HealthPlanOne

Shannon Kelleher has experience in organizational transformation, talent strategy, learning and leadership development. Throughout her career, she has supported leadership capability through executive coaching, change management, succession planning and talent development initiatives.

Balancing Technology and Culture

Two areas stand out in leadership development today. Understanding how we can better utilize AI to support our work is the first. For my team, that means looking beyond basic tools and exploring how AI can help us create content more efficiently.

The second area is culture. I took over my team about a year ago. As a learning and development leader, I am frequently asked to work with other leaders on creating a culture that embraces differences, drives performance and helps people manage change effectively.

Leadership development requires attention to both technology and the people side of the business.

Using Learning Data to Guide Decisions

We use a learning operations platform called Cognota. It allows us to manage development work, track facilitation efforts, collect learner feedback and receive training requests. The information helps us understand resource utilization, how content is being received and what types of training employees are requesting.

The platform also helps us identify themes in training requests. If employees consistently ask for something we do not offer, it provides insight into what we may need to develop. If demand for existing programs is low, it may signal the need to reevaluate those offerings.

As a leader, that information allows me to have more informed conversations with senior leadership when discussing new tools, content development needs or budget requests.

Balancing AI and Human Interaction

AI has become an important part of content development. We use tools that can quickly generate learning materials and help us move faster through the development process. At the same time, human review is essential to ensure the content makes sense and is applicable to the business and the learners it is designed to support.

The human element remains important in facilitation. While AI can help create content, facilitators can observe learner reactions, identify confusion and adjust conversations when needed. AI can help with speed to execution, but human involvement is necessary.

Technology has also become important for supporting distributed teams. My team is located across the country, and technology allows us to connect and collaborate regardless of location. At the same time, there is still value in personal interaction and understanding what employees experience in their dayto-day work. The challenge is using technology as a way to bring people together rather than allowing it to create distance.

Data-Driven Leadership Development

Data analytics can help organizations better understand the skills and capabilities of their leaders. When we have that information, we can adjust development programs based on the needs of the people participating.

Data also helps identify opportunities for coaching, mentoring and upskilling. In some cases, the data may show that we need to pivot from a particular learning initiative altogether and go in a different direction.

Earlier in my career, I did not rely heavily on data. Today, I depend on it for almost everything because it helps me tell a story and revamp strategy.

The Future of Leadership Development

Leadership development is moving toward more customized learning experiences. As learning professionals, we will need to be more consultative with leaders rather than relying on a blanket approach to development.

Technology can help support that shift through customized learning paths, scenario-based learning and AI tools that allow leaders to practice coaching conversations and other difficult conversations. As budgets become tighter and expectations become more customized, learning leaders will need tools that can support multiple needs across learning operations, content development and facilitation.