| A group of senior executives are finishing up a | | | | What we need is more leadership training that |
| three-day program at a top leadership training | | | | uses methods that are more effective than |
| center. They've already filled out evaluations of | | | | lecture, or even lecture with PowerPoint and |
| the courses they took and the instructors. Now | | | | handouts. We need to use more methods that |
| they're grading the facilities and meals. Soon they'll | | | | offer opportunities to learn from specific, relevant |
| be heading back home to see what work has | | | | situations. And we need to use more methods |
| piled up while they were gone. | | | | that allow for reflection. |
| This scene is played out countless times every | | | | But, just because training is different from our |
| day, all across the country. It also tells you a lot | | | | Medieval model doesn't automatically make it |
| about the mistakes companies make with | | | | effective. There are a lot of programs out there |
| leadership training. | | | | based on the principle that we have to do |
| Companies spend millions every year to send top | | | | something special to make learning fun. Other |
| managers to multi-day, off-site leadership | | | | programs grow from the need for trainers and |
| programs. At the same they spend only about 7 | | | | consultants to sell something "new." |
| percent of the training budget on first line | | | | That's why you have leadership training that isn't |
| supervisors. | | | | training at all, at least not in leadership. Executives |
| But it's those first line supervisors that make | | | | can try outdoor adventure training which can be |
| most of the difference. Jeff Immelt, current CEO | | | | lots of fun or they can learn leadership by |
| at General Electric, says that when he was a boy, | | | | cooking, which probably helps the executive be |
| he always knew the name of his father's | | | | more helpful at parties. But how do either of |
| supervisor, but rarely knew the name of the CEO. | | | | these make you a better leader? None of these |
| That's normal. | | | | trendy methods seem to do much about helping |
| First line supervisors determine whether workers | | | | you learn leadership, but they're a fun way to |
| are engaged or not. They're the leaders who | | | | spend the training budget. |
| assure that teams have both high morale and high | | | | Here's another really important thing. A lot of |
| productivity. Why not spend some training money | | | | great classroom training never finds its way back |
| on them to help them do a better job? | | | | to the workplace. It never seems to make any |
| The other thing wrong with spending leadership | | | | difference in what the leader-trainee does. |
| training money on senior managers is that they're | | | | That's because companies spend their time and |
| not likely to change much. A manager who's been | | | | money on the training and forget about the |
| plying the leadership trade for a couple of | | | | learning. That's up to the individual, but companies |
| decades isn't likely to make a big, effective | | | | usually don't even bother to set learning |
| behavioral change because of a couple of classes. | | | | expectations or check to see whether a trainee is |
| To make matters worse, most leadership training | | | | using what he or she was taught. They should. |
| uses ineffective methods. Companies spend | | | | Marshall Goldsmith reviewed how well 86,000 |
| millions every year on classroom-based training | | | | leadership training participants actually learned |
| that isn't much different from what you'd see if | | | | from the experience. He found that the people |
| you could go back in time to almost any Medieval | | | | who went home, talked about the learning and |
| university. | | | | worked, deliberately to implement new behaviors |
| In both cases there's one person in front of the | | | | learned best. But those who just went back |
| room talking to a bunch of other people. Oh sure, | | | | home and did no follow-up showed no |
| today there would be PowerPoint slides and the | | | | improvement at all. |
| seats might be more comfortable, but Martin | | | | The sad fact is that we know how to do good |
| Luther would have no trouble recognizing what's | | | | leadership training; we're just not doing it. Here are |
| going on. | | | | some things your company should consider. |
| In this medieval training model, the instructor lays | | | | Spend time and money training your first line |
| out some basic principles and then works down to | | | | supervisors and new managers. Help them put |
| specific applications. That might be great for the | | | | together a self-development plan that will help |
| teacher, but it's not the way that most human | | | | them learn on the job. You'll get the most bang |
| beings learn best. | | | | for your buck that way. |
| Think about any baby you've been around. | | | | Make sure the leadership training you choose |
| There's not a general principle in sight. The baby | | | | addresses specific skills and uses effective |
| sees things, touches things, runs into things and | | | | instructional techniques. Set specific learning |
| tastes things and then turns all those experiences | | | | objectives for everyone you send to training. |
| into general principles. | | | | Make sure that people who go through training |
| That's how most adults learn, too. The most | | | | get help and encouragement when they get back |
| effective sequence is from specific point or | | | | on the job. Follow-up to see that they're working |
| experience to general principle. | | | | to implement what they learned. |