The role of the Chief Learning Officer has been developing and reshaping itself to suit various different responsibilities and job roles, with variable degrees of association and involvement.
It has been credited as one of the most dynamic and sought-after positions in the modern business world and looks to become an indispensable part of the business within the next few years.
The position is often loosely defined as “business leader of corporate learning” in the past but today, the role encapsulates a lot more than its core expertise delivery function and looks to have a more impactful approach to workforce performance.
Larger companies like IBM, GE, and Walmart have CLOs with diverse scope, who are in charge of the development and execution of the enterprises learning infrastructure and programs.
Making their expertise and decisions indispensable to their organization and are leaders in their respective industries.
They demonstrate the various ways a CLO’s role changes as per their responsibilities and projects. Here are a few ways we might see the industry evolve over time-
Business Manager of Learning
Professionals who hold this title are the individuals who hold jurisdiction on the major investments in learning and how they are conducted.
Competency management, leadership development, and expert coaching are all responsibilities that come to the forefront of business decisions for the professional.
Being intimately involved in decision making is a must for the professional and distinguishes them greatly when dealing with a company’s most important asset- it’s talent and their potential.
The chief learning Officer responsibilities are not just in the execution of training programs but also the nature in which the employees must be invested in.
Chief Demographic Officer
These are people driven professionals who thrive on working with internal workforce dynamics and how to positively influence the same.
Their research and analytical capacities are put to the test as they attempt to influence both quantifiable and unquantifiable factors that are interlinked in the talent pool of the organization.
Their implementation of new trends and technologies set them apart in the industry.
Chief Performance Officer
Many individuals are considering changing the Chief Learning officer role to a CPO role or integrating the original role with more layered responsibilities so that they are able to deliver their responsibilities more effectively.
In this day and age, most learning modules and programs have diminishing returns on their efficiency with the availability of learning tools, platforms and software’s that are available outside the organization as well.
To excel, CIOs must be ready to bridge this gap and connect professionals with modules that make use of readily available learning tools to provide synergy in the learning process as well as streamline operation and accuracy.
Global Learning Leader
The biggest challenge in the learning process today is the global nature of large corporations. It is vital for corporations to employ individuals of a particular global standard after their businesses begin growing to their full potential.
They specialize in streamlining training operations, creating localized editions of training programs and ensuring their delivery and implementation.
These professionals are committed to the development of their organization to maintain world-class standards with their own enterprise and creativity to their positions.
