The Shape of Work
The Shape of Work
#63: Clint Misquitta on creating a Learning and Development strategy as a secret sauce for employee retention
On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Clint Misquitta.
Besides leading learning and talent at Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance, Clint is an author, traveller, and L&D leader. He has vast experience ranging from working in pharmaceutical behemoth Glenmark to Edelweiss, an insurance company.
With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground. We discuss:
- The story behind his book, Ruthless Dictators
- Learning styles you should know before creating an L&D strategy
- Why developing your employees professionally is the key to retention
- Talent acquisition and recruitment trends in 2021
Ruthless dictators: inspiration and the central idea behind this book:
Clint tells us about the story behind writing his book. According to him, this book was an accident, not a choice. He tells us about the woman from Magna publications that he came across while working on a project. That is when they discussed his love for writing.
Clint further talks about the title of the book. He finalized “Ruthless Dictators” because of his love for history. He has a keen interest in learning about these dictators and their situation.
Segregating the framework of Learning and Development:
Clint starts on a very simple yet insightful note- the difference between being taught and learning.
Is tech a major factor in the success of L&D programs:
“Learning is the process, and the tech is the tool to aid the process.”
According to Clint, tech will not help if the process is not correct. People who have to prioritize other tasks over learning have to understand where the issue lies. The answer is simple- there is no clarity and alignment in the process.
The edge is to try and create a strong strategy to manage this process-
Clarity- The learner should know why the learning is necessary and how it relates to his aspirations.
Alignment- They should ensure that their manager is on board with his learning process. Most managers encourage this and facilitate the employee to upskill him.
It is the entire process of learning above which the tech providers stand. The organizations have to work with the managers to create a mature framework. Without this framework, tech tools cannot help. Moreover, it is necessary to understand that learning is a social endeavor. The process is more important than the tools used. Tech organizations need to understand this strategy and provide solutions to different companies accordingly. They need to collaborate with them effectively. Clint feels that the company should pay for maturing their learning process, not the content or platform.
BONUS: Willing to figure out ways to save your employee turnover cost? Read our latest blog post.
Follow Clint on LinkedIn
Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam