. Ill stop using words that may create a perception that Im overplaying my political savvy and minimize/eliminate talking in code (i.e. huddle, political winds, back room). b. Ill eliminate my off-line conversations by 90%. c. Ill be willing to open up to others about who I really am. Ill continually reflect on my reluctance to share my personal past history, my high need not to look bad and my high
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need to be right. Ill remind myself that confidence is displayed by showing Im vulnerable and may not have all the answers. d. Ill disclose more. Ill let my thoughts come out in the open more often. Ill sprinkle normal work conversations with doubts, what Im thinking about and whats getting in the way. Ill admit mistakes matter of factly, inform everyone potentially affected, learn from it and then move on. e. Ill increase the quality of my dialogue skills by using conversation techniques (i.e. conversation meter, cycle of leverage, conversation prep worksheets). Ill verbalize what Im thinking to others. f Ill be one of the first ones in group settings to declare and articulate my point of view. Ill be definitive and wont hedge. 2. Actions Ill take by leveraging other people: a. Jim Jones, Sally Smith, and Andy Hall are 3 successful leaders who I regard as very transparent and highly trusted by all. I will: i. Have lunch/dinner with each of them and: 1. Share with them my assessment and my development targets. 2. Ask for their help. 3. Interview them to discover why/how they are comfortable being so transparent. ii. Observe each of them in multiple settings and record in my journal the specific actions/behaviors they demonstrated that led me to the conclusion that they are an open book. 3. Actions Ill take by taking on projects or assignments: a. Ill publicly lead one of Toms (my Boss) management committee meetings; especially one that will involve controversial topics. b. Ill volunteer to my boss to take on at least 2 projects in the next 6 months on topics/ problems that I have little/no expertise in. I will recruit a group of experts smarter than me to tackle the problem. Ill be open with them that I know little about the issue and will be seeking them out individually and collectively to coach me. c. I tend to hang with a very homogeneous grouppeople very similar to me. Ill identify 2 people a month significantly different from me (background, level, smarts, gender, ethnicity, etc.) and get to know them via lunch or tea/coffee. Ill solicit their point of view on some of the issues Im wrestling with.
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d. Ill personally engage the CEO/CFO on the XYZ project and openly share with them my point of view (they are in the opposite camp from me). e. Ill spend 2 days in the field with Area Managers and Site Managers to better appreciate the challenges they face.
Create a Global Mindset in Their Organization

Talent builders meet regularly with small mixed groups of leaders (gender, age, country of origin and race) to ensure they are in touch with the challenges they face. They solicit ideas and suggestions on how to accelerate the development of different groups in the organization. They require development plans for everyone in their organization but pay special attention to those of leaders from different country cultures. Talent builders ensure that the slates for open positions are robust and contain a good mix of talent. They take risks and commit to fill open positions to purposely increase the mix of players in areas of their organization. They mentor across gender, age, country of origin and race to better understand their issues and accelerate the development of a mixed group. They spend at least a day a year in a local university with promising students and professors to not loose touch with that group. Finally, they ensure that their leadership team is global and diverse. In short, they recognize that great talent comes from all different backgrounds, and they dont want to lose out on any great source of talent.
Stay Connected with Regrettable Losses

Talent builders do sometimes lose great talent, it is unavoidable, but they find a way to stay connected to those people. They reach out at least a couple times a year to high potentials who have left the organization to see how they are doing, inquire if they want to come back, and have them identify other great talent who may want to join the organization. Talent builders often bring some of the best talent back to the organization and find other great talent through this network.
Require Their Directs to Do the Same

Talent builders require their direct reports to take the same actions they take with their organizations. They also spend time with their direct reports inspecting how many of these actions they are taking. In this way, great leaders create an organization of talent builders.
Conclusion
Leaders have long said that people are the companys most important assets, but demonstrating that has been less common. Any leader who wants to grow a business globally must apply these approaches or have little hope of truly building an effective talent pipeline. Becoming a talent builder takes energy and time but the payoff for yourself and the organization is well worth the investment.
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Drive your organizations talent management agenda.

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Donna L. Rhode Program Director UNC Executive Development
online
collaborative
informal
electronically delivered
trends
global mobile
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WIRED TO LEARN: NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR L&D DELIVERY
Introduction
Mark Dollins, a partner at the research firm Future Workplace, forecasts that the 2020 workplace will be multigenerational, increasingly global and highly interconnected with social media (Davis, 2012). These trends will profoundly affect learning and development (L&D) professionals, who will be expected to anticipate their organizations future talent needs, and design and deliver L&D opportunities in ways that will satisfy workers desire for flexibility and employers demand for quality and cost effectiveness. These trends will change how L&D is delivered. Traditional face-to-face delivery of L&D will not disappear, but new technologies like computer-supported collaborative learning, mobile learning and informal learning through social media will be incorporated into organizations L&D platforms and strategies. L&D professionals should plan now to blend these approaches into their L&D programs. By doing so, they will give their employers a strategic competitive advantage.
The Growth of Electronically-Delivered L&D

L&D budgets are making a comeback after several years of budget slashing. Management research firm Bersin & Associates found that L&D budgets increased 9.5 percent in 2011, and a 2012 International Data Corporation (IDC) survey of chief learning officers found that 48 percent reported higher budgets in 2012 than in 2011. The IDC survey also found that organizations planned to continue investing in learning management systems, but were interested in trying new delivery modalities such as mobile learning and social media tools (Anderson, 2012). E-learning sales reflect this interest. Research firm Ambient Insight found that revenues for e-learning technology in North America reached $21.9 billion in 2011, with projected revenues to reach $27.2 billion by 2012 (Ellis, 2012). Ambient Insights CEO, Tyson Greer, however, noted a significant shift in where employers are spending their L&D technology money. There has been a fundamental change in investment activity over the last three years with funding shifting away from legacy learning technology products to new products such as social media learning and mobile learning, he observed (Ellis, 2012). Employers are interested in adopting new electronic delivery methods for L&D, but they are doing so cautiously. A recent State of the Industry report by the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) estimated that one-third of all training content is now being delivered electronically. But the interest and the spending are there, indicating the inevitable; L&D delivery is changing and will continue to change to include electronic delivery modalities.
Promise
This white paper: Explores the growth of electronically-delivered L&D. Reviews the motivators that are fueling that growth. R eviews and defines some of the terminology emerging in the field, including computer-based collaborative learning, mobile learning, global learning, and the use of social media in learning. I ntroduces technical trends in the learning environment that HR and talent managers should monitor for use in their organizations. O ffers steps L&D professionals can take to introduce these emerging technologies into their organizations. P rovides several examples of how HR and talent management teams have applied these technologies in their organizations.
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What is Fueling the Growth of Electronically-Delivered L&D?

There is good reason for the growth of electronicallydelivered training and learning. HR and talent management professionals realize that these delivery methods are more dynamic than ever because of the constant evolution in the technology. They are also cost effective, have multi-generational appeal and a global reach. There are substantial long-term cost savings that organizations can realize when investing in e-learning technology. When Automatic Data Processing (ADP), for example, moved its sales training program online, it saved nearly $1.2 million in travel and accommodation expenses in the first year of the program (Brack, 2010). Cisco also experienced significant cost savings when it redesigned its sales associates training program to be delivered virtually (see example on page 37). The new program reduced relocation costs, cut overall training costs and reduced the number of staff required to run the program. Saving money is always desirable in business but not at the expense of quality and effectiveness. Both ADP and Cisco believe going virtual for their sales training programs has had excellent results. ADP credits the virtual sales training program for a 12 percent increase in firstyear annual sales and a 60-day increase in productivity for new sales trainings. They also credit the program for improving participants training performance and increasing employee retention (Brack, 2010). Cisco has also increased the speed in which their new sales associates become productive. Offering employees flexibility through technology in where and when they can participate in L&D programs has a multi-generational appeal. Tech-savvy Millennial employees (who have most likely taken at least one course online during their college careers) expect their employers to offer some L&D experiences electronically. This generation also wants flexibility in their work schedules to better balance work and personal interests. Virtual-learning experiences meet these expectations.
The Millennial generation is not the only age group that craves flexibility and on-demand accessibility in training and development. Other generations struggle to balance work and life interestsand electronic delivery of L&D opportunities meets their needs as well. Another reason why employers are engaging more in electronically-delivered L&D is because organizations are increasingly global or multinational in reach. A 2012 survey by AMA Enterprise, the Institute for Corporate Productivity and Training magazine found that 31 percent of organizations operate globally and 20 percent are multinational (Hastings, 2012). Electronically-delivered L&D can help these organizations address language and cultural barriers, and help establish a common organizational culture.
Making Sense of the Terminology

Electronic L&D delivery methods are developing so rapidly that even the most plugged-in HR and talent management professionals can quickly fall behind the times. L&D professionals know these delivery methods as e-learning, blended learning, computer-based learning, online learning and computer-supported collaborative learning. Emerging technologies like social media learning, mobile learning and personal learning environments are being added to the mix, making it difficult to understand what each of these delivery methods mean, their nuances and applications. The terms e-learning, online learning and computer-based learning reflect early versions of electronically-delivered L&D technology. These learning methods allow participants to access content but lack the interactive component found in traditional face-toface learning and as such, have some limitations. As technology evolved, more interactive technologies were added such as video streaming, (e.g. telepresence) and web conferencing with live chat, polling, discussion boards, whiteboard, blogs, wikis, and in-person projects and activities. These additions have created highly interactive learning environments that can closely mimic
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traditional classroom learning, thereby intensifying a participants experience. These more interactive learning environments also appeal to all types of learning styles. Evolving technology inevitably leads to evolving terminology. Many in the L&D field now refer to this richer, more interactive technology as computersupported collaborative learning (CSCL). CSCL is any environment in which people can learn together with the help of computers (Stahl, Koschmann & Suthers, 2006). Ambient Insights elaborates on Stahl et al.s definition. Collaboration-based learning is live, personalized human-to-human collaboration and mentoring. As a knowledge-transfer method, by definition, collaboration requires the real-time interaction between one or more people. Consequently, the use of
synchronous collaboration platforms is the defining characteristic of collaboration-based learning. (Adkins, 2011 April). Adkins notes that CSCL is growing because it closely approximates traditional classroom learning. CSCL is also showing to have a higher return on investment and is a primary attraction for commercial training and educational suppliers struggling with physical brickand-mortar classroom costs (Adkins, 2011 April). It is also effective. One study of medical students found that CSCL enabled peers to provide formative feedback in the form of asynchronous discussions that positively influenced their learning (Koops et al, 2011).
Example: Cisco
ate Day, global director of the Sales Associates Program and the Partner Sales K Academy at Cisco, prefers to use the term high-definition learning when referring to computer-based collaborative learning initiatives. The term high-definition learning, Day notes, reflects not only todays rich technological environment but also captures the intensity of the learning experience. Cisco realized its traditional classroom training for its new sales associateswhich required employees to relocate for 12 months on Ciscos tab to one of Ciscos three training hubs needed to be revamped to create a more contemporary, virtual-training model that would be less labor and resource intensive. The new program, which was launched in just four months and delivered globally, requires 40 percent less staff than the previous model, has slashed relocation costs in half and cut overall training costs by 24 percent. The program has also reduced the time it takes for new sales associates to become productive. And, as Day notes, our new associates rave about the experience, calling the program rigorous, comprehensive and a great roadmap for transitioning successfully from school to a fulfilling career. They love it.
E-learning, then, remains a stand-alone delivery method for learning but has also morphed into CSCL as technological advances allowed for more synchronous and asynchronous interaction among participants. All can be effective ways to deliver L&D programs depending on content and learning objectives, but there is sometimes no substitute for face time. And so blended learning evolved. Blended learning is an amalgamation
of e-learning, CSCL and traditional classroom learning. An organization using a blended-learning approach may present basic entry-level skills in an e-learning format and then have participants meet in a classroom setting to learn more higher-order knowledge on the same or related topic. CSCL may then be used for project work, additional discussions, etc.
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For a few organizations today (and a growing segment in the near future) blended learning may also include mobile learning and the use of social media for informal learning to enhance global learning. These emerging technologies will be discussed further in the next section.
of mobile web users as some of the catalysts for the rapid technological developments in the e-learning field. The Internet has become the go-to place to get instant answers to just about any question a person can think of, and there is no shortage of bloggers adding their input on a daily basis. This can be great when searching for a new way to cook chicken, for examplea quick Google search yields nearly 90 million resultsbut it can also lead to information overload and misinformation about chickens. And in many cases, the information may be formatted in a way that is incompatible with the users technology. These are the same challenges being faced in e-learning and CSCL. L&D professionals are realizing that it is a strategic imperative to make sense and order of the vast amount of information learners can access and to make it available in formats that are retrievable and appropriate. Thus, we see the emergence of mobile learning, social media learning, personal learning environments and global learning technologies (Malamed, 2012).
Trends in the E-Learning Environment

In a January 2012 webcast for TrainingIndustry.com, Connie Malamed, a learning and visual design consultant and author of Visual Language for Designers, noted that there is more than just the desire for cost-effective, flexible L&D delivery methods that is fueling the rapid development of new learning technologies. She attributes the sheer volume of digital information being produced on a daily basis, the manner in which that information is being formatted and housed, the rise of social networks and social media, and the proliferation
Example: Microsoft
Microsoft transferred their existing web courses to a mobile web template and developed an interactive voice response system to allow their sales associates to navigate Microsofts product information library by voice command. Sales associates can read the materials on their mobile devices or select audio to listen to the information, giving them hands-free access to information while driving.
Source: Keskin & Metcalf, 2011.
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Mobile Learning
Mobile learning is the delivery of training by means of mobile devices (i.e., cell phones, PDAs, digital audio players, digital cameras, tablets, etc.). The focus of this delivery method is agilityto have information available literally at ones fingertips (Keskin & Metcalf, 2011). There were six billion mobile subscriptions worldwide in 2011the equivalent of 87 percent of the worlds populationmaking mobile learning the next logical progression of electronically-delivered L&D (ASTD, 2012). Mobile learning has its advantages. It is not dependent on having broadband access, making it accessible in remote and underdeveloped areas. Information can be accessed in just-in-time bites, a handy feature when accessing reference materials. And, todays mobile devices can now easily handle multimedia applications, which can make for a more interactive mobile learning experience. For example, installation instructions with video demonstrations can be migrated to a mobile application for installation specialists to quickly access while on the road. Mobile learnings potential is just emerging and while most applications to date have focused on information delivery, L&D professionals should keep their minds open as to how it can be applied to executive development. For example, coaching and mentoring programs have always been developed and delivered locally because they emphasize face-to-face communication and interaction. With todays mobile technology and livestreaming capabilities, watch for the emergence of virtual mentoring and coaching to help develop high-potential employees. HR and talent management professionals may have some reservations about this emerging technology. In a 2012 ASTD survey, Mobile Learning: Delivering Learning in a Connected World, survey respondents expressed concern over security of the devices, the cost of developing and supporting mobile learning, and integration into existing learning management systems. Organizations that have addressed these challenges and incorporated mobile learning delivery into their L&D strategies are optimistic about its potential benefits; however, more than half of the respondents to a 2012 ASTD survey on mobile learning agreed or highly agreed that mobile technology would improve learning in their organizations. ASTD concluded that any perceived barriers and concerns L&D professionals may have regarding mobile learning canand havebeen addressed and that mobile learning has matured to the point where organizations should evolve their thinking from should we to when we.
Going Mobile? ASTD Recommendations

ASTD offers the following recommendations for organizations considering using mobile learning: R e-assess the organizations strategy and identify organizational objectives. Mobile learning is just one L&D delivery option available. It should be considered against the organizations goals and objectives (and technological abilities) to determine effectiveness. P artner with internal business units. Once a compelling strategy and supporting arguments for mobile learning have been identified, address potential barriers like budget and security. Partner with the appropriate internal units to speed the process and increase the likelihood of success.
Source: ASTD, 2012.
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Example: Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson created a virtual-world onboarding system (PRD 3D University) that allows new employees to access new employee training and orientation information from any of the companys locations worldwide and on any kind of mobile device. Employees can launch corporate learning materials and exercises, get help from HR and collaborate with colleagues from around the world.
Source: Keskin & Metcalf, 2011.
Social Media and Learning

Informal learninglearning through coaching, collaboration, communities of practice, etc.can constitute up to 70 percent of workplace learning (Malamed, 2012). The use of social media like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter has aided the acquisition of informal learning by expanding its scope beyond the organization; it has taken informal learning to a global level. In the not-too-distant past, a high-potential employee assigned to lead a team project may have turned to her mentor or coach in the organization for guidance and support and may have talked to a peer in another department for help with technical questions. Today, that high-potential employee can reach out to LinkedIn contacts and Facebook friends to seek their expertise and advice. In return, she may also get links posted by friends of friends to blogs and wikis on the subject. Thanks to social media, the ability to acquire informal learning is fast, easy and global. L&D professionals may be unsure how social media can be used to promote formal and informal learning. Social media is already entrenched in many employees lives; however, most have been on Facebook for years, and the potential it has to aid informal learning in organizations should outweigh concerns. Social media tools make it easy for employees to tap into knowledge from all different levels and areas in an organization and improve information flow, communication and collaboration (Athey, 2012). Some organizations are embracing social media by incorporating social media tools into their intranets. Sabre, a global technical company that runs much of the worlds airline reservations systems, built a social media intranet for their 10,000 employees from the ground up. Known as Sabre Town, the system allows employees to publish their own personal profiles and add photos. Employees can blog, comment and access feeds. Users can also post a question to the entire organization, and the site will send the question to the 15 most relevant employees (based on what they entered in their profile, blog postings and other Q&As that have been previously posted), making this intranet an excellent informal learning resource. The adoption rate by employees has been enthusiastic. Sabre reports that 60 percent of questions are answered within an hour; each question receives an average of nine responses; and that the company has already realized more than $150,000 in direct savings through use of the system. More than 90 percent of Sabre employees are active Sabre Town users (Ward, n.d.).
Personal Learning Environments

Personal learning environments (PLEs) are the culmination of e-learning, CSCL, mobile learning and informal learning through social media. PLEs allow users to identify and set their own learning goals, manage their learning, and collaborate and communicate with others through the use of a virtual learning space or portal. Unlike standard training portals where all employees see the same thing, PLEs are highly personalized to each learners needs and interests. As one writer put it, PLEs are defining a new relationship between training professionals and todays learners. PLEs allow training to be delivered in a variety of ways taking into consideration the modalities (e.g. laptops, mobile devices, video, etc.) preferred by the individual (Harward, 2011). PLEs are just emerging in the field and are the next logical step in the delivery of L&D opportunities. HR and talent
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management professionals should keep track of the development of PLEs and their possible application in their organizations.
Global Learning
More than half of all organizations today are either global in reach or multinational, and this trend is expected to continue (Hastings, 2012). For HR and talent management professionals, this means that learning must go global. In fact, a recent ASTD survey on global learning found that half the L&D professionals surveyed said they were already involved in the global learning function or planned on being so in the next three years (ASTD, 2012). Only 32 percent of respondents, though, thought their global learning initiatives had been successful to a high or very high extent. L&D professionals face challenges with language, language translation and cost when designing and executing global learning programs. They must also consider cultural divides, legal requirements and work practices specific to countries or regions, making a single, one-size-fits-all global learning approach difficult to execute.
L&D professionals developing global learning initiatives must be sensitive and understanding of these differences when designing and delivering L&D on a global scale and when trying to transfer an understanding of the organizations culture (ASTD, 2012). ASTD reports that 79 percent of survey respondents use learning-on-demand via the Internet. CSCL, informal learning through social media, mobile learning and PLEs are all gaining traction in the global learning field because they can allow learning program content to be modified depending on region or country, promote cross-cultural communication, and transfer an organizations strategic goals and culture.
How L&D Professionals Can Introduce Learning Technologies in Their Organizations

Malamed offers the following steps to help L&D professionals introduce these emerging technologies into their organizations: 1. Use new technology to solve a real organizational problem. 2. Create a long-term plan to launch an Enterprise 2.0 learning strategy. Create corresponding policies. 3. Team up with a small group of early adopters and then grow the project slowly. 4. Be a change agent. Create a culture of learning, not just a culture of training. 5. Support learning communities and networks, and help them provide real value. 6. Find ways to organize and give meaning to information. 7. Provide ways for people to quickly access relevant information when they need to.
Going Global? ASTD recommendations

ASTD offers the following recommendations for organizations entering the global learning arena: H ire local people to help develop L&D programs so they can build relationships within the organization. S tart training as soon as the organization enters a new region. C reate a global budget to monitor and control costs. A lign global learning goals and priorities to the organizations mission.
Source: ASTD, 2012.
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Technology and its application to organizational learning can be extremely alluring, but HR and talent management professionals should have a long-term plan in hand before diving in. The plan should address an existing L&D challenge (such as moving into a global learning environment) and should be designed to augment existing L&D delivery methods. As with any new initiative, L&D professionals should engage the help of others in their organizations to address technical challenges and to gain support for the initiative. The chances are high that there are employees in the organization who are regularly engaged in social media
and mobile applications; tap into these tech-savvy employees to serve as a beta group first before launching the project organization-wide. L&D professionals should also assess what learning communities and networks are being used informally in their organizations, support them and try to find ways to facilitate their use. L&D professionals should also consider how different delivery methods (e.g., social media, mobile learning, CSCL) can be used and organized to make sense of the myriad of information available to employees and how employees can quickly and effectively access that information.
Conclusion
Technology is transforming the L&D field, allowing for highly personal and interactive learning experiences to be delivered electronically. HR and talent management professionals should stay well-informed of these advances and consider how they can be used to enhance their organizations learning culture. HR and talent management professionals who can look ahead, anticipate their organizations future learning and development needs, and strategically plan how to deliver those needs using technology will be true business partners, helping to promote their organizations most important competitive advantageits people.
Adkins, S. (2011 April). The US collaboration-based learning market: 2010-2015 forecast and analysis. Ambient Insight. Retrieved from http:// www.ambientinsight.com/resources/ documents/ambientinsight-2010-2015us-collaboration-based-learning-marketexecutive-overview.pdf. Adkins, S. (2012 February 8). Investment in learning technology reaches $784.2 million in 2011. Ambient Insight. Retrieved from http://www.ambientinsight.com/news/ investment-in-learning-technology-reaches784-million-in-2011.asp. Adkins, S. (2011 June). The US corporate market for self-paced eLearning products and services: 2010-2015 forecast. Ambient Insight. Retrieved from http://www. ambientinsight. com/resources/documents/ ambient-insight-2010-2015-us-corporateelearning-market-executive-overview.pdf. Anderson, C. (2012 August). CLO Survey: Learning and development budget and spending intentions, 2012-2013. IDC.com. Retrieved from http://www.idc.com/getdoc. jsp?containerID =236340.
ASTD (2012). The Global Workplace. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development. ASTD (2012). Mobile Learning: Delivering Learning in a Connected World. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development. Athey, J. (2012 March 22). 4 trends in online training and e-learning in 2012. TrainingIndustry.com. Retrieved from http://www.trainingindustry.com/learningtechnologies/articles/4-trends-in-onlinetraining-elearning-in-2012.aspx. Davis, N. (2012 October 10). Thought leaders forecast 2020 workplace. SHRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.shrm. org/businessleadership/articles/pages/ thought-leaders-forecast-2020.aspx. Fiehl, S. (2012 January). Integrating social media, workplace learning and e-learning for development of soft skills. Global Focus 06, Special Supplement.
Greer, T. (n.d.). Ambient Insight reports resilient US eLearning market. Ambient Insight. Retrieved from http://www. ambientinsight.com/news/ambient-insight2010-2015-us-elearning-market.aspx. Harward, D. (2011 December 9). Key trends for 2012: New era of personal learning is transforming the training industry. TrainingIndustry.com. Retrieved from http://www.trainingindustry.com/ articles/10-trends-for-2012.aspx. Hastings, R. (2012 August 29). Multilingual skills, cultural understanding rise in importance. SHRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/diversity/ articles/pages/ multilingual-skills-culturalunderstanding.aspx. Keskin, N. & Metcalf, D. (2011 April). The current perspectives, theories and practices of mobile learning. TOJET, 10, 2. Malamed, C. (2012 January 17). Learning technologies: Transforming your workforce (Webcast). TrainingIndustry.com. Retrieved from http://www.traininindustry. com/webinar/ learning-technologiestransforming-your-workforce.aspx.
Koops, W., VanderVleuten, C., DeLeng, B., Oei, S., & Snoeckx, L. (2011). Computersupported collaborative learning in the medical workplace: Students experience on formative peer feedback of a critical appraisal of a topic paper. Med Teach, 33 (6), 318-323. PRWeb (2012 September 8). The global workplace presents challenges for learning and development. Yahoo! News. Retrieved from http://www.yahoo.com/globalworkplace-presents-challenges-learningdevelopment-160043367. Stahl, G., Koschmann, T. & Suthers, D. (2006). Computer-supported collaborative learning: An historical perspective. Gerrystahl.net. Retrieved from http:// gerrystahl.net/cscl/cscl_ English.pdf. Ward, T. (n.d.) Employee social networkingSabre Town case study. Prescient Digital Media. Retrieved from http://www.prescientdigital.com/ articles/intranet-articles/employee-socialnetworking-case-study/.
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Build the Essentials Online.

ONLINE BUSINESS C E R T I F I C AT E P R O G R A M
Business Basic Training
U N C
B U S I N E S S
E S S E N T I A L S
Companies need employees to do more within the organization, and employees need a strong foundation in business to be more effective. The UNC Business Essentials program is designed to help employees gain this essential business knowledge in a flexible e-learning environment that limits associated costs and time away from work. Taken on an individual basis or customized to meet an organizations specific needs, UNC Business Essentials provides the best in business basic training. To learn more, visit www.uncbusinessessentials.com.
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Chris Hitch, Ph.D. Program Director UNC Executive Development
Introduction
For the first time in a generation, hundreds of thousands of men and women are leaving the U.S. armed forces as war veterans. They have served our country with honor and dignity, and are poised to enter or re-enter the civilian labor force. Their military experience offers employers valuable knowledge and skillsyet a disproportionate number of these heroes is unemployed when compared to the civilian population. Some 263,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were jobless in May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate of nearly 13 percent for these veterans is well above the national average of 8 percent. Veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 are having a particularly difficult time finding employment; the jobless rate for this group is approximately 30 percent, well above the 16 percent jobless rate for the same-age civilian population (Curtis, 2012). Many employers who hire veterans do so at first because of a well-placed sense of patriotic duty. They simply want to assist and thank those who have served our country. HR and talent management professionals, however, quickly discover that hiring veterans is not only good for the country but good for their companies as well.
Promise
This white paper: O ffers reasons why HR and talent management professionals should recruit and hire veterans. P rovides an overview of some government incentives offered to employers who hire veterans. D iscusses challenges HR and talent management professionals may encounter when hiring veterans and offers suggestions to overcome those challenges. O ffers resources, suggestions and tips to HR and talent management professionals wishing to recruit, hire and employ veterans. H ighlights three organizations that have successfully developed and implemented programs for hiring veterans.
Why Hire Veterans

Employers need employees with great technical skills, and while veterans certainly possess more than an ample amount of these much-needed skills, they also have some much-desired competencies HR and talent management professionals look for in job candidates. Through military experience, veterans have honed leadership, teamwork,
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READY TO SERVE: RECRUITING VETERANS
critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and have learned how to work under intense pressureall toprated competencies sought by employers. In addition, veterans have a strong work ethic and exhibit loyalty, according to Bill Offutt, executive director of the U.S. Department of Labors HireVetsFirst campaign. These qualities, he notes, are helping to increase the hiring of veterans by private-sector employers (Leonard, n.d.).
Their military experience taught veterans to acquire and apply new skills quickly, to keep up-to-date with the latest technology, to be extremely aware of the importance of health and safety standards, and to understand how policies and procedures help an organization function. Veterans tend to be inclusive because they have worked with diverse populations, and are determined to overcome any and all challenges that come their way.
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When HR and talent management professionals hire veterans, they hire more than men or women with exceptional skills and competencies. They also hire their immediate and extended families who have weathered
and celebrated their soldiers active-duty service. By hiring veterans, businesses can improve their brand, attract new customers and increase the loyalty of their existing ones, and become an employer of choice (Curtis, 2012).
G.I. Jobs Top 10 Military Friendly Employers Company

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Source: G.I. Jobs
Veteran New Hires

25% 15% 20% 23% 48% 53% 25% 39% 16% 25%
Amazon (Seattle, WA) Southern Company (Atlanta, GA) CSX Corporation (Jacksonville, FL) BNST Railway (Ft. Worth, TX) URS (Germantown, MD) ManTech International (Fairfax, VA) Johnson Controls (Milwaukee, WI) Booz Allen Hamlton (McLean, VA) USAA (San Antonio, TX) T-Mobile USA (Bellevue, WA)
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Top Ten Reasons to Hire Veterans

1. Accelerated learning curve: Veterans have a proven ability to learn new skills quickly and efficiently. 2. Leadership: The military trains soldiers to lead by example and through direction, delegation, motivation and inspiration. 3. Teamwork: Military duties involve the ability to execute both individual tasks and group endeavors. 4. Diversity: Veterans have learned how to work with all individuals regardless of race, gender, geographic origin, ethnic background, etc. 5. Performance under pressure: Veterans understand what it means to perform under difficult conditions and tight schedules and with limited resources. 6. Respect for procedures: Veterans understand what accountability means. They also understand how policies and procedures help an organization function. 7. Technology and globalization: Veterans are aware of international and technological trends, and how they apply to business and industry. 8. Integrity: Veterans know the value of an honest days work. 9. Health and safety procedures: Veterans are extremely conscious of health and safety standards, and have been trained to strictly adhere to them. 10. Triumph over adversity: Veterans have shown time and time again that they can survive the harshest of conditions and succeed in mission-critical situations.
Source: Jones, 2010
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Government Incentives Can Help

HR and talent management professionals may well be aware that hiring a veteran with the latest technological skills and desired competencies will pay off in the long term for their organizations, but their companies C-suite teams may need more convincing about the immediate benefits, particularly in todays economy. The federal government has attempted to boost these benefits by enacting several programs that offer financial incentives to employers that hire veterans. The Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 provides a tax credit to employers who hire short-term unemployed veterans (those who have been jobless for at least four weeks). The tax credit is worth 40 percent of the first $6,000 paid in wages (up to a maximum of $2,400). Employers who hire long-term unemployed veterans (those who have been jobless for longer than six months) can receive a tax credit of 40 percent of wages paid (up to $5,600). Employers can also take advantage of the Wounded Warrior tax credit which extends a credit of up to $4,800 to companies that hire veterans with service-related disabilities. There is also a new tax credit available to businesses that hire long-term unemployed (more than six months) disabled veterans of 40 percent of the first $24,000 of wages paid (up to $9,600). These incentives may give HR and talent management professionals the tipping point they need to convince senior leaders that hiring veterans will boost their organizations bottom lines now and in the future.
Employers Struggle with Military-Speak

Every profession has its own jargon and for good reason. Jargon helps groups of similarly educated and trained people communicate with one another at a higher level more quickly and efficiently. The military is no exception, where the ability to skip the basics of communication and to move to more pressing matters can literally save lives. The jargon that serves as an asset to written and oral communication in the military, however, can be a detriment in the private sector for men and women transitioning from the military. Many HR and talent management professionals readily admit that military-speak is akin to ancient Greek to themthey cant speak it, let alone read it. So when they receive a resume from a veteran seeking a management position that reads serves as executive officer for a forward-deployed systems military intelligence company. Major tasks include management of intelligence portion of the Joint Planning and Execution Systems and the deployment and re-deployment of intelligence assets into theater, eyes glaze over and foreheads furrow. They simply dont have the benchmarks to help them understand what it means. At the rate HR and talent management professionals receive resumes, their first reaction may be to place these resumes to the side. This could be a mistake. The military has more than 7,000 jobs in more than 100 functional areas, 80 percent of which have a direct civilian equivalent. The military employs medical professionals, scientists, engineers, photographers and technicians, to name just a few (Burnell, n.d.; Curtis, 2012). HR and talent management professionals who take the time to translate military jargon on a resume or during an interview will reap the rewards. There are resources available to HR and talent management professionals seeking help translating military jargon. Military Occupation Classification (MOC) codes have been added by the Department
48
of Defense for more than 10,000 jobs on O*Net Online. HR and talent management professionals who know a candidates MOC code can also use O*Nets Military Crosswalk Search to learn the civilian equivalent to the military position listed on a veterans resume. HR and talent management professionals who are actively recruiting veterans should consider listing the MOCs of a civilian job on their job announcements (White House Business Council, 2012).
Military-speak may also hinder the interviewing process and inadvertently turn off some HR and talent management professionals. When speaking with veteransparticularly those who recently left the militarykeep in mind that this foreign language they are speaking was developed to foster rapid, precise communication under stressful conditions. Instead of dismissing them, practice patience and ask them clarifying questions that will prompt them to explain it in more civilian terms. Over time and with use, veterans will become fluent again in civilian-speak.
MILITARY-SPEAK
CIVILIAN-SPEAK
Interviewing Tips for Employers by a Veteran

Chad Storlie, a retired U.S. Army Reserve Special Forces officer and author of Combat Leader to Corporate Leader, knows first-hand how difficult it can be for veterans and HR and talent management professionals to translate military experience into professional work experience. He notes that interviewers can easily miss the value veterans bring to an organization because of the seeming disparity between their military skill sets and how an organization functions. For example, notes Storlie, Is there a relationship between a military sniper and a software quality engineer? Both are focused on initiative, identifying small changes, working alone and on a team, technical expertise, and a complete understanding of the environment in which they operate. torlie recommends that for HR and talent S management professionals to fully understand veterans skill sets ask them to talk about their most challenging day in the military. Have them paint you a picture of the conditions, what they were assigned to do, the problems they faced, and how they successfully completed the mission, says Storlie. As they tell their story, look for instances of creativity, leadership, independence, initiative, and technical expertise. These hidden skills may well lead to a variety of potential positions and capabilities that are needed in the organization. When you look for those hidden skills, says Storlie, you will find the leader you need in your organization.
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Military-to-Civilian Transition Challenges

In an interview with Stars and Stripes (McCloskey, 2012), Tom Tarantino, legislative director for Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America observed that people in the military do things [in their 20s and 30s] their civilian peers wont do until their 30s or 40s. This can make the transition from the military to civilian life and work more challenging for some veterans. Amy Wittmayer, director of the MBA Career Management Center at the University of North Carolina Kenan Flagler Business School, witnessed such transition pangs with a recent female MBA graduate, a top student and a member of the universitys veterans club. She was better qualified than many other MBA graduate students, Wittmayer notes. But she returned from an internship quite disillusioned. When she was in the military, she had led thousands of people and was in charge of a milliondollar supply budget, yet in her internship, she found herself stuck in a cubicle running reports. It took time for her to adjust to the idea that she would have to go through the same ropes as everyone else in the program to prove her worth. Veterans from all levels of the military can find the transition difficult. In terms of career placement, the most senior officers to young vets can feel like theyre being demoted, says Patty Sauka, a career coach with VA for Vets. She estimates that about half of the veterans she coaches take whatever job is available just to get their foot in the door. The other half wont take anything less than the position level they held in the military (McCloskey, 2012). HR and talent development professionals can help veterans navigate these career transitions by applying the same methods they use with other workers to align expectations and assumptions about the organization by clearly communicating job responsibilities and performance expectations from the recruiting phase on, and explaining the organizations promotion policies and timelines. Employers like AT&T have launched employee resource groups that can help veterans network with other veterans to help ease military-to-civilian transitions.
Tips for Transitioning from the Military

1. Attend a Transition Assistance Program (TAP) workshop. These three-day workshops on career exploration, job search strategies, resume and cover-letter writing and interview preparation are sponsored by the federal government and held in locations throughout the United States. New veterans must take advantage of these workshops within 180 days of their separation from the military. 2. Think about transferrable skills. Veterans should work on translating what they did in the military into civilian terms. 3. Find military-friendly employers. Employers are striving to become more military-friendly, particularly as they realize the long-term benefits of hiring and retaining veterans. Proctor & Gamble, The Home Depot and GE are just a few of the companies with military-friendly reputations, as are employers who are members of the 100,000 Jobs Mission. 4. Adjust from military to corporate speak. A key to getting that first job outside of the military is fitting in. Veterans should avoid military jargon, use civilian time and drop sir and maam. 5. Find recruiters who focus on military-tocivilian transitions. Firms that specialize in these transitions include Lucas Group and Bradley Morris. 6. Play up your strengths as ex-military. Play up the assets former military are known forlike leadership and teamwork abilities. 7. Network, network, network. Reach out to veterans who have successfully transitioned into the private sector and network with them.
Source: Lin, n.d.
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Example: AT&T
Employee resource groups (ERGs) are often formed to allow employers to gather information on the demographic cohort represented by the group. ERGs help attract and retain talent; identify new customer markets; build relationships in the community; and improve supplier diversity. ERGs for veterans are no exception. Employers, which have no ERGs in place, will discover that a veteran ERG is a great way to start because it can easily include all segments of the employee population. AT&T launched its veterans ERG in 2006, after a series of mergers and acquisitions had caused a previous veteran ERG to flounder. The group is open to all AT&T employees and retirees (no need to be a veteran to be a member), and helps support AT&Ts commitment to diversity; promotes understanding of the sacrifices and contributions made by vets; and serves as an information source and support for AT&T employees called into service or who have family members serving in the military. The group also manages community outreach events and fosters relationships with other veteran-focused organizations. In addition, the 3,500-member group helps out at job fairs and serves as volunteer job search advisors.
Source: Hastings, 2012.
Good for the Bottom Line

It may take a little more time to acclimate newly separated military personnel to the civilian workplace, but it appears to be worth it. A recent poll by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that more than 90 percent of HR professionals agree that veterans bring a strong sense of responsibility to their work, show strong teamwork under pressure, have a strong sense of professionalism, are able to see a task through to completion and are adaptableall highly desired attributes HR and talent management professionals seek (Curtis, 2012). Another recently released study by the Center for a New American Security found that while 30 percent of employers said they hired veterans because it was the right thing to do, the majority hired them because it was good for their bottom line. Seventy percent of the study participants said veterans had good leadership skills, purpose and motivation. Further, about half of the executives in the survey said they had been impressed with the trustworthiness, dependability, integrity and maturity exhibited in veterans they had hired (Zoroya, 2012).
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Example: Amazon.com
Executives at Amazon.com have embraced veterans because of their logistical know-how and bias for action, and as a result, 25 percent of their new salaried employees in 2011 were ex-military. Young former junior officers are particularly attractive to Amazon because they are well educated and are (literally) battle-tested. Amazons penchant for hiring veterans actually began without a plan and without a sense of patriotic duty. Amazon realized in the 1990s that it had unintentionally hired a number of former officers to run its warehouses, where logistics skills are highly sought. By 2010, it had formalized its veteran hiring program. Today, Amazon conducts its own military recruiting (rather than working through an outside hiring agency) and has its own dedicated military recruiting website. Amazon has even minted a service coin similar to military medallions commanders give out as tokens of appreciation. Amazons coin has the logos of the branches of the U.S. military on one side and Amazons logo on the other.
Source: Lashinsky, 2012; Smith, 2012.
Recruiting and Retaining Veterans

Employers who hire veterans find that it is a win-win situation for all involved. HR and talent managers interested in launching a program dedicated to hiring and retaining veterans in their organizations can begin the process with the following steps: 1. Get support from senior leaders. 2. Use existing resources to find veterans. 3. Welcome veterans into your organization. 4. O ffer flexibility, enhance employee assistance programs (EAPs), and establish veterans employee resource groups. own veteran hiring programs (using the information contained in this white paper), an identification of challenges with possible solutions, a return-oninvestment (ROI) analysis and an explanation of how the program links to organizational goals.
2. Use existing resources to find veterans

Despite the fact that there are a number of job boards and online resources available to veterans looking for jobs, few HR and talent management professionals seem to take advantage of these resources. A recent SHRM survey found that only 13 percent of respondents said they were very familiar with where to find veterans. They are out there, however, and can (and should) be found. In addition to online resources (see Online Resources for Recruiting Veterans on page 53), SHRM offers the following suggestions for finding veterans: S eek out local representatives from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves (ESGR). Local connections can be found through the ESGR website (www.esgr.com).
1. Get support from senior leaders

All successful programs require support from senior leaders, and a program dedicated to hiring and retaining veterans is no exception. HR and talent management professionals should be prepared to make the business case as to why their organizations would benefit from a veterans hiring program. The business case should include an overview about what other HR and talent management professionals have realized through their
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Host a booth at job fairs specifically for veterans and their families (dont forget virtual job fairs like Milicruit.com). Network at local military community centers (these centers often have services that help connect veterans with local employers). Advertise at local college and university career centers, many of which offer programs for their veterans. Advertise in military-focused publications like the Military Times and USAA Magazine. Use social media outlets like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Armedzilla.com. LinkedIn hosts more than 250 military-related groups, some of which allow job postings (Curtis, 2012; White House Business Council, 2012). In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor offers an online publication, The Veterans Hiring Toolkit, as part of its Americas Heroes at Work program. The toolkit is designed to help employers through the process of hiring veterans. It is available for download at: http://www. americasheroesatwork.gov/forEmployers/HiringToolkit/ (Burnell, n.d.).
Online Resources for Recruiting Veterans

There are so many online resources available to help HR and talent management professionals connect veterans with job opportunities that it can become overwhelming. To help HR and talent development professional focus their search, the White House Business Council recommends the following websites: Army Career Alumni Program (ACAP): https://www.acap.army.mil/employers.aspx.htm E mployer Partnership of the Armed Forces: https://www.employerpartnership.org/ N ational Resource Directory: http://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/ employment V etSuccess: http://www.vetsuccess.gov
3. Welcome veterans into your organization

The welcoming process begins at the recruiting phase; let veterans know your organization is military friendly. For example, veterans appreciate flexible work options, so if your organization offers them, include that information in your job advertisements. Many businesses have established employee resource groups for veteranslet veterans know that as well. If your organization is unfamiliar with the military, now is a good time to become more educated. This could be accomplished through brown bag lunches where employees who are veterans talk about their military experiences, offer some translations for military nomenclature and answer questions. Taking the time to help other employees become more familiar with the military will create a more welcoming atmosphere for newly hired veterans.
A welcoming atmosphere is crucial to the interview process. HR and talent management professionals should understand the military occupational skills that correlate with the job before interviewing a veteran; these can be obtained through O*Net. They should also be sure to thank veterans for their service at the beginning of the interview. Veterans are taught in the military to be modest about their accomplishments (its all about teamwork), and it may be difficult for them to talk about themselves during an interview. They are also taught to present themselves to others with eyes forward, backs straight, and to address others as sir or maam. HR and talent management professionals should be prepared for these kinds of possibilities when interviewing vets and be coached on ways to make veterans more at ease (e.g., encouraging them to speak freely and to address the interviewer by his or her first name, if appropriate). And
53
if military-speak begins to dominate the interview, hiring managers should be coached on how to ask clarifying questions to understand better how the veterans military experience applies to the job at hand.
E nhance EAPs to include specific support for veterans and their families, such as managing stress, and caring for veterans after an injury or trauma. P rovide benefits to veterans that enhance their financial well-being. For example, Capital One has a Disaster Recovery Grant program that helps employees who experience sudden misfortune. O ffer workplace flexibility programs. Veterans undergoing medical treatment for injuries or who are adjusting to civilian life may need added flexibility. O ffer additional sick and vacation leave so veterans can leave for separation and reunion events. S tart an employee resource group for veterans (Maurer, 2011). Organizations can support veterans by offering mentoring programs and phase-in programs that allow vets to start part time and gradually increase their work hours (Maurer, 2011).
4. Offer flexibility, enhance employee assistance programs (EAPs) and establish veterans employee resource groups
HR and talent management professionals can support veterans by expanding or modifying some existing programs that may already be in place in their organizations. A 2011 SHRM/Family Work Institute report makes the following recommendations:
Example: CSX
CSX plans to hire 3,000 people in 2012, including approximately 1,000 veterans. The organization has a long-standing commitment to hiring veterans and reservists nearly one in five CSX employees has served in the military. CSX also supports employees engaged in the National Guard or active Reserve by extending salary and benefits to employees called up to active duty. Not surprisingly, CSX is recognized as a military friendly company. It is the recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Service Award from the Military Officers Association of America, and is one of CivilianJobs.coms Most Valuable Employers. CSX also is the only two-time winner of the Freedom Award from the Employer Support the Guard and Reserve, and is regularly among the top three companies in G.I. Jobs Top 100 Military Friendly Employers. Below is a brief Q&A with Jennifer Burnett, AVP - Talent Acquisition at CSX Transportation: What are the benefits that CSX receives from hiring soldiers/veterans? Veterans make our business better by bringing accountability, teamwork and commitment to their civilian jobs, just as they do in the military. Our military employees take pride in achieving excellence in all that they do. We also have found there are many parallels between the military and CSX environment as it relates to the need to work safely, to adhere to rules and procedures, to perform work with a high level of precision, skill and attention to detail, and the willingness to work in a physically demanding environment.
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Example: CSX (continued)

How does CSX assist veterans in identifying the right job fit and making the transition to civilian work? We understand the challenges of moving from a military to a civilian career and we want to make that as smooth a process as possible. We begin by being very active and involved in the military communities and connect with individuals even before they leave the service. We have dedicated recruiters who are military veterans themselves, who visit bases and military facilities and talk to service men and women about searching for jobs, writing their resume, and interviewing. We consult with them on some of the challenges they may face. Our representatives provide this guidance not just for the sake of attracting people to CSX, but simply to share our knowledge and experience in order to help military veterans successfully obtain a position at any company. With regard to our own recruiting efforts, we provide resources on our career site just for military candidates, including a job match tool that shows them how to relate their military experience to railroad jobs. CSX is also strengthening our on-boarding process for military veterans by providing support from many areas of our company, including our Military Affinity Group, made up of CSX employees who can serve as mentors and coaches. We also understand that many people will still serve in the Guard and Reserves and we support them in many ways, especially should they be called into active duty and/or be deployed. Overall, for CSX, hiring and retaining military veterans brings great value to our business, for those individuals, and for our country.
Source: J. Burnett, Email exchange, June 19, 2012
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Conclusion
We have been honored to have fine men and women voluntarily put their lives on the line to serve our country. HR and talent management professionals have a rare opportunity to tap into the skills military veterans have refined in the most difficult of circumstances. Veterans have learned and put to use outstanding leadership and technical skillsskills that they are willing and able to give back to the private sector. HR and talent management professionals will find that hiring these fine men and women not only helps our country but helps their organizations as well.
ABC News staff (2012 February 13). G.E. to hire 5,000 vets, expand aviation operations. ABC News. Retrieved from http://abcnews. go.com/blogs/business/2012/g-e-to-hire5000-vets-expand-aviation-operations/. Burnell, S. (n.d.). The business case for hiring vets. ForbesCustom.com. Retrieved from http://www.forbescustom.com/ DiversityPgs/HiringVetsBusinessCase.html. Burnett, J. Email exchange. June 19, 2012. Curtis, S. (2012). Support from Behind the Line: 10 Steps to Becoming a Military-ready Employer. SHRM. Alexandria: Va. Facebook (n.d.). 100,000 Jobs Mission. Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com. G.I. Jobs staff (n.d.). G.I. Jobs 2012 top military friendly employers. G.I. Jobs. Retrieved from http://www.gijobs. com/2012Top100.aspx. Hastings, R. (2012, February 14). Employee resource groups for veterans deliver results. SHRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/ hrdisciplines/diversity/articles/pages/ employeeresourcegroupsforveterans.aspx.
Jones, B. (2010, January 25). Attn employers! Find out why hiring veterans makes cents. Veterans Today. Retrieved from http://www.veteranstoday. com/2010/25/10-top-reasons-to-hireveterans/. Lashinsky, A. (2012, May 7). How Amazon learned to love veterans. CNN Money. Retrieved from http://tech.fortune. Cnn. com/2012/05/500-amazon-veterans-hiring/. Leonard, B. (n.d.). DOL programs help link military veterans with jobs. SHRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/ hrdisciplines/staffingmanagement/articles/ pages/cms_021172.aspx. Lin, L. (n.d.). 7 secrets for successful military transitions. Military.com. Retrieved from http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/ career-advice/military-transition/secretsfor-successful-military-career-transition. html?ESRC=careers.nl. Maurer, R. (2011, November 11). Employers urged to embrace veterans; report details innovative ways. SHRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.shrm. org/hrdisciplines/benefits/articles/ pages/ embraceveterans.aspx. McClatchy Tribune News Service staff (2012, May 7). Finding work proves harder for veterans. herald-review.com. Retrieved from http://herald-review.com/news/ national/finding-work-proves-harder-forveterans/article_1e3ff1e2-9096-11e1b4d8-0019bb2963f4.html.
McCloskey, M. (2012, February 10). Vets transition often includes perceived step down. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved from http://www.military.com/news/article/vetstransition-to-civilian-jobs-often-includesperceived-step.html. McIlvaine, R. (2012, February 29). Employers commit to hiring vets, wounded warriors. U.S. Army News Service. Retrieved from http://www.mil/ article/74880/Employers_commit_to_ hiring_vets_wounded_warriors/. Msnbc.com staff (2012, March 13). Disney says it plans to hire 1,000 military veterans. Msnbc.com. Retrieved from http://usnews. msnbc.com/_news/2012/03/13/10673919disney-says-it-plans-to-hire-1000-militaryveterans?lite. Mulrine, A. (2008, November 19). Americas best leaders: U.S. junior officers, military. U.S. News. Retrieved from http://usnews.com/news/best-leaders/ articles/2008/11/19/americas-best-leadersus-junior-officers-military. Rafferty, H. (2012, May/June). The CivilianJobs.com 2012 most valuable employers (MVE) for military. CivilianJobs. com. Retrieved from http://www. civilianjobs.com/May.Jun2012_mve_ military_ friendly_companies1.htm.
Rogers, K. (2011, June 27). Hiring vets a win-win. Fox Business. Retrieved from http://www.foxbusiness.com/personalfinance/2011/06/27/hiring-vets-win-win/. SHRM Online staff (2012, March 22). Jobless rate soars for many recent veterans. SHRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/ staffingmanagement/articles/pages/ joblessnessforrecentveterans.aspx. Smith, A. (2012, February 28). EEOC revises two guidelines concerning vets with disabilities. SHRM Online. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/legalissues/ federalresources/pages/twoguidances.aspx. Stover, R. (2011, November 11). Why I hire vets. Inc. Retrieved from http://www.inc. com/randy-stover/why-i-only-hire-veterans. html. White House Business Council (2012). Guide to Hiring Veterans. White House Business Council. Retrieved from http:// www.whitehouse.gov/site/default/files/ docs/white_house_business_council_-_ guide_to_hiring_veterans_0.pdf. Zoroya, G. (2012, June 11). Hiring veterans is good business, study reports. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday. com/money/economy/2012-06-11/hiringveterans/55528990/1.
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