Building Training Content that Matters: Business Strategy Series

When we invest in training for our team, especially our leadership, we look at cost, content, need, timing, and relevance. We tend to view learning as a ‘nice to have’ benefit versus a business necessity. This is due to the fact that many training workshops that are attended are simply events. This is known as 'event syndrome.' We believe that a continual learning mindset and developing internal champions for learning to promote and drive change, along with follow-up steps, are critical in turning a learning event into a life-long skill. First, we need to identify our audience. The four types of attendees around our training and development investment.

There are Four Types of learning workshop attendees:

1. The Learner: This is the person that is looking forward to becoming better tomorrow than they are today. To take away new tips, tricks, and knowledge to implement into their daily routine to become more effective.?They ask questions, are curious, and lean into the material being presented. The often complete all of the required pre-work to get a jump start on their learning endeavor.
2. The Vacationer: This is the person that is just glad to get out of the office and enjoy the disruption to their daily routine. Akin to taking a trip, they enjoy some rest and relaxation, void from their boss barking orders at them or working on the tasks of the day.?They may learn something new, however, their intent is simply a change of scenery.
3. The Prisoner: This is the person that is not engaged and upset that they are required to attend the workshop. They look at learning as a chore and are set in their ways.?They do not possess a continual learning mindset, most often their best days are behind them. Or, they are so busy being busy that the look at learning as an interruption to their progress, rather than an enhancement.
4. The IKE: IKE stands for ‘I Know Everything’ and this attendee feels that they should be leading, or at least, facilitating the training. They believe that they will forget more than you will ever learn. They are the best (in their own mind) solution for any problem. They disrupt the learning experience with distractions and diversions as they believe they are the smartest person in the room. Sadly, their best days are far behind them, they tend to live in the past, and their definition of listening is waiting to talk.

By identifying your attendees, and speaking to include all four types of people, you have the best chance of turning the bulk of the participants into Learners, at some level.?

To reduce the ‘event syndrome’, I created a six-week follow up program around all of my customized performance development workshops to drive retention around the learning sessions. ?This was a step in the right direction to creating more value around learning, career development, and performance development, however, it was not the answer.?

Training and Development, Learning and Development, Performance Development, Learning and Knowledge, Adult Learning, Skills Workshop; whatever we choose to call how we implement learning opportunities into our culture and organization, must be consistent, impactful, easy to digest, and effective.?

With that in mind, I created a the SMILE Method to bring five key areas to learning in our professional lives to improve the learning process.?

The SMILE Method from Performance Mindset Associates LLC (PMA):

1. Simplify: Make learning simple and duplicative to ensure attention and retention around new materials for learning. I use acronyms often as they appear to stick better and can be recalled faster.?Complicated formulas, difficult concepts, or abstract topics make learning difficult and drive apathy towards the learning process. Make your delivery and facilitation simple, engaging, and fun.
2. Motivate: Apathy is the enemy of greatness. You need motivation and connection to drive peak performance. I love when I have the opportunity to enable and inspire others to achieve their professional goals. In fact, that is my top motivator. You must first learn what motivates each person on your team, understand if they are internally or externally motivated, and what drives them to perform at their best.?Then implement those ideas into you training and development programs.
3. Include: FOMO is real. In fact, most humans want to be included at all times. When they feel excluded, feelings of resentment, frustration, isolation, and fear seep into their thoughts. Inclusion and access to learning for all is a very important step in building the best learning platform for your organization.?
4. Learn: While this seems obvious, you must provide consistent opportunities to learn on a regular basis. Professional development is critical to growth and abilities of your team and leadership. You need to identify which learning styles work best for your team or audience: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and/or read/write. Set your company up for success by exploring both internal LMS options, as well as external subject matter experts to drive your organization’s performance to the next level.?
5. Engage: Engagement is a foundational aspect for learning. You want the team or audience to lean into the content being delivered. You need your delegate breakouts, micro learning sessions, teach backs, and participation in order to get the most out of your time together.?

Simplify, Motivate, Include, Learn, and Engage should be your learning model going forward. Your team will thank you. Your materials will be absorbed. Your results will be much more consistent. Also, be certain to have a dynamic facilitator or presenter. Avoid the monotone exchange of information. And set guidelines and deadlines around expectations from each learning session. Develop an organizational continuous learning mindset and always be curious throughout your career journey. The best is yet to be!

Mark Krajnik, LSSGB, CPC, (The Culture Coach) is the CEO at Performance Mindset Associates (PMA). Mark is a tenured Talent Strategist, Executive Coach, and experienced people leader, and offers fractional chief people officer services. He is an Executive Talent Leader in recruitment operations, executive search, talent acquisition, L&D, culture coaching, human capital consulting, change management, and talent management. He is very passionate about people, building high-performance teams, creating retention-focused cultures, and career development. He brings a focus on performance, execution, creative problem solving, and goal achievement. Please go to performancemindset.co for more information or send an email to [email protected].