What is the Skill Alignment feature?
The Skill Alignment feature of our skills coaching platform that collects an initial learner self assessment of strengths and growth opportunities from the Lingo Leaders Skills Catalog, as well as an initial assessment from the 2-5 learner-selected Insight Providers, one of whom must be the learner’s manager, and who may also include peers and direct reports. It also collects feedback from the Insight Providers at the midpoint and near the end of the program as to whether they’ve seen progress in the skills they selected as growth opportunities for the learner and whether they’ve seen any business outcomes as a result of that progress.
Why do our customers want to see this kind of data?
Our customers want to know that what learners are working on in their sessions is benefitting their teams and their organization as a whole, as well as the learner’s own career goals. The Skill Alignment feature solves this problem by ensuring that learners are getting feedback from their managers and teams about where their growth would make the most impact, and whether or not their team members have seen progress in those areas over the course of the coaching experience.
How are coaches using it?
The goal of collecting Insight Provider feedback is for coaches and learners to be able to address it in the coaching journey. We think the feedback will be a valuable asset to them. Lingo Live Skills-Based Coaching is still a learner-led journey, so coaches will find the right balance between addressing Insight Provider feedback and serving their learner’s goals.
What story are we telling with the data we collect?
- The learner’s manager and other Insight Providers will provide feedback which will influence the learning journey, but it will still be learner-driven.
- Discovering misalignment isn’t necessarily a loss because it might provide valuable insights into management skill gaps and other skill gaps.
- This is a new feature, and we’re going to partner with our customers to understand what the data means.
What will we do when alignment is low?
We’re going to learn a lot by using this feature about why and how misalignment occurs. Once we do, we will refine our approach to supporting coaches, learners and customers in supporting closer alignment.
What’s the road map for iteration?
We are currently conducting research to find out how the Skill Alignment feature and our Customer Dashboard should evolve. We’ll likely have a clear roadmap in place by early next year.
What does this look like in practice?
During registration, the learner selects their top three personal strengths and top three personal growth opportunities from the Lingo Leaders Skills Catalog. They can leave examples, if they want.
Then they select 2-5 Insight Providers, one of whom must be their manager.
Their Insight Providers are sent an initial survey where they choose the learners top three strengths and top three growth opportunities from their perspective, with optional examples. The learner is notified that they can see this feedback on their Skill Progress page, and we encourage the them to meet with each Insight Provider one-on-one to discuss their feedback.
At the midpoint and near the end of the program, the Insight Providers fill out two more surveys where they record whether or not they’ve seen the learner make progress in the skills they personally selected as growth opportunities for them, as well as whether that progress has contributed to any business outcomes. The learner is again notified about that new feedback is available on their Skill Progress page and we encourage them to meet with their Insight Providers to discuss it.