The Power of Connection in Learning: Reflections from Forward’s Leadership Programme
For me, ‘Get Connected’ means embracing opportunities to learn from others, cultivating networks, fostering a growth mindset, staying open to new learning experiences, and committing to ongoing personal development. Throughout my career, the chance to connect with colleagues, mentors, and learning communities has been essential to my growth.
For an organisation, creating a connected learning culture is crucial as it enables employees to adapt to change, exchange knowledge, and drive innovation. These connections are key to promoting cross-functional knowledge sharing and establishing a work environment where learning is both continuous and deeply embedded in the culture.”=
This is something I am encouraging through the Leadership Programme, by getting colleagues together from different parts of the organisation and encouraging them to learn from each other. We do have set sessions where I deliver training, but I also encourage cross-functional knowledge sharing. I have witnessed the growth in people, and I’ve also seen how this type of working has built confidence, enabling some to be able to think about their leadership style and to try different things.
A standout moment for me is when I feel excitement and passion while I’m delivering a session. I noticed this during the launch of the leadership programme, when people were excited and looking forward to what they were going to learn and the opportunity to work with other managers in the business.
My advice for leading and delivering on training in a busy workplace is to try new things, don’t think of classroom-based training as one size fits all. There are other learning initiatives, including:
- Micro-learning.
- Peer-to-peer learning.
- Cross-functional working.
- Knowledge-sharing forums.
- Hackathons and innovation challenges.
- Self-directed learning initiatives.
- Mentoring and reverse mentoring.
- And much more.
Learning doesn’t have to be linear – we can be much more creative. The most important thing is about the employee experience when they are learning; if it’s not a positive experience, then they are less likely to learn.
The future of learning is exciting for Forward. I’ve been proud of the work I’ve created, and am putting together a robust induction package for new employees, as well as the Leadership Programme. I’m in the process of delivering two Cohorts at the moment, and I’m looking forward to enhancing and building on this for the next set of new employees.