Training or Learning?
Modern Principles of Effective
Training and Development
Theo Rushin Jr
theo@teratech.com
TeraTech, Inc.
Training or Learning?
“Focus on learning, not training”
Training or Learning?
”Focus on Learning, not Training”
'Training' suggests putting stuff into people, when actually
we should be developing people from the inside out - so
they achieve their own individual potential - what they love
and enjoy, what they are most capable of, and strong at
doing, rather than what we try to make them be.
Training or Learning?
” Focus on Learning, not Training”
'Learning' far better expresses this than
'training'.
Training or Learning?
” Focus on Learning, not Training”
Training is (mostly) a chore; people do it because they're
paid to. Learning is quite different. People respond to
appropriate learning because they want to; because it
benefits and interests them; because it helps them to grow
and to develop their natural abilities; to make a difference;
to be special.
Training or Learning?
” Focus on Learning, not Training”
Training is something that happens at work. Learning is
something that people pursue by choice at their own cost
in their own time. Does it not make sense for employers to
help and enable that process? Of course it does.
Training or Learning?
” Focus on Learning, not Training”
The word 'learning' is significant: it suggests that
people are driving their own development for
themselves, through relevant experience, beyond
work related skills and knowledge and processes.
'Learning' extends the idea of personal
development (and thereby organizational
development) to beliefs, values, wisdom,
compassion, emotional maturity, ethics, integrity -
and most important of all, to helping others to
identify, aspire to and to achieve and fulfill their
own unique individual personal potential.
Training or Learning?
” Focus on Learning, not Training”
Learning describes a person growing. Whereas 'training'
merely describes, and commonly represents, transfer of
knowledge or skill for organizational gain, which has
generally got bugger-all to do with the trainee. No wonder
people don't typically enjoy or queue up for training.
Training or Learning?
” Focus on Learning, not Training”
When you help people to develop as people, you create far
greater alignment and congruence between work and
people and lives - you provide more meaning for people at
work, and you also build and strengthen platform and
readiness for any amount of skills, processes, and
knowledge development that your organization will ever
need.
Training or Learning?
” Focus on Learning, not Training”
Obviously do not ignore basic skills and knowledge
training, for example: health and safety; how to
use the phones, how to setup your desktop, etc -
of course these basics must be trained - but they
are not what makes the difference. Train the
essential skills and knowledge of course, but most
importantly focus on facilitating learning and
development for the person, beyond 'work skills' -
help them grow and develop for life - help them to
identify, aspire to, and take steps towards fulfilling
their own personal unique potential.
Training or Learning?
“Develop the person, not just the skills
and knowledge”
Training or Learning?
”Develop the person, not just the skills and
knowledge”
Skills and knowledge are the easy things. Most people will
take care of these for themselves. Helping and enabling
and encouraging people to become happier more fulfilled
people is what employers and organizations should focus
on. Achieve this and the skills and knowledge will largely
take care of themselves.
Training or Learning?
“Give people choice”
Training or Learning?
”Give people choice”
Give people choice in what, and how and when to learn
and develop - there is a world of choice out there, and so
many ways to access it all. People have different learning
styles, rates of learning, and areas of interest. Why restrict
people's learning and development to their job skills? Help
them learn and develop in whatever way they want and
they will quite naturally become more positive, productive
and valuable to your organization. (You may need to find
bigger and/or different roles for them, but that's entirely
the point - you want people to be doing what they are
good at, and what they enjoy - this is what a good
organization is.)
Training or Learning?
”Give people choice”
Talk about learning, not training, focus on the person, from
the inside out, not the outside in, and offer relevant
learning in as many ways as you can.
Training or Learning?
“What kind of learner are you?”
Training or Learning?
”What kind of learner are you”
Worksheet Assignment
Step 1: Place a checkmark next to every statement that
you agree with.
Step 2: Add up the number of checkmarks you have for
each question category.
Step 3: Find out what kind of learner you are (next
slide)
Training or Learning?
”What kind of learner are you”
(A)
ACTIVIST – Do It.
You are open minded and enthusiastic about new
things. You’ll try anything once. Your days are filled
with activities. You tackle problems by
brainstorming. Once an excitement has died down,
you are looking for the next. You are outgoing and
like to be the centre of attention.
Training or Learning?
”What kind of learner are you”
(B)
REFLECTOR – Think It.
You like to stand back and think before you
act. You’re a people person and enjoy
watching and listening to others. You’re
quiet and thoughtful and like harmony. You
like to have a good feel for a subject before
talking about it. You look at the big picture
and you’re very ordered, calm and
thorough.
Training or Learning?
”What kind of learner are you”
(C)
THEORIST – Test It.
You are analytical and love detail. You take a
logical, structured approach to everything you do.
You’re hardworking and a perfectionist. You enjoy
theories and concepts and are quick at pulling
together odd bits of information into rational
arguments. You don’t like uncertainty and you don’t
like anyone being flippant about serious things.
Training or Learning?
”What kind of learner are you”
(D)
PRAGMATIST – Try It.
You love ideas and ways of doing things.
You’re keen to see if theories work in
practice. You get impatient if people talk too
much rather than getting on with things.
You are very practical and down-to-earth.
You see problems as a challenge. You’re
sure there’s always a better way of doing
things. If something works, it must be good.