The stakes have never been higher for learning leaders. As technologies and markets transform at breakneck speed, your learning strategy can determine whether your organization thrives or merely survives in the new economy.

This imperative illustrates why a comprehensive learning strategy is more than a training plan. It is the organization’s blueprint for building and maintaining capability. It ensures employees have the skills they need to perform today, the capacity to support strategic initiatives and the foundation to meet future demands. For a learning strategy to be effective, it must be tightly connected to the business strategy. Every element of the learning agenda should clearly align with organizational priorities and support the company’s ability to remain competitive in a constantly evolving marketplace.

While areas like onboarding, manager training and leadership development remain important, they are no longer enough. Executives today are equally, if not more, concerned about workforce readiness, digital fluency and digital dexterity. In short, the ability of the workforce to adapt and apply new technologies and ways of working has become a core capability. Learning leaders must broaden their focus and ensure their strategies support these larger enterprise needs.

The landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years. Organizations that once viewed learning as a supporting function now recognize it as a strategic imperative. This shift requires learning leaders to rethink their approach and positioning within the organization. The most successful learning strategies directly address business challenges, whether they involve expanding into new markets, adapting to regulatory changes or embracing technological disruption. Framing learning initiatives as business solutions rather than training programs elevates the conversation and secures stronger stakeholder commitment.

Start With the Business, Stay With the Business

One of the most surprising challenges I’ve encountered is how often learning leaders don’t know where to begin. Many assume the organization’s strategic plan is off-limits or not relevant to them. That is a mistake. You cannot align to something you have not seen. Building a learning strategy that supports the business starts by requesting the strategic plan and understanding what the organization is trying to accomplish.

What are the organization’s top priorities over the next three to five years? What market trends or competitive forces are at play? With that foundation, initiate focused dialogues across the business — with the chief executive officer (CEO), senior leaders, managers and front-line employees. Probe how they are experiencing the company’s strategy and where they feel pressure or opportunity. These insights will help you identify critical skill deficiencies and competency gaps that threaten market position.

Consider creating a capability map that visualizes the intersection of current skills, future requirements and strategic imperatives. This visual tool can be powerful in communicating with executives and building consensus around learning priorities. It transforms abstract concepts into concrete action items and helps stakeholders understand the relationship between talent capabilities and business outcomes.

Armed with this understanding, translate insights into a prioritized set of objectives for your learning organization. From there, you can develop a roadmap to meet those objectives in alignment with the broader strategy.

There is no single model or framework for developing a learning strategy. The important thing is to find a structure that helps you clearly communicate the purpose and priorities of your learning function. A strategy is not a set-it-and-forget-it document. It should evolve as the business evolves. That’s why you need both a detailed internal plan and a simple, high-level “strategy on a page.” When someone asks, “What is our learning strategy?” you should be able to answer in one clear, compelling statement.

Measure What Matters Most

While there are many established models for measuring the impact of learning, it is important to remember that the model is not the story. The business impact is the story. The most valuable metrics are those agreed upon with stakeholders in advance. If you can tie learning outcomes directly to the objectives of the business, you will be viewed as more strategic and more successful.

Too often, learning functions focus exclusively on activity metrics: number of courses delivered, completion rates or satisfaction scores. While these data points have their place, they rarely tell the full story of learning’s contribution to the business. Instead, partner with business leaders to identify the metrics that matter to them. For a sales organization, this might be time-to-productivity for new hires or win rates on competitive deals. For operations, it could be error reduction or efficiency improvements. By adopting these business metrics as your own, you create shared accountability and demonstrate learning’s direct impact on performance.

Measurement should start with a question: What is the impact we are trying to have? From this foundation, determine the best way to showcase both the data and the narratives that demonstrate that impact. Use the models that work best for your organization but always keep your eye on the outcomes the business cares about most.

Stay Engaged and Keep Listening

One of the most common missteps in building or refreshing a learning strategy is assuming you understand the business fully. But the business, like your strategy, is always evolving. If you are not in regular strategic conversations with leaders and consistently scanning the market, you risk falling behind. Your ability to make meaningful recommendations depends on your ability to speak the language of the business and understand its shifting priorities.

Establish a rhythm of regular touchpoints with key stakeholders — quarterly reviews with business unit leaders, monthly check-ins with human resources (HR) partners and annual deep dives with the executive team. These conversations should focus less on what the learning function is doing and more on how business needs are changing. Ask probing questions about upcoming initiatives, market challenges and competitive pressures. This ongoing dialogue ensures your strategy remains relevant and positions you as a strategic partner rather than a service provider.

For learning leaders, credibility starts with business acumen. You must know what the business is trying to do, what skills it needs to succeed and how learning and development (L&D) can support those efforts. When you can draw that clear connection, the learning strategy becomes a critical tool for organizational success.