We can learn a lot from dreams. For example, the other night I learned that if you go mountain biking, it’s best to choose a practical bike with brakes, rather than a more handsome one without any. 

As you’ve probably guessed, in my dream I, rather unwisely, chose the latter. I subsequently discovered, without coming to any real physical harm, that hurtling down long, winding flights of steps without those two little levers on your handlebars is unlikely to end well. (I also learned that there are far more steps on a mountain trail than I would have supposed likely, but that’s another story.)

Effective training can be a bit like my weird dream; stay with me on this.

Firstly, great training design means creating a safe place in which people can explore ideas, make mistakes, test theories and stretch outside their comfort zone without risk. And most importantly of all, it delivers a change in mindset. (I’d like to think that even in dreamland, I won’t be trying that again!) 

And what about the handsome bike with no brakes? Well, haven’t we all at some time or another witnessed a training solution that was beautifully presented, with lots of bells and whistles, but which fundamentally failed to address the needs of the audience or deliver the results the organisation, and individuals, needed.

In a year none of us could have predicted, we’re all having to reinvent our offerings for a changed world. But the good news is that this is providing us with a fantastic opportunity to review what we do and ensure it delivers what it needs to. We all have an opportunity to learn and, ultimately, change, which is exactly what we need to give learners. 

Over the last few months, we’ve changed a lot; most recently adding e-learning to Trainers’ Library and more free resources. I’ve been writing and re-writing training materials for remote delivery at an unprecedented pace, and with the support of my brilliant team, we’ve already added approaching 100 new Remote Delivery modules to Trainers’ Library.

I have to say, despite the pressures, I’ve enjoyed this challenge hugely. It’s provided a new perspective on training delivery and a new opportunity to get really creative. 

And we’re learning new ways to give learners the opportunity to explore ideas and experience remote learning every day. Recently, for example, we’ve used our e-learning experience to create breakout room tasks like the drag and drop activity in Leadership Identikit and Influence and Persuasion - Understanding and Using Benefits, and we’ve commissioned new recordings of The Witches of Glum and Land of the Nutritos to make these activities even more powerful for remote audiences. We’ve created a remote delivery version of our team building game, Island of Opportunity too, which involves participants in real-time negotiation, and we’ve much, much more in the pipeline.

So, we can provide the training - you knew that already - but did you know we can also help you develop the confidence to remotely deliver training brilliantly? For example, I’m now running my Creative Training Essentials Course virtually and our virtual Discovery Days, which provide a great opportunity to learn from a range of trainers, are proving to be even more popular than our face-to-face events were! And, of course, we’re always happy to provide members one-to-one assistance where required.

So, if this year has felt a bit like riding your own bike down a flight of stairs without brakes, get in touch and let us help you regain control of your L&D strategy. 

Until next time…