Monday, 30 September 2013 20:32

How Do I Learn to be a CLO?



Keep in mind that you are not just an employee within the company in which you are trying to get the role of CLO. You are an internal change champion, bringing together various interests, strategies, and needs. The plan in which you co-create and execute will decide for itself whether or not you get and/or keep your CLO position.

1. Hold Powerful Talent Conversations. The number one thing you must do straight away is have a talent solutions conversation with your CEO and top team. BPI Senior Executive Board members are CLOs and Chief Talent Officers who co-create talent strategies with their organizations. The first step to becoming a Senior Executive Board member is to clearly state the talent/learning plan that you have put into place with your top team and CEO. It is essential that the CLO co-create with their CEO, top team, and various key stakeholders within the organization. If you have any C-level position other than CEO, you will need to be a trusted advisor, colleague, and servant leader to your CEO first and foremost. The most successful CLO’s I know have provided sound, results-driven learning plans to their CEO that align strongly to her/his strategic vision and goals.

2.  Co-create and Connect to the Business Strategy.  For instance if the company is entering into new emerging markets and requires international exposure, don’t propose a plan to send your leaders to an Executive MBA program and expect great results. Instead, co-create a plan with executives and design team volunteers with the validation of your peers who are other CLOs and Heads of Talent. Co-create actionable and experiential learning that can be measured and translated into metrics driven work to achieve entry into these new markets. Utilize advanced methods of Organization Development like open space, future search, whole system transformation, and Human Interaction Laboratory methods to make this change happen.

3. Ensure Metrics. Back up your co-created programs with key measurement tools that enable employees to show positive measurable change over time durectly related to your specific efforts.  Tools like this are forward thinking and encourage collaboration and discussion among employees. And, most importantly they will help your programs keep running because they will show real change metrics over time.  

4. Validate.  Your peers and other CEOs will validate your work for you so you can bring it back home and prove you have weight behind your plans. BPI provides peer validation through its Senior Executive Board clinics where other CLO’s, CEOs and Heads of Talent meet, share advice, and validate their strategies and plans for execution. 
Louis Carter is CEO of Best Practice Institute