What goes around goes around…

I sometimes think it’s interesting to take a step back, reflect on progress and to analyse some aspect of our industry. Whenever I do this however I am more often than not struck by one thing –

It’s funny how things go around.

Many years ago I recall my first inspirational training boss (There have been too few!!) was a chap called Richard Symes. He used to use this model to discuss whether training was the answer to a given situation.

click on image to enlarge

I have no idea where he got it from (but I’ll bet one of you knows )

It is read from left to right and defines the steps to take when a performance discrepancy occurs.

Step 2 is “Is it a skills deficiency?” If the answer is yes then we ask “Did the person used to be able to do the task. If the answer is “NO” then training is the solution. However you may notice that this is the only place in the whole model where training is the answer.

If the person used to be able to do it but can’t now, the solution suggested is practice and feedback NOT training.

It seems to me that this was then simplified somewhat. In his book The Tao of Coaching, first published in 1996, Max Landsberg introduced us to the “Skill / Will matrix” (Page 55 in the book) and this was the lore on which many coaching conversations have taken place over recent years.

And so we move into the 21^st Century where little, it seems, has changed:

click on image to enlarge

This model is taken from ““Is it a training problem?” (Grid adapted from Bozarth, J. (2008) From Analysis to Evaluation: Tools, Tips, and Techniques for Trainers. San Francisco: Pfeiffer. It appears on page 13 and as Jane says the original source for this image is unknown.

And low and behold it contains all the elements of my boss Richard’s funky flow chart.

In training as in so many other aspects of life we mistake change for improvement. I think Richard’s model is better, a little more detailed, but it goes to show that in the last 25 years we are still having to remind people with models like these that sometimes, (probably more often than we would like to admit)  – training is not the answer.

So our call to action this time is simple:

Before you start to fire up all your high powered analysis tools (ADDIE users – you know who you are) make sure you have asked the right question

“Is training the appropriate technique to fix the issue I am faced with?”

merry-go-round image by tuis

Paul and Ally are working on an exciting 6-part (online) course to help your learners fully engage with your training - sign up for the 'early bird' list for advanced notification and more info

If you liked this, you may also like these:

1. Dale’s Cone of Learning figures debunked Edgar Dale was a US educationist and professor of educations at Ohio State University. In 1946 he...
2. Beyond unconsciously competent Pt.2: keep in the flow In the Beyond unconsciously competent Pt.1: Now what? we looked at “Flow” taken from the book...
3. Are your’s firm or fluffy? (Outcomes that is) Over the years Accelerated Learning has, in some quarters developed an unfortunate reputation for being a little...
4. A Goal without a Plan is just a Wish A while ago, Ally was inspired by a YouTube video and wrote a post about flexible...
5. As Debbie Harry would say: “Picture this” During the late 1990s I was working as an internal consultant for a large American organisation...