By Scott Weiss
Whatever shape “normal” takes from here forward, there’s no question that business operations have changed more in the past two years than they ever have before. For better or for worse, the Covid pandemic acted as a gravity-assist slingshot that propelled business and technology forward into an inevitable future.
In fact, we were fortunate that the technologies we rely so heavily on today were at a stage in 2020 where they could be fast-tracked and rolled out to service the needs of our collective organizations. Add in a little creativity and some experience to guide things along and today we’re able to efficiently achieve goals regardless of changes in the new-world infrastructure. Nowhere is that more evident than in the world of training.
Three Forms of Learning
There are now three ways learning occurs. Synchronous learning occurs in real-time with students and instructors all present and collaborating at once, such as in a classroom setting. However, there is now a further dissection of synchronous learning methodologies: in-person and virtual. Both occur in live classrooms with live instructors, but one happens at a fixed location with all attendees physically gathered together, and the other takes place via a videoconferencing platform.
Asynchronous learning happens on one’s own time, such as what happens with a workbook, or through a self-guided tutorial. Most typically in today’s new world order, asynchronous learning occurs digitally via a cloud-based platform on one’s laptop.
Each of these three learning delivery methods has its benefits and drawbacks, but there’s naturally a happy medium where all three are now powerful options for various teams and environments. Ensuring that there’s substance to the training, regardless of what’s being taught and how it’s delivered, is the most critical factor.
The Impact of Learning Methods
Traditionally, synchronous learning experiences offer the most immersive, deepest, and profoundly habit-changing experience. As the leader of a 49-year-old consultancy that was built on a foundation of synchronous, experiential communication training delivered by exceptionally trained full-time instructors, I’ve seen the impact such immersive courses can have on an organization’s people and its bottom line. Classroom-based training, with an instructor present who possesses the expertise to engage with the student at a deep level, helps participants to improve their communication behavior and allows them to evolve in an authentic and meaningful way.
In the world of communication, asynchronous learning lends itself more to intellectual aspects, such as message strategy development.
When it comes to evaluating training programs across any enterprise, and how to roll them out, it’s urgently important to understand how that training will help you to meet business objectives. Once you’ve settled on the right kind of training, you can then determine the level of investment you can afford to make in order to train at scale. This has always been true, but the impact is even more pronounced in the new world order. Among the various ways that exist to train staff, let’s consider these three primary forms that the global business community has embraced.
In-Person Training
Synchronous, in-person training programs, whether you travel to them or they travel to you, will still offer the greatest impact and return for anyone who attends. Direct, face-to-face instruction led by an experienced trainer offers the most profound experience. The biggest limitation to rolling out an in-person training program at scale is geography and cost. In-person training programs require all participants and leaders to be in the same place at the same time. For most organizations this involves travel, not only in terms of cost, but in terms of managing logistics. If the investment can be made, the returns are tangible, particularly at more senior levels within organizations.
Virtual Training
The primary alternative to in-person training is virtual training. With the accelerated deployment of live virtual platforms like Zoom, WebEx and Teams, live virtual classrooms executed with excellence can replicate almost all aspects of in-person learning, but it will never be exactly the same. Virtual training is also far more scalable since it eliminates any geographical concerns and it enables more diverse populations across any enterprise to participate at once. The only limitation is the size of a class, which must be manageable for an instructor to deliver training effectively.
Digital Training
An asynchronous training program is, by definition, self-administered. Digital platforms that offer training modules are highly scalable and customizable, but it’s essential to recognize their limitations. Digital learning is best applied for developing intellectual competencies, not behavioral ones. Using such a platform to train large groups of people across an enterprise is an extraordinarily effective way to get the entire team “rowing in the same direction” quickly. It can be delivered at significant scale and with dramatic cost efficiencies to any population, regardless of where they reside. As long as the program is developed with a clear understanding of what its objectives truly are, it can represent an unbeatable competitive edge that truly impacts the bottom line.
So, What’s the Right Option for Your Organization?
The truth is that none of these training options should live in a bubble. The best advice anyone can offer is to find a training partner – not just a vendor – that truly understands your needs and knows how to craft a solution that helps you meet your objectives. Ideally, the best training companies will offer “blended learning solutions” that can be administered for everyone from young professionals to the CEO. That’s not to say that the solutions will be the same for all groups, but they should be built with a broader strategic purpose in mind.
When our company complemented our existing in-person and virtual options with a recently launched asynchronous digital product, it was because our clients required that technology be leveraged to meet demands of budget and scale. We were fortunate that technology had advanced to the point where we could offer a high-quality digital learning experience that was consistent with our 49-year-old established methodologies.
In our role as consultants, we must recognize how to harness technology to deliver training that matters in a profoundly changed environment where business objectives continue to evolve, and the corporate footprint expands globally. Our success is now driven by technological innovation that is routinely mined for new and effective ways to offer the best possible options for the organizations that rely on us to train their people.
Those of you who are responsible for evaluating and implementing training programs face a similar dilemma. You must concurrently meet the demands of the new world order and find effective solutions to your company’s training challenges while ensuring the best ROI possible. The best way to do that is to ensure that you’re working with a partner that understands the scope and the scale of your organization, your specific learning objectives, and to consider the right mix of programs that enable you to deliver training that’s as varied as the populations you serve.
Speakeasy, Inc.
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www.speakeasyinc.com