Is Receiving Training From an Employer Essential or Over-rated?

Receiving training is essential but often over-rated, because training is too often mis-structured.

There are 2 components to the process, teaching and learning.  Have you ever heard the saying ‘if you want to really learn something, teach it?”  Learning is an interactive process – teachers are the students *because* they are actively engaged in the learning process.  Too often, students are assigned (and accept) a passive role in the process and are not engaged in learning.  Think of any one-way lecture you’ve attended, how much do you recall? How much have you applied?

So, what is a better way to structure the learning process? Engage the student in the process. For example, when I was in the US Army, I learned much about office politics and the nature of hierarchy – how to use the rules to my advantage even though I was not a high-ranking officer or sergeant.  While the US Army is clearly a training based organization, they do not teach classes on office politics or how to use the rules to your personal advantage.  The US Army is structured as a learning based organization but did not teach me corporate ‘survival skills’, I learned them on my own.

I also realized that everyone is eager to give you advice, so I developed a testing process.  I looked at the results they were achieving and looked for evidence they were applying their advice in their own situation.  If so, and if it was the results I desired, then I would consider accepting the advice.

I used this knowledge when I designed mentoring programs for corporate.  I had a saying “there is no teaching, only learning’.  This kept me focused on the importance of structuring the environment for learning, not teaching.

To anyone starting in any position, actively learn from everyone and every situation, including the training programs offered.  Just remember, the best lessons are the ones you learn, not the ones you are taught.

I am a business and executive coach. If you would like to learn more about me, check out my website at http://srkinc.com. or to get involved http://quantumcommonwealth.com