“Start with the end in mind”. This wise approach, advocated by Steven Covey, applies to many things, especially leadership development programs. All too often, training programs, both corporate and university, forget to focus on the prime objective: the learning goal is to acquire new skills, insights and practices to grow more effective at the job and/or life.

In a recent conversation with leaders about turning their companies into CILOs – Continuous Improvement Learning Organizations – our conversation focused on how we can promote each person’s ability to learn and grow into a more effective member of the organization. The learning goals for growth should include:

· Job relevance: the learning syllabus must increase job effectiveness

· Strategic Corporate relevance: it must also relate to the larger corporate picture

· Personal relevance: It should address the person’s ability to feel more competent

· Practical applications: the person should apply the lessons to real or similar situations

· Accountability for success: KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) enable progress to be measured

By incorporating these elements into the learning process, everyone within a CILO knows what to learn for more effective performance and why creating a win-win situation for individual and corporate growth.

What’s your experience with setting and assessing the impact of learning goals for employees? Share with us!