TRAIN, DON'T TELL Many companies' so-called training programs are little more than one-way information dumps. Information is transmitted, but the trainees get little guidance on exactly what to do with it or why. As a result, the words float by in isolation, seemingly detached from the employees' real world of paperwork and production quotas. Because the information is never used, it is quickly forgotten. This problem is compounded, because the human brain processes procedural knowledge differently from the way it process declarative (telling) knowledge. The people who are selected [to do training] are often people who have expertise in doing something. They usually got that expertise through trial and error, but they try to teach through telling. In other words, they use declarative methods to teach procedural knowledge. Afterward, they except trainees to perform the task and they become frustrated when it doesn't work that way. Real training is a two way street. It helps the trainee process and practice new skills, rather than simply dumping information on him. By actively engaging the trainee's participation, real training converts lifeless information into meaningful knowledge. The employee understands why the new knowledge is relevant and has a clear idea of how to apply it. Transforming telling into training isn't hard, if one includes these six key elements: •
Incentives: Employees need to understand what's in it for them. Why should they do it this way? Demonstrate how the new knowledge or skill will solve a problem or make them better, faster, and more effective in their jobs.
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Objectives: Make sure trainees understand what the companies wants from them. One of the biggest inhibitors of employee performance is unclear expectations.
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Organization: Organize information to make it easier to remember. Show how it relates to things they already know. Use analogies, examples, and mnemonics. Don’t confuse beginners with a lot of unnecessary details. Instead, focus on the basic steps to gain performance.
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Participation: Encourage them to ask and answer questions. Get them to try the skills or apply the knowledge for themselves rather than just memorizing what you say or do. The more they participate, the more they will learn.
Institute of Management & Research, Ghaziabad
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