“In the 21st century, there will be an increasing competitive need for any company to operate as a globally integrated enterprise that can effectively develop and then tap the skills and capabilities of its workforce anywhere in the world. At IBM, we have worked to enable a workforce that is adaptive, flexible, and capable of responding to changes in the marketplace and the needs of our clients. Agile Career Development shows how focusing on career development opportunities and guidance for employees is a key factor in our business strategy and a major source of value for IBM employees. This book can be used as a guide to any organization that is seeking to find practical ways to develop the talent of its workforce.”

—J. Randall MacDonald, Senior Vice President, IBM Human Resources

“Agile Career Development provides a roadmap for the development of essential capabilities and expertise at IBM. A core feature of the book is a demonstration of how IBM utilizes a structured career development process to support career growth—a blended learning approach that presents employees with options for creating meaning and purpose in their jobs and learning experience. A cornerstone of career development at IBM is the concept of accelerating the learning process by taking into consideration the personalized needs of each employee with the ultimate goal of driving business growth. This book serves as a guide to connecting learning and development to the long-term health of the business.”

—Frank Persico, Vice President, Workforce Learning and Development, IBM Corporation

“This book highlights tried and true best practices developed at a company known the world over for active dedication to their workforce. Mary Ann, Diana, and Sheila have captured the key issues that will enhance and streamline your career development program, and subsequently increase employee engagement, retention, and productivity. I particularly like their practical, real-life understanding of the barriers to most career development programs and the manageable framework to bring career growth to life. They also teach us how to make a business case for career development—critical in creating the foundation for a sustainable program. This includes a good blend of benefits both for the individual employee and the organization as a whole. I only wish I had this book available to me years ago when I was managing a career development program!”

—Jim Kirkpatrick, Ph.D., author of Implementing the Four Levels of Transferring Learning to Behavior

“Winning companies have always recognized that career development and talent management are essential enablers to achieving business success. When organizations make a deliberate effort to invest in talent development, they are in essence creating an environment that motivates and inspires its people to raise their level of play. Employees become more engaged and committed. This book brings clarity to the business case for development and training and offers some practical and simple ways to help employees increase their value to the organization and ultimately to the marketplace.”

—Nancy J. Lewis, Vice President and Chief Learning Officer, ITT Corporation