Written by Loralie Davis Exclusively for TrainingIndustry.com, June 2010
For several years now I’ve had conversations with various leaders, managers, designers and facilitators in the learning and performance industry about why we can’t seem to raise our game. We have amazing tools and creative minds, but we just can’t seem to put it all together and send the man to the moon. Why is that?
About three years ago I was at a conference and attended a panel discussion with representatives from leading software vendors, as well as current thought leaders. It was an interesting session on several levels. First, a debate broke out among the audience about how much development responsibility should be given to a Subject Matter Expert. Just because the tools available make it easy for anyone to capture content, package it and release it to the audience – should they? This was an interesting conversation and pointed out the negative side to making development easy for us – everyone can do it. No knowledge of adult education and learning theory are necessary.
During this panel discussion an interesting question was posed by one technology representative: “What technological advances and innovations do you see for eLearning in the next five years?” A solid question I thought, and her answer was inspired. The response was: “We are looking to you for that. We want to see what you do with the tools, where you take it, where you want to go next.”
As I thought about this issue, I popped out to PresentationZen.com for some inspiration. Funny, my inspiration came in the form of “Why” – specifically the book by Simon Sinek titled Start with Why. In order to understand what sets apart successful leaders from the rest of us, Simon examined those leaders who are able to not only lead, but to inspire.
Before I give away the premise for Simon’s book, let me point out some things I’ve discovered in my roles as an instructional designer, a manager and a director. Where I see we are disconnected and unable to move from good to great lies in our ability to master what I call the “Three Rs.” We must make learning Relevant, Role-Based and Results-Orientated. It’s not in how proficient we are with graphics, or how well we can develop the final learning deliverable. It all begins with our ability to ask the simple question “Why?” Why should your audience care? Why should they devote their valuable time to your learning initiative? This question should be evident and drive the results of each phase of the learning design and development process.
So let’s examine each of the “Three Rs” to see how they can improve our learning and development efforts.
RELEVANCE: having significant and demonstrable bearing on facts or issues.
When I started at ADP, my boss, Lynn Ritter was, in her own words, “A dumb sales person who knew very little about training.” In my opinion, we need more “dumb sales people” like her heading up our learning organizations. I say this because from day one Lynn always looked at our programs and challenged our designs with the simple question: “Is it relevant to this audience?”
Throughout the rest of this article, I’d like to step you through an activity where you’ll look at a recent learning program you developed. You’ll examine this program specifically as it relates to the “Three Rs.”
Activity Break: Find a pen or pencil and download this worksheet . This means you need to STOP reading here, print this worksheet and grab a writing instrument. The rest of this article will be so much more insightful if you’ll just play along with me and step through the activity.
At the top of the worksheet you will notice there is space at the top for you to write down a recent program or course you’ve designed and rolled out to your audience. This doesn’t need to be your best work – just something you’ve recently worked on and is fresh in your mind.
Now, give your program a grade in the space provided on the worksheet. This grade needs to reflect the program’s overall success and should be assigned as follows:
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A = outstanding, exceeded client’s expectations (should be difficult to obtain this grade)
- B = delivered exactly what was requested and client was happy
- C = delivered what was requested, but if you could do again, you’d improve several areas
- D = delivered a piece of what was requested – not at all satisfied with the end result
Building upon this information, you’ll notice the space for you to identify the target audience for the program you’ve listed. Make sure you break this down and identify the individual roles/departments within the audience. (i.e. not just associates, sales, clients, etc.) Try to be as specific as you can be regarding who you were targeting. It will be important as we move through the activity. Once you’ve completed this first part of the activity, come back and we’ll move on to the next “R” – Role-Based.
ROLE-BASED: addressing the specific needs of each role in your target audience
You can’t design programs for relevance without a clear understanding of the individual roles and responsibilities of your audience. How are you analyzing your audience today? A common complaint often heard is there is never enough time to perform a solid analysis. Yes, unfortunately this is a problem with the busy world we live in and the problem isn’t going to go away. Instead, we have to find innovative and informal ways to accomplish this task. So, let’s look at how you’re doing this today.
Activity Break: For each audience group you’ve identified on your worksheet, do you know what they need to know to do their job? How do you know this? Do you know the obstacles they encounter to their success? Do you know the other departments, associates, clients that they interact with? If so, how are you uncovering this information?
On the worksheet, locate the Analysis column. In the space provided, write down how you learned about that audience in order to design and develop the ultimate learning program that you implemented. I promise you’ll see how all this comes together as we move through the activity! First you need to gain some clarity around what you’re doing today.
Now I’d like to bring back Simon Sinek’s book and the element of Why and tie it to what we’ve been doing on your activity worksheet. An executive once provided me with the following feedback on a training program his people were required to complete, “The training program was good at telling us the “What,” but it was missing a key element: the “So What.” Basically what the executive was saying was, “Why should my folks care?”
In his book, Simon introduces his idea of The Golden Circle. At the heart of the circle is Why. The next ring out is How and finally, the last ring is What. The premise of the book is that great leaders and organizations inspire people to take action by thinking from the inside out and starting with Why. These leaders and organizations clearly understand why they do things and can communicate this Why and inspire others.
Unfortunately, the rest of us think from the outside in and begin with What we do and then move on to How we do it. The scary thing is, most of us don’t know, or can’t communicate the Why. And, because we can’t communicate Why, the conversation always comes down to what and how – feature and functionality – the “What” and nothing about the “So What.” (back to the executive’s feedback). And because of that, the learning we are developing is uninspiring.
RESULTS-ORIENTED: designing training to accomplish specific business results
It is almost impossible to talk about the Why and not include the element of Results. We do what we do because we are hoping to accomplish a specific result. So, when the Why is clearly communicated upfront, everyone understands what is in it for them and they want to listen, they want to know more, they want to be included – all because you’ve sold them on this element of Why. So, with these concepts in mind, let’s tie in how we can put them to work to raise our game to design inspired learning programs.
Activity Break: Now, back to the worksheet. With your new insight on Why, see if you can identify the Why for each role of your target audience. What was in it for them? What was the result they would see? (The “So What”) You may not know what the Why is, and that’s ok. If you do know, or think you know, write it down.
Next, using the Success? Column did you communicate the Why in your program to this audience? Did you start with Why and clearly communicate this upfront?
Taking this “Results Orientation” a bit further, how well are you or your design team able to communicate the Why to the organization? What is the business impact this program will address? This is a primary concern for your stakeholders and the leaders of your learning organizations. But how well do your designers on the front line understand how their programs affect business results? I recently had the opportunity to ask my team of designers this exact question and was surprised by their answers. Although they were designing inspired programs and leveraging these programs throughout the organization, none of them were able articulate Why our executives or president would care. This was a clear lack of communication and direction from me. As the leader of this team, I wasn’t communicating the Why and how it tied into our overall company’s Why. So, let’s finish up this worksheet and see the big picture.
Activity Break: You’ll notice a box on the worksheet that has a question mark icon. In this area, define the business value and impact your program or course had on the overall organization. For example, if you were asked to attend the next C-level executive meeting to highlight this program and communicate Why it was important (not What you did or How you did it), what would you say?
So, what’s getting in our way of raising the game in regards to inspired learning programs? In my opinion, we are not spending enough time at the center of The Golden Circle – identifying the Why for our audience. In our rush to push out learning and make our deadlines, we’re taking our focus off the “Three Rs.” Instead we’re rushing to get the job done and simply telling the What and the How. Turn your attention away from the tools and pre-determining how your program will be delivered. Spend more time in the analysis and design phase and push yourself and your team to think out-side of the box, and inside the circle.
Loralie Davis has more than 19 years in the Learning & Performance industry. Over the past 6 years she has worked at ADP as the Director of Sales Training Curriculum for National Accounts and Employer Service International. She is currently piloting a workshop on how to develop programs that are “Relevant, Role-Based and Results-Oriented.” Contact Lora via e-mail to lora@loraliedavis.com or visit her website www.loraliedavis.com.
