Business Operations

Workshop waste

I recently received a solicitation from a company that sells training materials to develop soft skills. For a reasonable price, I could purchase all the handouts, slides, and guides I would need to conduct a 1-day workshop on a wide selection of topics, including Team Building, Personal Productivity, Communication Strategies, and Conflict Resolution.

Frequently I’m asked if I can provide a half-day or full-day workshop on a variety of topics, so this sounds like a good fit for me, right? But it’s not, and I almost always turn down workshop requests. Why? They are usually ineffective and a waste of time and money.

Busine ss Operat ions

By Mike Leigh

Executive Summary: The best “skills workshop” may be the lessons you teach every day on the job. Buying and participating in workshops for soft skill, leadership, and team development is not usually effective. They don’t work for creating change and improving organizational results. Workshops and other one-shot training activities are fine if only seeking knowledge (I sometimes do them myself for this reason.) But don’t expect that knowledge to be applied and behavior to change in the long run.

Many organizations love workshops because they are more convenient and less expensive than more effective options, and leaders can show they are investing in their teams. But money and time is being wasted, and most organizations know it. Is it therefore any surprise that training budgets get cut when finances are tight?

Soft skills such as listening, time management, coaching, and customer service are behaviors. But our behaviors are a result of our habits, attitudes and beliefs. Forming new habits and attitudes simply doesn’t happen from a single training session, no matter how good it is. Repetition and application are necessary.

Neuroscience, psychology, and numerous studies tell us how to make training more effective by forming new habits and behaviors. When evaluating training options, look for these features:

• Spaced repetition. Are the skills and knowledge presented to the learner only once, or multiple times over a period of time? • Application. Are the skills and knowledge applied and practiced in real-world situations? (Role playing in classroom workshops is rarely sufficient.) • Behavior monitoring and coaching. Is there a process built-in to observe and monitor the application and practice of the new skill? Is there a way for the learner to reflect on this practice or get coaching feedback?