The Antidote to Training: Why "Training" is Typically a Waste of Time and Money When It Should be Every Company's "Killer App."
While this skepticism may seem strange coming from a training and consulting firm, our decade of experience and industry research tells us that most organizations continue to lack the processes and practices to fully implement learning solutions. For training to be successful, we believe that it should be approached as a business change initiative - not as a marketing event or employee benefit.
Our industry and client research also reveals a training and
development marketplace dominated by practitioners with
little to no business experience.
This lack of line
experience, often combined with a focus on marketing glitz
and "getting butts in seats" based upon the latest fad,
continues to diminish the credibility of training.
With
executives complaining that HR and training rarely function
properly or provide the value they should, it is no surprise
that training is often viewed as an expense item to be cut
when times are tough. It should be cut if it is not adding
relevant business value.
At LSA, we agree with Jack Welch's recent statement that, "HR should be every company's killer app." To bring desired and relevant business results, we focus on seven key principles with our clients:
7 Key Principles
Alignment with Priorities. For "training" to be effective, there must be clearly defined and measurable outcomes. These outcomes should explicitly align with key business priorities that increase revenue, decrease costs, or increase productivity.
One of Many Tools. Just as a contractor uses more than a hammer to build a house, learning professionals should examine the multiple levers, in addition to training, to truly solve a problem or achieve a meaningful outcome. Training by itself will rarely create meaningful business value.
The "20%" and "50%" Rules. Without proper preparation, design, and follow-through, only 20% of participants will show any behavior change on the job. The rest will go back to business as usual in a few short weeks. Once 50% of your target audience is proficient in the new behaviors, they will raise the bar and "pull up" the rest of the crowd. If less than 50% are competent, they will "pull down" others and become a barrier to change.
Content is only a Ticket to Play the Game. Good content by itself will not change behavior. Sales, Leadership, and Project Management content have not changed much in the last 25 years. We have found that the difference makers are participant predisposition, facilitator expertise, industry applicability, situation-specific instructional design, manager coaching, measurement, and organizational implementation.
The 5R's to Transfer Learning and the Learning Maturity Continuum. To change on the job behavior and performance, there needs to be Relevance, Resources, Reinforcement, Renewal, and Review. Click here for more information. While most companies would like to attract, retain, develop, and leverage top talent, their learning strategy needs to be aligned with both their business strategy and with the organization's capacity for learning. Click here for more information.
Start Anywhere and Go Everywhere. We believe in helping clients with their top priorities,
both big and small. This means listening,
understanding their needs, and having a credible point of
view. For some clients, we are their strategic advisor. For others, we are their implementation arms and legs. For many, we are their learning and development function. We focus on what makes sense for each client.
People as a Competitive Advantage. We've all heard the cliché, touted by CEO’s and HR professionals and in annual reports, that "people are our greatest asset.” At LSA, we strive to work with organizations that want to invest in "walking that talk" and believe that their ability to attract, develop, retain, and leverage top talent will differentiate their business performance in the marketplace.
We look forward to the opportunity of working with you. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly.
