| Experiential Learning is not new but is | | | | business. |
| incredibly under used as a method for | | | | |
| training and developing staff. Consider for a | | | | When I set up the Experiential Learning |
| moment how people tend to be trained at your | | | | Centre it was with the intention of combining |
| place of work and what methods top the list? | | | | the best of these learning methods in order |
| | | | to provide the most powerful developmental |
| Training courses where people learn via | | | | outcomes at the lowest possible risk. |
| presentations, group discussions, case | | | | Together with a small team of learning and |
| studies and perhaps some role playing are | | | | development experts, we designed a series of |
| likely to figure quite high on the list for | | | | simulations and activities that mirrored a |
| most companies. But how much of this is | | | | range of leadership, team working and |
| actually taken back to the workplace and | | | | business skills scenarios but delivered |
| transferred into improved performance? | | | | within the safety of a classroom environment. |
| Traditional training courses are essentially | | | | A great simulation in itself is not enough. |
| a method of knowledge transfer with a small | | | | In order to complete the learning experience |
| amount of skills development. As knowledge | | | | each simulated programme needs to be |
| transfer goes they can be very effective, | | | | supported by high quality facilitation and |
| especially if delivered by a good trainer but | | | | expert coaching. The results have been |
| it is somewhat hit and miss if this knowledge | | | | extremely powerful. |
| is applied effectively by the trainee upon | | | | |
| their return to work. How much support will | | | | Trainees are able to learn by experience and |
| they receive from their manager? Will the | | | | transfer what they have learned back in the |
| learning be reinforced and reviewed at | | | | working environment in order to perform at a |
| regular intervals? Will they get an | | | | significantly higher level. In essence, what |
| opportunity to practice what they have | | | | we have developed is a series of safe leap |
| learned? How much of the knowledge will be | | | | experiences which is the holy grail of staff |
| lost or watered down over time? | | | | development. |
| | | | |
| An alternative to sending staff on a training | | | | As one of our leadership facilitators, |
| course is for the manager or an experienced | | | | Jonathon Elliott says "It really is quite |
| team member to train them on the job. | | | | remarkable to see the learning that takes |
| Coaching can be the most effective form of | | | | place during an experiential leadership |
| learning when it is done well. Knowledge can | | | | event. Delegates don't just learn from being |
| be transferred by the coach, skills can be | | | | a leader themselves but also from how others |
| developed in stages and both can be applied | | | | go about leading and managing. Sometimes they |
| in live but supervised situations. This | | | | will be on the receiving end of an activity |
| provides an opportunity for the work to be | | | | in which there is a weak plan or where a |
| reviewed and feedback provide in order to | | | | conflict is poorly handled. Other times they |
| facilitate rapid learning. Given that | | | | will experience an exceptional piece of |
| coaching is a widely effective form of | | | | teamworking or find themselves being |
| experiential learning, what are the | | | | motivated at a high level. In both scenarios |
| downsides? It requires a large investment of | | | | they are learning something that they will be |
| time by the coach. It requires a high level | | | | able to take back to work and use |
| of coaching skill. Perhaps most | | | | immediately. At the end of an experiential |
| significantly, it takes two people, the coach | | | | event, people are noticeably at a |
| and the trainee, away from their normal tasks | | | | significantly higher level of competence than |
| making them both less productive in the short | | | | when they joined the programme. They are able |
| term. | | | | to apply what they have learned in a variety |
| | | | of situations and perform better." |
| Another form of on the job training is to | | | | |
| provide the trainee with a leap experience. | | | | The reality is that many managers lack the |
| This essentially involves providing the staff | | | | time and ability to facilitate experiential |
| member with a specific job assignment or | | | | learning in the workplace. The result is that |
| project aimed at developing a targeted skill | | | | staff are often unable to develop as well as |
| set. This is raw experiential learning. If | | | | they could or they are thrown in at the deep |
| successful the individual is likely to learn | | | | end, often with high risks attached. |
| rapidly, hence a leap experience. However, | | | | Simulated experiential learning provides a |
| the downside of a leap experience is the risk | | | | compelling alternative as long as it is |
| of failure and the accompanying damage to | | | | supported by high quality facilitation and |
| both the person's confidence and the | | | | expert coaching interventions. |