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Sophia the Humanoid

April 25, 2020 Melanie Hawken
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by Susan Frances, co-founder of Abilities

‘Sophia’ is not alone…we all need development. 

In the past when organizations wanted to cut costs, they would take product specialists or salespeople and convert them into facilitators. Learning & Development (L&D) in many organizations was the business unit for ‘hospital passes’.

Is HC (Human Capital) behind the ‘hospital pass’?

In sport a ‘Hospital pass’ is a term that is used to describe a pass that subjects the recipient to heavy contact from an opposing player. The expression implies that the recipient of the pass could end up in hospital. In business it is used metaphorically when Human Capital (HC) or the manager don’t have the energy or skill to performance manage a bad hire or performer. HC often avoid heavy contact and then pass the employee to L&D to deal with, thereby avoiding being known as the ‘Grim Reapers’.

Which player is really dropping the ball?

Another cost-cutting exercise that is disguised as strategic thinking, is combining HC and L&D. This works beautifully in theory, as they have adjacent skills. The reality is when combining these areas of expertise, you still need the expertise. You either lose a grip on attracting and recruiting good talent or you lose a grip on developing and retaining good talent. Not a bad strategy to keep the team together but imagine the resistance Legal and Finance would exert if they had to lose their goalkeeper.

Who is catching the ball?

L&D has never had a problem catching the ball when business throws it because L&D can upskill even the most rigid midfielder. L&D’s belief in people, their ability to learn and their chameleon-like qualities ensure that they need very little change management. L&D also have an intimate knowledge of each area of business when it comes to skills. Often having had vast experiential learning either with game strategy or with other players (subject matter experts) across the business.

Who is behind the dangerous play?

With a shrinking job market and the new set of digital skills required, are HC the most digital savvy in the game?  L&D have been working on systems more intimately for years: designing software manuals, working with Learning Management Systems, training IT areas and using very advanced design tools.  IT believe bad hires are HC’s doing and HC blames IT for not describing what competencies they need for the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’.

Is Sophia the Humanoid the obstruction?

Let’s admit the reality, the new strategy is to replace people with systems. Focusing on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. IT is now angled to adopt both HC and L&D, in many organizations and it is not even half-time. It was amusing listening to the journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin when he was interviewing Sophia the Humanoid, he asked her: “Why is it so important to have an expressive face?” Sophia replied: “I want to live and work with humans, so I need to express emotions to understand humans and build trust with people”.

I think Learning & Development are the real defenders

When last did IT solve your emotional issues (let alone your system failures)?  Does HC give you a sympathetic ear or just a red card? I have always found a solution in L&D (digital or otherwise). L&D upskill, reskill, and then lift others up when they have conscious competence.

Sophia does have a very expressive face for only 2-years in development, but I agree with Will Smith’s opinion on Sophia: “She could do with some more development”. Particularly Emotional Intelligence if we are going to keep people in the game.


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Susan Frances is a South African entrepreneur, speaker and coach. She is passionate about emotional intelligence, neuroscience and diversity. For over two decades she has been facilitating programmes in leadership and management development. In 2017, she founded Abilities with Nelisiwe Dlamini due to their shared passion for Human Resources and Talent Development.

They believe creativity is a function of knowledge, imagination and innovation. Together they pull teams together and draw customers closer, creating environments of success. Abilities has three core principles: authentic leadership, radical empathy and ethical business.

Abilities focus on behavioural training, instructional design and provide digital solutions that assist organisations to transfer knowledge and pique imagination.

In Guest Blog Tags Susan Frances, People Management
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