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ELE is a peer-powered community where people leaders don't just reframe challenges — they leave with decisions, next moves, and 30/60/90-day commitments to move real work forward.&nbsp;For 22 years, leaders from Fortune 1000 companies have brought their hardest problems here — and left sharper than they arrived.

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This is where people leaders get sharper — and their teams get smarter.ELE is a peer-powered network of people leaders who accelerate business results through shared intelligence and real-work collaboration. Learn more below about why ELE has been the trusted choice for leaders building high-performing teams for over 20 years.

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Bring a real talent challenge. Name what's at stake, what you've tried, and why it matters now.

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Find the peer conversation that moves your work forward.The right exchange builds better leaders, closes capability gaps, and cuts through what internal meetings can't.

Figure out if ELE is for you. Straight answers on what ELE is, who it’s built for, and how contributing members actually work together. Still have a question? Contact us.

Get answers about how Executive Learning Exchange (ELE) works — peer-powered leadership development that fixes real work issues, reverses burnout, and accelerates business value. No programs. No vendors. In the flow of work.

Where people leaders share what's working, ask what's hard, and learn from peers navigating the same talent challenges right now. Search before you post. When referencing a resource, paste the key insight directly into your response with a link to the source.

Real conversations from people leaders tackling today's toughest talent challenges -- captured live, ready to apply with your teams when it fits your schedule, and connected to what's happening right now.

Insights on Talent Challenges | Captured Peer Conversations | ELE

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Want ELE to come to you? Propose a local gathering — the community decides what gets scheduled.

Komatsu

Session Focus: Embracing Gender Diversity: Fostering a Culture of Inclusion and Well-being

In a powerful and deeply personal session, Iris shared her journey of transitioning as a transgender woman at Komatsu amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her story powerfully illustrated the transformative impact that cultivating a culture of inclusion and psychological safety can have on individuals and organizations.

Psychological safety is something that we can all talk about and that opens the door to us being able to learn, develop our skills, and contribute in a meaningful way.

Through her experiences, Iris drove home three critical takeaways:
1. Creating a psychologically safe environment where employees can bring their full authentic selves is critical for allowing them to contribute all their skills and reach their full potential.
2. Leading diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts requires taking a strategic, business-aligned approach while also being prepared to navigate complex situations impacting marginalized groups with empathy and creativity.
3. Increasing awareness through training, developing inclusive policies and benefits, and finding creative solutions are important for holistically supporting and leveraging diverse talent.
Iris's vulnerability in sharing her personal transition story, coupled with her strategic mindset as a talent leader, provided a powerful case study. Her approach highlighted how fostering an inclusive culture goes hand-in-hand with skills-based talent development and enables organizations to tap into the fullest capabilities of their workforce.

This session was a testament to the pivotal role psychological safety plays in creating a true culture of belonging - one where all employees feel empowered to show up authentically, develop their skills, and positively impact the business.

Creating a Space to Belong at Komatsu

engagement &amp; culture

Engagement &amp; Culture

richard.busby

performance improvement

effective leadership

learning &amp; development

dave.hamblin

leading remote workers

trust

hybrid environment

hybrid workforce

april.hershman

DEIB

daryl.fleary

winnie.davis-key

inclusive leadership

iris.farley

system thinking

kelly.wojda

raushaun.muhammad

Oshkosh Corporation

BetterUp

Session Focus: NextGen Leadership Development with ERGs: Applying Systems Thinking to Talent Management for a Skills-First Approach

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, developing a robust pipeline of next-generation leaders is crucial for organizational success. However, traditional leadership development approaches often fail to address the unique challenges and perspectives of underrepresented talent pools. This is where Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) can play a pivotal role, providing a powerful platform for cultivating essential leadership skills while fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce.

During the insightful session "ERGs for Developing NextGen Leaders," thought leaders from various organizations explored how ERGs can be leveraged as a potent learning and development vehicle. As Darcy aptly stated, "ERGs are a learning and development vehicle when we think about that 70-20-10 model and really starting to utilize them more intentionally to build that capability."

Three key takeaways emerged from this engaging discussion:
1. ERGs provide valuable leadership development opportunities, especially for young, emerging leaders to build skills like strategic thinking, confidence, influencing, and managing teams.
2. Organizations should be intentional about integrating ERG leadership roles into their overall leadership development strategies and pipelines as a learning ground.
3. Beyond just professional development, ERGs also create connections to underrepresented talent communities for recruiting, enable cultural education, and foster more inclusive environments.
By embracing a systems thinking approach, organizations can harness the power of ERGs to cultivate a skills-first talent management strategy. This holistic approach not only nurtures the next generation of leaders but also promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion – essential ingredients for driving innovation and long-term business success.

As the workforce landscape continues to evolve, organizations that prioritize the development of their future leaders through ERGs and other innovative initiatives will be well-positioned to thrive in an increasingly competitive and dynamic global marketplace.

ERGs for Developing NextGen Leaders

Leadership

azizeh.constantinescu

edward.desrosiers

jesse.james

tom.griffin

ana.bedard

darcy.pierson

ann.brownell

auroon.thapa

bryan.burkhalter

sarah.lewis

jennifer.rainey

nancy.cambronperez

Executive Learning Exchange (ELE)

Session Focus: Embracing Gender Diversity: Fostering a Culture of Inclusion and Well-being

In this inspiring and insightful fireside chat presentation, Iris Farley, Vice President of Talent at Komatsu and a trans woman, will share her unique perspective on fostering a culture of inclusion and well-being for LGBTQ+ employees, particularly trans individuals. Drawing from her journey of transitioning on the job and her experience as an HR and DEI professional, Iris will discuss the importance of embracing gender diversity and creating a supportive environment where ALL employees can bring their whole selves to work.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-39133" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DEIB-2023-Supporting-employees-in-difficult-times.jpg" alt="Iris Farley's 2023 Reflections (Komatsu North America) " width="475" height="264" />

Attendees can expect to learn practical examples and lessons from Komatsu's ongoing efforts to support DEI generally and LGBTQ+ employees specifically. Iris will also address the current legislative climate surrounding trans issues and the role of companies in promoting workplace well-being through diversity, equity, and inclusion.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-39134" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DEIB-2023-Komatsu-Building-a-more-diverse-and-inclusive-place-to-work.jpg" alt="Iris Farley's 2023 Reflections (Komatsu North America) " width="467" height="259" />

Join us for this empowering session as we explore the benefits of embracing gender diversity, fostering an inclusive culture, and promoting workplace well-being to unlock the potential of known and unknown skills within our organizations.

&nbsp;

ELE produces this Learning Circle: Reskilling Talent Development.

ELE's <a title="ELE's Idea Exchange" href="/idea-exchange/">Idea Exchange</a>: Collaborate online with your peers.

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complimentary event

Session Focus: NextGen Leadership Development with ERGs: Applying Systems Thinking to Talent Management for a Skills-First Approach

As diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) play a pivotal role in shaping modern organizations, HR and DEI leaders must explore innovative approaches to cultivating the next generation of leaders. This roundtable discussion will delve into the powerful synergy between applying systems thinking to talent management and leveraging Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster NextGen leadership development within a skills-first framework.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-38614" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Applying-System-Thinking-HR-Talent-Practices-Tim-Treger.jpg" alt="Applying System Thinking - HR Talent Practices" width="749" height="464" />

Key topics for discussion include:
<ol>
 	<li>Understanding systems thinking: Embracing a holistic approach to talent management that considers the interdependence of various factors and addresses the root causes of workforce challenges.</li>
 	<li>The role of ERGs in leadership development: Utilizing ERGs as platforms for nurturing diverse talent, fostering inclusive leadership skills, and driving innovation through collaboration.</li>
 	<li>Aligning ERGs with organizational goals: Ensuring ERGs contribute to the organization's broader objectives while promoting a skills-first approach to talent development.</li>
 	<li>Creating a supportive and inclusive environment: Fostering a culture of learning and growth that empowers ERG members to develop essential skills, embrace new challenges, and drive positive change within the organization.</li>
 	<li>Measuring the impact of ERGs on talent management: Establishing clear metrics and KPIs to assess the effectiveness of ERG-driven leadership development initiatives and inform future strategies.</li>
</ol>
By participating in this roundtable, attendees will gain valuable insights into the potential of combining systems thinking and ERGs to drive transformative leadership development initiatives within a skills-first framework. Join us to explore strategies for maximizing the impact of ERGs on talent management, fostering an inclusive and diverse leadership pipeline, and driving organizational success in an ever-changing world.

&nbsp;

ELE produces this Learning Circle: Retooling Talent Development for the New Normal.

ELE's <a title="ELE's Idea Exchange" href="https://www.learningexecutive.com/idea-exchange/">Idea Exchange</a>: Collaborate online with your peers.

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