Training and Development - Why Many Employees Fail

If you are a manager you have, at some point made a crucial mistake when it came to training your employees; you trained a subordinate and then expected them to display a certain amount of mastery in the task , project or skill you just trained them in almost immediately afterward. When the results were less than perfect you got frustrated and, like most inexperienced managers wondered what was wrong with that person who seemed like such a shining star when you hired her.

Recently while conducting a day long leadership training I had a manager who is also an experienced yoga instructor come to the front of the room and show a yoga series called a sun salutation. Explaining each step as she went she beautifully and elegantly trained the group how to perform this series of moves. Afterward I thanked her and asked her to return to her seat while I invited another manager to the front. "Show us how to do a sun salutation" I asked. Although he had a solid effort the result fell far short of the skilled instructor. Why?

Following the demonstrations I asked the yoga teacher to explain in detail her development process. "I started by going to classes at least 1-2 times a week for two years. After that I took a weekend certification and started teaching. Eventually I did an even deeper training and received my 500 hour certification. I still take classes at least weekly and when I travel I go to classes from any instructor I can to learn more." 

So what is the difference? Why was one persons fluidity of movement so flawless, seemingly effortless and far more beautiful and elegant that the other's? The difference lies in development. Although the second manager in the room was trained by the first he lacked the time, practice and ultimately development that the first had.

Training can take a short period of time, or extend out depending on the complexity of the task, skill or project being trained on. Development however takes much much longer. Development of skill, development of habits allowing for fluidity, beauty and grace in executing ones job takes time, repetition and practice. An art instructor I had in college said that "art is the process of correction through recognition." Life is much the same. Life, development is a process of correction through recognition.

To develop in an area a manager needs to put on the leadership perspective spectacles to see the development path ahead of the person they are working with. The leader must drill the team member until they develop mastery of the skills, the tasks, the projects that lead to success. The leader becomes the drill seargent, the drill coach driving the concepts further into the vernacular and habit of the growing employee.

To be a truly spectacular leader the manager must remember that training is the gateway to success. Training alone however can also be the gateway to failure. The key to creating strong and passionate people is to focus on and drive development. Train someone and forget them and you are rolling the dice on their success. Train someone and follow up with development and you increase the success odds dramatically. Practice. Correct. Praise. Develop. Be a leader. Develop people. Lead on.