“People learn best when they have to learn.” – Steve Glaveski
In a recent HBR article, published by Steve Glaveski, he presents the case that for the most part, we don’t learn what we need when we need it. But rather, we are forced to learn skills and insights by directive of someone else in the organization. The someone else is most often the organizations learning and development group. In these enterprise mandated sessions the skills being delivered can result in learning the wrong things, at the wrong time, and focusing on the wrong metrics.
Steve writes that we like to “show off” our credentials Certs/PDU’s/CEU’s to others. This is, in part to help make the case for our standing as employees with significant domain expertise. This gives us street credibility, and in some cases humble bragging rights. Steve also states that for many, we learn only for a possible promotion that our organization might hold out, in front of us.
He posits that if you work in a large organization, in particular, you are learning topics that have to be uniform across the organization. Many times the education that your learning and development team requires of you, “bears little immediate relevance” to most team members’ roles in the organization.” These insights intrigued us and are demonstrated in parallel observations that our clients struggle with.
Quite frequently this occurs with the “one size curriculum for all” approach. These education approaches do not offer the flexibility to get the learning where and when it needs to be delivered. Couple this with the fact that our retention of learning will drop by 75% just after six days. Retention only improves if we are actually “getting reps”, and putting the learning into practice. It’s no wonder that only 12% of employees apply the new skills they learn, directly to their role in the organization.
For exceedingly long and highly structured programs, with a rigid curriculum, the success rates and uplift of skills are not there. Those that participate become frustrated, quit, and the results the organization desires usually don’t materialize. Certification rates of 2 students for every 10 participants, can be the norm in these “one curriculum for all” programs.
Steve presents a unique approach, where if you want to try an experiment, you can flip these problems with learning and development strategies on its head. The approach is called lean learning.
So, what is lean learning?
“Lean Learning, which pays homage to Toyota’s lean manufacturing system, stresses using effort only when it is needed, improving outcomes, and cutting waste…” Translated to learning and development, it means truly understanding the learning that your team needs, and getting the skills delivered exactly when the team needs them. In the article, Steve presents 4 advantages, we added a fifth based on our client deployments, results and learnings.
Here are 5 key advantages of lean learning:
- Learning the core of what you need to learn, when you need it.
- Applying it to real-world situations immediately.
- Receiving immediate feedback and refining your understanding.
- Repeating the Cycle – With repetition, guided coaching and, if needed, expert consulting.
- Traction – The lean learning teams move forward to execute long term growth goals, with consistency and effectiveness.
Take note, there is not a one size fits all approach or a lean learning curriculum set that is a magic silver bullet for everyone. With the Lean Learning program design at The Innovation Garage®, we apply a 20/4/80 philosophy.
We look to develop a deep understanding of the strategic needs of our clients. Then, blended with expert insights, assessments & consulting, we develop a custom program to deliver 20% of the high-value content needed to get traction. This delivers 80% of the benefit, very quickly.
Significantly faster than a highly structured, inflexible, and difficult to complete “one size curriculum for all” program.
The blended elements include real-world case stories, application to current workstreams, guided insight, personalized content, and real-world business benefit metrics. All of these elements are part of a properly designed lean learning solution.
So, if you want to try something different, outside of your current learning and development approaches, and experience lean learning, please reach out to us. We can discuss a custom-designed private program for your organization. Or, you can consider attending one of our upcoming public programs with our education partners at Baldwin Wallace University for a test drive to get a feel for what lean learning is all about.
#mindset #grit #strategy #leadership #innovation #growth #theinnovationgarage
Innovation 101 Workshop – Monday October 21, 2019 9:00AM-4:00PM EST
A 1 Day lean learning session that provides the basics on Innovation & growth that will help you in your daily work. RIGHT NOW! – No matter your skill, title, or experience.
Everyone Can Innovate – NOW.
No matter your role in the organization, being more innovative means you can create, communicate, and accelerate ideas for anything. At this 1-day program workshop, you’ll experience the fundamentals of the innovation necessary for creating front end ideas for products, processes, and services.
In this workshop you’ll learn the very basics on:
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- How to create ideas and problem solve (with methods 8x more effective than brainstorming).
- How to communicate ideas in a way that builds them up and sells.
- How to take an idea from inspiration to reality – FAST
- MindMapping (Basics as an innovation acceleration tool)
- Innovation Basics Systems Skills (Create – Communicate – Commercialize)
- Design Thinking Introductory Skills (Empathy – Define – Ideate – Prototype – Test)
Innovation Quickstart 360 3 Day Workshop
November 19-21, 2019 9:00AM-4:00PM EST
Igniting Teams for Growth!
Join The Innovation Garage® at Baldwin Wallace University’s Center for Innovation and Growth in Cleveland, for this 3 Day lean learning innovation & growth training, followed by an optional 60-day mentoring AND certification program.
QUICKSTART 360 IS A BLENDED 3 DAY INNOVATION & GROWTH TRAINING, FOLLOWED BY AN OPTIONAL 60 DAY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THAT MAKES INNOVATION & GROWTH POSSIBLE, PRACTICAL AND EASY.
This real-world and pressure-tested program has been designed and proven to give you the essential know-how, tools and step-by-step instruction manual necessary for innovation success.
In this course, you’ll spend 3 days of In-Depth Learning of advanced Innovation & Growth Skills. Diving deep in methods on how to Lead, Facilitate and problem-solve solutions using;
- Techniques to Better Understand People, Process, & Tools Necessary for Growth
- Organizational Mindset and application of Neuroscience for both individuals and teams
- Leading Behaviors to create Psychological Safety that is critical for Innovation & Growth
- Systems Thinking applied to Innovation & Growth.
- Facilitation Skills for Structured Creativity Sessions
- Application of advanced Mind Mapping Skills
- Application of Innovation Systems Advanced Skills
- Methods to Build Teams and Lead Collaboration with Others
- Methods to Apply Design Thinking Advanced Skills & Tools
- Methods to Apply & Understand HFX Principles for Hack-A-Thon Design & Development
- Methods to Apply & Understand CX principles to better understand the customer journey
So, Join us… and get to work on lean learning methods and creating the capability needed for your organization’s growth.
#mindset #grit #strategy #leadership #innovation #growth #theinnovationgarage
We help organizations grow!
We build strategy. We build ideas and coach the innovation capability of teams.
We design products, services and supply chains. We guide leaders from non-profit, government, startup and the Global Fortune 50 to intentionally self-disrupt their offerings and organizations.
We provide world-class education, tools, and technology on how to craft growth operating systems focused on the long- term.
To learn more visit us here, check out our calendar of events, or reach out to us and discuss a private program for your organization.