When I ask clients to identify their desired outcome as we plan training implementation, by and large the most common response is “culture.” They want to create a culture of dialogue or a culture of productivity. They want to influence the organization’s adaptability and flexibility during change. They want a culture where people step up, speak up, and hold one another accountable.

What is culture? One of my favorite perspectives uses this definition: “The culture of a company is the sum of the behaviors of all its people.”

In our recent research of the L&D divide—the gap between what employers are offering and what employees are asking for—only 44% of participants felt their organization provides them with lea ing and development opportunities they truly value. I recently heard it said that the war for talent is over, and the talent won. In other words, the future of talent and lea ing is now in their hands.

Lea ing and development is no longer a nice to have, it’s a must. It’s your organization’s greatest competitive advantage. As organizations use training to build and develop culture, they need to focus on the culture of lea ing.

In a report from Association for Talent and Development (ATD) titled Building a Culture of Lea ing: The Foundation of a Successful Organization, the authors define a culture of lea ing as “one in which employees continuously seek, share, and apply new knowledge and skills to improve individual and organizational performance.” They add, “The importance of the pursuit and application of lea ing is expressed in organizational values and permeates all aspects of organizational life.”

Organizations with a strong lea ing culture affirm the importance of lea ing and provide an atmosphere in which lea ing is so ingrained that it becomes a way of life. Unfortunately, studies estimate that only 31% of organizations have a culture of lea ing.

As you look forward to 2023, look to build or strengthen your organization’s lea ing culture. Here are a few things for you to keep in mind in doing so.

Assess Your Current Lea ing Strategy
This is the perfect time to perform a lea ing audit. Examine how your employees are currently lea ing, what they are lea ing, and what your organization’s strengths and weaknesses are. In doing so, you will be better able to create a strategy that will foster your desired lea ing culture.

Meet Lea ers Where They Are
COVID-19 forced us to move away from in-person training to virtual training, and in doing so, we’ve come to appreciate how virtual lea ing offers high-quality training with ease for lea ers. We’re also seeing a more strategic move to on-demand (self-paced, self-guided) lea ing to provide ultimate flexibility. Assessing your current lea ing culture will help you identify whether to deliver in person, virtually, on demand, or a blended or hybrid lea ing model.

Link in Leadership
Any organizational culture comes from the top down. Leader-led lea ing and development does more than just foster a lea ing culture—it can ignite it. It’s important that you move from mere permission to ignition. Linking in leadership includes but is not limited to:

• Leading by example
• Connecting lea ing to business objectives
• Kicking off training courses/initiatives
• Making time for lea ing
• Not interrupting lea ing
• Setting goals
• Sharing experiences
• Rewarding lea ing

Promote Lea ing
Employees aren’t going to lea if they don’t know about it. A key component to building a culture of lea ing is marketing. As you launch lea ing and leadership development programs, make lea ers aware. Advertise in email campaigns and company newsletters, discuss in new employee interviews and onboarding, and leverage course champions by fostering opportunities to share what they have lea ed.

More than knowing that training is available, leaders and lea ers need to know what’s in it for them. Let them know the benefits and advantages of lea ing. This can serve as a great motivator and help in building your lea ing culture.

As you prepare for what we hope will be an epic 2023, let it be the beginning or rejuvenation of your organization’s lea ing culture. Retu ing to that ATD report referenced above, the authors said, “Robust cultures of lea ing are distinct hallmarks of organizations that consistently produce the best business results.”

Developing a culture of lea ing is an investment that helps you leverage your employees’ potential and grow your business. It truly becomes your competitive advantage.