Making a

Performance
Impact
Leveraging Self-Directed Learning

Copyright 2020 ATD | All Rights Reserved Connect. Collaborate. Share.

Contents
Preface.................................................................................................. 2
I. Introduction and Overview........................................................................... 3
II. Using Science to Advance Learning...................................................... 7
III. Charting a Journey for Self-Directed Learning................................ 9
IV. Orienting Your Self-Directed Learning Experience...................... 12
V. Wayfinding: Developing Your Roadmap.............................................. 14
VI. Journeying: Putting Your Plan Into Action.......................................17
VII. Summary, Takeaways, and Reflecting for Action........................23
Bios­—Author and Forum.................................................................. 26
Operational Definitions.................................................................... 27
References.......................................................................................... 28
About the Forum............................................................................... 29

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 1

Preface
During the last five years the world of work has transformed exponential-
ly, demanding that talent-building capabilities also evolve. Some of the
tangible evidence of changes in the learning space include an emphasis
on the learner experience, increased personalization of content, more
options for on-demand delivery methods, and encouragement for all
to be self-directed learners. And now, due to the pandemic and remote
work, many employees lean solely on digital platforms to communicate.
They rely on recommendations from colleagues or their own internet
searches to find learning opportunities to boost their performance and
efficiency while away from the office.

This e-book is the result of an ATD Forum hackathon that included

perspectives from thought leaders on how to build a personal learning
system and the resources, tools, and processes they use. One goal of
the publication is to integrate the ideas into a process for moving from
knowing about self-directed learning (SDL) to being a champion at en-
gaging in the learning journey effectively. The other goal is to provide an
opportunity for L&D professionals to experience SDL and from that per-
spective, get better at creating an environment where SDL thrives and
makes a visible impact on business objectives and employees’ well-being
and performance.

The thought leaders for this content include Paul Zak, Morgean Hirt,
David Langford, and Catherine Lombardozzi. The Forum is grateful for
their expertise and their many contributions on this project.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 2

I. Introduction and Overview: Building a
Future-Ready Personal Learning System
A constantly changing world that consistently challenges standard paradigms from which
organizations operate is affecting most businesses. Research from the BCG Henderson
Institute suggests that companies need to upskill or reskill approximately 60 percent of
their workforce during the next two to five years. PricewaterhouseCoopers’s Talent Trends
2020 report showed that 74 percent of CEOs were concerned about the availability of key
skills. These reports and the frequent changes happening in the workplace are clear indica-
tors that if employee performance is to remain the competitive edge, a steady cadence of
upskilling and reskilling is the new norm.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2020 report recently identified active
learning and learning strategies as two key skills employees need. Individuals and organiza-
tions alike struggle to identify what and how they need to approach learning, especially at
a pace that keeps their skills current.

Employees committed to improving or obtaining new skills are finding themselves reliant
on what they read, conversations they have, or training they find beyond organizational
boundaries. Upskilling and reskilling are often done in the margins of an employee’s day or
in the few-and-far between formal training sessions. Unfortunately, many employees cite
that work from home has left them “living at work” because there is little to no transition
from work to home life.

To be relevant, learning must be part of a strategic approach to keep employees’ perform-

ing at a level that meets the business objectives and improves the bottom-line results. This
happens with proactive support of time for learning and mechanisms to reinforce the effort.
It also requires identifying the skills needed to support organizational results, embedding
organizational (or environmental) structures to catalyze learning, and providing various skill
development options and learning solutions. This approach makes learning the internal en-
gine of organizational change and optimal performance now and in the future.

Employees who are champions at self-directed learning (SDL) are a boon to driving a learn-
ing culture. Self-directed learning was a term coined by Malcolm Knowles, a central figure in
andragogy (the study of adult education) and advocate for the use of learner constructed
contracts or plans to guide learning experiences. These learner-constructed contracts came

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 3

I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

to be known as self-directed learning or the process “in which individuals take the initiative,
with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning
goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing
appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating those learning outcomes.” L&D professionals
can capitalize on SDL to build performance capability faster and more efficiently. While this
definition is useful, developing your own definition can be helpful for most organizations.
One tool that is useful for this is the Frayer Model. An example of using this tool for clarity
around the operational definition of SDL is provided.

While the current approach for many organizations is to personalize learning using curation
and emerging technologies to provide more and more assets through a range of systems,
surveys are indicating that the resources are not being used to the extent expected. Are we
essentially “stocking the pond” without teaching employees how to “fish” or learn effec-
tively? How might we reshape our thinking and approach to learning to focus on helping
employees become more effective and efficient independent learners? Breakthroughs in
social sciences, neuroscience, and psychology are providing insights for reshaping learning.
We know that people learn best when the training is personalized and relevant (especially
to the needs of organization and the work employees are doing), is packaged in bite-size
formats, is incorporated into the daily routine, promotes reflection for assessment and
feedback, incorporates evaluation, and is extended over time. These techniques can, when
well-crafted and supported, cultivate a natural rhythm and routine for employees to think
about how they think and learn. They can enable habits at the individual, group, and organi-
zational level to support deliberate and daily learning. This habituation moves learning from
a sometimes endeavor to a natural part of the work—and life.

Habituation, however, is only one part of the solution. We need to be intentional about how
we think about and engage in the learning process. According to McKinsey research, for
intentional learning to occur, one needs to act with a beginner’s mindset, approaching new
and familiar topics with curiosity and breaking orthodoxies about what we are capable of
achieving. This growth mindset fosters a belief by individuals that they can continuously
learn and grow. Curiosity promotes a questioning practice and fosters being open to and
scanning for new ideas. While critical, curiosity and a growth mindset will only get us so
far. We also can teach ourselves and others how to engage in practices known to enable
impactful learning such as setting goals, seeking feedback, practicing, and reflecting. This
enables us to become more skilled as self-directed learners.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 4

I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

FRAYER MODEL FOR OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

Definition—What Is It? What Are Some Characteristics? The Frayer model is a

visual organizer used to
Self-directed learning (SDL) is learning in which In a structured SDL process the following
facilitate learning new
the learner determines the content, the pace are evident:
ideas, concepts, or terms.
and timing, and the outcome. While SDL might • A clear objective, vision, or destination
be informal and impromptu, when you have • High quality learning materials and assets It can have sections for
learning needs that are deep and complex, SDL • A variety of waypoint targets with dates and the definition, character-
involves having a planned process that can progress goals istics, facts, examples,
include formal and informal learning opportu- • Reflection and consolidation activities visuals, so on. The model
nities using a variety of media, experiences, • Dynamic interpersonal connections prompts groups to en-
practices, and strategies. gage in discussions and
Self-Directed conversations around a
Learning topic, drawing on pri-
(SDL) or knowledge to gain a
Why Is SDL Important For Learning Leaders? What Questions Do You Have About It?
deeper understanding.
The continuous need for upskilling and new skilling How do I determine when an SDL plan is needed The form then serves
to keep abreast of the needs of the organization in or if an internet search or quick response from a to enforce a common
the digital age. colleague is sufficient? understanding.

The role of science is revealing more about how How might I assess my current level in the areas
learning, retention, and recall occurs. of focus?

The need to be role models for the organization How do I know if I am really learning to the point
so that we do not fall into the Cobbler’s Children that I am retaining and can easily retrieve and
Syndrome. use the knowledge or skill?

RESOURCES
Download the Frayer model template and job aid:

• Frayer model template

• Frayer model job aid

FRAMEWORK: CREATED BY FRAYER, FREDERICK, AND KLAUSMEIER (1969).

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 5

I. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

Building a SDL plan to support learning at all levels, which includes both grab-and-go infor-
mation and deep learning needed for expertise, requires that individuals have various skills to
help shape an action plan and also initiate strategies to overcome the pitfalls of time and mo-
tivation. Unfortunately, L&D professionals are no better than those we are trying to support. REFLECTION
Typically, L&D professionals often let the urgent and “other” stuff prevail over continuously
taking time to upskill and reskill to build readiness for future challenges. Throughout the e-book you
will have a series of reflection
This e-book provides a framework along with some evidenced-based ideas, tools, techniques, questions. These serve several
and references for building your own SDL journey. As you learn by implementing the ideas, purposes: to prime your brain for
you also can gain a deeper understanding for ways to design services and solutions to learning, to identify how the con-
enable your employees to become SDL champions. Throughout the e-book you will find tent is relevant to you and your
suggestions from thought leaders representing different perspectives and disciplines. The role, and to help you intention-
goal of this e-book is not only to provide resources for talent leaders, but to become a cat- ally think about the SDL process
alyst for designing SDL learning structures for themselves and for employees, all leading to and how you can build the SDL
improved organizational impact. capacity in your organization.

• What is your personal

definition of SDL?

• What does your current

personal SDL framework
or process look like?

• How is SDL taught, encour-

aged, and supported in
your organization?

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 6

II. Using Science to
Advance Learning
Central to any self-directed learning plan is knowing how we learn
and how to make our learning process more effective and efficient.
For years, the medical profession has used “See it. Do it. Teach it.”

Lea
on
as the mantra for learning, which two decades of research confirms

tati

Experiences and Connections

rn
is critical to the learning process. What that model does not speak

er R
to are the processes and structures that underpin this mantra. While

sen
learning can occur through the See, Do, Teach model, the effec-

ead
Pre
tiveness can be bolstered by a number of factors—how the content
is structured and presented, what varied opportunities individuals

ines
and
have to engage, and the readiness of the learner to learn. We can
look at these factors as a three-legged stool. If any one of these

s
ture
three factors are missing, the learning experience is hampered.

c
Stru
Each of these three legs provide insights into how our brains learn
through scientific advancements in the areas of neuroscience, cog-
nitive psychology, behavioral psychology, and the learning scienc-
es. While we have a lot to learn about the complex workings of our
brains, it has become apparent that understanding metacognition
(how we think about how we think) and immersion (how the expe-
rience is being adsorbed internally) are critical.
STRUCTURE AND PRESENTATION
Metacognition enables us to plan, monitor, and assess understand- Creating a logical flow of the content and interactions
ing and performance. When we leverage metacognition, we em- to build and apply knowledge
brace strategies to make learning relevant, provide opportunities
for review and reflection, and create a rhythm and routine for how
EXPERIENCES AND CONNECTIONS
we learn (habituation). Metacognition keeps us from falling into
Making ties to previously learned information and
the trap of feeling that we know more than we do because we are
familiar with the topic rather than having a deep understanding of creating engaging experiences
the topic (known as the knowing fallacy). Metacognition also helps
us become more resilient in the learning process as we can use our LEARNER READINESS
knowledge about how we think to plan more effectively and adopt Ability of the learner to efficiently and effectively engage
strategies that help us better retain information and turn that infor- in metacognition and employ learning strategies
mation into knowledge.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 7

II. USING SCIENCE TO ADVANCE LEARNING

Immersion, a phenomenon researched by Paul Zak, is a measure of how effectively an ex-

perience is being absorbed by the brain and the predictability for information recall. Im-
mersion is an unconscious and emotional response to learning. The process measures if the
brain “cares about” or “values” the experience, meaning the attention to and the emotional REFLECTION
response to the topic. Put another way, immersion = attention + emotional resonance (how
much you care about the experience). Insights into immersion are the result of 20 years of Advances during the past 20
research into brain activity networks and what actions are triggered as a result. Paul Zak years have given us insights into
explains how immersion improves the learning process: how we can improve learning,
yet many organizations con-
“Those studies show that an experience provokes action when two networks activate in the tinue to hold on to outdated
brain. The first network causes people to pay attention to the experience. Pay is the oper- beliefs and mindsets. Ask these
ative word; attention is metabolically costly, and the brain is stingy with its resources, so questions to help yourself and
attention must be earned. The second brain network necessary to establish value generates others leverage science-based
emotional resonance with the experience and is associated with the release of oxytocin. The approaches:
latter network tags the experience as important and causes the brain to store the informa-
tion in a way that makes it easily accessible. Emotionally resonant experiences lead to both • How can your organization
a higher likelihood of immediate actions and easier recall weeks or months later.” become better at adopting
science-based approaches
Paul and his team have developed an app that connects with an individual’s smartwatch to learning?
to measure their neural responses during learning experiences. The neural data provides
insights to diagnose how and why a session was effective. Measuring and compiling brain • What mindsets or orthodox-
activity provides an objective method to improve content delivery and ensure every learner ies does your organization
understands and can use new information. As companies use this objective data, they can have that might be holding
improve the three-legged stool of learning and reinforce the See, Do, Teach model. you back?

• When thinking of learning

as a three-legged stool, how
would you assess each leg
at your organization?

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 8

III. Charting a Journey for
Self-Directed Learning
Catherine Lombardozzi is an expert on self-directed learning. She has developed a Charting
Your Course model with details and examples for each component. Lombardozzi’s model is
designed for topics that require deep learning versus items that are “search and learn” or
grab-and-go activities. Search and learn activities are often point-of-need activities, limited
in scope, and do not require us to think deeply or have extensive knowledge of the topic.
We need information, and these may be activities such as performing a specific software
task or finding tips on how to do something. Deep learning is needed when we must ad-
dress new challenges, confront current problems in new ways, or become more proficient
in an area. In terms of the Five Moments of Need, it is when we have to learn something for
the first time or we have to learn more deeply about a topic. These situations require deep-
er cognitive engagement.

One way to determine the difference between grab-and-go learning and deep learning that
needs a formal plan and structure is to use this Learning Spectrum, which combines an idea
from Lombardozzi and the metacognition idea (think Bloom’s Taxonomy) from David Lang-

KNOWLEDGE/ KNOW-HOW/
ACTION FEEDBACK

Focused on obtaining, Ability to comprehend

recalling, and acting and apply the
on information at a knowledge to analyze
basic level. information.
INFORMATION/ WISDOM/
INPUT INTEGRATION

Also known as “grab Also known as “deep

and go” or “search learning,” this level
and learn”; focused includes judgment,
on awareness and discernment,
point of need synthesis,
learning. The Learning creation, and
Spectrum evaluation.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 9

III. CHARTING A JOURNEY FOR SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING

ford’s Capacity Matrix (see page 21 for more). Think of the spectrum as a continuum. If you
only need information or quick input, a basic internet search or asking a colleague is suffi-
cient. However, as you move from information to knowledge then to know how and integra-
tion, deeper learning is required. One consideration is to ask yourself, “What will I do with RESOURCE
this information?” If you only need to basically fill in the blank, it is grab-and-go. However,
if you need to use the skills to develop strategy, analyze a situation, or teach others, deeper Download the Charting
knowledge is needed. Your Course infographic
from Learning 4 Learning
Once you have identified deep learning opportunities, using the Charting Your Course Professionals.
model (below) will help you understand what you need to learn, what resources you have
available to you, and what approach you will take to get there. By using the processes
involved, you will gain a strong understanding of the time and effort that will be required
to be successful in the learning process and uncover areas that you might not have been
aware of previously that are key to your endeavor.

CHARTING YOUR 1. ORIENTING: IDENTIFYING YOUR DESTINATION—This includes being clear about what you want to be able
COURSE MODEL to do and why it is important for you and your organization. Once that is established, you determine the knowl-
edge base and skills needed. For most talent leaders, the goal is increasing the capacity to effectively and effi-
ciently build organizational capability. Currently this might be focused on data analytics or ways to incorporate

2 emerging technologies. However, the added benefit for gaining this capability is future-proofing your career.

2. WAYFINDING: PLANNING THE ITINERARY—Wayfinding includes casting a wide net to become more aware
of the many options available, but it also bounds the process with timelines and structures for actions. In this
part of the journey, you research learning resources and formal activities, make connections with thought
leaders and others such as practitioners who are using the skill, investigate opportunities for practice and appli-
cation, and determine ways to solidify continual performance through habituation.

1 3
3. JOURNEYING: TAKING THE LEARNING JOURNEY—A plan is only as good as the execution. The steps are
not necessarily sequential nor may not go exactly as planned. Additionally, it is also beneficial to acknowledge
opportunities for interesting new connections and discoveries. Sometimes unplanned learning creates a huge aha
moment that can help connect many dots. However, you must keep the focus on the ultimate destination, stay on
schedule and within budget, and monitor progress along the way. Remember, the goal is to enhance the solutions
and services to building capability within an organization.

USED WITH PERMISSION FROM CATHERINE LOMBARDOZZI, L4LP.COM

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 10

III. CHARTING A JOURNEY FOR SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING

Research indicates that six key capabilities, what Lombardozzi collectively calls “wherewithal,”
can boost engagement and aid in better preparing for your SDL experience.

REFLECTION
Charting a journey for deeper
MOTIVATION TO LEARN: Your learning is all about the art of
curiosity and intrinsic desire to pursue the possible and thinking about
learning projects and persistence in what you want to learn and how
engaging in experiences and dis- you might get there.
cussions that support your learning
• How might you use the
Learning Spectrum to ascer-
RESOURCEFULNESS: Your LEARNING SKILLS: Your ability tain topics that are “search
ability to engage in network- to think about how you think and learn” or grab-and-go
ing, critical thinking, and tech- (metacognition) and engage in versus those that need a
nologies to drive forward your learning approaches and strate- more formal plan?
learning experiences. gies that foster better and more
efficient learning. • How is the learning infra-
structure in your organiza-
tion designed to support
these different types of
SELF-ASSESSMENT: Your
learning?
ability to discern your strengths,
assess your learning needs,
• How might you assess your
and identify opportunities that
wherewithal? Where are
you encounter.
your strengths and where
do you need to improve?

PLANNING SELF-EFFICACY: Your belief

SKILLS: Your in your ability to learn and
ability to sketch grow through adopting a
out and imple- growth mindset and owning
ment a strategy. your personal responsibility
in the learning effort.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 11

IV. Orienting Your Self-Directed
Learning Experience
To use the
Orientation is the first step on your SDL journey. Orienting is sometimes over- Capability Model:
whelming because we often don’t know what we need to learn. Using the Charting
Your Course model, we can make this process easier for ourselves and for employees. 1. Take the Capability Model
self-assessment.
Orienting consists of:
2. Review the gaps identified
where you need to im-
1 2 3 4 5 6 prove skills.
Experiencing Self-assessing Envisioning Defining Evaluating Comparing
a trigger that the current the future or revising outcomes progress 3. Read one or more of
reveals the state of state and learning and against the these publications:
learning need knowledge desired level performance ideal
and skill of proficiency goals
• TD at Work “Meeting
Tomorrow’s Skill De-
It is important to recognize that learning is a lifelong process and, as a result, you will go mands Today”
through these milestones multiple times as you adjust to the changing dynamics of work.
When you first experience a trigger or identify a learning need, you will engage in steps • Talent Development
one through four. After you’ve gone through the wayfinding and journey milestones for Executive Confidence
the learning need, you will engage in steps five and six to evaluate the outcomes you’ve Index report
achieved and compare your progress against the ideal level of proficiency.
• ATD Talent Management
A trigger indicating the need for deep learning often comes in the form of what David Handbook
Langford refers to as “probletunities”—or problems that present opportunities for us to
improve skills. Early in the pandemic, we all faced the challenge of moving our training pro- 4. Use the “Select My Learn-
grams to a virtual format. This required us to improve our skills in assessing virtual technol- ing Path” tool to begin
ogies, translating content, and designing in virtual formats, teaching individuals to teach in orienting your plan.
these environments, and teaching employees how to access and engage in virtual learning.
This probletunity required quick skill acquisition and combining of skills to achieve the
business outcomes. And while we might not have developed a formal plan, in retrospect,
we probably used many of the ideas from the framework.
Access the
As L&D professionals, you can orient your learning journey using the Talent Development Capability Model.
Capability Model™. The model is divided into three domains of practice: organizational, pro-
fessional, and personal. The Impacting Organizational Capability domain focuses on per-

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 12

IV. ORIENTING YOUR SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING EXPERIENCE

formance improvement and your future readiness. The Developing Professional Capability domain
emphasizes capabilities that build your career and your development as a leader. The Building
Personal Capability domain highlights how to establish lifelong learning habits. The model has 23
capabilities. These capabilities are further broken down into 188 knowledge, skill, and ability (KSA) REFLECTION
statements around what you need to know and do to excel regardless of your background. The
model is not just a baseline framework. It was built to help talent leaders at every functional and skill Orientation sets the priority and
level build capability that is both deeper and wider than their current level. Because of the model’s focus for the SDL experience. As
flexibility, you can adjust it to the changing needs of the workplace, especially the role as business such, it is critical to look at not
only what you need as an L&D
learning advisor working to affect the organization.
professional, but what the orga-
nization needs as well.
The model enables you to self-assess yourself against each of the domains, capabilities, and KSAs.
This will give you your top capabilities as well as alert you to the areas where you have gaps. The
• Based on your organization’s
results of your self-assessments are aggregated to inform ATD of areas where information and re-
strategic objectives, what
sources are most needed. To date, more than 6,100 individuals have completed the self-assessment.
new skills are required for
employees in general and
From the self-assessment results, you now can envision the future state and desired level of profi- for the talent professionals
ciency. This will be different depending on your organizational priorities, industry, and other factors. specifically?

A good way to assess your future readiness is to: • The Boston Consulting
Group article suggests five
prominent roles for learn-
Gain awareness of internal and external factors impacting your ing in the future: learning
1 function, organization, and industry (possibly using a SWOT analysis). architects, content cura-
tors, learning technologists,
digital designers, and data
Conduct environmental scanning and look for developing trends scientists. How could these
2 within your industry.
guide your orienting pro-
cess?

• Based on a personal as-

Assess how other professionals are leveraging tools for creativity
3 and innovation.
sessment using the Talent
Development Capability
Model, what is your current
talent professional up-
Monitor emerging technologies and how they are being used by skilling focus and why is it
4 other organizations or individuals. important for the future of
your organization?

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 13

V. Wayfinding: Developing Your
Self-Directed Learning Roadmap
Now that you have oriented yourself to your specific learning needs,
it is time to engage in wayfinding.

Wayfinding consists of:

Curating learning materials and resources including informal

1 and formal learning

2 Seeking out helpful people who can advise and serve as guides

3 Determining your overall strategy

4 Planning for the activities, pace, and timeline

5 Obtaining the needed resources to support the learning

6 Mitigating or maneuvering around barriers

The Talent Development Capability Model™ can help you in the wayfinding phase. Af-
ter taking the self-assessments, you can select your learning path to help you curate
the learning materials and guide you to an overall strategy. Your strategy could be to
move toward a particular ATD certification or a particular type of role.

For each of these tasks in Wayfinding, there are numerous options or subtasks. You
will need to explore, conduct research, assess ideas, and select what works best for
you. Because of the expansive nature of this process, one tool that might be useful is
David Langford’s version of the Lotus Diagram. The example shows how a breakdown
for wayfaring tasks might look.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 14

V. WAYFINDING: DEVELOPING YOUR SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING ROADMAP

LANGFORD LOTUS DIAGRAM

Manager Buddy Need Curiosity Formal Reading

Habits Motivation
The Langford Lotus Diagram
support coaching trigger courses & books Videos
Support First Current Curate
This version of the Lotus Diagram is
Mechanisms steps state assets Blogs from Langford’s book Tool Time. The
diagram can be used for quickly gener-
List Personal
subskills Orientating MOOCs experiences
Certifications ating and organizing ideas tailored to
your needs and the goals of your orga-
Access to Lack of Support First Curate nization. The diagram can help orga-
Time Personal Internal
resources personal
discipline
Mechanisms steps assets connections SMEs leaders nize concepts or parts into a broader
picture, which can then be prioritized
Wayfinding Identify Identify
Barriers Barriers for additional investigation and study.
Paths people people LinkedIn While often compared to mind map-
ping, it has a clearer organizational
Other skills Develop Develop
Internal structure to uncover areas where infor-
needed a plan strategy CoPs
groups mation may be missing.
al
i th Explore
rew Document Timelines Projects To use the Lotus Diagram:
W
he Curiosity Resilience
Goal Outcomes options
Other Develop Develop Assess 1. Put the capability or challenge
skills
Grit a plan Feedback strategy you are trying to address in the
needed progress
center square.
Practice
2. In each of the numbered circles,
place the knowledge or skill state-
ment related to that capability in
the form of a keyword.
RESOURCES
3. Using the numbers from the cen-
Download the Lotus Diagram template and job aid: tered square, transfer the top to the
corresponding square as shown.
• Lotus Diagram template
4. Drill down on that topic and insert
• Lotus Diagram job aid into the surrounding squares.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 15

V. WAYFINDING: DEVELOPING YOUR SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING ROADMAP

As L&D professionals, we can create an environment for ourselves, our teams, and our
organizations to engage more effectively in these learning opportunities. By engaging in
the SDL process, we can uncover barriers and opportunities to improve how individuals
find, engage, and collaborate in the learning experience themselves. REFLECTION

For skills not covered in the Talent Development Capability Model™ or for organizations Wayfinding is about ensuring
that are looking for resources to help their people build capabilities not currently cov- you have the resources to be
ered through defined learning plans, there are several tools available—including the Lotus successful as you engage in
Diagram—that can be used. the learning journey. Ask these
questions to help you in your
wayfinding:

• What learning resources

to support SDL do you
Read the article “The New Learning Plans Are Here!” have available at your
organization?

• From your internal

colleagues and external
network, who can assist
Read “Develop Your Team to Develop Their Team” in Leading the Learning you with the skills you
Function: Tools and Techniques for Organizational Change. are building?

• What successes have you

encountered in the past
when trying to learn some-
thing new? How might you
leverage them with future
learning?

• What barriers are making

it difficult to drive self-
directed learning in your
organization? How might
you and your team mitigate
or remove?

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 16

VI. Journeying: Putting Your Plan
Into Action
Journeying is the third milestone in the self-directed learning journey and is where
you implement your learning plan, engage with others, obtain feedback, and leverage
science-based strategies to make the learning stick. As you begin your learning journey, it is
important that you embrace intentional learning.

According to McKinsey, intentional

learning consists of five key skills: 3.
Seeking
actionable
feedback
5.
2. Practicing
Removing regular
distractions reflection

4.
1. Engaging in
Setting a deliberate
clear and practice and
concise goal interleaving

By engaging in the orienting and wayfinding milestones, you’ll have a clear and concise
performance goal that outlines where you are and what level of proficiency and outcomes
you want to achieve. You’ll also have identified how you can mitigate and maneuver around
barriers that you encounter to gain the skills and knowledge needed.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 17

VI. JOURNEYING: PUTTING YOUR PLAN INTO ACTION

The reality is that even the best-laid plans will encounter unexpected barriers and distrac-
tions. Removing these barriers and distractions is an ongoing battle for employees, lead-
ers, and L&D professionals. When surveyed, L&D professionals are no better than those we
try to assist. While we employ strategies to help employees understand the importance of Book
reading through prework and creating an action plan for how we will take what we learn
into the work we do, we often fail to drive forward our own learning journeys. How might we
Recommendations
overcome some of these stumbling blocks? Check out these books on how
to improve learning retention
Overcoming Common Distractions and Barriers and application:

Reading More Quickly and Effectively • Make It Stick: The Science

of Successful Learning by
There are always new books summarizing the latest insights that need to be applied right Peter C. Brown, Henry L.
now. If you are like most, these “must-reads” end up in the to-be-read pile collecting dust. If Roediger III and Mark A.
you do get a chance to read them but have forgotten what you read, there are a few tools McDaniel
and strategies to help:
• Powerful Teaching: Unleash
• Create a book club where your team reads a book together then discusses it. the Science of Learning by
Pooja K. Ararwal, PhD and
• Investigate tools and techniques for quickly scanning an article or book. Patrice M. Bain, Ed.S.

• Check for summaries of books and or articles. • Cracking the Learning

Code by J.W. Wilson
Picking Up Where You Left Off

Whether your plan calls for two hours a week or some other time increment, learning is a
journey over time. Just like taking a certification or university course, it is interspersed with
your day-to-day obligations. This can make it difficult to remember where you left off and
takes extra time to get immersed back into the experience. To help you pick up where you
left off and jump right in, try these techniques:

• At the end of every learning session, write down the key things you learned and
the key questions you have.

• Take notes for each part you read and review those prior to reading further.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 18

VI. JOURNEYING: PUTTING YOUR PLAN INTO ACTION

Overcoming Time Barriers

We are all pressed for time, yet we constantly see individuals who are busier than ourselves
make time to learn. Strategies for overcoming time and priority barriers include:

• Setting aside time on your calendar and treating the time like you would any other meeting.

• Identifying times when you are unlikely to be distracted. For many, this is early in the
morning or late at night.

• Seeking out an accountability partner and including frequent check-ins, especially with
targeted questions related to progress. Turning this into a walking meeting could be a
double success.

Taking Effective Notes

Notetaking can be a valuable tool in the learning process if done in a way that pushes you to
translate what you are learning into your own words (generative), identify insights, and note
gaps that you need to close in your thinking.

Tools that can help you include:

• OUTLINE METHOD: Succinct statements of the key points framed within an outline.

• CORNELL METHOD: Divides a page into four sections with one row at the top and bot-
tom of the page and two columns in the middle. The title is written in the top row, key-
words and questions in the left column, main notes in the right column, and a summary
at the bottom of the page.

• BOXING METHOD: Assigns a box to each point with the supporting information
within that box.

• AHA TO-DO METHOD: Focuses on linking ideas to clear actions and strategies.

• SKETCHNOTING: Adding visuals to the key ideas.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 19

VI. JOURNEYING: PUTTING YOUR PLAN INTO ACTION

Feedback
Learning without constructive feedback limits an individual’s ability to assess and improve
performance. Feedback that is constructive is focused, immediate, and aligned to the
overall performance goals. A tool that can be used by organizations, departments, project
teams, and individuals to help assess needs and provide feedback is the Capacity Matrix.
The matrix was developed by David Langford as a formative assessment tool for individuals
and groups to assess the skills and tasks needed for a role or project. In short, the Capacity
Matrix answers the question, “Where do I need to start my next learning experience?”

Using the tool, individuals and organizations can identify and assess the levels of skill proficien-
cy and knowledge, provide examples of skill application, and assess how they are progressing
on their SDL journey.

As a graphically organized framework, it can be used to display the breakdown of any capa-
bility into sub-knowledge, sub-skills, and sub-behaviors. One concept behind the framework
is to give the individual responsibility for evaluating their current knowledge state and de-
veloping future learning goals. In the matrix, the Aim/Outcome column details the overarch-
ing capability that is being worked on. The Capacity column identifies a more specific skill
or capability, and the Capacity Breakdown column identifies more detailed subskills needed
within the capacity. While this version uses two levels, it can be adapted for three tiers. The
example provided is based on the KSAs in ATD’s Talent Development Capability Model™.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 20

VI. JOURNEYING: PUTTING YOUR PLAN INTO ACTION

Langford’s Capacity Matrix

LANGFORD’S CAPACITY MATRIX

Metacognition
Evidence to Support Assessment Using
Aim/ Capacity Documentation, Demonstration, or Defense To use the matrix:

Information/

Knowledge/

Know-How/

Integration
Capacity

Feedback
Wisdom/
Action
Outcome Breakdown

Input
3D Portfolio • If you checked the Information/In-
put box, then think about whether
Intellectual curiosity
Scan environment for trends Use various websites and thought leaders to monitor L&D you could explain the concept
X X X trends. Write a quarterly blog post on the summary of either verbally or in writing. If you
findings and post on LinkedIn. See example here: abc.com
Continuous professional answered “yes,” then fill in the
development next column.
Effective use of inquiry
Future
Foster innovative practices
Readiness
Catalyze creativity • If you have Knowledge/Action,
Awareness of trends for See “scan environment for trends” above; seen as an expert in this means you can explain the
talent field my organization and called on to brief the governance board
X X X quarterly. See the attached evidence documented in my latest term or have used this knowledge
Impacting
Organizational
Performance Coaching Report from our senior director. to solve problems.
Use a systems perspective
Capability
Principles and applications
of analytics • Next consider if you also have
Identifying stakeholders’
needs, goals, and
Know-How/ Feedback. Have you
requirements applied this tool in a project?
Gathering and organizing Have you received feedback from
Data and
data form multiple sources
Analytics colleagues or mentors? Could you
Analyzing and interpreting
results of data analyses teach this tool?
Data visualization Visually present data weekly to stakeholders. See example
X X X
techniques here: xyz.com
Statistical theories and Have taken graduate-level statistics from state university; • Wisdom/Integration is for an ex-
X X
methods official records attached pert level of understanding. Could
you lead a group using this tool?
Do you have a nuanced under-
standing of when to use this tool,
RESOURCES and when this tool would not be
appropriate? Have you integrat-
Download the Capacity Matrix template and job aid:
ed this knowledge into multiple
applications? Checking this box
• Capacity Matrix template
means that you have applied this
concept in many ways and can
• Capacity Matrix job aid
demonstrate this knowledge.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 21

VI. JOURNEYING: PUTTING YOUR PLAN INTO ACTION

Deliberate Practice and Interleaving

In the journeying phase, it is critical to engage in deliberate practice to maximize our ability to learn
effectively. Deliberate practice involves a clear understanding of what your target level of per-
REFLECTION
formance is for the skill (as identified in the orienting phase) and giving focused attention on the
Journeying is where the bulk of
components of that skill through purposeful and systematic practice. In deliberate practice you are
your learning will occur. Take
moving away from congratulating yourself for showing up to learn and focusing instead on the im-
time to ask yourself the follow-
provements you need to make in how you are learning. Through deliberate practice you are break-
ing questions as you engage in
ing down the skill into its parts, identifying areas of weakness, developing approaches to overcome
the process:
those weaknesses, and reassembling the parts to assess overall performance.

• How might the Charting

Interleaving is another powerful tool to use. Interleaving is the process of mixing multiple relat-
the Journey model from
ed subjects or topics to improve learning. The key is that the topics that you are interleaving are
Lombardozzi help you
related because it provides your brain with additional connections to the information aiding the
become a more intentional
recall process. For example, instead of focusing only on the content of a speech you are giving,
learner?
you would instead mix this with focusing on body language, projection, and related components of
public speaking. Research also found that people skilled in interleaving were also more effective in
• Given your journey experi-
handling new situations versus individuals who focused on one topic only.
ence, how might you sup-
port the journey for your
Engaging in Reflection
team or employees?
Reflection is a powerful tool in the learning process that involves retrieval, mental rehearsal, con-
• What feedback have you
structive assessment of progress, and making connections in your own words. Rather than moving
received as you practice
through the steps of learning, you are taking time to ask yourself questions to understand how well
what you are learning?
you remembered what you learned previously, how it connects to your new experiences, and what
adjustments that you need to make to improve upon next time. Learning without reflection will
• What learning strategies
make the learning less sticky and easier to forget rather than knowledge that you can reflexively call
are working well for you?
upon when it is needed.
Which ones are not?

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 22

VII. Opportunities for Making
an Organizational Impact
While the emphasis in this e-book has been on using these ideas, tools, techniques, and
frameworks for building a personal learning system, the goal is that by becoming masters at
SDL, L&D professionals will have more skill and empathy for creating the environment that
promotes and sustains SDL in all employees. Think about the power of having all employees
being champions at intentional learning to create a competitive edge for the organization.
Think about the positive energy and innovation that this would generate.

With personal experience charting the course and going through orienting, wayfinding, and
the journey itself, you are in the perfect position to implement a SDL process in your organi-
zation. Some opportunities to make an impact include:

SERVING AS A ROLE MODEL OF THE L&D LEADER WHO IS A CONTINUAL

LEARNER. L&D professionals often epitomize the cobbler whose children have
no shoes. We are highly focused on how we can drive learning for our orga-
nizations but not as intentional in promoting and showcasing our own learn-
ing. Doing so will help build new skills so that we can be future ready but also
shows that we live what we teach.

PERSONALLY EMBRACING SDL UNCOVERS FRICTION POINTS IN LEARNING.

When you engage in your own SDL experience, you begin to identify areas
where the learning process is hampered by unclear skill expectations, process-
es, or easy access to learning resources.

CAPITALIZING ON SDL THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION BUILDS

COMPETITIVE EDGE. Most L&D leaders are supporting employees with various
content, connections, and experiences to learn. We can multiply the impact of
this by teaching employees how to be champions at self-directed learning and
ensuring environmental support conditions are in place and doing this within the
same structure. This includes positioning “learning how to learn” practices with-
in current courses and supporting projecting teams with tools and techniques.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 23

VII. OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAKING AN ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT

CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE EMPLOYEES ARE INSPIRED

TO EMPOWER THEMSELVES TO CONSTANTLY IMPROVE THEIR LEARNING.
Insights gained from research can be framed as strategies to help employ-
ees to become more effective in their roles and to achieve their career goals.
These strategies including reflection practices such as after-action reviews or
team retrospectives that can become standard ways of operating all meetings,
project teams, and learning courses, thus building a continuous improvement
mentality throughout the organization.

PUBLICLY PROMOTING LEARNING AS THE IMPERATIVE FOR ENHANCED

PERFORMANCE. While we talk about this endlessly, we continue to have pro-
grams that do little more than share throughput numbers and level one evalua-
tion results. As one ATD Forum member shared, “Most senior executives do not
value the learning; they value the results in changed performance and business
results.” Failure to tie learning to business enhanced performance will keep
learning from being valued.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 24

VII. OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAKING AN ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT

Summary
There are many slogans about learning that resonate with talent professionals responsible
for building performance capability within an organization, such as lifelong learning, learning
REFLECTION
at the point of need or in the moment, and pull learning. As outlined in this e-book, SDL has
• How might you use the
many names, forms, and strategies.
ideas, tools, and techniques
in this e-book to become a
However, those that want to be champions at SDL have certain characteristics. First, they
champion at SDL?
think about how they think and learn, a la metacognition. They recognize different levels
of learning based on the need—for example, what they are going to do as a result of the
• How can you adapt them to
learning. They use various science-based techniques to set actionable goals and reflect on
leverage SDL within your
aha moments. Reading, asking for feedback, and purposeful reflection are part of their daily
organization?
routine.

• How can you use the tools

But champion self-directed learners also have periods of focused and intentional deep
provided in other ways?
learning to develop specific expertise. For example, current talent leaders realize the need
to be skilled in how advanced technologies and data analytics can be used to leverage
learning as we fast track into the digital age. They realize the need to be more strategic and
manage talent to build competitive advantage. This does not happen overnight but does
involve research, study, assessment, practice, reflection, feedback, and more.

This e-book provides you with tools, resources, and frameworks for crafting your SDL jour-
ney. Each of these tools helps you orient, wayfind, and embark on your SDL journey while
continuously monitoring your progress and course-correcting as necessary. Additionally the
tools represent different thought leaders and their perspective on SDL.

As SDL champions, talent leaders are uniquely positioned to teach employees to fish—using
the approaches covered in this e-book—and to identify when and where new ponds need to
be built and stocked as new skills emerge. With employees skilled at all aspects of SDL, it is
easier to drive a culture of learning that promotes creative problem solving and innovative
process management for the organizational system.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 25

Bios – Author and Forum
Author: Michelle M. Webb, MEd
Michelle Webb is an innovative talent development leader and trusted advisor to organizations and is known
for her deep expertise in uncovering insights, identifying strategic solutions, and driving organizational trans-
formation programs at organizations seeking to maximize the capabilities of their talent. Michelle serves as a
judge for the Brandon Hall Human Capital Management and Technology Awards and serves as a director in
L&D Cares, an organization focused on supporting L&D professionals in positioning themselves for success by
providing resources to help them reframe or reinvent their careers. She is a contributing author to Leading the
Learning Function: Tools and Techniques for Organizational Impact and an active member of the ATD Forum.

Contributor: MJ Hall, PhD, MBA, MEd

A strategist, performance coach, and business learning advisor, MJ Hall serves as the senior content
manager with the ATD Forum. She served as a co-editor for Leading the Learning Function: Tools and
Techniques for Organizational Impact. Her expertise includes designing, developing, and facilitating
innovative collaborative experiences for senior learning leaders. Prior to working at ATD, she served as
a Level IV professor, director of leadership development, and special assistant to the commandant at
Defense Acquisition University, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.

Contributor: Laleh Patel, MPsy

Laleh Patel is the senior manager for the ATD Forum, steering the engagement and direction of the senior
leader, talent development consortium. In this role she oversees and manages the overall business strategy
and the day-to-day operations of the community, and she engages with executives to develop research and
products to meet their most pressing talent development challenges to drive engagement and content
strategy for the ATD Forum. Laleh also served as a co-editor for Leading the Learning Function: Tools and
Techniques for Organizational Impact.

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 26

Operational Definitions
DELIBERATE PRACTICE: Deliberate practice is purposeful and systematic practice that knows where it is going and how to get
there. For more details check out PEAK: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise (2016) by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool.

HABITUATION: Habituation is the act of engaging in an experience consistently over time so that the feeling of effort decreases
and no longer feels like a distraction.

JOURNEYING: Journeying is part three of the SDL journey from Catherine Lombardozzi’ s model. It focuses on executing the plan,
monitoring the process, and staying on schedule and within budget while still being open to aha moments. https://l4lp.com/

METACOGNITION: Metacognition is the process of thinking about how we think. This awareness of how we think enables us to
plan, monitor, and assess one’s understanding of a thing or concept.

ORIENTING: Orienting is part one of the SDL journey from Catherine Lombardozzi’ s model. It focuses on identifying your des-
tination based on what you want to be able to do and why it is important for you. https://l4lp.com/

SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING: Self-directed learning is the process in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the
help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for
learning, choosing, and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating those learning outcomes. https://l4lp.com/

SELF-EFFICACY: Self-efficacy is based on the theoretical constructs of Albert Bandura and “. . . is an individual’s belief in their
capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainment. Self-efficacy reflects confidence in the
ability to exert control over one’s own motivation, behavior, and social environment. https://www.apa.org/pi/aids/resources/
education/self-efficacy

WAYFINDING: Wayfinding is part two of the SDL journey from Catherine Lombardozzi’ s model. It focuses on identifying the
learning resources and formal activities, making connections with thought leaders and others such as practitioners who are
using the skill, investigating opportunities for practice and application, and determining ways to solidify continual performance
through habituation. https://l4lp.com/

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 27

References
General
Christensen, L., J. Gittleson, M. Smith. 2020. “The Most Fundamental
Skill: Intentional Learning and the Career Advantage.” McKinsey
Quarterly, August 7. mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-
work/the-most-fundamental-skill-intentional-learning-and-the-
career-advantage.
Dyer, A., S. Dyrchs, A. Bailey, H.-P. Bürkner, J. Puckett. 2020. “Why It’s
Time to Bring Learning to the C-Suite.” BCG Blog, July 14. bcg.
com/en-us/publications/2020/why-it-is-time-to-bring-learning-
to-the-c-suite.
Hall, MJ. 2020. “Are You Teaching Others to Fish or Just Stocking the
Pond?” ATD Insights, September 24. td.org/insights/are-you-
teaching-others-to-fish-or-just-stocking-the-pond.
Lombardozzi, C. 2020. Self-Directed Learning: Essential Strategy for a
Rapidly Changing World. Learning Guild, June 10. learningguild.
com/insights/251/self-directed-learning-essential-strategy-for-
a-rapidly-changing-world.
Pan, S.C. 2015. “The Interleaving Effect: Mixing It Up Boosts Learning.”
Scientific American, August 4. scientificamerican.com/article/
the-interleaving-effect-mixing-it-up-boosts-learning.
Pavlou, C. 2020. “Employee Upskilling and Reskilling Training: Benefits,
Challenges, and a Pandemic.” Training Magazine, October 2.
trainingmag.com/employee-upskilling-and-reskilling-training-
benefits-challenges-and-pandemic.
Stubbings, C., and B. Sethi. 2020. Upskilling: Building Confidence in an
Uncertain World. PWC, Talent Trends 2020. pwc.com/gx/en/
ceo-agenda/ceosurvey/2020/trends/talent.html.
Immersion
Ellis, R.K. 2014. “Why Learning Loves a Good Story.” ATD Insights,
October 30. td.org/insights/why-learning-loves-a-good-story.
Gerard, B. n.d. “Immersion, learning and the Importance of Trust.”
Accenture Future Workforce Case Study. accenture.com/us-en/
case-studies/future-workforce/case-study-immersion-learning
Zak, P.J. 2020. “At Attention.” TD, September. td.org/magazines/td-
magazine/at-attention.
Talent Development Capability Model
ATD. n.d. “Talent Development Capability Model.” td.org/capability-
model/access.
Coné, J. 2020. “A Very Different Model.” TD, February. td.org/
magazines/td-magazine/a-very-different-model.
Hirt, M. 2020. “Competency Out, Capability In.” TD, February. td.org/
magazines/td-magazine/competency-out-capability-in.
Langford Capacity Model
Fraser, W. 2015. “Teacher Capacity Matrix and Digital
Learning Portfolio.” QLA, August 25. youtube.com/
watch?v=isgfViUkQdc&feature=emb_imp_woyt.
Langford, D.P. n.d. Tool Time for Business: Choosing and Implementing
Quality Improvement Tools. Molt, MT: Langford Learning.
Langford Learning. n.d. “Learn More About Langford Learning.”
LangfordLearning.com.
QLA. n.d. “Welcome to Quality Learning Australasia.” qla.com.au.
Self-Directed Learning
Lombardozzi, C. n.d. “Charting a Journey.” Learning 4 Learning
Professionals. l4lp.com/Charting-A-Journey.
Lombardozzi, C. n.d. “Charting Your Course.” Learning 4 Learning
Professionals. l4lp.com/charting-your-course.
Lombardozzi, C. n.d. “Your Self-Directed Learning Journey.”
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Lombardozzi, C. 2015. Learning Environments by Design. Alexandria,
VA: ATD Press.
MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 28
 About the Forum
ATD Forum is a consortium of more than 60 companies that provides a
confidential environment for the exploration and sharing of innovative tal-
ent development practices to generate business results for our members.
We co-create innovative learning and foster exclusive relationships that
affect organizational results while leading and giving back to the profes-
sion. The Forum partners with member organizations to host learning labs
to explore and collaborate on challenges and opportunities faced by the
industry. Learn more about the ATD Forum by visiting us at our website.

atd-forum.td.org

“The ATD Forum keeps it fresh. There’s always something new, always
something different, we are always learning and innovating. I always feel
like if I didn’t join, I would be missing out!”

— S
 andi Maxey, SVP Learning & Professional Development,
Sandy Spring Bank

MAKING A PERFORMANCE IMPACT 29