BLEND it: Digital Leadership Learning with Human Connection

The challenge―you want to move to a digital learning approach for leadership development, but you are concerned about keeping human connection alive. You need something that uses technology, but you are teaching soft skills. You want to make it fun and engaging, but you want learners to take it seriously. The answer? BLEND it like you mean it.

Blended leadership learning journeys have been around for years―that’s nothing new. What is new is the range of options available to create a truly blended journey, fueled by new digital learning solutions, in an ever-increasing number of expanded options. It can be overwhelming and hard to know where to start.

The key is in finding a strategic way to bring different elements of learning together to accomplish your learning outcomes, while simultaneously engaging and exciting the learner. At the same time, ensuring applicability of the learning is critical. 

Just as great chefs must determine the best way to balance the combination of food, seasoning, and cooking techniques, so too must learning professionals bring together content, learner needs, and modalities to create the right blend. And while learner tastes are varied, there are a few essential ingredients that can guide any new creation.

Why is the BLEND more important than ever? Digital solutions that create more collaboration but less connection can leave leaders feeling like they’ve been offered a feast, but walk away from the table still feeling hungry. We need to appeal to all learners—those who want more technology and those who crave greater human connection. We need to engage extroverted learners who thrive on conversation, and introverts who need time to process their thoughts and express themselves using the written word. We need to keep the experience interesting and varied to avoid learner fatigue.

One thing that the pandemic taught us is the way we work doesn’t need to be an “all-or-nothing” proposition. Blending thoughtfully and intentionally isn’t hard if you follow a few core principles, ensure you have the right ingredients, and season to taste.

About the Authors

Leah Clark

Director, Strategy and Planning, GP Strategies Corporation. Senior Director for Strategy and Planning, Leah focuses on bringing new products to market and enhancing the participant experience. She works with clients to understand their leadership and engagement challenges and consults with them on the creative solutions. Prior to joining GP Strategies, Leah had her own practice in executive coaching and consulting. She is a certified professional coach through an ICF accredited organization and is a Myers-Briggs practitioner. Leah has over seventeen years of experience in marketing, strategy, and product development in a corporate environment. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the fields of psychology and organizational psychology. She has a Master’s of Arts degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Sociology from Boston College where she graduated summa cum laude.