TD Our Way: Talent Development at ICF International

Content

"In talent development, particularly in learning, we need to make sure that everything we do is relevant, easy to find, and flexible for our people."

"In talent development, particularly in learning, we need to make sure that everything we do is relevant, easy to find, and flexible for our people."

Liz Janssen

Content

Vice President of Learning, Talent Development, and Change Management,

Vice President of Learning, Talent Development, and Change Management,

Content

ICF International

ICF International

Content

Liz Janssen leads ICF's L&D organization, ensuring that the firm has the right systems, strategies, and programs in place to enable its global workforce to thrive and support sustainable business growth.

Liz Janssen leads ICF's L&D organization, ensuring that the firm has the right systems, strategies, and programs in place to enable its global workforce to thrive and support sustainable business growth.

Content

What are the most important components of talent development at ICF?

What are the most important components of talent development at ICF?

Content

At ICF, talent management includes hiring and retaining the right talent, employee development, and succession management. The business requires the talent development team to do all three of these well. Within that framework, employee development focuses on career growth for all and four critical skill areas that transcend disciplines or specific businesses across the organization: people management and leadership, business development, project and financial management, and innovation and change management.

At ICF, talent management includes hiring and retaining the right talent, employee development, and succession management. The business requires the talent development team to do all three of these well. Within that framework, employee development focuses on career growth for all and four critical skill areas that transcend disciplines or specific businesses across the organization: people management and leadership, business development, project and financial management, and innovation and change management.

Content

How are technological advancements shaping or affecting talent development at your company?

How are technological advancements shaping or affecting talent development at your company?

Content

Technology is changing the nature of some of ICF's work. As an organization, we are using innovation and design thinking to stay ahead of these changes in technology—both internally and externally with our clients. Our goal is to meet learners where they are and make learning resources and experiences engaging, relevant, and easy to use. To that end, we leverage new technology, but it's not the starting point. The starting point is the learning objective and design.

Technology is changing the nature of some of ICF's work. As an organization, we are using innovation and design thinking to stay ahead of these changes in technology—both internally and externally with our clients. Our goal is to meet learners where they are and make learning resources and experiences engaging, relevant, and easy to use. To that end, we leverage new technology, but it's not the starting point. The starting point is the learning objective and design.

Content

We have someone on the team who focuses on learning innovation and new learning tech. He is constantly evaluating new solutions and then brings them forward to our learning practice leaders. If there's no need, we may move on, or we may pilot to see where it goes. But we never let technology drive the design. When we settle on a new platform or tool, we focus on leveraging that technology's features and capabilities, driving learner adoption, and maximizing our investment—rather than run to the next new shiny learning tool.

We have someone on the team who focuses on learning innovation and new learning tech. He is constantly evaluating new solutions and then brings them forward to our learning practice leaders. If there's no need, we may move on, or we may pilot to see where it goes. But we never let technology drive the design. When we settle on a new platform or tool, we focus on leveraging that technology's features and capabilities, driving learner adoption, and maximizing our investment—rather than run to the next new shiny learning tool.

Content

Where does talent development fit into the organizational chart? What's your reporting relationship to the top of the organization?

Where does talent development fit into the organizational chart? What's your reporting relationship to the top of the organization?

Content

ICF is ever evolving, and the HR organization is no different. A good portion of ICF's growth has been through acquisitions; over the last few years, we have been focused on building out the corporate functions, including HR. In 2019, we formed an HR Center of Excellence, which reports to chief HR officer, where learning, talent development, change management, talent acquisition, HR information technology, and compensation and benefits fall.

ICF is ever evolving, and the HR organization is no different. A good portion of ICF's growth has been through acquisitions; over the last few years, we have been focused on building out the corporate functions, including HR. In 2019, we formed an HR Center of Excellence, which reports to chief HR officer, where learning, talent development, change management, talent acquisition, HR information technology, and compensation and benefits fall.

Content

I lead the learning, development, and change management functions in the Center of Excellence. I have a team that is made up of learning business partners; learning practice leaders; learning operations; learning technology; and innovation, change management, communication, and training consultants. We partner closely with the HR business partners and our business leaders across the organization.

I lead the learning, development, and change management functions in the Center of Excellence. I have a team that is made up of learning business partners; learning practice leaders; learning operations; learning technology; and innovation, change management, communication, and training consultants. We partner closely with the HR business partners and our business leaders across the organization.

Content

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.