Following on from Bitesize 16, if business partners follow the theory of probability they will eventually come to the conclusion that training employees in large groups has a very slim chance of producing any worthwhile results.

The probability of getting a group of people in the same room (or in front of a module on a screen) who all have the same learning needs, learning styles, common business objectives, similar circumstances and business context is very, very slim indeed - certainly much lower than 50:50.

So why do trainers persist in running menus of generic courses? Because it looks on paper to be cost effective but in reality it is very cost-ineffective.

Business partners do not run programmes for large groups unless it is appropriate on certain, rare occasions (usually for purely knowledge-based training such as teaching everyone a new IT system or procedure).

Otherwise business partners need to be able to offer as wide a selection of learning solutions as possible, be it a book, a video, a classroom based programme, a coaching or mentoring session or whatever other method is deemed suitable - but suitability can only really be determined by the individual learner.

The horse racing world knows only too well the different conditions favoured by different horses if they are to perform at their best.

This is a simple lesson that good trainers have already learned.

To become business partners though they need to resist all pressures from financial or operational managers who think good training can be gauged by the number of learners being taught at any one time and the average cost of the training.

Paul is happy to take questions and comments and can be contacted at:mailto:paulkearns@blueyonder.co.uk

Earlier articles in this series can be found at:
The Bitesize Business Partners Page