Mark Zides calls on companies to rethink talent construction during an age where the only thing that remains constant is change. As a veteran organizational growth and strategic development expert with a successful track record, Zides argues that the traditional models for training are insufficient to adequately develop the modern workplace. What is required, he believes, is a more holistic and fluid system that supports continuous learning, adaptability, and a growth mentality.
Zides emphasizes that talent building is an ongoing process that is part of the organization’s culture. It is not a case of learning some skills but empowering people to deal with challenges, learn from experience, and cope with the new challenges that are presented to the company. This is a shift in thinking from training being an isolated activity to training being an ongoing journey to growth and development.
Central to Zides’ thinking is the concept of “learning agility,” the ability to learn quickly and be flexible to new challenges and situations. He believes that building learning agility within staff is vital to deal with the complexity of the contemporary workplace, where change is the only constant factor and flexibility is the measure of success.
To cultivate learning agility, Zides recommends that organizations create a learning ecosystem that provides learning opportunities both formally and informally. This includes online training programs, workshops, mentoring programs, peer-to-peer learning, and on-the-job training that compels the staff to step out of their comfort zones to learn new skills.
Zides also focuses on the feedback and reflection process throughout the learning process. He asks the companies to create an atmosphere where feedback is given openly and positively and where the staff are compelled to reflect on the experience and find out where there is a need for improvement. The continuous feedback loop helps individuals to find out their strengths and weak areas, learn from the wrong decisions made, and keep improving continuously.
By moving away from the classical models of training and adopting a holistic and flexible talent development strategy, Zides helps organizations build a talent pool that is not only skilled but also resilient, flexible, and adept to thrive under uncertainty.