Cornerstone Connect Live Orlando lights up the future of work

As magical as the rides that define its world-famous theme parks, sunny Orlando set the stage on June 11 as the next stop of the Cornerstone Connect Live Global Tour. The twists and turns of today's rapidly changing workplace have organizations questioning whether they're ready for the rollercoaster of challenges ahead. But the event's awe-inspiring innovations propelled its attendees through a new world of possibilities, one where workforce agility is the cornerstone for long-term success.

Missed the excitement? Here's a look at the top takeaways.

Cornerstone CEO Himanshu Palsule kicked off the opening keynote by emphasizing Cornerstone's unwavering commitment to understanding and addressing each customer's unique needs: "Your stories inspire us, and lessons challenge us." Many organizations today struggle to keep up with evolving skills requirements, and Himanshu highlighted the critical need for workforce agility to remain competitive.

Himanshu also shared insights into Cornerstone's recent strategic acquisitions of Talespin and SkyHive. Talespin, with its immersive learning solutions, spins new dimensions into how organizations train and develop soft skills using extended reality (XR). With SkyHive, organizations can accurately map out and forecast their skills needs, ensuring that every workforce member is in the right role and equipped with the right skills.

By focusing on being "brilliant at the basics" and pioneering advanced technologies like immersive learning and extended reality, Cornerstone has uniquely positioned itself to help organizations navigate the widening workforce readiness gap.

As the keynote unfolded, attendees were captivated by the unveiling of Cornerstone Galaxy, the world's premier AI-driven platform designed to offer personalized, holistic workforce solutions. Chief Product Officer Karthik Suri introduced Cornerstone Immerse, a revolutionary tool that utilizes extended reality (XR) to enhance soft skill training through immersive AI roleplays, providing employees realistic scenarios to practice and refine their interpersonal skills. He also highlighted Cornerstone Talent Intelligence, which offers advanced skills analytics to strategically develop and manage talent, helping organizations identify and cultivate the skills they need for future success.

In addition, Karthik showcased Cornerstone Extend, a flexible integration tool that seamlessly connects with existing systems to create a customized and scalable talent management ecosystem. This allows organizations to leverage their current investments while enhancing their talent strategy. Last, Karthik unveiled Cornerstone Companion, which harnesses the power of generative AI to deliver personalized learning experiences. This innovative tool adapts to individual learning styles and needs, ensuring employees receive the most relevant training possible.

To bring these capabilities to life, Product Strategy Director Anna R. Goldberg took to the stage and demonstrated the platform in real time. Goldberg's live demonstration of Cornerstone Galaxy illustrated how seamlessly these tools work together, showcasing their intuitive interfaces and powerful features. The opening keynote gave a thrilling glimpse into the future of talent management. It set a vibrant tone for the rest of the event, leaving participants eager to explore Cornerstone Galaxy's transformative potential.

Attendees gathered for a compelling session led by five-time best-selling author Jacob Morgan to explore the crucial role of vulnerability in leadership amidst the constant evolution of the workforce.

Morgan opened the session by addressing a critical question: How do top leaders unlock the potential of their teams, foster trust, and navigate change in such a dynamic environment? He posited that the answer lies in embracing vulnerability. Leading with vulnerability means openly acknowledging gaps in one's skills or knowledge and transparently sharing the steps to address these deficiencies.

The session highlighted how leaders who embrace vulnerability can drive significant positive change within their organizations. Morgan shared examples of how such leaders have inspired their teams to innovate, adapt, and thrive in the face of ongoing change. Leaders can foster a culture of continuous improvement and mutual support by being open about their own journeys and challenges.

Next, attendees were treated to an insightful and engaging customer panel discussion, expertly moderated by Cornerstone’s Chief Customer Officer, Toya Del Valle. The panel, featuring leaders from diverse industries, shared their real-world experiences and strategies for building workforce agility amidst constant change. Their experiences underscored the critical role of Cornerstone in supporting these efforts, providing tools and frameworks that empower employees and drive organizational success.

Barbara Bridgford from McKesson highlighted how Cornerstone's learning and development tools have been instrumental in ensuring employees are well-equipped with the skills needed to keep up with industry demands and regulatory changes. Derek Blake of Encore Global explained how Cornerstone's platform has enabled Encore to reskill and upskill employees rapidly, maintaining high service standards despite the fluctuations in demand brought on by the global events landscape.

Jeanne Bonzon from BJC Health System emphasized how Cornerstone’s robust talent management solutions have supported BJC in efficiently onboarding new staff and training existing employees to adapt to the evolving healthcare protocols and technologies. Cornerstone’s Chief People Officer, Carina Cortez, provided an internal perspective, discussing how the organization leverages its tools to build a resilient and agile workforce. She emphasized the importance of embedding agility into the company culture and how Cornerstone's own experiences reflect the strategies shared by the panelists.

Participants at Cornerstone Connect Live in Orlando witnessed the groundbreaking potential of immersive learning powered by virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI). Cornerstone's cutting-edge solutions are revolutionizing organizations' development of crucial soft skills, including leadership, conflict resolution and communication.

With VR goggles on, attendees were transported into lifelike simulations populated by AI-driven virtual human characters. These realistic scenarios allowed them to practice and refine their skills in a secure and controlled setting. The interactive experience provided immediate feedback and personalized guidance, making the learning process both dynamic and deeply engaging. This innovative approach enhances essential skills development and ensures learners can apply them effectively in real-world situations.

Leaders and innovators eagerly "broke out" of conventional thinking to explore the latest advancements in talent management and organizational development. Each afternoon session shattered expectations, from leveraging cutting-edge analytics to seamlessly blending compliance with democratized learning. Attendees left armed with transformative strategies ready to fuel organizations well into the future.

• Anna Goldberg and Nathaniel Plamondon delved into the transformative power of integrating skills strategies into talent development.

• Ganesan Ramu, Kristie Willix, and Shalini Pendyala showcased how Cornerstone Learn balances assigned learning with self-directed opportunities.

• Yanni Amouris and Oscar Medina explored the necessity of evolving beyond traditional talent strategies to achieve workforce agility.

• Jacob Little's session focused on Cornerstone's commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), providing a thoughtful framework for organizations to navigate social issues with leadership support.

• David Wood and Mike Bollinger highlighted Cornerstone Extend's integration capabilities, demonstrating how it connects seamlessly with existing tools to enhance talent development.

• Christina DeLeonibus and Brandon Williams demystified the journey to implementing skills technology.

• Fred Walz and Jayanta Mukhopadhyay led sessions specifically for Saba and SumTotal users, focusing on how these customers can integrate and take advantage of Cornerstone's rich content and learning experiences.

• Neil Chintala and Aaron Laznovsky addressed the critical issue of employee retention. They showcased how Cornerstone Elevate bridges the skills confidence gap and aligns employee aspirations with organizational goals.

• Akshay Chouksey and Hitesh Dholakia unveiled how Cornerstone is leveraging responsible AI to revolutionize talent development.

As Cornerstone Connect Live in Orlando drew to a close, the final keynote delivered by James McQuivey, VP and Research Director at Forrester Research, left attendees with a powerful call to action. Titled “The Heat Is On: Why Skills-Based Approaches Are the Catalyst to Your Success This Year,” the session was a compelling exploration of how organizations can thrive amidst the challenges of what Forrester dubs the "EX Winter."

Emphasizing the critical need for change, McQuivey persuasively argued that now is the perfect moment to pivot to a skills-based approach. His insights provided a forward-thinking framework for transforming workforce strategies, emphasizing that the ability to thrive in today's volatile environment hinges on cultivating and leveraging employees' skills. This transition allows companies to better align their workforce capabilities with the rapidly shifting demands of the market.

Participants left the session inspired and equipped with the knowledge and tools to drive meaningful change within their organizations. They are ready to shift their focus to a skills-based perspective that promises to unlock new levels of success.

As we transitioned from the enlightening sessions to the reception, the foyer came alive with an array of refreshments and the chance to mingle with peers, Cornerstone executives, experts and sponsors. It was a perfect blend of networking and celebration, where new connections were forged as easily as characters find their happily ever after.

It became clear that the real magic of Cornerstone Connect Live Orlando wasn’t just in the innovations unveiled or the insights shared — it was in the community that came together, ready to support each other on the journey ahead. With a wave of the wand (or perhaps a VR headset), the future of workforce agility looks brighter than ever.

A special thanks to Educe, DXC Technology, eSkillz, isEazy, Skillsoft, ACI Learning, Bluewater, Credly, eConsulting, goFLUENT, Intellezy, LanguageLine Solutions, NIIT, SAI360, Lionbridge, Elastic, and Google Cloud for their invaluable support in making Cornerstone Connect Live in Orlando an extraordinary event, and driving success in talent development.