If you are a Learning and Development professional, here’s a question for you – when was the last time you underwent some training yourself? Considering the amount of training we book for our clients, it never ceases to amaze us how little we end up booking for employees based in L&D. It seems they are too busy organising training for others and end up forgetting their own development. We all promote the idea of continuous learning but we often forget to practise what we preach.
Learning and Development as a job role demands a whole plethora of different skills in order to be done properly. On the average day you are likely to use negotiations skills, problem solving skills, communication skills, persuasion skills, presentational skills, a whole variety of everyday computer programmes such as Microsoft Office or Adobe software, Leadership, Time Management – the list is endless. Although you are likely strong at a lot of these skills – the chances are you are going to be weak at 2 or 3. Or maybe you want to become even better at those you are strong at in order to make yourself even more indispensable to your company (like we describe in Outsourcing your Weaknesses and Building your Strengths). Either way, it seems that although all of the above skills have a large choice of training, they are rarely used by L&D professionals.
Clearly we believe in the effect that training has on candidates, as we book them for others and spend half our time promoting these benefits to higher management. So why not go on one of these courses yourself so you can experience these benefits and improve yourself within your job so you can ultimately improve your output and make your own life easier. Remember – you can always improve!
In addition to the benefits that training can give, it will also show to others in your organisation that you really do believe in what you are promoting. You can then also demonstrate first hand to others, the best way to make the most of the course. By undertaking the necessary pre-course material and actually following up on the notes you have made as well as creating an action plan, you can create a fantastic example for future candidates to base themselves on. Therefore you can increase the effect that training has on others in the process.
Finally, by undertaking training you can experience what you are sending others on. If it is an external training course you can review how good the course is up close or possibly help future candidates on something as simple as directions. With eLearning you could familiarise yourself to help future people with the technology side of things. Having first-hand experience can be really helpful when helping or selling the idea to future candidates as you know what there is to come.
So hopefully the question at the beginning really did alert you if you have neglected your own learning for the sake of others. If you are better trained and more efficient at your job, you will be able to help with the development of others more. The conclusion – it’s about time Learning and Development did some more learning and developing!
