Strategies for Encouraging Peer-to-Peer Learning

Last night the Founder/CEO of a Series A hyper-growth startup called me and asked why his salespeople aren't getting better. It took 1 minute to diagnose. I don't care how much training your VP Sales or Sales Trainer provide to the team, there's one thing that's always most important, yet often missed. That's Peer-to-Peer training (I call it P2P for short). P2P training should become your greatest knowledge sharing practice on a weekly basis. This makes sense when you get to the point of scale where you have top reps on the team who are crushing it. At a certain point they'll ultimately know more than your VP Sales or even trainer, because they're on the front lines every day. --- Here's how it works (super simple): 1. Schedule weekly team meetings that have only one item on the agenda; Peer-to-Peer training in open dialogue format 2. VP Sales, Director, Manager, or Trainer should host the session but the real magic is coming from the team 3. Everyone prepares in advance by bringing 1-3 scenarios to the table that they either need help with (or) want to teach to the team 4. Each rep shares their scenario (describes it, or plays a video, or shows the email dialogue) and either teaches the team what worked (or) asks the team what they would do in this situation 5. An open dialogue takes place, some debating, and eventually some consensus (if no team consensus, the leader provides it) 6. The VP Sales (or whoever runs the meeting) documents the agreed upon best practices and distributes to the team afterwards by updating scripts, objection playbooks, etc. --- By taking a proactive approach to facilitating P2P conversations each week you enable a massive amount of knowledge sharing that otherwise wouldn't happen. By requiring everyone to bring 1-3 scenarios to the table you push salespeople who would otherwise be less inclined to ask for help (or offer it) and the culture of the team becomes one of growing and learning together. As a sales leader, you'll be absolutely shocked at how productive these sessions become and how much YOU actually learn from your team. Don't just wait for questions to come to you... you have to facilitate these conversations on a regular basis. This is EVEN MORE important for remote teams who don't have the luxury of asking the person sitting next to them for help. How many of you have participated in sessions like this? If not... suggest it to your leader today. It's the one team meeting that's actually worth having on the calendar.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗲𝗿-𝘁𝗼-𝗣𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 🌟 Tired of the limitations of traditional top-down training methods? You’re not alone. Many organizations are finding that conventional training approaches don’t fully leverage the collective knowledge and experience within their teams. Missing out on peer insights can limit the effectiveness and relevance of your learning programs, leaving your team underprepared and less competitive. peer to peer learning Here’s how you can flip the script by encouraging peer-to-peer learning, creating a more dynamic, engaging, and effective learning environment: 📌 Create Collaborative Platforms: Implement tools like intranet forums, Slack channels, or dedicated learning management systems (LMS) that facilitate knowledge sharing. These platforms should be user-friendly and accessible, allowing team members to easily share insights, resources, and feedback. 📌 Structured Knowledge-Sharing Sessions: Organize regular sessions where team members can present on topics they are knowledgeable about. These sessions could be in the form of lunch-and-learns, webinars, or workshops. This not only empowers employees to share their expertise but also fosters a culture of continuous learning. 📌 Peer Mentorship Programs: Pair up employees with different levels of experience for mentorship. This encourages the transfer of knowledge and skills in a more informal, yet impactful way. Mentorship programs can be structured with clear goals and timelines, ensuring both mentors and mentees benefit from the experience. 📌 Encourage Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Facilitate opportunities for team members from different departments to work together on projects or problem-solving exercises. This breaks down silos and promotes a broader understanding of the organization’s operations. 📌 Reward Knowledge Sharing: Recognize and reward employees who actively contribute to peer-to-peer learning. 📌 Leverage Social Learning: Use social media groups or internal social networks to create communities of practice. 📌 Integrate Peer Reviews: Incorporate peer reviews into your regular workflow processes. This not only provides valuable feedback but also encourages employees to learn from each other’s work. 📌 Utilize Gamification: Introduce gamification elements such as quizzes, leaderboards, and badges to make peer-to-peer learning more engaging and fun. By implementing these strategies, you can harness the collective intelligence of your team, making learning more relevant and impactful. Peer-to-peer learning not only enhances skill development but also strengthens team cohesion and collaboration. Have any other tips for effective peer-to-peer learning? Share your thoughts below! ⬇️ #PeerLearning #TeamDevelopment #ContinuousLearning #KnowledgeSharing #EmployeeEngagement #BusinessGrowth

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