Don't be the coyote, L&D.

Ethelbert. That’s what the E in Wile E. Coyote stands for.

The coyote is a central character in my new book - The Modern Learning Ecosystem. He perfectly represents the mindset shift required to transform L&D from a maker of courses to a strategic business partner.?

An explanation …

The coyote never catches the roadrunner. It doesn’t matter how clever his plans are or how cool his ACME-brand gear is. He always ends up at the bottom of a ravine with an anvil on his head. Talk about adding insult to injury.?

So why can’t the coyote catch the roadrunner? It’s not a lack of tools or effort. It’s a lack of awareness. The coyote let himself get stuck in a loop a long time ago. The pursuit of the roadrunner defines him. He defaults to the same tactics over and over again because it’s all he knows. He fails to reflect on the real problem he must solve. He’s unable or unwilling to expand his perspective and redefine his purpose.?

The roadrunner isn’t the problem. Hunger is. The coyote needs consistent, reliable food access. The roadrunner is just a distraction. Instead of chasing a single meal to the ends of the earth, the coyote should halt his pursuit and become a professional painter.

What?!?!

The coyote consistently demonstrates unique skills that should gain him access to an unlimited food supply. For example, he can paint a tunnel on the side of a mountain that transforms into a real tunnel. He should parlay this skill into a sweet government contract and a long-deserved payday.?

But before he can effectively apply his unique skills, the coyote must shift his mindset. He must focus on the real problem that needs to be solved and consider all of the potential ways to solve it.?

This is where L&D must take a lesson from the coyote. We must shift our mindsets and focus our efforts and limited resources on the most important problems facing our organizations. Learning is not our end goal just like catching the roadrunner is not the real goal for the coyote. Instead, we must apply the full ecosystem of tools available to help people keep pace with change, overcome disruption and do their best work every day.?

If we get stuck in a loop, stay reactive and keep chasing the next problem with our traditional tactics, we’ll just end up disappointed over and over again - but hopefully not at the bottom of a ravine with an anvil on our head.