Four top-level learning executives gathered at the Sharing@LearnShare conference in Atlanta to discuss the skills necessary to be a good business partner in their companies, offer advice about how to effectively manage a diverse workforce, and suggest ways to sell employee development to company CEOs.
Offering insights and advice were Bill Byron Concevitch, chief talent and learning officer for Witness Systems; Greg Dardis, director of the leadership institute at Home Depot; Karen Hendrix, director of learning and development at Coca-Cola North America; and Donnee Ramelli, president of GM University at General Motors.
ASTD Executive Editor Pat Galagan moderated this panel discussion.
“To be successful business partners at the Coca-Cola Company, we need to understand the dynamics of our business and how our people efforts impact the business,” says Hendrix.
Dardis agrees, adding, “I think to be a good business partner, you’ve got to speak to the language of business and understand the business as well as the leaders do.”