27 Sep Peak Seven Wins CLO Award
Peak Seven Consulting and Abilitie partnered together with Cochlear to win the Chief Learning Officer Learning in Practice Silver Award for Excellence in Technology Innovation. Together we collaborated to build a transformational leadership program that would spur business growth, build a team mindset, increase product awareness, and build on innovation.
Cochlear sought out the partnership of Peak Seven Consulting to collaborate on creating a transformational solution that would prepare Cochlear’s leaders to face the upcoming challenges. Their expertise went beyond training programs. They designed memorable learning experiences. Learning that sticks. As different learning strategies were discussed, one thing became clear. Innovative technology would be a must. As a frontrunner in leadership and management simulations, Abilitie was identified as the next partner to add value to the strategic direction Cochlear looked to achieve. Creative sparks flew with the combination of Cochlear’s strategic business focus, Peak Seven Consulting’s cutting-edge instructional design that fully integrated experiential learning methods, and Abilitie’s innovative technology-based simulation. And this collaborative learning partnership delivered.
The program focused on building leadership skills, placing leaders in situations that called for agility, strengthening collaboration skills, building innovation, and creating a transformational experience that sustained the learning. For Cochlear, the “how” of learning was equally, if not more, important than the “what.” We created a fast-paced, dynamic learning environment requiring leaders to be adaptable. We implemented a very blended learning strategy with a variety of learning methods, including an art experience, improvisation, vitality elements, leaders as teachers, a 360° feedback tool, two self-assessments, interactive instructor-led activities, video analysis, networking activities, a card sort, an Olympic Training Experience, a low-tech simulation, a customer panel, and Abilitie’s Management Challenge and Business Challenge. Each of these individually would take participants out of their comfort zones. Together, they forced participants to be agile, to apply new skills, and to lead in a changing environment. Management Challenge and Business Challenge were instrumental in providing an innovative and realistic environment to practice skills that encouraged application of leadership skills, agility, collaboration among team members, and self-evaluation to continuously improve.
The sustainability of the learning gained in the program has had a significant impact on the individual participants and Cochlear’s business. To help people “Hear Now. And Always,” participants discovered the importance of leading, adapting, collaborating, and innovating, as well as the value of being continuous learners. Now. And Always.
The Chief Learning Officer Learning In Practice awards recognizes learning leaders who demonstrate excellence in the design and delivery of employee development programs through a combination of qualities such as leadership, vision, business acumen and strategic alignment. To learn more, see Chief Learning Officer Learning in Practice Awards 2016 and our project portfolio. If you’d like to build an award-winning program for your organization, contact us!