Rethinking Corporate Training Strategies

Several years ago, I developed and taught leadership courses to students in the MBA program at Washington University. In fact, I wrote two books for their curriculum. By that point, I had already taught every grade 3-college and was eager to face the challenges of teaching full-time employees who had decided to become graduate students.

I had been a corporate trainer for years, so I was curious about the training programs they had attended at their companies. Several major companies in the St. Louis area were represented, but Boeing, which had recently introduced ethics training, represented more than half the students.

I asked how the people who attended this program felt about it. Specifically, I wanted to know whether they thought ethics training improved things, my bias being that unethical people won’t learn to be ethical and honest people don’t need the training.

The first man from Boeing said the training had been an absolute waste of time. The second man from Boeing objected vehemently: “That’s not true! These programs are vital to my success. If it weren’t for them, I’d never get caught up on my emails!”

The situation dripped with irony.

I learned several things from teaching that course. Corporate trainers who want to drive business results need to get smart about adult learning. Let's face it; employees aren't kids in a classroom. They aren’t blank slates; they're seasoned professionals who bring years of experience, knowledge, and clear agendas to the table. They want training that speaks directly to their work challenges and career goals, and they have expectations about how learning should be directly applicable to their work. Unlike children, who need structure and external motivation, adult learners crave autonomy and relevance.

Therefore, to create training that sticks, trainers need to tap into what makes adult learners tick:

? Respect their autonomy. Adults don't need handholding; they need options and freedom to chart their own learning path.

? Make it relevant. Every minute of training should connect directly to their day-to-day work. If they can't see the immediate application, you've lost them.

? Smart trainers leverage adults' existing knowledge as a springboard for nexperience, knowledge, and clear agendas to the table. They want training that speaks directly to their work challenges and career goals, and they have expectations about how learning should be directly applicable to their work. Unlike children, who need structure and external motivation, adult learners crave autonomy and relevance.

Therefore, to create training that sticks, trainers need to tap into what makes adult learners tick:

? Respect their autonomy. Adults don't need handholding; they need options and freedom to chart their own learning path.

? Make it relevant. Every minute of training should connect directly to their day-to-day work. If they can't see the immediate application, you've lost them.

? Smart trainers leverage adults' existing knowledge as a springboard for new learning. Use case studies, group discussions, and problem-solving exercises that allow participants to apply their expertise to new challenges.

? Remember, adult learners are. They're not interested in theory for theory's sake. They want skills they can use tomorrow. So, focus training on practical application and real-world problem-solving. Give them opportunities to practice new skills in a safe environment.

? To maximize impact, offer a blend of learning methods

I required my Washington University students to write research papers that combined theory and application, which is what graduate students do. Several students pointed out that this approach didn’t conform to the training discussions we had pursued. I pointed out that my job was to educate; theirs was to return to the workplace and train. That’s one of the reasons I address the importance of training in my soon-to-be-released book, Healthy Decisions: Critical Thinking Skills for Healthcare Executives.

When you align training with adult learning principles, you're not just educating –you’re empowering. You're giving people tools to perform better, innovate more effectively, and control outcomes. That's the kind of training that transforms individuals and organizations.