You don’t have to be a celebrity intellectual – or even a ‘people person’ – to build a professional learning network that delivers
When American tourist David Willis found himself locked alone inside a central London branch of bookshop chain Waterstones in 2014, the most obvious avenues – setting off an alarm, calling the police – seemed to be leading nowhere. So where else to turn than his Twitter network? Willis’s digital pleas – including a plaintive photo of a locked shutter sent from inside his darkened retail prison – were retweeted 7,000 times and brought the situation to a swift conclusion, as well as generating international headlines.
But you don’t have to be in a desperate place to benefit from the wisdom of the crowd. The concept of a personal learning network (PLN) to solve problems, present new opportunities or disseminate knowledge has grown in tandem with the rise of social media, though it is far broader. And it has particular resonance for HR and L&D professionals who can benefit from support beyond their usual circles, and for businesses keen to sharpen employees’ knowledge and connectedness as part of their professional development.
In essence, a PLN is a group of connections made with others, most of them beyond your immediate organisation, with the specific intent of gaining some form of knowledge or learning, and of sharing your insights with others. These could be people you’re in touch with on Twitter or LinkedIn, bloggers you find insightful or contacts you’ve made at conferences or networking events.
While the basic concept isn’t new, technology has made it easier to curate and communicate with such a group. And businesses are understanding the benefits every bit as much as individuals, says Andy Lancaster, head of learning and development content at the CIPD. “There is so much going on within our profession, it’s hard to stay on top of everything, but a PLN gives you that connectedness and helps drive your development,” he says. “That is good for organisations too.”
Gemma Dale, HR director for the UK and Ireland at Tunstall Healthcare, says continuing professional development is especially pertinent in a function as fast-moving as HR and L&D. She views her network (which she says consists of around 30 core individuals and thousands of wider connections) as a “constant source of inspiration… As it exists in my pocket, I take the opportunity to dip in and check out what people are talking about. I read blogs, listen to podcasts and share my ideas and practice for the benefit of others.” Dale has used ideas from others and adapted them for her organisation, she says.
Lancaster suggests that learning guru Harold Jarche’s ‘Seek, Sense, Share’ framework is spot on when it comes to how an effective learning network should work. “You personally seek out great stuff, you make sense of it in your own context and then you share with others what you’ve found. It’s a two-way street and you should be prepared to ‘work out loud’ and share insights just as much as you benefit from the knowledge of others,” he says.
As a concept, it needn’t only appeal to those who are already prolific networkers. Gary Cookson, HR director at Trafford College, says he is naturally introverted but has been helped enormously by the way HR has embraced social media. Building his network has exposed him to new ideas and thinking and enabled him to approach other professionals, “without the fear of being shy or rude”, while giving him a platform to develop and share his own thoughts.
He uses his network daily, asking for help on specific projects or getting feedback on his blog: “At the moment, I’m doing a lot of work on performance management and looking at our system at the college. I’m aware that lots of people in my network have done a lot of thinking around it, so I feel quite happy contacting people on my PLN within the working day. I class it as part of my job.”
As an L&D professional, Fiona McBride feels the need to practise what she preaches, but that’s not her only reason for having a PLN. “For me, there is something about people learning from each other that can really help shift the direction of your learning,” she says.
However, the consultant and vice chair of the CIPD’s central London branch says there is a risk that people can get too much “into their own space”, narrowing their thinking, so making an effort to hear different voices is important. “If you’re in L&D, don’t assume that your PLN only fits with L&D people. Make an effort to look outside that space as much as within it,” she suggests.
McBride also uses her PLN to expand her knowledge of new topics. She contacted fellow L&D professional Phil Willcox, who had done a lot of work on emotions in the workplace – an area she wanted to learn more about – and he gave her book and YouTube recommendations, as well as advising her on the best Twitter accounts to follow.
Helen Amery’s PLN had a more dramatic impact. Now director of Wild Fig Solutions, Amery says the fact she had a strong network of contacts gave her the confidence to alter the path of her career. Having worked in HR at Boots for 10 years, it became clear that leadership development was the area she wanted to focus on but, as there were no relevant opportunities with her employer, she went it alone. “My PLN gave me the confidence to leave as I had a support network outside work,” she says.
There is no single method for developing your network. Some prefer social media channels only, while others try to restrict their networks to face-to-face interactions.
While it helps to be a sociable person, it shouldn’t put off those who don’t feel confident in formal networking situations. “It took a long time before I was even comfortable to actually say anything to anyone I was following,” says Cookson. “I was more of a ‘lurker’ in the beginning. I think a lot of people are.”
Lancaster agrees: “For someone who doesn’t have a network yet, it is quite acceptable to lurk around conversations that are happening and get a feel for how these things work – it’s a good starting point.”
And while there are a lot of Twitter-based PLNs, it’s not all about being online. “An interesting trend we’re seeing is that people who have initially connected in the digital space are now valuing finding the time to get together,” says Lancaster. “Face-to-face still plays an important part.”
There is no doubt such networks can improve HR practitioners’ personal and professional development. But they are also an important part of organisations’ generalised shift towards social learning: enlightened employers believe that, if they actively help connect their staff to broader sources of knowledge, including external individuals, they increase both capability and loyalty. The future for L&D, in part, could be in encouraging employees to build PLNs rather than being the direct facilitators of learning.
“We can support other people in organisations to scaffold their own learning networks,” says Lancaster, who adds that it’s important for HR and L&D professionals to understand how to access networked learning in their own context first, before rolling it out to others.
“A PLN can bring the outside in,” adds Dale. “We improve our practice by keeping up with new ideas, engaging with our professional community and continuing our personal development. In turn, the organisation benefits from this enhanced knowledge and expertise.”
As Cookson says: “It can help you grow and you can help others to grow. Ultimately, isn’t that what our profession is all about?”