Trends in Professional Development

Louder for the people at the back 🎤 Many organisations today seem to have shifted from being institutions that develop great talent to those that primarily seek ready-made talent. This trend overlooks the immense value of individuals who, despite lacking experience, possess a great attitude, commitment, and a team-oriented mindset. These qualities often outweigh the drawbacks of hiring experienced individuals with a fixed and toxic mindset. The best organisations attract talent with their best years ahead of them, focusing on potential rather than past achievements. Let’s be clear this is more about mindset and willingness to learn and unlearn as apposed to age. To realise the incredible potential return, organisations must commit to creating an environment where continuous development is possible. This requires a multi-faceted approach: 1. Robust Training Programmes: Employers should invest in comprehensive training programmes that equip employees with the necessary skills for their roles. This includes on-the-job training, mentorship programmes, online courses, and workshops. 2. Redefining Hiring Criteria: Organisations should revise their hiring criteria to focus more on candidates’ potential and willingness to learn rather than solely on prior experience or formal qualifications. Behavioural interviews, aptitude tests, and probationary periods can help assess a candidate's ability to learn and adapt. 3. Partnerships with Educational Institutions: Companies can collaborate with educational institutions to design curricula that align with industry needs. Apprenticeship programmes, internships, and cooperative education can bridge the gap between academic learning and practical job skills. 4. Lifelong Learning Culture: Encouraging a culture of lifelong learning within organisations is crucial. Employers should provide ongoing education opportunities and support for professional development. This includes continuous skills assessment and access to resources for upskilling and reskilling. 5. Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Employers should implement inclusive recruitment practices that remove biases and barriers. Blind recruitment, diversity quotas, and targeted outreach programmes can help ensure that diverse candidates are given a fair chance. By implementing these measures, organisations can develop a workforce that is adaptable, innovative, and resilient, ensuring sustainable success and growth.

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, leadership development can't afford to stand still. Just as we regularly upgrade our technology, we must consistently upgrade our leadership capabilities - but unlike a software update, leadership skills can't be installed overnight. Along with my colleagues Leslie Kawai and Erin Wilson Burns from The RBL Group, we've identified five essential strategies that are reshaping how organizations develop their leaders. Drawing from our Leadership Code Research Initiative findings, we explore evidence-based methods, expanded coaching access, personalized development approaches, stakeholder-focused assessments, and the critical need for strategic reflection time. These aren't just theoretical concepts - we've included real-world examples of organizations successfully implementing these strategies to build stronger leadership pipelines and drive measurable business results. I invite you to read our full article and share your experiences: Which of these five strategies has had the most impact in your organization? What other leadership development approaches are you finding effective in today's business environment? Let's learn from each other as we work to build the next generation of leaders. #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #TalentDevelopment #HR #OrganizationalDevelopment

Data says that - Over the past century, average working hours have significantly decreased across many countries. Then, why are we talking about work-life balance/stress/anxiety?  In the late 19th century, workers in industrialized nations often laboured between 2,700 and 3,500 hours annually, equating to approximately 50 to 70 hours per week. Today, this has been reduced to about 1,300 to 1,800 hours per year or roughly 25 to 35 hours per week. Despite this reduction, discussions around work-life balance have intensified. Several factors contribute to this paradox: - Blurring Boundaries: The rise of technology and remote work has dissolved the clear lines between professional and personal time, leading to an "always-on" culture. - Increased Work Intensity: While hours have lessened, the pace and pressure of modern work have escalated, contributing to stress and burnout. Cultural Shifts: In some societies, especially in the U.S., busyness has become a status symbol, equating long hours with success. - Employee Expectations: Modern workers, particularly Gen Z and millennials, prioritize flexibility and well-being, seeking more control over their work environments. - In essence, even with fewer working hours, the quality and structure of work life have prompted ongoing discussions about achieving a healthier balance. See the below data showing Average Annual Working Hours by Country (2023): Mexico 2,207 hours Costa Rica 1,913 hours South Korea 1,908 hours United States 1,791 hours Germany 1,349 hours Other Key stats: - Burnout Rates: In the United States, 77% of employees have experienced burnout at their current job. - Work-Life Balance Importance: 94% of employees believe work-life balance is important, yet 66% feel they lack it. - Remote Work Impact: 48% of remote workers report having an excellent or very good work-life balance, compared to 36% of in-office employees. All of this highlights that despite reduced working hours, the quality and structure of work life have led to ongoing discussions about achieving a healthier balance. What do you think is the problem these days? Despite having 2 days off, people feel busy, stressed and anxious. #workinghours #worklifebalance

Do your performance reviews still feel like guesswork? The latest SAP SuccessFactors release quietly introduced something game‑changing: AI that actually helps you write feedback and plan goals. Here’s what caught my eye. • The new Performance & Goals module now suggests comments based on the skill and rating you choose. No more staring at a blank box wondering how to phrase constructive criticism. • It generates “performance insights” that sift through an employee’s data and summarize strengths, achievements, and areas to improve. In other words, you walk into one‑to‑ones with a clear picture and a fairer perspective. • Sentiment analysis flags negative or mixed feedback in 360‑degree reviews, so you know where to focus your coaching. • Preparation time for compensation discussions drops by 90% because AI surfaces the right talking points, and overall performance goal‑setting is 80% faster. What this really means is that AI is moving from buzzword to practical tool. It’s taking the busywork out of reviews and letting managers spend more time on real conversations. And it’s doing it while employees still feel seen and fairly evaluated. I’m curious: would you trust AI to help shape feedback and compensation discussions? Have you tried any of these tools yet? Share your experiences — or tag a colleague who should weigh in. #SAPSuccessFactors #PerformanceManagement #AIinHR #PeopleAnalytics #FutureOfWork

Leadership Has Changed. Have We? Thirty years after the launch of London Business School’s Accelerated Development Programme (ADP), one truth is impossible to ignore: hierarchy no longer does the heavy lifting. The world leaders operate in today is flatter, faster, and far more interdependent than anything imagined in 1989. And that shift has rewritten the leadership rulebook. 1. Collaboration Beats Command. With fewer layers and diluted formal power, leaders win by creating environments where people work with them not for them. 2. Insight Matters More Than Access. Information used to be a source of power. Now everyone has it. What separates effective leaders is the ability to interpret data with clarity and conviction. 3. Psychological Safety Fuels Progress. Leaders must build cultures where people speak honestly, challenge respectfully, and stay curious about what’s unfamiliar. 4. Social Capital Is the New Currency. Today’s influence comes from trust, credibility, and the ability to inspire action not job titles. 5. Healthy Conflict Drives Better Decisions. Strong leaders don’t silence dissent. They manage it. They know diverse viewpoints prevent blind spots and lift team performance beyond what majority rule ever produces. These are the capabilities ADP now prioritizes because they define what good leadership looks like in a non-hierarchical world. If you had to choose one trait that matters most, what would it be? Share your take below.👇

𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. Back in the 1970s, some office workers saw word processors creeping into back rooms and thought, “𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘫𝘰𝘣.” They kept their dictation pads. They kept their comfort. They kept their routines. But history did not keep them. 𝙷̲𝚎̲𝚛̲𝚎̲ 𝚒̲𝚜̲ 𝚝̲𝚑̲𝚎̲ 𝚞̲𝚗̲𝚌̲𝚘̲𝚖̲𝚏̲𝚘̲𝚛̲𝚝̲𝚊̲𝚋̲𝚕̲𝚎̲ 𝚝̲𝚛̲𝚞̲𝚝̲𝚑̲. Every profession gets a quiet warning before the loud disruption. The warning is never dramatic. It looks clunky. It looks optional. It looks like something for later. Sound familiar? Let’s go back to the future, so we can prepare ourselves TODAY. 🔵 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟵𝟳𝟬𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗠𝘀? ⮕ AI-generated communication. • Meeting summaries • Stakeholder updates • Decision logs You stop writing and start shaping meaning. 🔵 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟵𝟴𝟬𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗠𝘀? ⮕ AI-assisted planning and risk modeling. • Multiple scenarios instantly • Tradeoffs made explicit • Risks surfaced early You stop tracking work and start optimizing outcomes. 🔵 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟬𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗠𝘀? ⮕ AI-enabled systems insight. • Patterns across projects • Early warning signals • Organizational bottlenecks You stop managing projects. And you start managing flow. The profession is evolving through a modern version of the word processor moment. Yes, AI is rewriting project management right before our very eyes. This is a call to action. You must adopt these now — 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀: • Prompting as structured thinking • Scenario comparison, not single plans • Decision framing, not task tracking 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀: • Comfort with “first drafts everywhere” • Willingness to be augmented, not heroic • Letting go of control-as-identity 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻: • Manual status as proof of value • Process worship • Being the “human API” between teams The PMs who win will become... • Sense-makers • Tradeoff leaders • Organizational traffic engineers So, the question is no longer: “Will AI change project management?” It already has. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 >>> 📌 Will you prepare yourself for a future that’s being rewritten in real time? [𝘋𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘢 👊 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴.] #ProjectManagement #AI #FutureOfWork

Project management just changed, again. But this time, the definition changed everything. For decades, we all memorized the same line: “A project is a temporary endeavour to create a unique product, service, or result.” That was the old PMBOK definition. A definition obsessed with deliverables. The plan. The scope. The output. But PMBOK 8 quietly rewrote what a project actually is: “A temporary initiative in a unique context undertaken to create value.” Read that again. Not product. Not service. Not result. Value. This shift may look subtle on paper, but it’s massive in practice. Because for years, we were trained to chase outputs. Now, we’re expected to chase outcomes. Old mindset: “Did we deliver what we said we would?” New mindset: “Did we deliver something that actually matters?” And honestly? This is the upgrade project management needed. Because too many projects “succeeded” on paper while failing in real life: ✔️ Delivered on time, but nobody used it ✔️ Delivered on scope, but added zero business value ✔️ Delivered on budget, but created more problems than it solved The new definition forces a truth many companies avoid: A project that creates no value is just a very expensive hobby. PMBOK 8 didn’t just update terminology. It reframed our purpose. We’re not deliverable managers. We’re value creators. Change enablers. Outcome drivers. And whether you love or hate frameworks, this shift matters because it reflects the reality modern PMs already live in: We lead people. We influence strategy. We shape outcomes that outlive the project itself. PMBOK finally caught up. So here’s the real challenge for all of us: Stop running projects to “finish.” Start running them to matter. → If this resonates, repost ♺ to spread the real meaning of value-driven project management. → Follow Jesus Romero for grounded PM insights in a world that’s evolving fast.

Learning flourishes when students are exposed to a rich tapestry of strategies that activate different parts of the brain and heart. Beyond memorization and review, innovative approaches like peer teaching, role-playing, project-based learning, and multisensory exploration allow learners to engage deeply and authentically. For example, when students teach a concept to classmates, they strengthen their communication, metacognition, and confidence. Role-playing historical events or scientific processes builds empathy, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Project-based learning such as designing a community garden or creating a presentation fosters collaboration, creativity, and real-world application. Multisensory strategies like using manipulatives, visuals, movement, and sound especially benefit neurodiverse learners, enhancing retention, focus, and emotional connection to content. These methods don’t just improve academic outcomes they cultivate lifelong skills like adaptability, initiative, and resilience. When teachers intentionally layer strategies that match students’ strengths and needs, they create classrooms that are inclusive, dynamic, and deeply empowering. #LearningInEveryWay

Diversity, remote work and global mobility aren’t “nice to haves” anymore. They’re rewriting the C-suite profile in FMCG. This shift is showing up very clearly in the talent data and even more clearly in my day-to-day search work. Hunter’s latest consumer talent insights underline three things shaping the market right now: remote and hybrid work expectations, a stronger focus on DEI, and demand for niche, hard-to-find expertise. On paper, that sounds progressive. In reality, it’s becoming very practical. The leaders who are winning in 2026 are rarely single-country, office-bound operators. They are globally mobile. They’ve led teams across time zones. They’re comfortable building trust without physical proximity. And they’ve learned how to run performance, culture and accountability in distributed environments without defaulting to control. From an executive search perspective, this isn’t ideology. It’s execution. Some of the strongest FMCG leaders I work with today have never had their full team in one place. They’ve scaled businesses across regions, integrated acquisitions remotely, negotiated with retailers virtually and still delivered results. That capability matters far more than how many days a week someone sits at a desk. Which is why I’ve started reframing certain client requests. When a client tells me, “We only want someone in the office five days a week,” I no longer hear a simple preference. I treat it as a strategic risk factor. It often signals limited talent pools, slower access to diverse leadership, and a resistance to the very flexibility global FMCG businesses now require. This doesn’t mean offices are irrelevant. It means rigidity is. The consumer goods industry is global, fast-moving and increasingly specialised. Leaders who can operate across borders, cultures and working models are simply better equipped for what’s coming next. If your definition of leadership still depends on a postcode, you’re likely filtering out some of the strongest candidates before the conversation even starts. Has flexibility become a competitive advantage in your leadership hiring yet, or is it still being debated? #FMCG #ExecutiveSearch #Leadership #FutureOfWork

The pace of workplace disruption has fundamentally shifted. What historically required decades to transform entire industries is now happening within years, driven by rapid advances in AI and automation technology.   This acceleration creates a critical challenge for professionals: traditional career strategies built around deep specialization in single domains are becoming increasingly risky.   The emerging pattern I'm observing across industries: • Roles requiring repetitive, single-function tasks are being automated faster than anticipated • Organizations are prioritizing candidates who can navigate multiple functional areas • Job descriptions increasingly require hybrid skill sets that didn't exist five years ago • Career security is shifting from expertise depth to adaptability breadth   Skill stacking - the deliberate cultivation of complementary capabilities across different domains - has evolved from a career enhancement strategy to a survival necessity.   Professionals who build unique combinations of technical proficiency, analytical thinking, and human-centered skills create value propositions that are difficult to replicate through automation.   The question isn't whether your industry will be affected by this transformation, but how quickly you can position yourself ahead of these changes.   What skill combinations are you developing to remain competitive in this rapidly evolving landscape?   Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju   #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #skillstacking #futureofwork #automation #careerstrategist