You have just finished an important meeting. You are not happy with its results and you are determined to change something in your approach. You are googling: Training Leadership Belgrade – and you get over 35 000 results. You soon realize they all seem similar and it is difficult to choose one. If you have the option, you will seek advice and support from your HR colleagues, however, you are probably interested in choosing a training where the investment will bring forth wanted results.
1.Training is not enough
Working with leaders, we often come accross the subject of investing in team development. By the moment we meet, most leaders have invested significant effort in their team development. They invested in a variety of trainings for development of professional and basic competences and after a while they regretted it because there was no change. They are often surprised when I tell them 90% of knowledge acquired at trainings is lost during the first year after training if the knowledge has no application. Even Ebinghaus in 1885 shared with the world about the process of forgetting and warned that 50% of information is lost during the first hour after learning. Of course, the process of forgetting does not end there.
2.The experience of learning
The well known model of 70 20 10 presented in the 80’s by McCall, Lombardo and Eichinger speaks to the fact that training is not enough. In their research, they examined success factors of 200 top leaders and they concluded that 70% of the effect on their knowledge was based in experiential learning, 20% in social learning and 10% in formal learning. Experiential learning is achieved through activities such as: working on challenging projects, job shadowing, job rotation, etc. Social learning is achieved through interactions with other people, through activities such as: coaching, mentorship, asking for feedback from colleagues. Formal learning is achieved through trainings, various seminars and workshops, formal education, reading books, etc.
If you are now tempted to cross out trainings from your list of wanted developmental activities, wait. Although trainings have little effect on overall knowledge of an individual, they often bring necessary knowledge that can later be built upon by other developmental activities. For example, before you look for coaching for improvement of leadership skills, it is useful to go through a training of communication skills and leadership skills. This is the reason why when you are choosing the training it is better to plan the whole developmental program by the model of 70 20 10.
3.Transformational learning
The discussion about the best trainings, workshops and courses most often stops when model 70 20 10 is mentioned. Although it is empirically not confirmed enough, this model gives structure to people development and companies often use it. Not everyone will feel content with this kind of learning, though. For those employees who consider working on themselves highly important, learning brings in additional quality if it offers an opportunity to reassess personal beliefs, to get in contact with one’s value system and purpose. Learning should actually encourage a personal transformation, an experience after which we do not look at ourselves, people and environment like we used to. Such kind of learning can be induced by professionals to whom investing in personal development and other’s development is one of their personal values. In case you are looking for such kind of training, your search results will drop from 35 000 results to a significantly smaller number. This kind of learning that really brings about change is just not popular. On the other hand, we are overwhelmed by instant tools and trainings.
Let us go back to the situation at the beginning of our story. You wish to improve your skills. By now you know you are searching for a good combination of training for a certain skill, mentorship or coaching to support the development of newly acquired skills through engagement with others and experiential learning through practical application. In order to add the quality of connecting with your purpose to your learning, you will choose a trainer who believes in development and who will lead you through the process of integration of knowledge acquired. To us, each opportunity for learning and development is unique and goes beyond the frameworks of basic trainings in communication, management and leadership. We are there for you to support you in establishing and realizing a full development plan for you, your team or organization. Contact us to create with us a solution that will bring about the desired change.
