Basic Requirements of Learners in Training and Development
Written by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Copyright 1997-2008.
To Learn, You Must Be Willing to Grow, to Experience
Learning often involves new skills, developing new behaviors. After many years of classroom education, it's easy for us to take a course where all we must do is attend each meeting, take notes and pass tests -- and call this learning. One can complete a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), but unless they're willing to actually apply new information, they'll most likely end up with an office full of unreferenced textbooks and a head full of data, but little knowledge and wisdom. For the learning process to succeed, the individual must be willing to take risks. Stick you neck out, including by telling the instructor when you're confused or disappointed in the course. Don't wait until the course is over when nothing can be done about it.
Growth Involves the Entire Learner
If learning is to be more than collecting new information, then we must involve ourselves completely in our learning experiences. Unfortunately, too many development programs still operate from the assumption that the learner can somehow separate personal development from professional development. So we end up getting a great deal of information about finance and sales, but little help with stress and time management. Then, after schooling, when we enter the hectic world of management, we struggle to keep perspective and we're plagued with self doubts. True learning involves looking at every aspect of our lives, not just what's in our heads. So include courses, e.g., in Stress Management and Emotional Intelligence, in your training and development plans.
Growth Requires Seeking Ongoing Feedback
Many of us don't know what we need to learn -- we don't know what we don't know. Therefore, feedback from others is critical to understanding ourselves and our jobs. Feedback is useful in more ways than telling us what we don't know. Feedback also deepens and enriches what we do know. Research indicates that adults learn new information and methods best when they a) actually apply the information and methods, and b) exchange feedback around those experiences. However, we're often reluctant to seek advice and impressions from others, particularly fellow workers. We're sometimes reluctant to share feedback with others, as well. The Giving and Receiving Feedback might be useful to you.The courage to overcome our reluctance and fears is often the first step toward achieving true meaning in our lives and our jobs.
Trust Your Instincts to Learn
Learning doesn't come only from other people telling you what you need to know and how you need to learn it! The highly motivated, self-directed learner can make a "classroom of life". Everything becomes an experience from which to learn. You can design your own learning experiences! Think about what you want to learn, how you might learn it and how you'll know if you've learned it. You can get a great deal from this Free Management Library. For example, take a half hour a week to review materials in the library. You'll get a strong (free) sense about management. Glance at topics in the Personal Development topic, including, for example:Self-Assessments (numerous
self-assessments)
Goals - Setting Personal Goals
Changing Your Behavior
Learner's Basic Requirements
for Effective Learning
Learning Style Inventory
Mindpower
Student Skills,
includes:
- - - Reading
Skills
- - - Tips
for Studying More Effectively
- - - Tips
to Do Better On Tests.
For the Category of Training and Development:
Related Library Topics
Recommended Books
Basics and General Information
Orienting and Training Employees
Basics and General Information
Field
Guide to Leadership and Supervision in Business
- by Carter McNamara, published by Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Provides step-by-step, highly practical guidelines to recruit, utilize and evaluate the best employees for your business. Includes guidelines to effectively lead yourself (as Board member or employee), other individuals, groups and organizations. Includes guidelines to avoid burnout -- a very common problem among employees of small businesses. Many materials in this Library's topic about staffing are adapted from this book.
Field
Guide to Leadership and Supervision With Nonprofit Staff
- by Carter McNamara, published by Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Provides step-by-step, highly practical guidelines to recruit, utilize and evaluate the best staff members for your nonprofit. Includes guidelines to effectively lead yourself (as Board member or staff member), other individuals, groups and organizations. Includes guidelines to avoid burnout -- a very common problem among nonprofit staff. Many materials in this Library's topic about staffing are adapted from this book.
The following books are recommended because of their highly practical nature and often because they include a wide range of information about this Library topic. To get more information about each book, just hover your cursor over the image of the book. A "bubble" of information will be displayed. You can click on the title of the book in that bubble to get more information, too.
Orienting and Training Employees
The following books are recommended because of their highly practical nature and often because they include a wide range of information about this Library topic. To get more information about each book, just hover your cursor over the image of the book. A "bubble" of information will be displayed. You can click on the title of the book in that bubble to get more information, too.
Also See
Human Resources -- Recommended Books
