When creating training, the business world starts with, “Here’s the topic, these are the sub-topics we’re going to teach, and this is what we want them to know by the end.” Seems reasonable, yes? So why does corporate training continue to be largely ineffective? Let’s flip how you approach it.

Rather than listing the information, ask yourself, “What’s the problem we’re trying to solve?”

Do you feel the difference? One identifies what you want to disseminate. The other begins a thoughtful process of how to solve a problem.

What’s the Problem?

What’s the problem you’re trying to solve?

“Well, they need to know how to do X.”

Nope. What’s the problem you’re trying to solve?

“They keep doing Z instead of X.”

Closer. What’s the problem you’re trying to solve?

“When they do Z instead of X it takes longer and so we ultimately sell less.”

Now we’re getting somewhere.

“If we create a training about how to do X, they’ll quit doing Z and that’ll solve our problem.”

They don’t know about X?

“Oh, they do. We’ve included it in training.”

Then why do they do Z instead?

“We don’t know, so we’re going to create more training about how to do X.”

That’s putting your finger in the dam, not solving the problem.

Solving the Problem

To solve the problem, you have to understand it. Go talk to the people on the front lines. I’m not talking about the managers, either. I’m talking about one-on-one conversations with the people who are potentially doing Z instead of X. You need to hear from different classifications of the people on the front lines: those who have been doing it for 20 years, those who were just hired and the people in-between.

Be respectful. Arrive with your hat in hand and genuine curiosity on display. It’s not, “Tell me why you do Z instead of X?” It’s, “Show/tell me how you do this process.”

When it’s time for you to say, “That’s interesting. We’ve noticed a lot of people are doing Z instead of X. Why do you do Z?” Be ready to have your mind blown. “Oh, well, we don’t do X because __________.”

They know exactly why they do it.

Interview more people than you think is necessary.

“That’s going to take a lot more time than I have.”

Okay.

“So what should I do?”

Solve the problem.

An employee of a Fortune 500 company told me, “They don’t need to know WHY, they just need to do what we tell them! If they do exactly what we tell them to do there won’t be any problems!”

You’re doing that already. How’s that working out for you. (There’s a tsunami of reasons to want engaged employees; don’t get me started.)

The corporate world has been creating training the same way for decades. The software has changed dramatically, but it displays the training, it doesn’t create it. To create great training that’s engaging and effective, you’ll need to embrace a modern approach. Are you ready?

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~gail sexton is the author of this article and owner of Engaage, LLC. Scroll down to sign up for emails, where she’ll share more concepts and practical steps for creating engaging and effective training.