What are the biggest priorities for Chief Learning and Talent officers?

What are the priorities driving global Heads of Learning, Talent, and Leadership? Before every iVentiv event, we ask you to tell us what areas you’re focusing on, and what questions you want to ask your fellow participants.

The front cover of the iVentiv Pulse 2022 Review

In the iVentiv Pulse Review, we’ve pulled together those responses into a report summarising the big themes and key trends driving HR as we head into 2023.

The report includes the key takeaways, with commentary from experts in learning, talent, and leadership, including:

  • Jay Moore (Global Learning & Culture Leader, GE Crotonville)
  • Priya Shahane (Former Global Head of Executive Talent & Career Management, Axa)
  • Charles Jennings (Co-Founder, 70:20:10 Institute)
  • David Watkins (SVP, Group Talent, Transformation & Engagement, Oerlikon)
  • Stefaan van Hooydonk (Former Chief Learning Officer, Cognizant)
  • Brian Murphy (Sr Director, Employee Skilling, Microsoft)

Who was surveyed for the iVentiv Pulse?

578 respondents from 435 companies completed the questionnaire ahead of conversations in 13 cities on four continents and online. iVentiv events are open exclusively to function leads in global companies. That means every respondent who contributed to the data in the review is a senior leader in HR.

What topics are Global Heads of L&D, Talent and Leadership focusing on?

Across all territories and job functions, the topics that the most leaders in HR said they were prioritising were:

  1. Leadership and Executive Development
  2. Reskilling and Upskilling
  3. Learning Platforms (LMS/LXP) & Tech (VR, AR, AI)
  4. People Data/Insights, measurement and ROI
  5. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

The full report delves into the quantitative and qualitative data to suggest why those themes have predominated, how the different areas interact, and what businesses are doing to address them. It includes insights around coaching, hybrid working, and learning culture, with commentary from experts and examples of the challenges that C-suite executives have raised.

Read the full report for free 

More Insights

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Over the last few years, ASML's workforce has grown rapidly, from 14,000 in 2014 to over 40,000 today. In this video, dive into conversations with key change makers at the 'most important company you've never heard of'. Learn about the company's change management mindset, hear about their crucial innovations for continued growth, leadership development initiatives, and key tips for navigating a dynamic and ever-growing industry landscape. Watch the full interview and read more here.

At the end of 2022, the iVentiv Pulse tracking report showed that leadership development was the single biggest priority for Global Heads of Learning and Talent. The report draws on questionnaires sent to Chief Learning Officers and Heads of Talent Management, where participants were asked to identify their key goals and challenges.

In this blog, we ask how much that has changed so far in 2023 and look at the key themes shaping the world of L&D and Talent Management. Read more here.

In an iVentiv exclusive talk with Deniz Kayadelen, Head of Talent Management Consulting at EY, and Piers Martin, Head of Leadership and Academy Workforce Development at The Premier League, Marketing Manager Richard Parfitt asks: what lessons can Learning and Talent functions learn from sport?

Here, we delve into topics such as DEI, resilience, psychology, and wellbeing initiatives that are crucial factors in developing strong leaders. We also talk about the receptiveness of leaders in HR to adopt ideas from sport psychology, and which sports personality would make the best leader in business. Watch the full interview and read more here.

The challenge of demonstrating the business value and ROI of L&D teams is a persistent issue for many companies. Despite the potential for learning to make a significant contribution to the business, it can be difficult to convince CEOs and other senior leaders of its value.

In this blog, we will explore the key questions that CLOs are asking when it comes to demonstrating the business value and ROI of their L&D teams and outline some of the solutions organisations have tried so far to evaluate their effectiveness. Read more here

Speaking to iVentiv Content Director Temi Bamgboye, Alison Shea, the Former VP of Global Talent Development & Learning at State Street, shared her insights on the pivotal role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and belonging in organisations. Shea brings a wealth of experience, including her tenure at Thomson Reuters, not to mention a genuine passion for talent development and learning.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Alison discussed DEIB and how it isn't a problem you're trying to solve, it's a key driver of success. She spoke about how not all diversity is visible and how “invisible” traits such as neurodiversity can be truly impactful. Businesses, she says, should support all voices that don't get heard enough by traditional means and leaders and DEIB champions should encourage everyone to learn from their mistakes. Watch the full interview and read more here.

Leadership is more than just a job title. Leadership is about the behaviours a person displays and the actions they inspire. Often, the most effective leaders - certainly from the perspective of L&D teams - are those who are always seeking to learn, develop and grow themselves. In this blog, we explore some of the key questions that Chief Learning Officers are asking about leadership, and highlight some of the methods L&D leaders have adopted to help develop better leadership skills across the organisation.

Read more here.

Marianne Schenk, Global Head of Leadership Development at Julius Baer, shares her insights on the importance of adaptability and reflection in effective leadership. Marianne discussed the idea being on a "dance floor" versus viewing from the "balcony." Marianne Schenk is Managing Director, Senior Advisor, Global Head Leadership Development at Julius Baer and a Senior Organisational Change expert with a global portfolio. Read more and watch the full interview here.

Doug Scott, the former leader of Executive Leadership at GE, and Jay Moore, the Global Learning & Culture Leader at GE Crotonville, spoke with iVentiv about GE's Corporate University campus at Crotonville, its history, and significance. The two experts shared their experiences and insights on leadership development, the role of emotional intelligence, and the importance of trust in building a culture of collaboration. Read more and watch the full interview here.

Jay Moore, Global Learning and Culture Leader, GE references the importance of coaching at GE, how the company 'spends a great deal of time with our most senior leaders for them to be better coaches' and how it 'continues to be a needed and necessary skill for leaders'. In essence, it is the tailored approach to development that coaching offers, that can help executives improve their leadership skills and achieve their goals, making it an attractive option for learning, talent, and leadership executives to invest in. Read more here.

Adeline Looi, Global Head of Integrated Leadership Development at Nestlé is responsible for helping 30,000 people leaders and 273,000 full-time employees in over 180 countries grow in leadership. Speaking to iVentiv's Temi Bamgboye, Adeline discusses about the Nestlé Leadership Framework, her own philosophy on leadership, and why it is that fewer people now want to be leaders. Watch the full interview.

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