Learning Agility: The Most Important Element in Leadership Development
Ambidexterity. Adaptability. Flexibility. Speed. Figuring out what needs to be done in unprecedented situations. Learning faster and more effectively than others—these are the staples of business life in the 2020s that define Learning Agility.
Whether explicitly stated or implicitly understood in leadership development terminology, these characteristics are essential for organizations to thrive in a world of increased complexity and constant change. Is Learning Agility measurable and developable? Absolutely!
In the 2017 book, Learning Agility : The Key to Leader Potential , co-author, Burke Assessments founders Talent Expert Dave Hoff and his co-author, Columbia University Professor Dr. Warner Burke, delve into this topic.
Dr. Burke, a renowned researcher, leadership professor, author, and consultant to organizations as diverse as NASA, the US Army, and PepsiCo, left an enduring legacy in Learning Agility and Leadership Development before retiring from Columbia.
Frustrated by the lack of theoretically-based, psychometrically-sound methods to measure Learning Agility, Dr. Burke challenged a group of researchers at Columbia University to develop a way to assess and develop Learning Agility within organizations. This group reviewed related theories, previous research, and existing attempts to measure Learning Agility, ultimately identifying it as a single concept that can be measured and developed through 38 behaviors and 9 dimensions. This led to the creation of the Burke Learning Agility Inventory™.
In this blog, we share four tips on how to incorporate Learning Agility in Leadership Development:
- Begin Any Learning Initiative with Learning Agility: Regardless of your program’s focus, assessing and providing leaders with feedback on how they learn and how they can improve their learning methods will transform and optimize their learning experiences.
- Start with Your Top Team: Embedding Learning Agility and its terminology into your organization’s culture begins with your top leaders. This helps ensure Learning Agility becomes ingrained and modeled throughout the organization.
- Become a Burke-Certified Practitioner: If you’re a consultant or coach, join our next certification cohort to offer Learning Agility as a service. HR practitioners can either become certified or work with Burke-certified consultants to apply the self-assessment and provide feedback to leaders.
- Include Learning Agility in Your KPIs: Measure and assess Learning Agility in leaders annually and roll out the program to other levels within the organization.
Millions are spent on Leadership Development programs every year. How much of what is presented is absorbed and practiced by your leaders? Talk to us about how to incorporate Learning Agility into your learning and development programs that change behavior, transform learning and lead to quantifiable results in your organization.
We can help you. Get in touch with us!