Humera Malik leads EA's corporate learning, including all people development programs, knowledge management, and self-service learning; engagement, including employee surveys, diversity and inclusion, and corporate social responsibility; and performance, including organizational effectiveness and workforce planning.
How do you define talent development at Electronic Arts?
The learning, engagement, and performance function (LEAP) doesn't have a formal definition of talent development, but we do have a philosophy. We want to make the company a place where people can learn and do the best work of their careers. LEAP creates an environment which enables that. We say to our employees, "Tell us what you want to do and we'll create that together."
How is the definition of talent development evolving at Electronic Arts?
In 2013, Electronic Arts changed direction under the leadership of a new CEO, Andrew Wilson. There was no formal definition of talent development at the time, but our role changed along with the name of our unit. EA University became LEAP, with a broad talent development mission.
What are the top three components of talent development at EA and why?
- Leadership and management development: Leaders set the strategy for the organization and managers connect that strategy to their teams to maximize the performance and engagement of each team member.
- Game development (technical) learning: In an industry that is rapidly changing, EA is pioneering new ways to make games with proprietary software and processes that can only be learned internally.
- Team performance and development: Teamwork is at the core of developing a great product and bringing it to our players. We work with teams to increase their performance and contribution by measuring team effectiveness, leveraging strengths, and addressing key opportunities.
Where does talent development fit in the org chart?
I report to the chief people officer, who reports to the CEO.
Read more from CTDO magazine: Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.
