Most training efforts can be better. How to leverage one simple key to speed the leap to excellence.

We’ve all been there. Sitting in a room listening to someone talk. It may have even been interesting, fun, engaging. But at the end of the day we walk out and within a week have just about forgotten everything.

Relativity matters

If contrast is the mother of clarity (what's the difference between the "now" and what is expected after training), and context is essential for value creation (compare your perspective to say, your customer’s perspective), why are we surprised when many traditional training initiatives (which don’t incorporate these things) fail to produce the desired outcomes?

One missing piece? Everybody who isn’t in the room.

It’s the Ecosystem!

Being able to think holistically about training is critical. Incorporating key interpersonal relationships in the planning, conduct, and application of learned skills and knowledge is a critical component of any good L&D effort. How will my relationship with my supervisor be different after I learn this new stuff? Will she get different reports? Will I gain more responsibility and autonomy? What about my customers? What will be different in how I treat them? Is that difference something they will recognize or even want? And if they do want it, is it the most important improvement I can make in their eyes?

It’s Easy!

First, identify all the constituency groups that your target audience (for the training) interacts with. The picture at the top of this article is a good thought starter. Second, prioritize key relationships based on metrics like frequency of interaction, lifetime value to the organization, synergistic impact across the business, etc. Then figure out how to improve the give and take of those relationships by means of the training experience. (One way would be to intentionally create experiential micro-learning opportunities that include both parties and support the desired improvement outcome.) Stay engaged, coaching participants through any ongoing "sustaining" learning opportunities. And finally, periodically measure key changes to see if you're getting the expected results.

O.K. so it's not really that easy, but wait, you're probably doing some of this already! One tricky part may be developing experiences that impact both parties. Remember, half of that equation isn't going to be "in the room". But here's the good news. Leverage the energy and wisdom of the people you are training. They're the ones who ought to know best what will work in those relationships. (And here's a little secret, getting them involved in figuring out what to do will in and of itself produce benefits on multiple fronts!)

Bottom Line

Thinking holistically and bringing the entire ecosystem into the process is not easy, but it can be done, and if it isn’t important enough to make the effort, why are you spending so much money on this training initiative in the first place :-)