67% of Learning Development workers lack the resources to do their job.

This data comes from the most recent study by the Association of Talent Development on the amount of time it takes to build training.

The study qualifies resources as:

• Time

• Budget

• Talent Development Headcount

To this list, I would add:

• Design & Development Skillset

Working in learning & development, we have all understood and or have lived the concept that you cannot get blood from a stone. Maybe more so than ever after this last year. However, there is still a job that needs to get done, whether these struggles are present or not.  So how do we overcome these barriers?

Find Your Tribe

One way to overcome a lack of resources is to tap into a different source. In this case, the collective knowledge and skills of your network. The sooner you can find a community of people that share a similar job, interest, or skillset as you, the sooner you will be able to tap into that wealth of shared knowledge.

Many people may have already faced and overcome similar struggles as you. They can be your guide as you navigate your journey. You will be able to guide others as they navigate their course. The other great benefit is the camaraderie a community can provide. With many in L&D being a department of one, knowing your tribe has your back is very empowering.

If you can't find a tribe, maybe it is time to start one.

Be Strategic

When trying to overcome time and budget restraints, we need a way to limit how those barriers hamstring us. Having a strategy and a process can build efficiencies in your work process that can do just that. 

The Hall of Famer, Yogi Berra, summed it up perfectly.

"If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else."

What you are trying to accomplish is a journey. Plan it out. Begin with the end in mind. Knowing where we are trying to get to makes it easier to look back at the steps we need to reach that goal. We should also be looking to get from start to finish, but in the fewest amount of steps. Think about how you can make tasks easily repeatable. How do we build one item and then use it in several ways?

Your tribe can be a great resource in the strategic process.

Invest in Yourself

Look for ways to develop your skillset. If knowledge is power, strive to acquire as much as possible. Knowledge, that is. 

Look for topics or areas that interest you that will reap benefits back into your job and its functions. This can be through books, classes, your tribe, YouTube, trial & error, or many other ways. Actively find ways to better yourself that will crossover into your job. It will make your job easier, and it is a feather in your cap when review time rolls around.

 Use the Right Tools

There is a dichotomy between possibly needing some new tools and dealing with budget constraints. Adding the right tool to your strategic process can enhance your efficiencies by order of magnitude. 

Think about how much easier it would be to build a fence using a power saw and nail gun to cut hang each board rather than a hand saw and hammer. Yes, there is an outlay of money upfront, but you will build your project quicker, saving valuable time on this one, and continue to do so on future projects. Time is money, so if a tool can save time, it will pay for itself and then some.

Calculate How Much Time and Money You Can Save

Use our handy calculators to see how much time and money you can save by using Great Circle Learning software to design and develop training.