03 Apr Why Subject Matter Experts Are the Superheroes of Your Team Development Programs

In today’s transformed workplaces, equally important to success are often-called soft skills, or power skills – like effective communication, fostering teamwork, and creative problem-solving. The challenge for corporate leaders looking to help their teams develop these types of skills is how to do it efficiently and effectively.

• Where do we look when we need industry insights coupled with inspiration to further our personal and professional development?

• How do we tap into like-minded individuals who have expertise in the areas that matter to our long-term growth?

• How can we keep up with the most up-to-date company culture and leadership development principles that directly impact our culture and growth?

We call in the subject matter experts.

Calling in the Experts

A subject matter expert (or SME) is an individual who has deep knowledge in a particular area and is often the centerpiece of corporate learning and development programs. Sometimes also referred to as domain experts, these professionals can deliver specialized training designed for an organization’s specific needs. In addition to their extensive knowledge, an effective SME is also a skilled presenter and instructor, who is exemplary at sharing their learnings through writing and coaching. 

Because of their particular skill set, SMEs are best paired with instructional designers to develop compelling L&D programs that focus on organizational objectives, as well as engaging learners. The best content comes from the rich real-life experiences that SMEs can share; paired with the experiential learning tools of good instructional design. And research shows that one of the best brain-based techniques to retain information is through learning in multiple ways, or modalities.

Leadership Canvas™: Where Creativity and Content Intersect

In today’s ever-changing workforce, where the stakes hinge on both skills-specific and cultural awareness, cultivating industry-specific knowledge alongside creativity and collaboration can be the key to unlocking individual and organizational performance.

Creativity is now considered one of the most important qualities in corporate leadership and company culture. Creative thinking fosters inventive problem solving, combats stagnation, enhances productivity and adaptability, and engenders a growth mindset within teams and their organizations. 

Leadership Canvas™ is our signature leadership development program, featuring an all-star lineup of subject matter experts who each bring an element of creativity to their area of expertise. We collaborate with an array of carefully vetted SMEs to bring our experiential team development and leadership training programs to life, co-designing and delivering customized course content based on an organization’s needs.

Imagine courses co-facilitated by a spoken word poet who teaches your team to communicate courageously, a visual artist who helps unleash team collaboration, an attorney who guides conflict resolution with imagination, and a DJ who uses music to create a sense of exploration.   

As workplaces become more diverse and distributed, leveraging subject matter experts who share their knowledge in inventive, exciting ways as part of your leadership development programs can help equip your leaders and their teams with information and inspiration to build a better future for your organization.