Put Learning on a Diet

[Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD]

I read Elliott Masie's article "Put Learning on a Diet" in the May 2009 issue of CLO. That article really hit the spot for me! He describes how far too many training programs have far too much content that really is utterly useless to the learner. He asserts that about 20% of the content is really useful to the learner. I've faciliated peer coaching groups of CEOs for almost 20 years now, and one of the most common laments that I hear from them is that too many training programs spend too much time dwelling on the obvious, e.g., asserting that leadership and learning is important. I strongly encourage you to read his article! Years ago, I finally resorted to structures in which the employees teach themselves and each other what they need, starting with where they are now and with what they want to get done now. Many highly regarded firms are resorting to internal, self-directed learning networks. (See http://www.authenticityconsulting.com/act-lrn/index.html )

[steve case]

I find your post and this topic interesting. I saw a very interesting on line presentation the other day that presented the concept of not providing more and more training or learning, but instead uses some on line tools to work towards proficiency. Honestly I feel like I have been so stuck in following the main stream in delivering training , and finding faster and faster ways to get training out that I have often missed the more important part.. helping people become proficient. This on line presentation has made me stop and think, along with Elliott's article that it is time to relook at what I am doing and go back to what I know is fundamentally better. Not providing training, but making a difference in the proficiency of the person. Interesting. If you would like to see that online presentation, email me and I will send the link needed to view it. steve [e-mail]

[Lisa Bradley-Mitchell]

Carter,

This is an interesting metaphor - training on a diet - that really isn't so far fetched. Dieters are always told to make the proper food choices that will provide a balanced supply of nutrients required by the body for effective functioning. They are told to minimize, if not eliminate entirely, the fluff - empty calories that taste yummy, yet do not provide the fuel necessary for optimal health. Exercise has always been recommended as part of a healthy diet, as has the suggestion of eating several small meals over the course of the day to ensure an ongoing supply of energy.

So, rather than providing training focused on everything about a given topic, we should be looking to provide a balanced supply of the knowledge/skills required for effective performance. We should seek to minimize/eliminate the extras that are pleasant and comfortable, but provide little to support an optimal contribution to individual/group/organizational objectives. Finally we should ensure that our learners practice until proficient and receive their learning in smaller more frequent portions, spread over a given time frame - rather than offering training events that drop the learners into the healing pools of training - to increase their retention and adoption. I like it! I look forward to reading the article for additional insight!

Thanks for bringing this topic to the table!

[Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD]

A practice that was actually quite common years ago was to have a small group of learners review the draft of the design of the training before the training actually occurred. I remember being amazed and inspired at the wonderful insights that came from those reviewers! I also remember that quite often the reviewers would suggest that much of the content of the training be removed altogether because the learners already knew it. Today, it's very difficult to form a small group of people who can even find the time to review the design of the training -- we've learned that the most influential factor in the design of training is the very small amount of time that companies and learners can even dedicate to the training. We seem to have this love/hate relationship with training. We'd love the training to be very short, yet at the same time develop strong skills in learners during the training. Yet we hate how training so often does not live up to our unrealistic expectations. I've noticed that the term "training" today seems to be loathed by many. Perhaps it's not the fault of training, rather it's our unreallistic expectations from a training session. But it's also the many trainers who too often don't really know the subject matter, or they've become so passionate and enamored with the subject matter that they end up preaching, rather than training -- which today's learners quickly realize and so they resent the training.

Lisa Bradley-Mitchell said:

Carter,

This is an interesting metaphor - training on a diet - that really isn't so far fetched. Dieters are always told to make the proper food choices that will provide a balanced supply of nutrients required by the body for effective functioning. They are told to minimize, if not eliminate entirely, the fluff - empty calories that taste yummy, yet do not provide the fuel necessary for optimal health. Exercise has always been recommended as part of a healthy diet, as has the suggestion of eating several small meals over the course of the day to ensure an ongoing supply of energy.

So, rather than providing training focused on everything about a given topic, we should be looking to provide a balanced supply of the knowledge/skills required for effective performance. We should seek to minimize/eliminate the extras that are pleasant and comfortable, but provide little to support an optimal contribution to individual/group/organizational objectives. Finally we should ensure that our learners practice until proficient and receive their learning in smaller more frequent portions, spread over a given time frame - rather than offering training events that drop the learners into the healing pools of training - to increase their retention and adoption. I like it! I look forward to reading the article for additional insight!

Thanks for bringing this topic to the table!