Meet the Bold Thinkers Taking the Stage at Convergence 2020

Last week, we announced the agenda for our first ever, fully-virtual Cornerstone Convergence conference! Convergence Unbound is a two-day conference jam packed with insightful content geared toward helping global HR and talent leaders navigate an unbound, uncertain future.

Now, we’re delighted to share more about Bold Thinkers, a dedicated track designed to highlight industry leading perspectives on the future of work—and talent management’s place in it.These experts will cover the latest research and concepts shaping our industry—designed to inspire with new ideas for shaping the future of work.

Here’s a preview of what our Bold Thinkers will talk about—everything from skills development to mental wellbeing.

We are all experiencing a time of intense change as employees navigate new normals. Today, teams reckon with what ’remote’ means—all while processing the impact of a global pandemic.

Liggy Webb, award winning and bestselling author and thought leader on human resilience has some ideas on the matter. She’ll join Summer Salomonsen, head of Cornerstone Studios and Mark Lamswood, regional director for Cornerstone Content, as they discuss the best ways to address change head-on and highlight the value of designing plans for an uncertain future with skills front-of-mind.

Here’s Liggy Webb explaining her Convergence 2020 session:

Video of Convergence 2020: Liggy Webb

In this research-based presentation, global industry analyst Josh Bersin will present a comprehensive overview of the state of corporate skills development. He’ll discuss the emerging role of skills platforms, how they work and how to make sense of the market. Bersin will also explore how content and skills converge for employee learning, development, recruiting, and careers.

Attendees will walk away understanding the answers to these questions: What is a skills cloud and how do I understand these platforms? What is the emerging role of technical skills and soft skills and how can we develop people in an integrated way?

Did you know that the emotional wellbeing of employees is the top concern for 93% of employers? In this experiential session, Joe Burton, CEO of digital training platform Whil (Cornerstone’s new content partner), will share why mindfulness can—and should—be a central element of the workplace of the future. Burton will also offer tactical and practical mindfulness techniques for use in work and life.

"At Convergence, I’ll be speaking about mindfulness as the foundational skill for resilience and wellbeing," says Burton. "In my session you’ll learn practical techniques that you can immediately apply. You’ll walk away understanding how best to help employees manage stress while improving focus, learning and collaboration in high performance cultures."

What do leaders need to be thinking about when it comes to the future of work? This is a question that goes beyond operational and health and safety necessities of reopening offices. The future of work requires a fundamental shift in how organizations empower people to connect, collaborate and get work done. And that shift requires a people-centric approach across a broad spectrum of talent and development strategies.

In this session, Cornerstone’s Kim Cassady, Chief Talent Officer, and Jeff Miller, AVP, Learning and Organizational Effectiveness, will provide a deeper understanding of how leaders cultivate a more mindful approach to coaching and developing people to adapt and thrive in the face of uncertainty.

A preview of the conversation from Kim Cassady: "The amount of dramatic change we’ve all experienced in 2020—in life and at work—has left people feeling insecure about today and uncertain about tomorrow. Organizational leaders need to help their people cultivate the right skills and mindset to adapt and move forward. This session is a conversation about how important it is for leaders to cultivate a more people-centric approach to connecting, developing and meeting the unique needs of their people to adapt and thrive through change and uncertainty."

Organizations are struggling to keep pace with the acceleration of technology in today’s world amidst major shifts in employee and customer expectations. As organizations adjust their strategies to meet these shifting dynamics, how can talent leaders identify the expertise required today (and tomorrow) to deliver on key priorities and stay competitive? How do you engage your people in upskilling and reskilling so they are ready to adapt and lead through change?

This panel will feature leading organizations—Novartis and the Government of Singapore—as they share insight into their ambitious visions for scaling skills development. The session will cover strategy and capability-building at both the organizational and personal level. It will also offer recommendations for engaging people in skills programs that create a culture focused on people development to help thrive through innovation.

"Skills are top on every CHRO mind these days. What was true six months ago in the urgency of preparing your people for today’s and tomorrow’s challenges is acutely more important now in our new reality of work" says Vincent Belliveau, Chief Executive, EMEA, Cornerstone. "I’m very excited to be moderating this panel from our global community and sharing their insights into the importance of understanding organizational needs, identifying and mapping workforce skills, and developing their people’s skills to adapt and innovate in the future. We’ll be talking more about the outcomes they are working towards, the importance of creating an employee experience that creates a learning culture, the notion of an internal talent marketplace and how individuals play a role in creating broader change."

The Bold Thinkers track at Convergence 2020 promises to deliver authoritative perspectives on the very future of work—and offer guidance to talent leaders looking for clarity during a time of immense change. It’s going to be insightful, useful and interactive. What more could you want?

To learn more about the Bold Thinkers line-up and build your personalized Convergence session schedule, visit: www.cornerstoneconvergence.com.

To follow Cornerstone Convergence 2020 on social media channels, visit: Twitter @CSODConvergence, Instagram @CornerstoneOnDemand and Facebook @Cornerstoneconvergence. You can engage with the conversation using #CSODConf20.