I am beginning to collect some of my muses, meanderings and metaphors to share with others.

This one considers organisational learning and development and uses the metaphor of dressing a person to ensure they are suitably equipped to navigate the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of the modern workplace.

This proposes a blend of structured, self directed and social learning approaches to enable individual growth and collective flourishing.

Mandatory Learning

Mandatory learning - relates to anything with a regulatory compliance element that is applicable to ALL Staff in the organisation. Careful consideration needs to be given to what constitutes elements of mandatory learning.

Mandatory learning and development needs must be satisfied prior to any other development taking place.

Think of this as the need for everyone to be wearing clean underwear.

Mandatory learning can be considered as the clean pants and socks that every employee in the organisation needs to wear and change at regular intervals.

In some organisations this does not happen and people - either go commando or adopt unhealthy practices - either way this can expose the individual and the organisation to risk.

In other organisations mandatory learning may be all that happens and whilst this may be good from a regulatory compliance perspective - it limits potential for growth and development.

People generally need more than just clean underwear if they are to flourish.

Essential to role learning

Regardless of purpose or structure, most individuals working within organisations will have clearly defined roles or work within team formations where specific individual/collective responsibilities are assigned/agreed to ensure the strategic intent of the organisation can be realised.

Creating Essential to Role Learning paths will enable individuals to perform effectively within role and contribute meaningfully to the aims and objectives of the team/organisation.

Building on the clean pants and socks metaphor - the essential to role learning ensures individuals are provided with the right fit of uniform - whether this be a boiler suit, a track suit or a business suit - the uniform needs to be right for the role.

In some organisations essential to role learning is ignored - no uniforms are provided to cover the pants and socks - and this can lead to uncertainties about what needs to be done, who does what, when and how.

Well thought out essential to role learning avoids inconsistencies, reduces mistakes, increases confidence and individual/team morale.

Personalised learning paths

It is important to remember the individuality of those who are wearing workplace uniforms.

People will decorate their uniforms with various accessories - some may prefer to keep things plain, whilst other will wear watches, jewellery, scent and cosmetics, some may wear a scarf, or neck tie - some may wear a soft, flat shoe - others preferring their footwear to be hard and elevated.


Building on mandatory and essential to role social learning, encouraging a personalised approach to learning will attend to the unique needs, interests and preferences of the individual.
Creating opportunities for self-managed, self-led or self-directed learning provides individuals with choices over how to develop in areas of strength and stretch.

When this is supported with regular future focused development conversations or through coaching and mentoring it can create highly engaged and self determined learners.


Augmenting the individual approach with peer or learning arrangements e.g learning networks or communities of purpose/practice/interest will help create a learning organisation ethos.