Don’t Just Check Your Training Off

This summer, I traveled with my family to Europe, visiting Paris and the Louvre. We had the opportunity to see many artistic works at the Louvre, including Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the Mona Lisa.

Seeing both Venus de Milo and Winged Victory was wonderful. I could stand in front of each sculpture for as long as I wanted, and could take the time to appreciate the beauty of each, observing the similarities and differences between them.

Viewing the Mona Lisa, however, was a completely different story. Because of the long queue to see the famous da Vinci masterpiece, it took 20 minutes for me to arrive in front of the painting. After an insufficient moment of viewing, I was hurriedly ushered away by security guards.

Although the Mona Lisa is the most famous exhibit in the Louvre, I barely remember the moment I saw it. Because I was rushed through my viewing, I felt I was merely “checking it off the list,” rather than enjoying and relishing the experience, as I hoped to.

This incident reminded me of my work in the training world. Instructional designers can create a training program that is a masterpiece, but if the training environment is less than ideal, the training may not be successful.

There are three conditions that will help maximize the success of any training. First, an organization should provide a comfortable room for training with the necessary technology required for the class. Also, the learners typically need an opportunity to practice what they are learning, for example via role play or a quiz – whatever method will help them best apply their new knowledge.

Finally, the organization’s management must allow adequate time for the learners to process the information. Too often managers obliquely encourage employees to race through the training process in an effort to “check it off the list,” rather than taking the time to create the best possible “experience” for the learners. That experience extends well beyond the time spent in the training event, whether an instructor-led or online class.

What are you merely “checking off your list” throughout your workday? Training your employees is too essential to your organization’s bottom line to hastily “check off.” Make sure your training environment promotes and supports learning. Don’t rush the experience.