On February 27th, 2024, a thought-provoking fireside chat took place between Mark Wickware from Growthspace, and Deidra Busbee, Senior Director of Talent Development at ServiceNow. Their engaging discussion, during the CLDI conference, focused on the evolving landscape of Learning and Development (L&D) and provided deep insights into creating impactful and personalized talent development strategies.
Crafting Personalized Learning Journeys
Deidra Busbee, sharing her vision for L&D, highlighted the significance of moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more personalized strategy. “What really ignites my passion right now is this next phase that we’re entering, which is all about that mass personalization,” she explained. This approach aims to meet individual needs by starting with their ‘why,’ utilizing a combination of skills, AI, and focusing on the employee experience to craft personalized learning paths.
Cultivating a Culture-Driven Mission
At the heart of ServiceNow’s L&D initiatives is its mission-driven culture. “Our mission is we make the world work better for everyone,” Busbee stated, emphasizing how this ethos is integrated into every aspect of the company’s operations, from its values to its people pact. This mission-centric approach ensures that L&D programs not only support professional growth but also align with the company’s broader objectives and culture.
Embracing Change and Disruption
Reflecting on the disruptions of recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Busbee shared insights into ServiceNow’s adaptive strategies. “We’ve all had some seriously shared experiences of disruption…whether it was COVID…or trying to go back into the office,” she remarked, underscoring the importance of resilience and flexibility in these challenging times.
Leveraging Growthspace for Skill Development
The partnership with Growthspace was highlighted as a key component of ServiceNow’s L&D strategy. Busbee praised Growthspace for its focus on personalized, skill-based development. “When we first started looking at a new vendor, I was really looking for coaching…but I wasn’t looking for traditional leadership coaching,” she noted, emphasizing the need for a broader perspective on coaching in the sense of sports coaching that focuses on personalized skill building.
Preparing for the Future
Looking ahead, Busbee spoke about the imperative of integrating AI into skill development. “We know AI is going to impact certain parts of our population greatly,” she said. Noting that we need to “get past the awareness of AI and start practically using it.” This forward-looking approach is about harnessing new technologies to enhance learning outcomes and prepare employees for future challenges.
The Power of Individual Sprints
Busbee shared that she recently had undertaken her own growth sprint focused on organizational change. Reflecting on her own experiences with Growthspace, Busbee shared, “It’s been just really powerful…by the end of the second session I had confidence that I was going to move the needle on my skill set in five sessions.” She expressed her satisfaction with the process, indicating that even within a short span, her expert had a significant impact on her skill development.
Final Thoughts
The insights shared by Wickware and Busbee offer a compelling glimpse into the future of L&D—a future that is personalized, aligned with company culture, and responsive to the rapid changes shaping the world of work. As organizations like ServiceNow lead by example, the path forward for L&D is clear: embrace personalization, leverage technology, and remain steadfastly focused on the growth and development of every employee. Through a focus on personalization, culture, and technology, organizations like ServiceNow are paving the way for a new era of talent development that is responsive, individualized, and strategically aligned with business goals.
For a deeper dive into the conversation, watch the full video here:
