The value of continuous learning...

How well do you retain information: 2 weeks, 3 months, a-year after attending a training programme?

In this months edition of Building Better Leaders, we take a look at the value of continuous learning. We share 5 Tips for motivating your learning. We show you how to embed your learning in your day-to-day work by using the 70/20/10 method. And how we combine this approach by using the AGES learning framework.

Ready to learn, how you can learn better?

First, let's get curious. Ask yourself these coaching questions:

• How do you best retain information when you're on a training programme?
• How do you reflect after you've attended a training programme or learning opportunity?
• How often in your working week do you actively seek out or reflect on opportunities to learn?
• How can you ensure that your day-to-day work contribution is enhanced through the application of newly acquired skills, and behaviours?
• How can you deepen your understanding of what you have already learnt?

Learning that sticks, is the ROI.

When looking into procuring training for your organisation or team how do know you are getting an effective return on investment (ROI)? The ROI for training has always been subjective, it is multi-faceted, there are many things to think about, however the key metrics have to be delegate knowledge, skill retention and ability to improve people's day to day work contributions.

70/20/10 Learning Approach

Scaffold Coaching, training programmes adopt the 70/20/10 learning approach, so that over the period of their learning, delegates have the opportunity to put into practice what they have learnt in these ratios:

We build sessions around real life situations and current issues facing delegates, utilising a range of methods to achieve learning outcomes, linking theory to practice.

• Coaching & reflection: Utilising breakout sessions, coaching, mentoring and shared learning in pairs and small groups to allow learning by reflection, shared experience and peer advice.
• Role play & scenario based learning: These activities promote reflection on the situations relating to delegate roles, with attendees able to utilise their learning in their day-to-day roles.
• Facilitation: We act as the facilitator of the learning journey using subtle tactics, leading the group with questioning and reflective practice rather than role of the teacher. Creating situations that provoke thought into action with personal and group accountability to ensure learning is embedded beyond the workshop environment.

Learning that lasts through AGES

We take a transparent approach at Scaffold Coaching. So, here's how we ensure our training programmes work to deliver positive behaviour change and why we can prove our programme does what it says on the tin in building better leaders.

When we build any new programme we take time to ask how will we ensure people are interested in what is presented? Then we as, how can we best present the information in a way that ensures that the knowledge is sustainable, accessible, and easily applied in adaptive and contextual ways?

Adult learning remains highly complex therefore in order to answer these important questions we combine the 70/20/10 framework with the AGES approach:

Attention: Creating maximum attention with a greater focus on learner motivation to ensure there's one single focus during the learning event, delivered with novelty and change during the learning experience

Generation: Encouraging significant generation of learning by delegates by reflecting on thier current and past experiences when teaching new concepts to build learner ownership, rather than just presenting information

Emotional: Creating a positive emotional environment with opportunities for people to gain positive feedback and connect deeply with others, by sharing their personal experiences with others.

Spacing: Utilising more spacing of learning, repeating and interconnecting models throughout a programme over a longer period. Such as turning a three-day learning event into six or more half day or bite sized events over a longer period to provide time to put the learning into practice and reflect on what works and what doesn't.

Next time you attend a training session

Be it a course, programme, webinar, keynote speech or technical programme get curious about how the learning is delivered and ask yourself the question 'how will this learning stick', and how much effort is the trainer applying to this? By being more aware of the 70/20/10 and AGES methods you'll be better able to choose training programmes that will deliver real ROI in the work place, and be more likely to take what you've learnt on a course and practice it in your day-to-day life.

Teams Committed to Continuous Learning

How does your team score in their commitment to continuous learning?

Top 5 Tips for Continuous Learning

If you're looking to embed continuous learning as an individual or on a team basis there are lots of different things for you to try:

1. How can I best plan my career and work goals? Build a self development plan for 12 months with well defined objectives and proven goal setting techniques, and revisit it every quarter.
2. How can I increase my chances of achieving my goals? Listen, watch, follow learning that peaks your interest and embeds the AGES model.
3. What can I do for myself on a daily basis? Journal. Writing down your experiences and how you feel about them is a useful way of getting them out of your head, and likely to make them more memorable.
4. Who could help me? Collaborative learning with like minded people. Break up your week and get together with a buddy to discuss a subject that you both find interesting, getting someone else's perspective is always gold.
5. What new techniques might I try? Serendipitous learning, the joy of starting to learn one thing and firing off on a tangent to learn something else that peaks your interest.

Ted Talk Recommendation

How would you rate your teams ability to grow?

When it comes to continuous learning we need to consider our mindset, and perhaps even think about how our mindset is formed. Here's a 10 minute Ted Talk from the wonderful Carol Dweck: The Power of believing that you can improve. This is a must watch video for anyone in a leadership role, or indeed anyone who's a parent.

Quote of the month

A leadership programme that works.

Scaffold Coaching offers leadership training that works on the principles of continuous learning. Our Building Better Leaders and Strategic Leaders Programmes are designed to make learning stick to improve organisational results. Clients who have implemented these training programmes include JBA Consulting, Colas Ireland , JBA Risk Management , fonemedia , Askham Bryan College and the University of Hull.

Check out the modules on our Building Better Leaders Programme here. Get in touch with Rachael Sullivan or John Tattersall if you are interested to find out more.

Stay curious. And remember to check out Scaffoldcoaching.com to build better leadership skills.