Debate: Whose Obligation Is Professional Development?

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The argument: Employees, not employers, should take responsibility for career development.

The argument: Employees, not employers, should take responsibility for career development.

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An organization's talent development function exists, among other reasons, to develop employees so that they're able to contribute to achieving organizational goals. But if employees likely won't remain with one company throughout their entire careers, and given the evolving work dynamics in place, it's to employees' advantage to take professional development into their own hands, to achieve their personal goals. Right?

An organization's talent development function exists, among other reasons, to develop employees so that they're able to contribute to achieving organizational goals. But if employees likely won't remain with one company throughout their entire careers, and given the evolving work dynamics in place, it's to employees' advantage to take professional development into their own hands, to achieve their personal goals. Right?

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** Shawn Milheim

**Shawn Milheim

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Senior Director, Head of Quality of Culture Programs, Pfizer

Senior Director, Head of Quality of Culture Programs, Pfizer

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There are many great career development opportunities that employers can provide. Depending on the size and industry of an organization, examples include immersive learning experiences, structured mentoring, stretch assignments, 360-degree evaluations, individual development plans, and even funding for an MBA or other advanced degrees. Smart talent development leaders know that employees who are provided opportunities to grow feel more appreciated and apply those new skills on the job. They also are more prepared for the next job. Savvy L&D leaders who want a seat at the table strategically leverage development opportunities to ensure employees reach their potential and, thus, ready the organization to achieve its future goals. However, as much as it seems that companies or direct managers should take the lead in developing employees, the employees themselves must be the key driver and owner of their destiny.

There are many great career development opportunities that employers can provide. Depending on the size and industry of an organization, examples include immersive learning experiences, structured mentoring, stretch assignments, 360-degree evaluations, individual development plans, and even funding for an MBA or other advanced degrees. Smart talent development leaders know that employees who are provided opportunities to grow feel more appreciated and apply those new skills on the job. They also are more prepared for the next job. Savvy L&D leaders who want a seat at the table strategically leverage development opportunities to ensure employees reach their potential and, thus, ready the organization to achieve its future goals. However, as much as it seems that companies or direct managers should take the lead in developing employees, the employees themselves must be the key driver and owner of their destiny.

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Careers aren't what they used to be. As previously documented countless times, it's far more difficult these days for a person to finish school (pick any level you like) and gain successful employment for the next 40 years with the same company. Additionally, senior executives and, therefore, L&D heads, probably don't care that much about an individual's career because they are more focused on maximizing profits and shareholder returns. Societies, governments, economies, and technology are changing at an increasing rate. As such, the skills and competencies needed to execute strategic plans are dynamic and unpredictable. Can L&D leaders develop talent fast enough? In many cases, the answer is no.

Careers aren't what they used to be. As previously documented countless times, it's far more difficult these days for a person to finish school (pick any level you like) and gain successful employment for the next 40 years with the same company. Additionally, senior executives and, therefore, L&D heads, probably don't care that much about an individual's career because they are more focused on maximizing profits and shareholder returns. Societies, governments, economies, and technology are changing at an increasing rate. As such, the skills and competencies needed to execute strategic plans are dynamic and unpredictable. Can L&D leaders develop talent fast enough? In many cases, the answer is no.

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According to Harvard Business Review , 88 percent of the companies listed on the Fortune 500 in 1955 are now gone, either from bankruptcy, merger, or moved off the list. To remain competitive, many companies choose to buy their talent, thus shortening the time to readiness. That makes employee development more squarely the responsibility of employees. However, they have a choice. Or better put, an opportunity. Employees have an opportunity to recognize that the same forces creating a dynamic work environment are the same ones that create new, and possibly better, career paths—paths that a specific employer might not be able to provide.

According to Harvard Business Review, 88 percent of the companies listed on the Fortune 500 in 1955 are now gone, either from bankruptcy, merger, or moved off the list. To remain competitive, many companies choose to buy their talent, thus shortening the time to readiness. That makes employee development more squarely the responsibility of employees. However, they have a choice. Or better put, an opportunity. Employees have an opportunity to recognize that the same forces creating a dynamic work environment are the same ones that create new, and possibly better, career paths—paths that a specific employer might not be able to provide.

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McKinsey's Independent Work: Choice, Necessity, and the Gig Economy highlights trends, afforded by technology, that enable individuals to reframe how they generate income. Jobs are becoming less about being employed and more about what work gets done as a part of that employment, and if that work can be broken down into discrete tasks completed by the most talented, or affordable, resource. Of course, companies such as Uber come to mind. But, depending on the task, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and robotics are continuing to evolve and find their way into more work scenarios previously occupied only by people.

McKinsey's Independent Work: Choice, Necessity, and the Gig Economy highlights trends, afforded by technology, that enable individuals to reframe how they generate income. Jobs are becoming less about being employed and more about what work gets done as a part of that employment, and if that work can be broken down into discrete tasks completed by the most talented, or affordable, resource. Of course, companies such as Uber come to mind. But, depending on the task, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and robotics are continuing to evolve and find their way into more work scenarios previously occupied only by people.

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One strategy to address these changing work dynamics is for employees to own their own development. They must focus on what they want out of their careers.

One strategy to address these changing work dynamics is for employees to own their own development. They must focus on what they want out of their careers.

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Yes, there are still great companies, and just as importantly great managers, who will help employees recognize their potential and provide professional development opportunities. And employees should take every opportunity. They also should routinely assess their personal goals and the skills required to achieve them. If their current employer can't help them achieve those goals, individual employees need to seek out more relevant experiences. At the end of the day, only the employees themselves know what they need or want out of their careers. When employees own their career development, it makes them more open to alternative, and perhaps more applicable, opportunities beyond what any one company, or L&D department, can provide.

Yes, there are still great companies, and just as importantly great managers, who will help employees recognize their potential and provide professional development opportunities. And employees should take every opportunity. They also should routinely assess their personal goals and the skills required to achieve them. If their current employer can't help them achieve those goals, individual employees need to seek out more relevant experiences. At the end of the day, only the employees themselves know what they need or want out of their careers. When employees own their career development, it makes them more open to alternative, and perhaps more applicable, opportunities beyond what any one company, or L&D department, can provide.

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** Kristi Pintar

**Kristi Pintar

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Vice President, Change Management and Organizational Development, Christiana Care Health System

Vice President, Change Management and Organizational Development, Christiana Care Health System

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How many of us have heard our talent development or HR colleagues utter the question "Why can't we get a seat at the table?" How many of us feel pressure to prove our value contribution to the organization? Which of your colleagues have been victim of their development department being eliminated within the past five years? And yet, here we are debating whether or not we, the learning leaders of our organization, should take responsibility for the development of often the most expensive operating expense in the organization: employees.

How many of us have heard our talent development or HR colleagues utter the question "Why can't we get a seat at the table?" How many of us feel pressure to prove our value contribution to the organization? Which of your colleagues have been victim of their development department being eliminated within the past five years? And yet, here we are debating whether or not we, the learning leaders of our organization, should take responsibility for the development of often the most expensive operating expense in the organization: employees.

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As an L&D leader, my job is to fully understand the three- to five-year strategic priorities of my organization. From those priorities, I work with other senior and midlevel leaders to identify goals and expectations they are most at risk for not achieving with their current talent and other organizational resources. We then collaborate to identify the skills and capabilities of the workforce and leaders most in need of strengthening.

As an L&D leader, my job is to fully understand the three- to five-year strategic priorities of my organization. From those priorities, I work with other senior and midlevel leaders to identify goals and expectations they are most at risk for not achieving with their current talent and other organizational resources. We then collaborate to identify the skills and capabilities of the workforce and leaders most in need of strengthening.

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From those areas, we design workforce and leadership development opportunities and requirements by business, service, function, level, or role. Using the process, we maximize and focus our L&D resources to build capability of staff and leaders to achieve the annual goals and ultimately the strategic visions. From the L&D budget return-on-investment perspective, it is in our best interest to be fully responsible for career development. From a business value-add perspective, as L&D leaders, we demonstrate our value to the organization by ensuring that the employees and leaders have the skills and capability to perform their work to achieve the business goals, which is, of course, having a seat at the table. With total alignment, the L&D team is valued by the rest of the organization as an essential driver of success.

From those areas, we design workforce and leadership development opportunities and requirements by business, service, function, level, or role. Using the process, we maximize and focus our L&D resources to build capability of staff and leaders to achieve the annual goals and ultimately the strategic visions. From the L&D budget return-on-investment perspective, it is in our best interest to be fully responsible for career development. From a business value-add perspective, as L&D leaders, we demonstrate our value to the organization by ensuring that the employees and leaders have the skills and capability to perform their work to achieve the business goals, which is, of course, having a seat at the table. With total alignment, the L&D team is valued by the rest of the organization as an essential driver of success.

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If keeping ourselves at the table as L&D leaders totally aligned with the strategic and tactical goals of the organization isn't reason enough to be responsible for career development, let me add a second argument, which has to do with the expense of employment in terms of engagement driving business results and reduced turnover (avoiding vacancy expense). We've all read the research that links engagement to business results, as well as the studies that conclude that employees don't leave companies, they leave bosses. A key driver of engagement is employees having the tools and resources to do the work they are expected to do. As organizations are faced with rapidly changing environments, the individuals in those companies are equally challenged with continually evolving their skills to stay relevant and valuable, producing against ever-changing expectations. Employees look to their managers to provide the resources they need to be successful for the expectations that have been set, including the resource of skill development.

If keeping ourselves at the table as L&D leaders totally aligned with the strategic and tactical goals of the organization isn't reason enough to be responsible for career development, let me add a second argument, which has to do with the expense of employment in terms of engagement driving business results and reduced turnover (avoiding vacancy expense). We've all read the research that links engagement to business results, as well as the studies that conclude that employees don't leave companies, they leave bosses. A key driver of engagement is employees having the tools and resources to do the work they are expected to do. As organizations are faced with rapidly changing environments, the individuals in those companies are equally challenged with continually evolving their skills to stay relevant and valuable, producing against ever-changing expectations. Employees look to their managers to provide the resources they need to be successful for the expectations that have been set, including the resource of skill development.

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As a manager, I am held accountable for the performance of my employees. My success depends on their skills and capabilities to achieve our stated goals. I am incented to be responsible for my employees' career development. In the engagement relationship between boss and staff, employees leave managers who do not provide the developmental tools necessary for success. They leave physically, resulting in turnover expense; or they leave emotionally, resulting in low engagement and underperformance against goals.

As a manager, I am held accountable for the performance of my employees. My success depends on their skills and capabilities to achieve our stated goals. I am incented to be responsible for my employees' career development. In the engagement relationship between boss and staff, employees leave managers who do not provide the developmental tools necessary for success. They leave physically, resulting in turnover expense; or they leave emotionally, resulting in low engagement and underperformance against goals.

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Whether we consider the responsibility from a self-serving professional stature perspective or from an organizational engagement perspective, the answer is the same: Organizations (we the L&D and talent development leaders) must not only take responsibility for employee career development; we also must cease the conversation and debate of it being any other way.

Whether we consider the responsibility from a self-serving professional stature perspective or from an organizational engagement perspective, the answer is the same: Organizations (we the L&D and talent development leaders) must not only take responsibility for employee career development; we also must cease the conversation and debate of it being any other way.

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Read more from CTDO magazine : Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.

Read more from CTDO magazine: Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.