Sean Conley, Chief Learning Officer for Baker Hughes, discusses the importance of creating a people-first culture while still achieving results for your business. Sean talks about the importance of creating an environment where people want to learn and change their behavior through repetition and trial-and-error. He also touches on the challenges of our educational system and the need to create white space in calendars for growth and development amidst busy schedules. Join us as we explore the insights shared by Sean on the importance of investing in learners, fostering inclusion, and creating a culture of appreciation and effective communication.

Key Takeaways

[01:02] Sean Conley, shares his 40 years of experience in learning and development, and he still finds himself passionate about what he does every day. He believes that this passion is crucial in helping others bring out the best in themselves and growing as a leader.

[05:44] Sean discusses the importance of creating a learning environment where employees are given the choice to opt-in rather than being forced to participate in learning and development activities. He also discusses the importance of marketing and enticing employees to want to learn, rather than trying to push them into it. 

[13:17] Sean encouraged people to pursue their interests and passions using the many available resources for learning, rather than just focusing on memorizing information. Behavior change should be the focus of learning.

[15:49] Create white space for personal growth & development, focus on changing individual behavior rather than the whole organization, help people understand various ways to learn, it’s about time focus not just management, recharge when needed, encourage learners to create their own white space.

[18:11] Sean believes investing in frontline leaders is key for organizational success, setting habits and behaviors that follow them. Senior management should focus on developing talent rather than learning new skills, creating an ecosystem for growth and development and leaving a legacy by developing successors.

[20:45] Sean talks about how an organization can’t grow if its people can’t grow. Growth opportunities should be given when the learners are ready. It’s important to focus on behavior change and application of learning to shape an organization.

[24:45] Sean answers the question, “What are we getting right and what are we getting not so right about inclusion?”. While there is progress in discussing inclusion in organizations, it’s important to not only include those who are present but also consider who is not in the room and ensure everyone has a voice and is part of the dialogue. 

[26:42] Sean discusses the importance of diversity of the mind in the workplace and how learning is a key part of shaping the culture of an organization. Different individuals have different learning styles and as such, learning programs need to be designed to cater to different types of learners. 

[30:59] Sean agrees that leaders should start with ensuring that everyone in the tribe feels appreciated and valued for their contribution before addressing issues of belonging and inclusion. Sean also acknowledges the challenge of being a busy leader but sees it as a great reminder to prioritize appreciation in both business and personal life.

[35:19] Sean admits to still working on improving his communication skills and the art of telling, asking, and listening. He stresses the need to ask better questions and not simply react, but to listen intently to pull more information out. This highlights the idea that communication is an ongoing process that requires continuous improvement.

[36:46]  When is it okay to break the rules?According to Sean, “Rules are just made up by people and they’re made up at a time. So sometimes (it’s not really) I won’t say break(ing) the rules, but we get to question them sometimes.”

[40:41] Closing quote: And remember, “He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” –  Confucius

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The Leadership Podcast is sponsored by W.S. Darley & Company.  

Founded in 1908, Darley remains a family owned and operated business, providing the highest quality equipment solutions to our country’s warfighters and firefighters.  

Learn more at darley.com and darleydefense.com

Quotable Quotes

Resources Mentioned

• Sponsored by | www.darley.com
• Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com
• Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com
• Sean Conley on LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/conleyglobal
• Baker Hughes Website | www.bakerhughes.com/
• Baker Hughes on LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/company/bakerhughes
• Baker Hughes on Twitter | @bakerhughesco