Learning As Against Training

Now that we are coming out of the recession there is once again an enthusiasm in companies to develop the skills of their people. So what type of skill development is proving to be most effective in this age of electronic technology? I think that we all agree that we (sadly) seem to learn more by our mistakes and failures than by our successes – sad but true.

Research has shown that solely focusing skill development on positive aspects of best practice can be a mistake as the most persuasive approach in the development of people. A sizable part of knowledge sharing towards learning should be devoted to how others got it wrong. Case studies of errors that lead to discussion that lead to suggestions on how those errors could be avoided are more effective. The research demonstrated this approach is not only quicker, more productive but also cost effective in creating the learning experience.