Developing, Documenting, and Distributing Learning 29Copyright © 2005, Idea Group Inc. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without writtenning to embrace the tool although they are just scratching the surface to use it to its full
functionality. Employees have been forced to become familiar with the system and to
register for learning events through this medium where previously they called through
to a learning team to manually register for events. Many, however, are not using the
personal learning history, assigning a mentor, or reporting functionality of the system.
The second e-mail sent at the two-week stage post programme (above) targeting the high-
performing, high-potential employees, enforces strategic organisational goals of em-
ploying more blended learning, promoting the learning management system, e-learning,
sustained learning, and the use of technology as a learning tool.
Transferring the Learning Across the Organisation
During the Event
Key learning from best-practice networks of learning professionals in the United
Kingdom led to the discovery of Unilever’s^3 Transfer of Learning tool known as APT^2
(Acquire, Practice, Transfer to Job and Transfer to Colleagues). This tool has been
consistently utilized at the end of each of the three days in the Managing Essentials
programme. Delegates identify and publicly document what learning they have acquired,
how they will practice that learning (in a safe environment where they can afford to make
mistakes), how they will transfer the learning to the job, and how they will transfer the
learning to colleagues. At the end of each day, this is recorded by each participant on
post-it notes and posted on flip charts, where it stays over the duration of the programme.
Delegates can add to it as required over the three days. After the event, the data are
recorded electronically by the programme management team for redistribution to del-
egates by e-mail, primarily providing an aid to sustain the learning but also to remind and
share with the group how everyone committed to transfer the learning. Feedback on this
process has been that it is a useful reminder of the programme content as everyone
records what key learning they have acquired each day, and a generator of ideas of how
to implement the learning. This record is also used as a tool to describe to senior leaders
what key learning the participants are taking away from the programme and what they
are committing to do back in the office on their return.
One of the richest sources of knowledge transfer and sustainability is storytelling.
The power of the true story, the real experience of someone in the room or someone the
participants know as a colleague has an impact few, if any, other mediums can match.
Participants in the programme, like many others in the financial services industry, are
rarely satisfied with theories. They need proof, not simply of how something has worked
but of how something has worked in their environment under the same pressures they
work under. The external providers Marsh work with to deliver the learning are insightful
in the way they share their stories and experiences to emphasise and reinforce learning
points. A key aspect of the KM strategy has become to collect, collate, and share
participant stories across the relevant geographies, where a colleague can be named for
their success at making a difference — not only for the what, but also the how — after
attending the programme. The KM strategy reflects this as participants are asked to
attend conference calls post programme and to share a story of their learning and
implementation back at the office.