Ban the word Training

[David Brown]

How many of you see what I see? - a corporate world where training is perceived as the major development tool, where the easy way out is for HR to intervene through a performance review which involves people expecting that one of the otputs will be a training course.
Most of what we learn we learn on the job, but there are plenty of other learning vehicles, such as coaching by the line manager, projects and..... (see Meeting Development Needs, attached) which are under used to our cost.
If we wish to secure value for money, and credibility, for learning - how about the approach toutlined in the attached Development Activity That Delivers Results, which identifies whether the gap being addressed is to do with knowledge, skill, or behaviour. Armed with this framework, we could come up with development action to suit each need.
But first, we could expand people's horizons and move them from their straight jacket by banning the use of the word training for a trial period. They'd soon get the hang of it!

[Simon Raybould]

I think I'm going to fly against the grain here. It's not that the word training should be banned, it's just that it shouldn't be used where it's not appropriate. All too often I've seen people (or heard people) who were going to "deliver training" when they mean they were going to be a Facilitator, Workshop Leader, or whatever.

We're clear about what we do: sometimes we do coaching, other times it's clearly training, sometimes it's a workshop. So long as people know what they're getting before they sign up for it ........

Or am I just splitting hairs here?

S

[David Brown]

Your idea is fine, Simon. The snag is too many people will not change their behaviour (going on about training) because they have insufficient knowledge of what is "appropriate" - to use your term. So training it will be in far too many cases, and development will surely suffer. Keep spreading the word!

[Simon Raybould]

You're probably right. *sigh* Doesn't mean we should give up the fight, though! :)

[Susan Kaer]

I think I'm with you on this Simon. Like David, I've been frustrated by managers who want a menu of training courses to choose from so they can write something in that box on the appraisal form. I did rebel at one time and refuse to send out lists of courses so they had to define the learning need rather than the selected course.... it was chaos!!! I've also been irritated in environments where "mentoring" was talked about a lot - when as far as I could see it was supervision of a newly trained employee to ensure they were applying their training to their work correctly. All of these interventions have a place - let's not get hung up on words, but use them to mean what they say, not just to be trendy.

[David Brown]

OK Let's buck the trend Susan!