Human Synergistics

<p data-start="172" data-end="353">This live discussion provided a compelling, data-driven look at how talent leaders can use assessments and behavioral analytics can drive agile
mindsets and support enterprise transformation.</p>

<blockquote data-start="429" data-end="539">
<p data-start="431" data-end="539">“We weren’t just changing behaviors—we were holding people accountable to them. If you weren’t going to model the new culture, you might not stay.” -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/angie-zeigler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Angie Zeigler</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p data-start="529" data-end="682">That one quote captured the clarity—and courage—required to shift culture from aspiration to reality. But it was also reinforced by the bigger picture:</p>

<blockquote data-start="429" data-end="539">
<p data-start="431" data-end="539">“<em data-start="687" data-end="801">Engagement is just one of the many outcomes of culture—alongside productivity, quality, and intention to stay.</em>” -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/cathleen-cooke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cathleen Cooke</a>, Human Synergistics</p>
</blockquote>
<p data-start="824" data-end="1216">Her point is a critical reminder: engagement surveys alone don’t give you the full picture. To build a truly high-performing culture, talent leaders must look deeper—at the underlying norms, expectations, and systems shaping behavior. That’s where tools like the Organizational Cultural Inventory® (Human Synergistics’ OCI) come in, helping leaders measure and diagnose where to focus their efforts to make the biggest positive impact on your culture.</p>


<hr data-start="1218" data-end="1221" />
<p data-start="1223" data-end="1276">🔑 <strong data-start="1226" data-end="1274">Key Takeaways for Talent Development Leaders</strong></p>

<ol data-start="1277" data-end="1943">
 	<li data-start="1277" data-end="1384">
<p data-start="1280" data-end="1384"><strong data-start="1280" data-end="1306">Culture is measurable.</strong> Tools like Human Synergistics’ Organizational Cultural Inventory (OCI)
make the invisible visible, enabling targeted interventions.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="1385" data-end="1505">
<p data-start="1388" data-end="1505"><strong data-start="1388" data-end="1409">Start at the top.</strong> Culture won’t shift unless your senior leaders model and are held accountable for the change.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="1506" data-end="1650">
<p data-start="1509" data-end="1650"><strong data-start="1509" data-end="1565">Values ≠ behaviors (unless you operationalize them).</strong> Define behaviors clearly and embed them into hiring, development, and performance.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="1651" data-end="1784">
<p data-start="1654" data-end="1784"><strong data-start="1654" data-end="1683">Don't stop at engagement.</strong> Culture influences everything from turnover to profitability—so build your case with broader data.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="1785" data-end="1943">
<p data-start="1788" data-end="1943"><strong data-start="1788" data-end="1827">Sustained change needs many levers.</strong> One program won't fix culture. Think systemically: programs, processes, and accountability structures all matter.</p>
</li>
</ol>

<hr data-start="1945" data-end="1948" />
<p data-start="1950" data-end="1989">🎯 <strong data-start="1953" data-end="1987">Practical Actions You Can Take</strong></p>

<ul data-start="1990" data-end="2407">
 	<li data-start="1990" data-end="2077">
<p data-start="1992" data-end="2077">Conduct an OCI or similar assessment to compare your <em data-start="2045" data-end="2052">ideal</em> vs. <em data-start="2057" data-end="2066">current</em> culture.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="2078" data-end="2167">
<p data-start="2080" data-end="2167">Launch leadership development programs tied directly to the cultural gaps identified.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="2168" data-end="2253">
<p data-start="2170" data-end="2253">Review your performance management process—does it reward the behaviors you want?</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="2254" data-end="2330">
<p data-start="2256" data-end="2330">Audit hiring and onboarding practices to align with your target culture.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="2331" data-end="2407">
<p data-start="2333" data-end="2407">Track progress and share stories of change to build momentum and belief.</p>
</li>
</ul>
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</div>
</div>
</div>
<p data-start="2409" data-end="2808">📈 <em data-start="2412" data-end="2482">Companies with thriving cultures grew 682% in revenue over 11 years.</em><br data-start="2482" data-end="2485" />Not because of a one-time initiative—but because they <strong data-start="2539" data-end="2575">measured, aligned, and sustained</strong> their culture work.<br data-start="2595" data-end="2598" />For talent leaders, this is the opportunity—and the challenge: to become the architects of environments where people thrive and performance follows. Culture change isn’t a project. It’s a leadership discipline.</p>

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</div>
</div>
</div>

Culture Change by Design: Using Data to Build Change-Ready Teams

Engagement &amp; Culture

Leadership

dirk.tussing

angie.zeigler

Change Management

azizeh.constantinescu

leadership development

performance management

talent development

Culture Change

employee engagement

marty.murrillo

agile mindset

guillermo.gutierrez

data driven talent

organizational development

reskilling

organizational change

tamora.martin

peter.hogaboam

talent assessment

workforce planning

matt.sernaker

HR leadership

HR Strategy

rachel.kaberon

HR Analytics

owen.burns

nicole.defalco

3Q2025

laura.sandera

cindy.pinkstaffmiller

behavioral analytics

deepa.kartha

talent development strategy

cathleen.cooke

sheri.weaver

people-first leadership

organizational culture inventory

accountability in leadership

culture diagnostics

change-ready teams

constructive culture

business impact of culture

LAK Group

Culture isn’t a poster on the wall—it’s the unwritten rules shaping every decision, every hire, and every exit. In her keynote at the <em data-start="298" data-end="344">Milwaukee Talent Development Conference 2025</em>, “Culture Shift: Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments,” <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/shelley-smith">Shelley Smith</a> (Managing Director, LAK Group) challenged us to confront an uncomfortable truth: most culture efforts fail not from lack of effort—but from fuzzy alignment and wishful thinking.

<img class="aligncenter  wp-image-43036" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Afternoon-Keynote-Shelley-Smith.jpg" alt="Culture Shift - Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments" width="632" height="352" />

This interactive session explores how advanced, science-based assessments can provide clear insights into leadership agility, team dynamics, cultural alignment, and individual readiness, enabling leaders to proactively manage a dynamic workplace and workforce.

<img class="aligncenter  wp-image-43038" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Afternoon-Keynote-Culture-with-Shelley-Smith.jpg" alt="Culture Shift - Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments" width="634" height="351" />
<p data-start="1568" data-end="1649">If your culture work feels performative, here’s what Shelley says you’re missing:</p>
<p data-start="1651" data-end="1697"><strong data-start="1651" data-end="1697">🔥 5 High-Impact Moves from Shelley Smith:</strong></p>

<ul data-start="1699" data-end="2389">
 	<li data-start="1699" data-end="1848">
<p data-start="1701" data-end="1848">📊 <strong data-start="1704" data-end="1744">Get brutally honest with assessments</strong>: Skip the assumptions. Let the data surface the gap between leadership narratives and employee reality.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="1849" data-end="1983">
<p data-start="1851" data-end="1983">🚀 <strong data-start="1854" data-end="1896">Train leaders to see their blind spots</strong>: Culture shifts when leaders model the future—starting with their own micro-behaviors.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="1984" data-end="2106">
<p data-start="1986" data-end="2106">🔄 <strong data-start="1989" data-end="2030">Redefine ‘change’ as human transition</strong>: Change is logistics. Transition is mindset. One sticks, the other doesn’t.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="2107" data-end="2248">
<p data-start="2109" data-end="2248">🧠 <strong data-start="2112" data-end="2149">Use neuroscience to rewire habits</strong>: Repetition and coaching create new neural pathways. It’s not fluff—it’s how transformation works.</p>
</li>
 	<li data-start="2249" data-end="2389">
<p data-start="2251" data-end="2389">🧩 <strong data-start="2254" data-end="2297">Hardwire culture into your talent stack</strong>: Recruitment, onboarding, succession—they’re not separate from culture, they <em data-start="2375" data-end="2380">are</em> culture.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p data-start="2391" data-end="2478">Shelley didn’t talk about culture as a vibe—she talked about it as an operating system.</p>
<p data-start="2480" data-end="2627">💡Want to lead real transformation? Start with the truth, invest in the brain, and make leaders your culture’s architects—not just its mouthpieces.</p>

Culture Shift - Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments

talent management

shelley.smith

Talent Strategy

workplace transformation

organizational culture

Team Dynamics

Strategic HR

executive coaching

Culture Transformation

wise2025

culture shift

leadership agility

cultural alignment

individual readiness

dynamic workplace

workforce management

science-based assessments

proactive management

talent identification

neuroscience in HR

HR assessments

leadership behavior

culture alignment

transition management

<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap" style="text-align: left;"><strong>Session Focus: </strong>Leveraging assessments and behavioral analytics to drive agile mindsets and support enterprise transformation.</p>

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<div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]">
<div class="markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert light"><span style="font-size: 16px;">This video discussion will explore how to leverage cutting-edge assessments and behavioral analytics to cultivate agile mindsets within your teams. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Discover practical strategies for using data-driven insights to design and implement culture change initiatives that stick. </span></div>
<div class="markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert light"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Learn how to build a workforce that not only adapts to change but actively drives it, positioning your organization for sustained success in an evolving business landscape.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<video controls="controls" width="100%" height="auto">
<source src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Culture_by_Design__High-Performing_Organizations.mp4" type="video/mp4" />
Your browser does not support the video tag.
</video>

<hr />

</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap">This interactive video discussion will offer HR Talent leaders actionable insights from industry leaders on transforming rigid structures into adaptive networks that empower employees across all levels.</p>
ELE produces this Learning Circle: <strong>Reskilling Talent Development.</strong>

<strong>ELE's <a title="ELE's Idea Exchange" href="/idea-exchange/">Idea Exchange</a>:</strong> Collaborate online with your peers.

single-event

future of work

Your Teams

Learning Circles

team-building

Complimentary

Analytics

Future of Work

enterprise transformation

ELE Group, LLC

<strong>Session Focus: </strong>Dive into metrics and methods that connect skill development to tangible business outcomes.
<div>In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations are increasingly recognizing the critical role of skill development in driving success. However, the challenge lies not just in implementing learning initiatives, but in effectively measuring their impact on business outcomes. Our recent session dove deep into the metrics and methods that connect skill development to tangible business results.</div>
<div></div>
<blockquote>
<div>As Mary Pat Zolna aptly put it, "Change needs to happen all the way throughout the process and it starts with aligning to our vision and our strategic priority and getting senior leadership buy-in." This quote encapsulates the essence of our discussion, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach to skill development and measurement.</div></blockquote>
<div></div>
<div><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></div>
<div></div>
<div>1. Align Learning with Business Strategy: Successful organizations are those that tightly link their learning initiatives to overarching business goals and KPIs. Tools like impact mapping prove invaluable in clearly demonstrating how skills development contributes to achieving business outcomes. By aligning learning efforts with strategic priorities, companies can ensure that their skill development initiatives are driving real value.</div>
<div></div>
<div>2. Implement Robust Measurement Strategies: To truly understand the impact of learning programs, it's crucial to employ a diverse array of assessment techniques. These may include pre and post-training assessments, observational methods, and continuous feedback loops. By implementing comprehensive measurement strategies, organizations can effectively track skill growth and demonstrate the tangible impact of learning programs on business performance.</div>
<div></div>
<div>3. Engage Stakeholders Beyond HR: The most effective skill development initiatives involve collaboration across the entire organization. By partnering closely with business units and leaders, learning professionals can identify critical skills, set relevant performance metrics, and gather pertinent business data. This cross-functional approach ensures that learning initiatives directly address the most pressing needs of the organization and contribute meaningfully to business success.</div>
<div></div>
<div>As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of the modern business environment, the ability to measure and demonstrate the impact of skill development on business outcomes will become increasingly crucial. By embracing these key takeaways, learning professionals can position themselves and their organizations for success in the skills-based economy of the future.</div>

Measuring Skill Growth: Connecting Learning Impact to Business Outcomes

Strategy

kery.mortenson

marge.feely

richard.busby

edward.desrosiers

learning &amp; development

ariel.mcgrew

skills​

mary.zolna

jennifer.rainey

raushaun.muhammad

pete.dickert

tresha.lovell

skills-based performance management

Skills Audit

metrics

markus.bernhardt

<strong>Session Focus: </strong>Dive into metrics and methods that connect skill development to tangible business outcomes.
<blockquote>Pre-read is on the <a title="ELE's Idea Exchange" href="/idea-exchange/">Idea Exchange</a>, where you collaborate online with your peers.
<a href="https://community.learningexecutive.com/t/best-practices-for-skill-development-metrics-and-content-management-strategies/5279">Best Practices for Skill Development Metrics and Content Management Strategies</a> - <a href="https://www.learningexecutive.com/members/carlos-velazquez">Member: Carlos Velazquez</a></blockquote>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap">Implementing learning solutions is a strategic investment, but how do you know if it's paying off? Join us to explore best practices for measuring skill development and connecting it to organizational performance.</p>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap">In this interactive session, experts will share how they track progress at the individual and program levels using assessments, observation, participant feedback, and performance data. We'll discuss how to align learning objectives, assessments, and content to provide clear indications of growth.</p>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-39785" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AIHR-HR-10-Step-Roadmap-to-Create-a-Skills-based-Organization.png" alt="HR 10-Step Roadmap to Create a Skills-based Organization" width="1024" height="680" />
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap">Key questions we'll explore:</p>

<ul class="list-disc pl-8 space-y-2">
 	<li class="whitespace-normal">How can pre-and post-training assessments demonstrate impact?</li>
 	<li class="whitespace-normal">What observational techniques provide insight into skill application?</li>
 	<li class="whitespace-normal">How can participant feedback inform continuous improvement?</li>
 	<li class="whitespace-normal">What performance indicators connect learning to business KPIs?</li>
</ul>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap">You'll leave with fresh ideas of metrics and methods to demonstrate learning ROI and refine your development approach. Join us to discover how targeted measurement strategies can optimize your learning programs and workforce capabilities.</p>
ELE produces this Learning Circle: <strong>Reskilling Talent Development.</strong>

julian.malnak

online event

complimentary event

<strong>Session Focus: </strong>Helping Tomas @ IQVIA Co-create an Organizational Learning and Talent Needs Assessment

<strong>Opportunity:</strong> IQVIA wants to tap the ELE network to benchmark organizational assessments. One of <a href="https://www.learningexecutive.com/influencer/tomas-ramirez/">@Tomas Ramirez's</a> first deliverables at IQVIA will be to conduct an organizational assessment for Talent and Learning needs within the business unit he supports.

Tomas plans to interview high-level and mid-level leaders, conduct surveys with the rest of the organization, and then dive deeper by sponsoring some focus group discussions.
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://www.learningexecutive.com/moments/unified-analysis-measurement-strategy/">Unified Analysis &amp; Measurement Strategy | Reverse Kirkpatrick Model + Needs Assessment</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.learningexecutive.com/moments/purpose-of-looking-at-discovery-phase/">Purpose of Looking at KPIs during the Discovery Phase</a></li>
</ul>
<img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-37461" src="https://www.learningexecutive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DiscoveryPhase_Analysis-Measurement-1024x576.jpg" alt="DiscoveryPhase_Analysis-Measurement" width="1024" height="576" />

&nbsp;

<strong>In 2018 Discover shared a portfolio framework for managing training and development. </strong>
<ul>
 	<li><strong><a href="https://www.learningexecutive.com/insights/your-learning-needs-a-comprehensive-strategy/">Your Learning Needs a Comprehensive Strategy</a> (04-OCT-2018)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p class="thought_leader">As learning professionals, we are frequently tasked to build learning solutions to solve business problems. Quite often, these needs appear to be a worthwhile investment. But without the backdrop of strategy, we miss a critical piece of the decision-making framework – the relative value of specific learning needs a decision.</p>
&nbsp;

<strong>Framework for prioritizing and integrating learning</strong>

To better understand their investments in training and development, four years ago Discover shared how they developed a portfolio framework for managing training and development. Since then, the Learning Strategy team at Discover has worked to articulate a strategy for these portfolios in order to prioritize better learning initiatives that drive optimal business outcomes.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37323" src="https://www.learningexecutive.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Discover-Framework-for-prioritizing-and-integrating-learning-OCT-2018.png" alt="Discover Framework for prioritizing and integrating learning" width="883" height="641" />

During this roundtable discussion, let's continue the conversation with one or more of the following:
<ul>
 	<li>Develop a framework for organizing training and development programs</li>
 	<li>Learn what a comprehensive strategy entails</li>
 	<li>Discuss a methodology for articulating a learning strategy</li>
 	<li>Discuss strategies for creating KPIs to ensure alignment with business outcomes</li>
 	<li>Highlight key examples of learning strategies for various learning portfolios</li>
 	<li>Build a roadmap for executing on learning strategy</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

<strong>Road map for success</strong>

You need a road map to enable strategy before you can really make headway, but repositioning your talent development function to deliver on strategy will reap huge rewards in terms of having an impact.

&nbsp;

ELE produces this Learning Circle: <strong>Retooling Talent Development for the New</strong> <strong>Normal</strong>.

<strong>ELE's <a title="ELE's Idea Exchange" href="https://www.learningexecutive.com/idea-exchange/">Idea Exchange</a>:</strong> Collaborate online with your peers.

&nbsp;

Co-creating Organizational Learning and Talent Needs Assessments

learning strategy

tomas.ramirez

sean.stowers

strategic alignment

benchmarking

framework

integrated talent development

How to honestly assess your professional career: examine what’s working and what’s not, and how to identify opportunities to enhance your career edge.

Here, you will see a practical approach—including specific exercises—to crafting your goals and direction and making an actionable plan around them.

Whatever your career stage you are, this book will help you.

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