Executive Advisory Council 2-14-07 Meeting Summary
Report to the General Membership
Date of Meeting: February 14th 2007
Location: Teleconference
Sponsor: N/A
Prepared by: Vince Varallo, 2/15/07
In Attendance:
- Vince Varallo: Co-Chair EAC for NNJ-ASTD
- Mike Giambra: Co-Chair EAC for NNJ-ASTD
- Christine Troianello: Lucent, Director, Information Products & Training
- Joe Toto: BD, Director, Leadership Development & Learning
- Tony Irace, ADP
- Vince Giambalvo, GAF
Members of EAC who could not attend the meeting:
- Paul Fein, Datascope
- Guy Gosselin, Benjamin Moore
- Rick Sawyer, FujiFilm
- Valerie Norton
Meeting Summary
Agenda Item #1
How can we create a great awareness of the importance of T&D in the workplace?
Responses:
T&D must do a better job of creating an awareness of the importance of learning in an organization.
The advent of the position CLO has made a great difference in perception. Learning is now under the guidance of an executive who “has skin” in the game.
Learning is no longer the first thing “cut” in a down economy. The bigger question learning professionals must answer is “how do we find the time to do it?”
Learning must be aligned to business strategies and goals. T&D departments that have failed to do this are the ones most vulnerable to budget cuts.
The best way to keep learning at the forefront of an organization is to get leaders involved with the process. Allow them to be “teachers” of critical organizational learning needs.
Agenda Item # 2
What are the best uses of e-learning and distance learning?
Responses:
There was general agreement that classroom learning activities will not go away. However, the need for “finger tip” learning continues to grow especially as the technology allows us to receive “real-time” information on the spot.
Technology is making us ask the question “What is learning?” Sharing information expands our knowledge and can be done seamlessly through a variety of e-channels.
Blended learning is not the “flavor of the month” and will continue to evolve. The future of learning is based on a blended approach of classroom training, e-learning programs, information sharing, coaching and mentoring.
E-learning provides a great avenue for follow up and tracking.
Agenda Item # 3
Centralized vs. decentralized approach to learning.
Note: High-level conversations ensued as several members are moving from a centralized to a decentralized approach. Other members are moving in the opposite direction
Responses:
A decentralized approach allows for regional universities to stay close to customer needs.
Sometimes a decentralized approach can feel like a “step backwards.”
There are challenges in moving to a centralized approach and requires excellent organizational development.
One corporate model (centralized) includes a large university supported by a core team dispersed throughout the organization. The full-time staff monitoring the university is small. It can only be successful if all the managers and executives support the effort by becoming “teachers” in the organization.
Conclusion
On behalf of NNJ-ASTD President, Claudia Sandonato, we thank our EAC for taking the time to provide these important thoughts. We are evolving as a group and encouraging EAC members to continue their dialog off-line and then share their input with the group. In turn, we provide the information with you, our general membership. We also want these executives to share their thoughts with us via white papers and other venues.
The group will convene on June 12th for our second annual panel discussion. The general membership will be invited to attend.
New Members Needed
We are seeking to expand the membership the EAC. If one of your senior-level learning leaders would like to join, please have them contact either Vince Varallo or Mike Giambra.
