Steve Dalton

Appreciating the perspectives informing Kaitlin LeMoine and Julian Alssid latest post about changing the learn/work paradigm so that we are: 1) putting learners first; 2) communicating pathways and options; 3) connecting across silos; and 4) (importantly) rowing the boat in the same direction via collaboration. “The future of work is uncertain, but one thing is clear: investing in talent is essential for building a thriving economy and there are so many leaders implementing innovative models to lead us into that future.” #HigherEducation #Workforce #ChangeLeadership

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The Top HR Trends for 2024: Essential Insights for HR Students and Professionals As we navigate through 2024, the HR landscape is rapidly evolving with trends that are reshaping the future of work. Jeanne Meister's recent Forbes article highlights these key trends, offering valuable insights for HR students and professionals. Here’s a breakdown of the top trends that matter most, complete with compelling data points: ➡️Generative AI Will Be Your New Work Buddy Generative AI is transforming how we work, introducing AI-powered assistants that enhance productivity and streamline tasks. For instance, Walmart's AI-powered app, My Assistant, helps 50,000 corporate employees by summarizing documents and creating content, significantly boosting efficiency. ➡️Generative AI Will Impact How Managers Lead With 200 million users of ChatGPT since its launch, managers are adapting to leading teams of both human and digital workers. Generative AI is expected to affect 25% of all occupations today, rising to 44% within three years. This creates a $16 billion market for reskilling workers displaced by AI. ➡️The Fear of Obsolescence Will Drive Companies to Increase Spending on Career Development & Mobility 75% of employees fear AI will make their jobs obsolete, prompting companies like PwC to invest $1 billion in AI training for 75,000 employees. KeyBank's AI-powered platform, Grow at Key, has seen a 60% increase in employee engagement in training programs. ➡️Hybrid Work Environments Are Good for Business 64% of workers would consider quitting if asked to return to the office full-time. Companies with flexible work environments have revenue growth four times faster than their more stringent counterparts, according to Boston Consulting Group and Scoop Technologies Inc. ➡️The Workforce Is a Blend of Full-time Employees, Part-Timers, Contingent Workers, and Digital Workers Statista reports a growth in part-timers from 20 million in 1990 to 26 million in 2022, with contingent workers forecasted to be half of the US workforce by 2027. Companies like Cisco and Novartis already employ a significant percentage of contingent workers, highlighting the need for effective management practices. ➡️Cognitive Skills Will Increase in Importance as Generative AI Gains Traction The World Economic Forum predicts that 44% of core skills will change in the next five years. Skills like creative and analytical thinking, technological literacy, resilience, flexibility, and lifelong learning will be crucial as AI continues to evolve. Call to Action: HR students embrace these trends to prepare for the future of work. HR professionals, leverage these insights to drive innovation and strategic change in your organizations. Educators, integrate these trends into your curriculum to prepare the next generation of HR leaders. "The best way to predict the future is to actively create it." - Peter Drucker #FutureOfWork #HRTrends2024 #GenerativeAI

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1 week from today! Join the new webinar hosted by @GrundmeyerLeadS, tailored for internal candidates. Discover strategies to compete with external candidates who have more experience. Don't miss the FREE Zoom session on September 18th at 4:00 PM CST for valuable insights to propel your success!

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The corporate world and the world of academia are more similar than you might expect. I've spent over 15 years working with companies from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations -- and nearly that same amount of time in higher ed, as both a faculty member and a leadership coach. There are some stark differences between these two worlds. But at the end of the day, higher ed institutions are businesses with the same goals as any other company: ➡ Serving your customers: Without your customers (students), you wouldn't have a business. Meeting their needs through the services you offer is always the top priority. ➡ Building a strong internal culture: Your employees (faculty & staff) are crucial to the success of your business or institution. Fostering a positive work culture will result in greater productivity, innovation, and success. ➡ Creating brand loyalty: Long-term success hinges on keeping internal and external stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, alumni, etc.) engaged. Maintaining a positive reputation will help to secure the longevity of the organization. The biggest difference I've noticed between these two worlds? 👉🏾 Corporations typically have have BIG budgets set aside for leadership development. They understand that developing their leaders is the most effective way to reach these business goals. When leaders are positioned to bring the best out of their staff, all the metrics of success improve. But in higher ed, I hear from leaders every day who feel like they were thrown into their role and expected to learn how to build the road with little to no direction. Leadership development isn't prioritized in academia in the same way that it is in corporations -- but the same principles and best practices used in Fortune 500 companies apply to every organization. This knowledge gap is the reason why I'm so passionate about bringing the tenets of leadership and team development back to higher ed. I’m able to support incredible subject matter experts in shifting to powerhouse leaders who will continue to add value to their field while improving student outcomes. If you're a senior leader in higher ed struggling to navigate your role -- or wanting to prioritize development opportunities for your team -- send me a message and let's chat 🌟 #EducationalLeadership #HigherEducationLeadership #HigherEd #LeadershipCoaching #WomenInLeadership

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On job searches and fit (or values matter). Never forget, that an academic job search is about more than securing an income. It is also about fit with your value system, such that you can be happy in your work life. #academiccareers

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Good Day Everyone - As we are preparing for the Holidays, many organizations are also preparing for internship season this spring, and summer. You may find the attached article useful to help support your Team's early talent pipeline initiative's. 🚀 Tech Talent is Everywhere—Here’s How to Attract It 🌟 In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, every company—whether in retail, healthcare, or manufacturing—needs technical expertise to thrive. From cybersecurity and data analysis to innovative digital marketing strategies, tech roles are now mission-critical across industries. But here’s the twist: with over 247,000 layoffs in the U.S. tech industry in 2023, an unprecedented opportunity has emerged for non-tech companies to tap into a surplus of top-tier tech talent. This article dives into actionable strategies for attracting early-career tech talent, uncovering the secrets behind what tech professionals value most in a role—from job stability to modern tech stacks and flexibility. Whether you're a small startup or a global enterprise, these 8 steps will help you redefine your hiring game and position your organization as a tech talent magnet. Get ready to transform your workforce! 💡 Check out the full article to learn how Starbucks and other companies are bridging the gap between brick-and-mortar success and digital innovation. 🔗

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Is there a business case for diversity? I came across this debate on my feed. There are so many popular articles that assume diversity leads to performance. The evidence for more diverse companies performing better, however, is mixed at best. But this isn't surprising. Much of what we know about diversity suggests that it has the potential to support higher levels of performance, innovation, etc. but also comes with significant pitfalls that hinder teams and organizations from attaining this potential.  My two cents is that much of this debate is asking the wrong question. The better question is "how can we as leaders create a business case for diversity?" It is time to move away from whether diversity helps organizations to putting the onus on leaders and what they can do to capitalize on the potential of diversity. Just being more diverse should not be expected to automatically translate to better outcomes. Whether diversity translates into better performance, more innovation, more growth is directly a function of what leaders and organizations do with it, the conditions they create to amplify the benefits of diversity while removing barriers. Those who are able to do this effectively are most likely to have a business case for diversity while many others may not.

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Are you thinking about rebooting your leadership approach in 2025? The traditional playbook for leadership is no longer sufficient in today’s complex and rapidly changing environment. To thrive, leaders need new tools, habits, and mindsets—ones that I explore in IngenioUs Leadership. I’m thrilled to join Steve Whitehead and other inspiring leaders in Denver for this transformative conference, where we’ll dive into proven strategies and practices that are helping leaders succeed, even in the most challenging times. Whether you want to elevate your leadership style, embrace innovation, or confidently navigate uncertainty, this is an opportunity to invest in yourself and your impact. Join us in Denver to lead with purpose and ingenuity in 2025 and beyond! #Leadership #HigherEd #Innovation #LeadershipDevelopment

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"Happy to share publication of a research paper" Scholars have long grappled with the intricate nature of organizations, proposing diverse theoretical perspectives. Some interpret organizations as functionally rational but technically constrained systems, while others regard them as socially constructed entities embodying individual actions and collective meanings. Organizational survival is often viewed through two contrasting lenses: the ability to adapt to complex environmental constraints or the capacity to shape environments through strategic, voluntaristic choices. These dualities present unresolved challenges for scholars of organizational theory. In practice, organizational theory is marked by a plethora of constructs aimed at understanding organizational forms. These constructs are frequently mapped along two critical dimensions: the firm-environment interaction (ranging from determinism to voluntarism) and the level of aggregation (spanning from individual firms to entire populations). While strategy theorists typically favor a unitary level of analysis focusing on firms, economic historians, sociologists, and organizational ecologists tend to adopt a more aggregate perspective, analyzing organizational populations. This raises a compelling question: Could the concept of a business ecosystem serve as an integrative construct to bridge these theoretical divides? By employing a business ecosystem lens, we can potentially reconcile these fragmented perspectives and offer a holistic framework for analyzing organizational forms. In our recent work, my esteemed co-authors and I propose an "Omni-perspective" to advance this integrative approach. By treating organizations as interconnected entities within a dynamic ecosystem, we aim to address the pluralism inherent in organizational theory and chart a path forward for future research. For those interested in delving deeper, I invite you to explore our paper: Singh, A. K., Chauhan, R., & Dhingra, T. (2024). Engaging firms and populations in ecosystem web: Deploying a multi-paradigmatic construct to resolve pluralism in organizational theory. International Studies of Management & Organization. https://lnkd.in/gu7s8BkP A heartfelt thanks to my co-authors for their unwavering dedication to this intellectually stimulating research stream. Together, we hope to set the stage for a new research agenda that bridges past insights with future possibilities. Dr. Anil Singh Prof (Dr.) Rajneesh Chauhan

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This week's blog is a timely discussion for those wrapping up this academic year 🎓 and preparing for the next. Explore the "upstream thinking" concept and discover strategies to address issues before they become problems. Read this week's HP-Insights and revolutionize your approach to problem-solving as a system leader. The Preemptionist Mindset 👇🏼https://lnkd.in/gHVGPPxC #edleadership #edleader #highered #higheredleadership #teamdevelopment #cancelaverage #leadership #leadershipdevelopment

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"How much do people spend on their professional development in a given year, the figures can vary depending on various factors like industry, job role, level of education, and individual preferences. There isn’t a definitive number for all professionals collectively. However, some studies have highlighted trends related to professional development spending:..." Click the link below to read more! https://hubs.li/Q02zhl4r0

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Here is an interesting article for those who aspire to senior leadership in Learning & Development and those preparing students for senior leadership in Learning & Development. https://lnkd.in/eJUx6P-h

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Effective Board Governance and frameworks for decision-making drive growth. An indecisive board can negatively impact an organization.

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I spend a lot of time in my Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management leadership classes and in my leadership seminars to executives explaining the importance of providing feedback. While most people will nod in agreement, I believe many do not realize what providing feedback really means. I recently asked an executive if he provided his team with feedback, and he stated, “Absolutely! I sit down with each person once a year and complete the feedback form from Human Resources.” Completing a form from Human Resources once a year has nothing to do with providing feedback. I define feedback as “open, honest, continuous, and transparent.” If someone works for me, there is nothing we will discuss on that once-a-year form that we haven’t discussed multiple times. I believe that it is critically important that each person has a clear understanding of what they do well and what are the areas in which they should focus to be more successful in the future. I believe each manager has the responsibility to develop each person to their “full potential.” And if the job requires more than what the person is capable of achieving, the manager should either find a position in the company for the individual that is a better fit, or help them find a job in another company that is a better fit. If you are wondering how good you are at providing feedback, here is an easy test: If you are good at providing feedback, you will never surprise the recipient of the feedback. You will take the time to set clear expectations and clearly communicate them. If the person is surprised by the feedback, I question whether you set clear expectations. So why do I state that providing feedback is a “moral responsibility?” Very simply, doesn’t every person have the right to understand how they are performing and developing in the organization? If the person has several areas that need development, how can they develop if no one tells them what those areas are? We have all seen situations where somebody doesn’t receive feedback for several years and then is told that they will not be promoted because of certain performance shortfalls. But how can the person develop if they don’t know what the development areas are? Therefore, the more “open, honest, continuous, and transparent” the feedback is, the higher the probability of the person making progress and reaching their “full potential.” You can read the rest of my blog post at the link below. #feedback #feedforward #valuesbasedleadership https://wp.me/p4ONH1-2Uz

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I am not sure to whom the quote “If you’re not coaching it, you’re allowing it to happen” should be attributed. Many attribute it to Red Auerbach of the NBA’s Boston Celtics. I have heard those words come from other more contemporary but still legendary coaches like Nick Saban and the late Mike Leach. The quote is understandable for a sports team, but how does it apply to today’s business? Today's dynamic business landscape demands proactive leadership and exceptional teamwork. Just like a coach guides players, organizations must actively cultivate their staff to reach their full potential. This isn't optional; it's essential for thriving in a constantly evolving market. Click below to read this week's full blog post. Please leave a comment or give us a thumbs up if you like what you read. #Coaching #WorkforceDevelopment

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𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 ‘𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆’ 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒔—𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒕𝒔? Amazon CEO Andy Jassy believes 5-day in-office work will spark creativity. But here’s the problem: forcing employees back could prime them to solve a very different problem—whether this company is still right for them. Creativity thrives when people feel free and connected, not when they’re questioning their place. Our subconscious minds always work on problems in the background, and breakthroughs often surface in spontaneous, unplanned moments. But simply returning to the office won’t guarantee this magic. In Kazakhstan, I found that the most significant ideas emerged when I left space for unplanned encounters, intentionally allowing conversations to flow. Without a culture of trust and spontaneity, office attendance could lead to conformity, not innovation. The future of work should embrace hybrid models, using in-office time strategically to create serendipity-inducing environments. It’s disappointing that a company as innovative as Amazon is reverting to outdated practices instead of reimagining how we work.

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Our colleague Matt Gandal, Education Strategy Group names the elephant in the room in Forbes. https://lnkd.in/eWRfEkaG "First, if degrees and credentials are no longer the primary proxy for skills, employers need a clear and consistent way to understand and validate the competencies that job seekers possess." This is exactly why we created the Center for Skills by C-BEN. The world is ready to forge ahead into a skill-based future, but lacks the tools that can build trust in skills. The shift to skills-based hiring, with a growing emphasis on talent assessment, has yet to be fully realized. In order to forge ahead into a skill-based future, the world needs the tools and validation mechanisms that can build trust in skills and competency as the new foundation. The Center for Skills by C-BEN (CFS x C-BEN) is the catalyst of consensus for industry leaders at the intersection of education, workforce, and employer hiring systems. CFS x C-BEN is driving transformation in talent ecosystems – creating objective, reliable ways to assess and validate skills; implementing quality practices; and sparking innovation and action. Together, we can guide the field towards a skills-based future – one where our nation’s outdated approaches to learning and hiring don’t hold millions back from economic growth and mobility. To learn more and join us, visit: https://lnkd.in/g9EVyQW3

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The scaling fallacy is an important concept for #highered leaders looking to scale to understand. Sure, increasing organizational infrastructure may help team performance but doing so blindly can create system complexity, amplify system inefficiencies, & cost overheads. Before scaling, make sure to test the performance of the current system, optimize resource usage, balance workloads, & monitor performance for potential issues and improvement tracking. Great share from Helen Bevan! https://lnkd.in/eBs3PhRC

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This piece reminded me of the book What Works by Iris Bohnet, which promotes #designthinking for mitigating bias in #hiring decisions. Hiring is a time-consuming process and a high-stakes decision. It's important to understand what the literature tells us about best practices so we can design our interview processes to yield the best possible results.

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