Learning and Development tips from Disney — Adam Hickman // Partners Federal Credit Union

Show Notes

• 01:25
  Adams role as Vice President of Organizational Development at a Disney Company

  Adam manages organizational and cast member development. Organizational development aligns teams and functions with the company's goals, while cast member development nurtures individual growth and learning within teams to advance both the organization and its people.
• 02:32
  The impact of organizational and learning development on the end user

  The holistic user journey is prioritized, encompassing pre- and post-engagement experiences, rather than relying solely on training. Individual factors like strengths, communication styles, and clarity of expectations are considered as training is just one aspect of the solution.
• 05:37
  Examples of alternative solutions to employee training

  Instead of training for meaningful employee conversations, the focus shifted to understanding their motivations and communication styles. The solution was to understand their innate talents and adapt to the employees needs for more effective and meaningful interactions.
• 07:49
  How to create a data driven training program

  Begin with a comprehensive assessment of the current situation and the desired outcomes. By establishing objectives backed by objective data, recommendations become evidence-based, reducing the need for subjective approaches and increasing the likelihood of successful behavior change.
• 09:02
  How to handle smaller subjective datasets in the learning and development space

  It's crucial to gather consensus through focus groups and qualitative analysis to identify common themes. Additionally, leveraging past successes and failures as indicators of cultural fit and workplace relevance can provide valuable insights for decision-making.
• 12:49
  Fostering a culture of mentorship without being prescriptive

  To foster a mentorship culture, identify individuals' career goals, strengths, and needs, then match them with mentors possessing relevant competencies and skills. Avoid mechanized approaches and prioritize human connections to build effective one-on-one mentorships.
• 14:39
  Prioritizing employee engagement and development

  Supporting and connecting employees through coaching and development is essential, and there's no fixed time formula for it. True people leaders prioritize engagement and development daily, regardless of organization size, making it a conscious, ongoing effort.
• 16:32
  Getting leadership to prioritize mentorship and employee engagement

  Organizations must treat employees as their greatest asset and emphasize employee engagement as a competitive advantage, aligning it with your workplace culture and values. Recognize the power of emotions in employee experiences and how they impact consumer outcomes.
• 20:16
  How to strategically onboard employees to build engagement from day one

  Strategically build engagement before an employee's first day by creating anticipation and excitement during the hiring process. Use methods like unselling and reselling the role to establish a strong connection between the manager and the new employee, ensuring a positive start.
• 21:38
  Unselling and reselling the role to build engagement pre onboarding

  Unselling entails presenting job challenges to potential hires, gauging reactions, and then reselling the role based on opportunities and alignment. Through regular touchpoints, managers can foster engagement with new hires before formal onboarding even begins.
• 23:44
  The importance of pre onboarding engagement with new hires

  Many companies don't prioritize pre-onboarding engagement with new hires, but the best managers do it instinctively. This approach shows concern for new employees and sets the right expectations, fostering a positive start and building trust through early one-on-one meetings.
• 26:13
  Adapting to a changing workplace

  Organizations must understand the changes, embrace new realities to maximize productivity, and be willing to let go of outdated practices. Implementing staged rollouts and focusing on outcomes rather than managing by observation are key to success in this shifting landscape.