Most training doesn’t work.
I don’t have figures for this but it’s my belief that the vast majority of training simply doesn’t deliver actual behavioral change. Why is that?
Well I think its because training naturally focuses on skills development to fill a perceived behavioural gap. That sounds pretty sensible. But the reality is that much training fails to add value because it doesn’t operate at the level of Beliefs and Values, i.e., what the person believes about themselves and what value they place on the skills and behaviours being taught.
Take for example Presentation skills training. You may learn many tricks and much ‘best practice’. However if you still don’t believe that you have as much right as anyone to be a good presenter or value presenting as a skill that takes practice and is worth rehearsing and learning then you are left with a bag of tools that you are still unable to use confidently. In fact you may end up in a worse position – knowing you know what to do but still lacking the self-belief to do it. Ouch!
What’s the answer? Choose experiential training that works at the level of values and beliefs as well as building skills that are a natural extension of what people already do. Good training should be about real practice and building belief in your own ability. Don’t settle for anything less otherwise you may end up being knowledgeable about required skills but still unable to ‘do’ the behaviours that you want.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Ross, beliefs and values has a lot more to do with condition than education. One cannot go from educated to uneducated however one can go from conditioned to unconditioned.
As I see it, most training efforts are in vain because of the internal processes within an organization and a misalignment with day-to-day practice and business challenges. I’m talking about training timing, training content, and support of the environment. Most people will feel energized and refreshed after a training. But how often does it happen that they notice – within a week after their return – that things go the way they did before and nothing has changed or will change.
The training organization has become a process in itself and has little to do with improving business.
Most people don’t know what training they need and managers are not capable to provide sufficient guidance and support (nor do HR departments). They just say yes to keep them happy. Not understanding that it has to do with something else than providing training.
I would guess that 80% of training expense is spent in vain. But I’m an optimist. I do think we can do better.
To be fair though, John, your training works to a niche where the participants are more likely to have bought into the idea of change. Those of us who have had to deal with HR (either trying to get them to deliver programmes or undoing the damage they’ve done) know there’s a world of difference between people who value, for example, Leadership training and someone working in a call centre getting paid six quid an hour plus commission.
Hooray! Trainers realising that training on its own doesn’t work are as rare as hen’s teeth! I believe that training is one a part of either passing on knowledge or getting people to do something different. You can’t send someone on a training course, impart information and then let them get on with it! People will forget, there are barriers to change, the boss may not understand etc. There are hundreds of reasons why training won’t work. However for the HR Dept it is the easiest thing to do! There is a defined budget, HR people are measured on bums on seats, and there is a cosy little tie in between trainers and HR and development. Senior managers want a quick fix and don’t want to know that in ADDITION to training managers and the business need to do other stuff to make knowledge stick. Good post.
Hi Ross. Well I have to disagree, at least in part, as I see many people develop new beliefs and values through our training. Combining skills training with real experience of using them in contexts that are relevant will develop the ‘belief’ that they really can do it. It’s very satisfying to be part of that and hear of subsequent successes…
I’m going to disagree with this post. Training, to my mind, is highly tactical and delivers a specific improvement in skills or knowledge. I can train someone to have better sales skills, or train them to produce superior presentations. I can’t “train” them to have different beliefs or values – that comes across as artificial, patronising and can easily create open hostility.
The beliefs that you’re alluding to come, from my experience, through education. Education is longer term development that spreads over weeks, months, years. Training needs to fit in and be consistent, but without the strategy element (which my experience again tells me is usually a bunch of training courses strung together in some vague way) you’re back into the vicious cycle of delivering underperforming, entirely tactical training.
Couldn’t agree more John- training needs to focus more in on Beliefs and Values. Also I don’t think the one hit approach works to the same extent either. That’s where I think mentoring and coaching really helps out. Like to see what you’re doing. Be good to compare notes in due course….. http://www.calebstorkey.net- do come say hi :)