6 Skills Every L&D Manager Needs to Succeed

You there! Are you a Learning and Development Manager? Are you looking for ways to become a better leader? Do you ever wish you could download a buncha new skills directly into your brain Matrix- style? Us too, friend. We tried one time with a pool noodle and a janky old laptop. Didn’t work.

L&D managers play a crucial role in the prosperity of an organization by fostering a culture of continuous learning, improving productivity and engagement, and ensuring learners have the skills and knowledge necessary to align both learning needs and overall business goals.

Woof, that’s a lot of responsibility. We’re going to cover six skills that we think are absolutely necessary in order to perform this job well. No pool noodles required.

Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking is one of the most important skills that an L&D manager should have. It includes the ability to analyze complex problems, identify opportunities, and develop innovative solutions that align with the organization's goals and objectives.

By understanding the organization's strategic goals and priorities, L&D managers can develop learning programs that address skill gaps and support the development of the skills and knowledge required to achieve those goals!

Additionally, strategic thinking helps L&D managers anticipate an organization’s future learning needs and develop programs that meet those needs preemptively. This helps ensure that the organization has the necessary skills and knowledge to remain competitive in the marketplace. It’s all about planning and thinking in the long-term!

Kinda like when we plan our nighttime dessert before breakfast. Just call us an L&D manager…lollipops and donuts, baby!

Communication

There are few on-the job-skills more critical than communication and L&D management is no exception! As an L&D manager, you should be able to communicate effectively with all levels of the organization. From learners, to stakeholders, to vendors, and subject matter experts, you must be able to get your ideas across clearly and persuasively.

Not only that but L&D managers must be able to tailor their communication style to each of these different audiences. For instance, you’re probably not gonna be doing all the technical mumbo jumbo you’d normally do with an SME with the senior leaders of your organization. Good communication skills will also engender trust and credibility with stakeholders, which is absolutely critical to the success of developing and delivering effective learning programs!

With all that talkin’, don’t forget to do some listenin’! A good L&D manager should be able to solicit and listen to feedback and incorporate it into their plans. We know, it’s not always easy to receive feedback but we all need an outside perspective once in a while!

How do you think we found our our pool-noodle-laptop-rapid-skill-acquisition-machine wasn’t working? Feedback, of course!

Organizational Skills

Let’s face it, without organizational skills you’re probably not gonna get far in this career. Or any career. Or life.

Any L&D manager worth their salt should be able to manage their time and prioritize tasks effectively in order to ensure that learning initiatives are delivered on time, within budget, and to a high standard. They should also be able to juggle multiple projects at once and delegate tasks to team members or cross-functional partners.

This sick skill also helps L&D managers…manage…their resources effectively, such as identifying and allocating the necessary budget, staff, and technology to support their learning initiatives. Plus, being organized enables L&D managers to stay on top of new developments and emerging trends in the field, ensuring that their training programs remain up-to-date and relevant.

So get to your local office supply store and treat yourself to a padfolio in every color of the rainbow! You deserve it!

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is another important skill for an L&D manager to master. They must be able to analyze complex problems, identify root causes, and develop creative solutions that meet the needs of both the organization and its learners. Let’s keep it real…there will be a whole lotta problems. It’s just part of the gig!

Effective problem-solving skills also help L&D managers anticipate potential challenges and develop contingency plans to mitigate risk. Plus, problem-solving skills help L&D managers evaluate the effectiveness of their learning programs, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions about future initiatives.

This may also mean a lot of creative thinking “outside the box” in order to come up with innovative and effective solutions on your toes. A good L&D manager will possess a willingness to take risks, explore new possibilities, and challenge assumptions!

Leadership

This one’s a bit of a no-brainer but as an L&D manager, you are a leader. Plain and simple. As such, you should be able to lead and motivate teams of facilitators, trainers, and instructional designers to succeed while also delegating tasks and providing feedback.

Good leadership also involves the ability to communicate a clear vision, set goals and priorities, and develop strategies to achieve them, all while creating a positive and productive environment! By leading through example and demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and development, L&D managers can create a culture of learning that fosters innovation, creativity, and ongoing professional development.

Of course, none of this is possible if you plain old stink at building relationships. L&D managers should be able to build relationships with an array of people across different roles in the organization while building trust and establishing credibility. After all, trust is the foundation of strong relationships and is critical for effective collaboration, communication, and teamwork!

So, try not to be a a bore. Or a jerk. Or a lame-o. No pressure!

Conclusion

There ya have it, our top six picks for skills an L&D manager must have in order to succeed!

There’s no question about it, L&D managers are key contributors to the growth and development of learners, the success of an organization, and the achievement of business objectives. By creating a culture of continuous learning, they can help an organization stay ahead of the competition and adapt to changing business needs.

If you’re an L&D manager or thinking about becoming one, use this blog to brush up on your skill set. Just remember, no one builds all their skills overnight! It takes a lifelong commitment to personal and professional development, so be kind to yourself as you embark on your journey.

And if at any point you’re drowning in self-doubt, reach out to IDLance! We’ll do our darndest to help ya out.

Plus, we have a ton of spare pool noodles lying around.