How to Encourage Continuous Learning in Teams

84% of sales training is forgotten within 3 months. Don't even do training unless: You are willing to commit to the change as a habit. That means your one-time sales kick-off The one you invested $$$ into Is all gone by now. 💸 💸 💸 ☠ If you didn't reinforce the learning, please don't say, "Well, we trained you on this at the start of the year." The human brain doesn't work that way. The key to effective development in anything is ongoing practice. Not singular training events, or big hype sessions. Want to make training stick? 1. Micro-Learning Over Time. Break what you did down into continuous learning bites and deliver them regularly. Why? Two Reasons. Shows it is still important. Helps as a reminder. This is your "Click it or ticket" reminder. 2. Leaders need to assess areas where individuals need additional support They must put in place individual coaching plans for each person. Not blanket across the team, tailored coaching where people need it. Agreed on by the person. This is your golf pro doing lessons on gap areas. This month, swing speed. 3. Do video call coaching for in-game feedback Pick one recording every few weeks per person. Watch it, and give play-by-play good and growth coaching. This is your coach reviewing game film to improve in-game performance. If you actually want your team to improve, and you aren't doing these things Stop whatever else you are doing. Do this instead. PS - No excuses. If you don't have "time" for this. Stop wasting time on other activities. Last I checked, improving revenue was the top priority. 👋 If you liked this, give me a follow ♻️ Repost if this landed with you.

I’ve been reflecting on how much time I am investing in my #ProfessionalDevelopment, and how to best support our #LearningCulture within Prosci, especially with tight budgets and resource constraints. Here are some of the low to no-cost, highest-ROI strategies ideas I’ve found to be effective. I’d love to hear what’s been working for you! 🎯 Create a learning plan with very clear objectives. I personally love using our individual change #ADKAR framework for this. AWARENESS (recognize the need for improvement - why does this matter?); DESIRE (your individual dedication and motivation to do the learning - why does this matter for me?); KNOWLEDGE (specifics on how you will gain the skill, e.g., training, peer learning); ABILITY (plan for practice - how will you demonstrate and apply new knowledge?); and REINFORCEMENT (ensure sustainability - what steps will you take to maintain results?). 🔗 Partner up internally. Can your finance team teach project managers how to measure ROI? Could marketing help HR with engagement strategies? These internal "barter" arrangements often unlock surprising value. ☕ Encourage knowledge-sharing. Create spaces where teams can share challenges and solutions. Not only does this build skills, but it also strengthens cross-team relationships that improve execution. Whether through internal online forums, lunch-and-learns, or mentoring, the more people share what they know, the more it multiplies. ✋ Tap into your organization’s experience. The person who led a similar project three years ago could be your best resource today - no budget needed. I'd encourage you to be a bit #vulnerable and ask for support where you know you don't have all the answers. 🤖 Leverage free AI tools. AI can accelerate learning and can offer immense value when used creatively. AI tools like language models (e.g., ChatGPT) can provide instant answers to questions, explanations of complex concepts, or help with brainstorming ideas. Want to create a personalized learning plan on a new #skill or #competency? It's brilliant. ⏲️ Make time. I know this one can be tough, but I’m committed to creating time for learning—whether it’s blocking out "learning hours" in my calendar, dedicating time during team meetings, or making weekend chores more productive by listening to a #LinkedInLearning course at the same time as I weed the garden. It's a small investment that pays dividends over time. #ResourceOptimization #KnowledgeSharing #AILearning #CapabilityDevelopment

The best advice I’ve ever received? Keep your team trained and educated. Most CEOs scale revenue. Few scale their team’s knowledge. But without a skilled team, growth turns into chaos. Here’s how to fix that: 1. Set a budget for training Growth requires investment. No exceptions. A pre-approved budget removes roadblocks fast. 2. Start “Lunch & Learn” sessions Learning should happen regularly, not just once. Encourage open discussions that drive real growth. 3. Build a learning roadmap Without structure, growth lacks direction. Create a plan with core and specialized content. • Core content – The must-know fundamentals • Specialized content – Skills tailored to roles 4. Share valuable resources often Equip your team with actionable insights. Send them webinars and reports that support growth. Your team's growth fuels your company's success. Invest in them. Scale your impact. Reduce the drama. ♻️ Repost to help more leaders grow their teams. P.S. Do you have a learning plan for your team?

Top 5 ways to encourage learning at work without a big budget - (Because workplace learning doesn’t have to come with high cost.)   1. Start a book club Select a popular business or industry-relevant book and host discussions to exchange insights and ideas.   2. Share TED Talks or LinkedIn Learning topics Pick compelling TED Talks or LinkedIn Learnings on critical skills and behaviors. Send the links to employees and facilitate follow-up conversations.   3. Create a peer mentorship program Connect employees together who are eager to share and learn key skills from one another, fostering knowledge-sharing and collaboration.   4. Schedule regular "Lunch and Learns" Encourage team members to present on topics they’ve recently explored or mastered.   5. Crowdsource a knowledge library Ask employees to share helpful how-to videos, guides, and resources, then build a list of links and make them easily accessible to all employees.   These simple initiatives can help cultivate continuous learning without requiring a large budget.   What other creative ways have you encouraged learning at work? #iamtalentcentric

It can be challenging to find time in the day for learning—unless it’s something that the full team does at the same time. TIP 3: Dedicate Time for Synchronized Personalized Learning Synchronous personalized learning is a great way to help a distributed team feel connected even when they’re apart. Here’s how to get started: Send out a calendar invite for one hour for team members to make progress on their own learning. Everyone works on their own during that time, but they know they’re in it together with their team. Team members can choose to work toward their annual learning goal (see TIP 1 from earlier this week) or another topic of interest that they share with their manager. This isn’t the time to use for a work project or deadline. Instead, it’s a chance to read, listen, or watch something to help them grow professionally. Your team members may choose to take a LinkedIn learning course or a webinar, read a book or article, write a thought leadership piece, or develop an idea for a conference workshop. By encouraging your entire team to dedicate this hour, you’ve elevated the expectation of learning to be a part of their job and you’ve built learning accountability partners across your team. Ready to extend the learning experience beyond the hour? You may choose to create a rotating schedule of team members to present their progress to their colleagues at one of your staff meetings. Teaching others is an effective way for team members to strengthen their own learning and lead from where they are. You can also set aside time for synchronous learning each quarter. Have you ever tried something like this with your team? _____ This is part III of a series I’m sharing all this week on how to build learning into your workday and grow your team’s skills—without adding more work to your plate.

In discussing modern team dynamics with a client this week, four major knowledge problems emerged: uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity, and equivocality. These intersect in ways that can stymie teams: Uncertainty: The unpredictability or lack of information Complexity: The interplay of numerous components makes situations hard to decipher. Ambiguity: Multiple interpretations of information affecting decision-making. Equivocality: Conflicting interpretations leading to team confusion. It is easy to gloss over these terms without profoundly understanding them, leading to surface-level interpretations and weak solutions. To address these challenges: FOSTER TEACHING & MENTORSHIP: PRINCIPLE: Never assume everyone knows what you know at the level you know. TIP: Promote knowledge sharing through workshops, sharing sessions, or mentorships. PROMOTE CURIOSITY & CONTINUOUS LEARNING: PRINCIPLE: Never assume you know all there is to know. TIP: Maintain a continuous learning attitude. Encourage questions like, “I am unsure, what are your thoughts?” ENCOURAGE DEEP UNDERSTANDING & CRITICAL THINKING: PRINCIPLE: Never confuse knowing with understanding. TIP: Ensure teams delve deeply into topics, using case studies or role-playing tools to cement knowledge. Implementing these strategies ensures thorough knowledge accumulation and understanding, elevating team performance. ONWARD!

Development is required every day. It's about Monday mornings. Friday afternoons. Every moment in between. Don’t pass up on learning moments with your team. Your people don't want generic development plans. They want growth tailored to who they are. ---Here are 5 situations you can take from ordinary to a learning moment--- → After decisions, ask: "What did this teach you specifically about your approach?" → Following meetings, be curious: "Which of your strengths showed up here?" → During projects, pause to ask: "What skill are you most eager to develop now?" → When mistakes happen, support with: "How does this connect to your growth goals?" → Before solutions, challenge: "What unique perspective can you bring to this?" These 5-minute conversations create development that fits each person. --Not cookie-cutter training. --Not one-size development. --But learning shaped around who they are. Which of these will you try today? Not because it's nice to have - because it's what your team wants.