Why Telling Ain’t Training: Transforming Learning and Performance in the Modern Workplace

In the world of professional development, training is often misunderstood. Many trainers fall into the trap of believing that telling is the same as teaching. However, as Stolovitch and Keeps emphasize in their book Telling Ain’t Training, effective learning requires much more than simply relaying information. It demands engagement, interaction, and an understanding of how people learn best.

1) Learning Is Change, Not Just Information Transfer:

The authors stress that true learning is transformative—it changes how people think, behave, and perform. Training isn’t about transmitting as much information as possible. It’s about changing the learner’s knowledge and skills in a way that is both relevant and impactful.

Why it matters: Trainers need to design sessions that result in actual behavioral changes rather than simply delivering information. This means focusing on what learners need to do differently and structuring the content accordingly.

2) Learner-Centered and Performance-Based Approaches?

A central theme of the book is the importance of making training learner-centered and performance-based. Traditional training methods often focus on what the instructor knows, which results in content-heavy presentations. But effective training should revolve around the learner’s needs and the specific outcomes required.

Key point: A performance-based approach focuses on practical skills and outcomes. It’s not enough for learners to know something; they need to be able to do something with that knowledge.

3) The Human Learner and Cognitive Limitations:

Stolovitch and Keeps dive deep into the science of how humans learn. They explain that human brains are not built to absorb large amounts of information all at once. Short-term memory can only hold a few chunks of information at a time, and information that is not relevant or organized will quickly be forgotten.

Actionable insight: Trainers should break down complex information into manageable chunks and ensure that it’s meaningful to the learner. Engaging multiple senses, creating interaction, and avoiding information overload are essential strategies for successful learning.

4) Training Is About Engagement, Not Telling:

The title of the book underscores one of its core principles: training isn’t just about telling people what to do—it’s about engaging them in ways that promote learning. This can be achieved through active participation, problem-solving, and interactive exercises that mirror real-world scenarios.

Best practice: When learners are actively involved, they retain more information and are more likely to apply it effectively. Use activities that stimulate interaction, such as role-playing, group discussions, and hands-on exercises.

5) Technology and Learning: Tools, Not Solutions:

The book also addresses the role of technology in modern training environments. While technology can enhance learning, it’s not a silver bullet. Whether using e-learning platforms, webinars, or virtual simulations, the effectiveness of these tools depends on how well they are designed to meet learning objectives.

Pro tip: Technology should support learning, not replace fundamental training principles. No matter the medium—whether in-person, online, or hybrid—the focus should always remain on engaging the learner and driving performance-based outcomes.

6) Myths vs. Science: What Really Works in Training:

Finally, Stolovitch and Keeps dispel common myths about training and learning. For example, the idea that more content is always better, or that long, lecture-heavy sessions are the most efficient way to teach. Instead, the authors advocate for evidence-based approaches, backed by research on how humans process and retain information.

Myth-busting: The most effective training is often shorter, interactive, and focused on key outcomes. It’s about quality, not quantity, and making sure that learners walk away with skills they can immediately apply.

7) Synthesis:

Telling Ain't Training synthesizes decades of research on human learning, cognitive science, and practical training methodologies into a user-friendly guide. The authors, Harold Stolovitch and Erica Keeps, highlight that effective training requires a shift from content-heavy lectures to learner-centered, performance-based approaches. They emphasize that training must actively engage learners, tapping into how people absorb, retain, and apply new knowledge.

The book unifies key concepts around the idea that learning is a behavior change, not just a transfer of information. By breaking down complex psychological principles and applying them in practical settings, the authors offer trainers and educators actionable strategies to foster long-lasting change. The overarching theme is that successful training transforms learners by focusing on interactive, relevant, and retention-friendly methods rather than simply "telling."

This synthesis of research and practical application challenges long-standing myths in traditional training environments, encouraging trainers to adopt evidence-based strategies prioritizing outcomes over information overload.