About
Spanning an illustrious two-decade career in learning and development, Dr. Keith Keating stands at the forefront of educational innovation. As a University of Pennsylvania lecturer, the acclaimed author of the award-winning guide “The Trusted Learning Advisor”, and a Chief Learning and Talent Officer, he partners with leading Fortune 500 companies to shape the future of corporate learning.
A transformation from a high school dropout to a distinguished doctorate holder from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Keating's journey is a testament to the transformative power of learning. His four degrees are not just credentials, but beacons of inspiration, illuminating the path from potential to achievement.
Dr. Keating's advocacy goes beyond mere words; he embodies the principle that learning is the engine of professional ascension and organizational excellence. With a deep-seated commitment to nurturing talent, Dr. Keating's approach is more than a profession—it's a calling. He not only encourages continuous growth but also designs the strategies that turn lifelong learning into a strategic advantage for individuals and companies alike.
Keith specializes in:
- Designing and executing global innovative large-scale skilling and reskilling talent learning strategies and workforce transformations
- Assembling and leading high-performance motivated teams
- Cultivating global strategic partnerships and cross-collaboration across organizations to understand and solve challenges
Articles by Dr. Keith
-
Reflections on Davos: A unique convergence of global minds
Reflections on Davos: A unique convergence of global minds
By Dr. Keith Keating
Contributions
Activity
-
One of the greatest joys in leadership is the opportunity to learn and grow continuously. I often like to gift impactful books to others, and…
One of the greatest joys in leadership is the opportunity to learn and grow continuously. I often like to gift impactful books to others, and…
Liked by Dr. Keith Keating
-
Don’t miss the chance to learn from one of the UK’s top People Leaders 🚀 With over 2 decades of experience leading people teams at multinational…
Don’t miss the chance to learn from one of the UK’s top People Leaders 🚀 With over 2 decades of experience leading people teams at multinational…
Liked by Dr. Keith Keating
Experience
Education
-
- Present
BDO has partnered with Harvard Business School Executive Education to curate an advanced Executive Leadership Program designed to equip leaders with the essential skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s complex business environment. This comprehensive program covers key topics such as organizational trust, leadership skills, and psychological safety. Participants will delve into the foundations of building and maintaining trust within their organizations, enhance their strategic…
BDO has partnered with Harvard Business School Executive Education to curate an advanced Executive Leadership Program designed to equip leaders with the essential skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s complex business environment. This comprehensive program covers key topics such as organizational trust, leadership skills, and psychological safety. Participants will delve into the foundations of building and maintaining trust within their organizations, enhance their strategic decision-making and emotional intelligence, and learn to create environments where team members feel safe to express ideas and innovate. Through a combination of cutting-edge research, practical insights, and interactive learning experiences, this program prepares leaders to drive growth, foster a positive workplace culture, and lead with confidence and integrity.
-
-
My research focused on the beliefs of CFOs on the value of learning in organizations and ways we can leverage this data to further our L&D strategy.
Developing an organization’s talent is a critical component of sustainable success in the knowledge economy, and the learning leader plays a vital role in guiding employee performance across the organization. Today, learning leaders reside in human resources, they sit in the C-suite, and they manage and run line functions in the business…My research focused on the beliefs of CFOs on the value of learning in organizations and ways we can leverage this data to further our L&D strategy.
Developing an organization’s talent is a critical component of sustainable success in the knowledge economy, and the learning leader plays a vital role in guiding employee performance across the organization. Today, learning leaders reside in human resources, they sit in the C-suite, and they manage and run line functions in the business. Learning leaders develop and implement evidence-based practices that support formal and informal human capital development, leadership development, skills development, on-demand, just-in-time learning and longer term learning and development initiatives. -
-
-
-
Winning companies, such as Apple, Virgin, Toyota and others, innovate continuously because of their culture of design thinking – integrating the needs of people, the possibilities of technology and the requirements for business success. In this course, you will learn how to take a similar approach in your own business – blending the perspectives of marketing, design and engineering into a systematic approach to delivering innovation.
As a core part of the course, students participate in a…Winning companies, such as Apple, Virgin, Toyota and others, innovate continuously because of their culture of design thinking – integrating the needs of people, the possibilities of technology and the requirements for business success. In this course, you will learn how to take a similar approach in your own business – blending the perspectives of marketing, design and engineering into a systematic approach to delivering innovation.
As a core part of the course, students participate in a team-based concept development project assignment. This project, focused on opportunity evaluation and concept development, is integrated into all course modules.
Skilled topics covered include:
•Understand the design thinking process
•Identify and assess customer opportunities
•Generate and evaluate new product and service concepts
•Design services and customer experiences
•Evaluate product development economics
Final team project rated 5th out of 66 entries. -
-
Honors
-
-
-
-
The IASSC Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt™ (ICGB™) is a professional who is well versed in the core to advanced elements of Lean Six Sigma Methodology, who leads improvement projects and / or serves as a team member as a part of more complex improvement projects lead by a Certified Black Belt, typically in a part-time role. A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt possesses a thorough understanding of all aspects of the Lean Six Sigma Method including competence in subject matters contained within the…
The IASSC Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt™ (ICGB™) is a professional who is well versed in the core to advanced elements of Lean Six Sigma Methodology, who leads improvement projects and / or serves as a team member as a part of more complex improvement projects lead by a Certified Black Belt, typically in a part-time role. A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt possesses a thorough understanding of all aspects of the Lean Six Sigma Method including competence in subject matters contained within the phases of Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC) as defined by the IASSC Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Body of Knowledge™. A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt understands how to implement, perform, interpret and apply Lean Six Sigma at a high level of proficiency.
Licenses & Certifications
Volunteer Experience
-
Project Lead
Guerrilla Aid
- 3 months
Human Rights
Batwa Pygmies in Uganda – a group of people that have been displaced from their ancestral lands – a group of people who aren’t even recognized as humans because of their small stature are being killed as a legal form of genocide. They live on a small bit of land, but can’t afford the seeds to even farm the land. They subsist on a small portion of porridge daily. http://www.guerrillaaid.org/
My project was to provide a chicken for each of the children – as a chicken will lay an egg a day…Batwa Pygmies in Uganda – a group of people that have been displaced from their ancestral lands – a group of people who aren’t even recognized as humans because of their small stature are being killed as a legal form of genocide. They live on a small bit of land, but can’t afford the seeds to even farm the land. They subsist on a small portion of porridge daily. http://www.guerrillaaid.org/
My project was to provide a chicken for each of the children – as a chicken will lay an egg a day to give each child the protein they need, as well as give them an animal to care for and love. Additionally the project is aimed to helping the villagers build huts, chicken coops, plant gardens and plant potatoes. -
Mentor
New York Cares
- 1 year 5 months
Economic Empowerment
Worked with recent individuals on parole and domestic abuse victims for the following:
- Resume Writing
- Interviewing Skills
- Career Development / Coaching -
Publications
-
Bridging the relationship gap between the training function and chief financial officers: practices, challenges, and solutions
Development and Learning in OrganizationsJournal
This paper provides original insights and reviews newly published studies regarding relationships between the training function and chief financial officers, the development of workplace training valuation approaches, the associated challenges faced, and proposed solutions. This paper will be of value to human resources, learning and development, and finance, assisting practitioners in thinking differently about approaches to quantifying the value of workplace training.
-
Preparing for the Future of Work
Wharton Executive Education
This article is part of Wharton's series on Nano leadership tools. Accelerated digital transformation and the shift to remote work have widened the gap between the skills your workers currently have and the ones they will need in the future. Companies often end up with an either/or approach: it’s either all on employers to provide training, or employees must figure out which skills they will need and how to build those skills themselves. A more effective solution for both sides involves a…
This article is part of Wharton's series on Nano leadership tools. Accelerated digital transformation and the shift to remote work have widened the gap between the skills your workers currently have and the ones they will need in the future. Companies often end up with an either/or approach: it’s either all on employers to provide training, or employees must figure out which skills they will need and how to build those skills themselves. A more effective solution for both sides involves a collaborative approach, where leaders empower, encourage, and enable talent to close anticipated gaps and take control of their own future.
-
Education Crisis, Workforce Preparedness, and Covid-19: Reflections and Recommendation
Wiley
This article explores the impact of COVID-19 on the higher education crisis and its implications for workforce preparedness and the future of work. It takes an integrative look at the evolving role of three primary actors involved in higher education: traditional universities, corporate universities, and educational technology companies, before, during, and after the pandemic. We conclude with recommendations for reframing discussions about higher education and workforce preparation to achieve…
This article explores the impact of COVID-19 on the higher education crisis and its implications for workforce preparedness and the future of work. It takes an integrative look at the evolving role of three primary actors involved in higher education: traditional universities, corporate universities, and educational technology companies, before, during, and after the pandemic. We conclude with recommendations for reframing discussions about higher education and workforce preparation to achieve a better balance between the workforce needs of the corporate world and those of society.
Other authorsSee publication -
Design Thinking: Application (Webinar)
ATD
You’ve probably heard about design thinking—maybe you’ve read an article or watched an online video. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying design thinking, and what business results come from it? Design thinking is not just a trendy buzzword; it’s a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
During part 2 of a two-part webcast series, Keith Keating, senior director of Global Learning Strategies, walks you…You’ve probably heard about design thinking—maybe you’ve read an article or watched an online video. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying design thinking, and what business results come from it? Design thinking is not just a trendy buzzword; it’s a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
During part 2 of a two-part webcast series, Keith Keating, senior director of Global Learning Strategies, walks you through a detailed design thinking case study for an initiative he led in 2018 for a Fortune 500 company. Keith will address activities in each of the five phases, sharing best practices and lessons learned that helped his team uncover the voice of the learner and readjust their learner experience strategy based on the results of the initiative. Whether you are new to design thinking or an experienced practitioner, this webcast will benefit you as he illustrates successes that can result as well as pitfalls and challenges. Understanding case studies will help you jump-start your transformative journey from being a theoretical learner to a design thinking practitioner.In this webcast, you will learn about:
- best practices for preparing and conducting successful empathy interviews
- best practices for a successful ideation session
- five visual thinking tools used to support the case study
- five lessons learned from the case study
-
Design Thinking: Theory (Webinar)
ATD
You've probably heard about design thinking—maybe you've read an article or watched an online video. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying design thinking, and what business results come from it? Design thinking is not just a trendy buzzword; it's a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
During part 1 of a two-part webcast series, Keith Keating, senior director of Global Learning Strategies, shares a…You've probably heard about design thinking—maybe you've read an article or watched an online video. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying design thinking, and what business results come from it? Design thinking is not just a trendy buzzword; it's a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
During part 1 of a two-part webcast series, Keith Keating, senior director of Global Learning Strategies, shares a thorough look into the principles of design thinking in an easy-to-understand format. Using practical examples and stories, this webcast will provide you with a solid foundational understanding of design thinking and ideas for ways you can apply it within your own organization. Keith has taken his theoretical design thinking education from MIT and brought it to life with Fortune 500 companies to help create learner-centric experiences, products, and processes. He will help you jump-start your transformative journey from being a theoretical learner to a design thinking practitioner.In this webcast, you will learn about:
- the value of design thinking and why more companies aren't using it
- practical design thinking stories from Fortune 500 companies
- top five design thinking best practices for you to drive business results
- five L&D ideas for applying design thinking. -
Design Thinking: Risks & Rewards
Association for Talent & Development (ATD)
Design Thinking is not, in and of itself, a guarantee of success. Before you sign on to the open-ended, meandering journey that is true Design Thinking, consider some of its inherent risks.
-
Preparing Today's Workforce for Tomorrow
Chief Learning Officer
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has begun and the stakes are high for businesses, workers and society as a whole. The very concept of work is being redefined as different generations enter and exit the workforce. Digital technologies are demanding that employees acquire new skills to adapt to new ways of working, otherwise they’ll get left behind. L&D leaders now have a call to action: Ensure employees are relevant and adaptable so they can rise to the challenge of this new revolution.
…The Fourth Industrial Revolution has begun and the stakes are high for businesses, workers and society as a whole. The very concept of work is being redefined as different generations enter and exit the workforce. Digital technologies are demanding that employees acquire new skills to adapt to new ways of working, otherwise they’ll get left behind. L&D leaders now have a call to action: Ensure employees are relevant and adaptable so they can rise to the challenge of this new revolution.
The task may seem daunting but here’s the good news: Drawing on insights from the disruptive technology landscape over the past 20 years, we can proactively address the complex workforce challenges we face. There may never have been a better opportunity to get ahead of this issue, and never a greater risk of inaction. Our directive is clear: Create the future workforce, now.
Drawing on theory and research, this session will focus on helping you prepare and take action for the future of workforce development. Keith Keating will discuss the concept of building the connected learner, share actionable advice on ways you can identify the skills needed for the future in your organization and how to foster a learning culture that will motivate employees to develop those skills. You will explore ways to utilize human-centric design to support accelerating the reskilling of our workforce, encouraging you to remain mindful to put our people first. -
Design Thinking: L&D Friend or Foe?
ATD CTDO Magazine
L&D professionals are often faced, in short order, with finding new or unique ways to present information so that learners not only take in the information but apply it on the job. This is where design thinking—a collective, human-centered problem-solving approach to achieving goals—can help. Design thinking focuses on the creative and innovative. But is this valuable to L&D professionals, or does it distract from their core efforts?
-
Podcast - Shifting to a Design Thinking Mindset
GP Strategies
You’ve probably heard about Design Thinking, whether you’ve read an article, watched a video, or even took an online course. But then what? How do you apply the principles and make an impact? How are companies actually applying Design Thinking and what business results come from it? Listen to this episode with Keith Keating and Britney Cole to learn why Design Thinking is more than a buzzword, but a proven and practical method to create human-centered solutions.
-
Pause: The Power of Cultivating Space Between Words
ATD Insights
Knowing what words to use in any given situation is a common element of leadership, but the greatest leaders understand that greater power resides in the space between words.
-
3 Traits of Adaptable Leaders
ATD Insights
Adaptive Leadership is a practical leadership framework that helps individuals and organizations adapt and thrive in challenging environments. This article discusses 3 key traits of Adaptive Leaders and actions that can be taken to enhance your skills as an adaptive leader.
-
Secret to Engaging Learners
GP Strategies
LXD is the perfect evolution in the field of instructional design to ensure we remain focused on the experience of our learners.
-
Webinar Q&A – Design Thinking: Moving From Theory to Application to Business Results
GP Strategies
In a recent webinar I shared tips on how to apply the 5 stages of Design Thinking in real-world settings. If you missed the webinar, a recording is now available for you to watch online. My goal is to help you jump-start your transformative journey from being a Design-Thinking theoretical learner to a Design-Thinking practitioner.
-
Design Thinking - Why aren’t we using it more
ATD
If there was a method we could use to uncover the voice of employees, improve the learner experience, and drive business results, we’d use it. Right? Well, that method is design thinking, but most of us working in learning and development (L&D) aren’t fully adopting or embracing it. Why not?
Honors & Awards
-
OnCon’s 2024 Top 10 L&D Leaders of the Year Award
OnConference
-
OnCon's 2023 ICON Award - L&D Team of the Year
OnCon
Award winners have been selected by the public. Voters selected teams that they felt demonstrated a good mix of success and positive impact on their organization, the team made strong contributions through thought leadership, the team has been innovative in their projects, and the team leader has exhibited exceptional leadership.
-
ATD 2020 Speaker of the Year
Association for Talent Development
Award winners have shown that they are excellent in many aspects and have contributed to the chapter’s success by:
Being INVOLVED: Working with the ATDCFL chapter leadership team to develop and facilitate programs aligned with ATD & ATDCFL mission, vision, and values as well as the ATD Talent Development Capability Model and sharing their expertise to make a valuable contribution to the profession’s field of knowledge and to the individual learning of our members.
Being Informative:…Award winners have shown that they are excellent in many aspects and have contributed to the chapter’s success by:
Being INVOLVED: Working with the ATDCFL chapter leadership team to develop and facilitate programs aligned with ATD & ATDCFL mission, vision, and values as well as the ATD Talent Development Capability Model and sharing their expertise to make a valuable contribution to the profession’s field of knowledge and to the individual learning of our members.
Being Informative: Ensuring topics are relevant and of value to members and information provided is accurate and verifiable, builds core skills, and leads the way on trends.
Being Inspirational: Sharing best practices and innovations and facilitating sessions that are learner-focused.
When Zizo and I met to choose the recipient, several things were considered and include overall contributions made by a speaker which align to our mission and values, including innovative & valuable speaking topics, attendance, audience engagement, participant & board feedback, and presentation quality. What set you apart from other speakers this year right from the start was that you wanted to ensure we would share the information with everyone, not just ATDCFL members, thus inspiring us to open all future webinars for the year for everyone as a way to help the L&D community continue to stay informed, involved, and grow during this horrible pandemic. Additionally, each of your four sessions focused on a topic that was not only relevant and valuable to members as learning professionals, but also applicable because of the current pandemic, showing them how to apply existing skills to pivot and move forward.
-
Best Advance in Unique Learning Technology
Brandon Hall
360’ Competitive Training Tool- Recently, one of the major automotive manufacturer’s vehicle had new competition on the market. In order for the companies’ sales consultants to efficiently and effectively serve their client-base, it was imperative that they have the broadest range of knowledge on not only their vehicles but also their competitor’s vehicles. Partnering with GP Strategies, they devised a solution to provide a cost-effective, scalable solution that met all of the business…
360’ Competitive Training Tool- Recently, one of the major automotive manufacturer’s vehicle had new competition on the market. In order for the companies’ sales consultants to efficiently and effectively serve their client-base, it was imperative that they have the broadest range of knowledge on not only their vehicles but also their competitor’s vehicles. Partnering with GP Strategies, they devised a solution to provide a cost-effective, scalable solution that met all of the business requirements and more. The solution, a mobile-based 360’ interactive performance support tool, allowed training to be quickly dispersed to sales consultants, offering them a fully immersive experience inside the competition’s vehicle. Word tracks inside hotspots were uniquely and carefully created for the sales consultants to help them learn and speak to the advantages or differences between vehicles. The 360’ solution has been a major success and is now being used in a number of other divisions within the company while also becoming a key strategy to prepare for new vehicle launches.
-
CLO Learning in Practice 2018 Gold - Business Partnership
Chief Learning Officer Magazine
Business Partnership Award - This award is for learning departments that have partnered in a progressive way with external organizational to develop and deliver a targeted employee development program that supports the partner’s goals.
Gold: General Motors (Keith Keating) - Recognized for the Global Learning Network (GLN) established to support the shift from being regionally focused functions to global platforms that are aligned to the company’s business goals. The intended outcome of…Business Partnership Award - This award is for learning departments that have partnered in a progressive way with external organizational to develop and deliver a targeted employee development program that supports the partner’s goals.
Gold: General Motors (Keith Keating) - Recognized for the Global Learning Network (GLN) established to support the shift from being regionally focused functions to global platforms that are aligned to the company’s business goals. The intended outcome of this transformation is to increase efficiency and effectiveness across the globe for all major business functions. The GLN has cultivated a partnership between the regional leaders, regional business partners and their respective supplier partners to a cohesive partnership with the common mission of becoming a high-impact learning organization.
-
Best Advance in Establishing Governance to Guide Learning Decisions
Brandon Hall
Organizations
-
AIMC (Association of Internal Management Consultants)
-
- Present -
ATD (Association for Talent Development)
-
- Present
Recommendations received
12 people have recommended Dr. Keith
Join now to viewMore activity by Dr. Keith
-
Great list of free L&D webinars this month. #lifelonglearning #trustedlearningadvisors
Great list of free L&D webinars this month. #lifelonglearning #trustedlearningadvisors
Shared by Dr. Keith Keating
Other similar profiles
Explore collaborative articles
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
Explore More