Mind Tools and Towards Maturity at ATD 2019!

Join Mind Tools and expert learning analysts Towards Maturity at ATD International Conference & Exposition to discover the results of 18 months of research that will challenge the way the L&D industry perceives its learners.

Mind Tools former CEO Oliver Craddock and Towards Maturity Chief Insight Officer Jane Daly will present the findings of a new white paper, "Challenging Perceptions: Optimizing Performance by Aligning With the Needs of the Consumer Learner." The research takes a deep dive into learner behavior, exploring how today's learners really feel about learning at work. The findings reveal a massive divide between the perceptions of L&D practitioners and those of their learners. Here's a preview of some of the data collected:

L&D perspective vs. learner perspective

• Only 16 percent of L&D professionals believe that learners put what they learn into practice quickly. However, 70 percent of learners say they are able to do so.
• While 21 percent of L&D professionals believe that individuals engage with professional self-development without prompting, an overwhelming 87 percent of learners believe that they take responsibility for managing their own learning and development.
• Only 21 percent of L&D professionals say that their people understand how to find the information they need to do their job, but 62 percent of learners say they know how to access the learning they need.
• 16 percent of L&D practitioners believe that their people engage in online learning without prompting. That's starkly different to the 74 percent of learners who say they are happy to take online learning without prompting.
• Only 13 percent of L&D practitioners report that managers provide active support in the application of learning in the workplace. But 75 percent of managers report that they do this, and 61 percent of learners report that their managers do this.

This research shows that L&D practitioners are making decisions without being fully aware of how learners really think and feel. So the time has come to challenge our perceptions, and to find out how we as L&D professionals can align with our learners' needs, and optimize performance as a result. Taking into account lessons from top-performing L&D teams, known as "Top Deck" organizations, the presentation and white paper identifies the key learning expectations you need to meet, and the changes that you can make, to have the biggest impact on your learners' performance. We'll also share the best practices employed by Mind Tools client and global pharma giant, AstraZeneca. The organization achieved great success in engaging their users in learning by transforming their learning culture.

Meet the Mind Tools team at ATD

If you're at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for ATD 2019, join us for our seminar on May 19 in room 156 at 3 p.m., or visit the Mind Tools Corporate team at booth 527 on May 19-22. We'll be handing out copies of our new white paper, "Challenging Perceptions: Optimizing Performance by Aligning With the Needs of the Consumer Learner." We'll also be demonstrating how our high quality, on-demand content is helping organizations around the world to develop the leadership, management and personal excellence skills of their people.