Should It Be Your Job To Teach Employees How To Manage Themselves?

Cultivating Self-Management And Problem Solving In Your Employees

One of our favorite ways to support our L&D community is to do the legwork of forecasting trends so you can focus on adapting your strategy to deliver the best learning experience for your employees. As we scoured the data, we came across the World Economic Forum research on the top 10 skills of 2025, five of which are all related to problem solving. Specifically:

• Analytical thinking and innovation
• Complex problem solving
• Critical thinking and analysis
• Creativity, originality, and initiative
• Reasoning, problem solving, and ideation

This was a lightbulb moment for us and served as inspiration for one of the top 2025 trends that should be on every L&D manager's radar: self-management.

How did we get there? If we want to encourage problem solving, we first need to develop problem-solvers who can approach and assess situations with an innovative and resilient mindset. We need employees who see themselves as the solution instead of another cog sending the problem down the pipeline. And self-management could be the game-changer we've been looking for.

If you're feeling skeptical, we hear you. How do you teach learners how to manage...themselves? And, should that really be your job? Think of it this way: Self-management is really about guiding learners to identify and prioritize the areas of growth that will help them be more independent and motivate them to take more initiative. And in the long run, that should make your job easier.

3 Ways To Develop Problem-Solvers Through Self-Management

1. Foster Forward-Thinkers

By equipping employees with the skills to anticipate future challenges, identify opportunities, and think proactively, you can develop forward-thinkers who are more adept at setting strategic goals, managing their time efficiently, and adapting to changes with resilience. This forward-thinking approach not only enhances individual performance but also drives innovation and agility within the organization, creating a culture of continuous improvement and preparedness for the evolving business landscape.

Here's how you can be forward-thinking in your approach to developing forward-thinkers:

• Provide Context And Relevance

It's hard to think proactively about a future you can't see, or a vision you don't feel a part of. Go beyond employee handbooks to make sure employees know how their role specifically and directly aligns with the company's goals and the industry landscape.

• Promote Goal Setting And Accountability

It's hard to stay focused and motivated when you don't know what goal you're supposed to be achieving. Don't just encourage employees to set personal and professional goals, but ignite the spark and go the extra mile to co-create what those goals should be.

• Implement Self-Assessment Tools

Self-awareness develops through self-assessment. Demonstrate that you believe this is an important area of growth by providing employees with easily accessible tools to help identify their strengths and areas for improvement. Tools like 360-degree feedback, personality assessments, and skills gap analyses are a great initial step to get employees thinking proactively about their L&D journey.

2. Leverage Idea Curation

To summarize Learning Pool's chief product officer, Ben Betts, in Raconteur's Workplace Learning 2025, the current L&D approach isn't improving productivity. Employees need to adapt and take responsibility for their own learning in order to meet the future needs of the workforce. It's time to move away from being managers of learning toward becoming curators of ideas.

Here's how you can spark the evolution in your workplace:

• Leverage External Experts And Thought Leaders

Invite new and unexpected voices to share their unique perspectives. And guess what? It doesn't even have to be about L&D! In fact, it may even be better if it's not. Hosting webinars, guest lectures, or panel discussions can expose employees to diverse viewpoints, which can inspire them to think creatively and consider out-of-the-box approaches.

• Create Collaborative Learning Environments

Create platforms and opportunities for employees to share insights, experiences, and knowledge with each other. For example, setting up internal communities of practice, discussion forums, or regular brainstorming sessions can help employees exchange ideas and collectively curate valuable content. Perhaps most importantly, use platforms and tools that your employees already gravitate toward, so that adoption feels natural and productive.

• Encourage Reflective Practices

Reflection is a powerful tool for deepening understanding and fostering idea curation. L&D professionals can encourage employees to engage in regular reflective practices, such as journaling, blogging, or participating in reflective discussions. By reflecting on their learning experiences and the ideas they encounter, employees can better assimilate new information and propel those ideas toward application in a meaningful way.

3. Rebuild Resiliency

Fostering resilience and flexibility is crucial to an L&D department's overall success because it creates a workforce that is better equipped to handle the complexities and uncertainties of the modern business landscape. From pandemics to economic crashes, the last few years have revealed the need to rebuild resiliency within the workforce in order to maintain high levels of engagement.

Here's how you can promote resiliency in your workplace:

• Implement Personalized Learning Paths

Personalized learning paths that cater to individual strengths, weaknesses, and career aspirations encourage employees to take ownership of their development. By offering a mix of online courses, mentoring sessions, and experiential learning opportunities, L&D professionals can empower employees to pursue learning at their own pace and according to their unique needs.

• Model A Growth Mindset

Promoting a culture that values continuous improvement and learning from mistakes is crucial to building resiliency. Initiate programs that reward innovative thinking, flexibility, and perseverance in the face of failure. For example, implementing a "failure forum" where employees share lessons learned from setbacks can normalize the idea that failure is a stepping stone to growth, thus fostering a more resilient workforce.

• Facilitate Cross-Functional Collaboration

Encouraging employees to work on cross-functional projects can enhance their flexibility and resilience by exposing them to different perspectives and problem-solving approaches. Facilitate these opportunities by organizing cross-departmental teams or rotational programs that allow employees to gain diverse experiences and develop a broader skillset.

Conclusion

By implementing these strategies, L&D professionals can transform their approach to Learning and Development, empowering employees to take ownership of their futures and become proactive curators of ideas, ready to adapt and thrive in the ever-evolving workplace landscape.