Pivot to Performance With Mirjam Neelen

Welcome to series 2 of L&D’s Pivot to Performance and the first of 5 conversations. 

As with series 1, Guy Wallace and David James are speaking with esteemed guests about their own pivot from ‘Learning-focused’ practice towards a ‘performance orientation’ that more predictably and reliably, let alone efficiently and successfully, achieves demonstrable results for both employees and organisations.

In this episode, Mirjam Neelen talks about her pivot to performance, her approach to analysis, design, and stakeholder management. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Get stakeholders involved from day 1.
• Asking gently probing questions is a diplomatic way to get stakeholders to properly identify the business problem and sign off on training that works instead of simply ticking a box.
• Periodically ask – “what´s the deliverable?” as a way of ensuring that the focus remains in the right place i.e., solving the problem. It is easy to get side-tracked.
• Asking questions that prompt the stakeholders to think more deeply about the work and how it is carried out helps them to realise what is needed.
• It can be difficult to get objective data from stakeholders, but you must persist in asking for it.
• Using task analysis reminds or informs the stakeholder about how the work gets done so they can 100% understand what type of training is needed.
• Asking stakeholders to create examples for the training really focuses them on what needs to be taught and how.

BEST MOMENTS

'I pick with my team, one or two projects each quarter so that we're actually solving real business problems. Then, from that, we extract things like case studies, but also frameworks, models, and more. '

'You have, which I don't think could be understated, diplomacy.'

' I really try to focus on what they are trying to always achieve and keep that front and centre. '

'In the end, it just really helped to move from what I call a training focus to a capability building focus. '

ABOUT MIRJAM NEELAN

Mirjam Neelen is the Head of Global Learning Design and Learning Sciences in Novartis. She is part of a team that redefines how Novartis Associates build competence. With 15 years of industry experience, she has worked in a wide variety of learning design roles in organisations such as Accenture, Google, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Learning And Development Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-learning-development-podcast/id1466927523 

L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/

ABOUT THE HOST

David James 

David has been a People Development professional for more than 20 years, most notably as Director of Talent, Learning & OD for The Walt Disney Company across Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

As well as being the Chief Learning Officer at 360Learning, David is a prominent writer and speaker on topics around modern and digital L&D. 

CONTACT METHOD 

• Twitter:  https://twitter.com/davidinlearning/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjameslinkedin/ 
• L&D Collective: https://360learning.com/the-l-and-d-collective/
• Blog: https://360learning.com/blog/
• L&D Master Class Series: https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-masterclass-home/