Of things shorter and faster

Salaam and Greetings,

I am talking about Training, Learning and Development. I have met corporate executives who when discovered I am a Learning and Development specialist, proceeded to ask me, if there is a way to make training shorter. Make the learning faster. Better if they don’t have to attend training. Learning via mobile or web based.

Too many Learning & Development (L&D) experts are too comfortable in their ways of classroom teaching. These are the so called “training” people. They love to train. Unfortunately, training does not equate to “learning”. Something I learned in mid-80s studying in US. I remembered my lecturer at that time, always emphasizing that it is more Learning than Teaching. I remembered asking her, how do I know I got the learning right? She said, focus on the students, and remove yourself from the equation.

How can the training be made shorter and faster?

I am sure you have attended numerous training before. I am sure you can recall, at the end of the 2-3 days or so, the trainer will ask you, to share 2 – 3 learning that impacted you the most during that program. Now, let’s put this in perspective. 

You and I know, during that 2 – 3 days, you obviously were taught more than 2 – 3 items. But, why only ask for 2 – 3 items? That’s because, with so much information compressed, you mind can only absorb, process and make meaning to 2 – 3 items, not the whole program. If that’s the case, why teach so much, for so many days? Good question.

It is based on our schooling system. Teach as much as possible in 11 years. You and I know, we are lucky to remember 20% of what was taught in school. What I remembered most in school was the fun things. Not so much the classroom things. Bad of me.

School is designed for the masses, for students of varied abilities or lack of abilities. Hence, spread a lot, and hopefully something catches with the kids. But we are not kids. We go for a training program because we want to learn something specific, to meet a specific need, or address a specific issue.

For example, if we want to learn to give feedback or bad news to a low performer, why go through a program that has, what is KPI and performance, KPI setting, how to calculate KPI, understanding traits, behaviors, etc etc. Just go straight to it. And these lessons can be via video or a simplified text with appropriate examples and suggestions. I have seen this type of videos, and it takes only 15-20 minutes to learn.

It is called Micro-Learning. It is more focused. It is Just-In-Time, because there is a specific need, and that need is met, quickly and with the right amount of learning. The learner builds on bits and pieces of learning, based on needs, ability and capacity. Never too much and too little.

The challenge is creating a library or a resource to meet the varied needs of the various individuals in the organization. That’s another story to be told.

My next article will be on the defense of a 2 – 3 days of classroom program.