Introduction
“What will the trainees know and be able to do at the end of the training that they didn’t know and couldn’t do at the start?”
Most managers are called upon to “do some training” at some time. It may be simple on job instruction or complex classroom teaching. Whatever it is and wherever it’s done, you must ask this question before you start.
Riding a Bike
Most people have learnt or tried to learn to ride a bike sometime in their lives. We usually had a well meaning friend or relative as our instructor. And many of us acquired scratches, bruises and even cuts to show that learning to ride a bike included some unexpected consequences.
Riding a Bike: Training
The objectives may have looked something like this:
The trainee (you) will be able to
- ride
- a standard bike
- that satisfies all safety requirements
- and is in good working order
- a distance of 1 kilometre
- in no longer than 4minutes
- on a flat, smooth surface
- keeping hands on the handlebars and feet on the pedals at all times.
Consider each point separately.
Ride: sit astride seat
- A standard bike: a machine with 2 wheels, chain, pedals, etc. one designed for ordinary use
- That satisfies all safety requirements: these may differ from place to place. But we can assume working brakes, correctly inflated tyres, properly adjusted seat, pedals and chain
- Is in good working order: no broken or bent parts, everything works properly
- A distance of one kilometre: how far – you could demand further
- In no longer than 4 minutes: how fast – you decide
- On a flat smooth surface: no hills
- Keeping hands on the handlebars and feet on the pedals at all times: no uncontrolled or trick riding at this stage.
Using this method, you know exactly what you have to teach. The student knows exactly what he or she has to learn and how his or her efforts will be judged.
Too Complicated?
“But Leon” you may say, “that’s a bit complicated”. It’s not. It’s thorough. And if you’re not prepared to be thorough when training employees, you’ll be the big loser. When you’re confident that every employee is fully and thoroughly trained, you’re the major beneficiary.
Complex Jobs and Tasks
The “ride a bike” example is, admittedly, simple. Almost all training tasks at work are more complex. But the same “one question” applies. You may have to break the job up into a number of steps or stages to teach it. But you can’t do that properly without clear objectives.
What About Theory?
Forget it. You don’t have to know how something works in order to make it work. Millions of motorists throughout the world are reliable, safe and conscientious drivers. Few of them understand how the car engine works. Try telling the “average motorist” that he or she is manipulating the output of a “reciprocating power plant”. They just don’t need to know.
You don’t have to be able to inflate a tyre or change a brake pad in order to ride a bike competently. Riding is one thing. Repairing or maintaining is another. Anyway, the best theory is practical.
Conclusion
If you’re involved in training others here’s another good rule to go by.
It’s “Pike’s Fourth Law” by Robert Pike, an outstanding designer and practitioner of creative training techniques.
“Learning has not taken place until behaviour has changed“. Your “one question” will guarantee that learning occurs.
