Don't Train, Develop

My perspective about training has changed forever. Special thanks to Mike Myatt for sharing The #1 Reason Leadership Development Fails.

Mike has taught me that "training is...the #1 reason leadership development fails." I asked myself, "Really? Training? Why?" The answer is because "development strives to call out the unique and differentiate by shattering the status quo." Training really is an attempt, "to standardize by blending to a norm and acclimating to the status quo." And the status quo is something we all need to fight.

The reason why training kills leadership is because it presumes and assumes. "It presumes the need for indoctrination on systems, processes and techniques...[and] assumes that said systems, processes and techniques are the right way to do things." 

I've never been a fan of best practices (we do it all too often in academia) because as Mike points out, "Training is...a rote, one directional, one dimensional, one size fits all, authoritarian process that imposes static, outdated information on people." I think the primary reason I despise trainings is because I don't enjoy lectures and such one directional presentations. I need to ask questions, I want people to ask me questions. I crave meaningful dialogue. I don't care what happened in the past. I learn so I am better prepared to meet future needs.

From now on, every time I am invited to attend a conference and give a "Best Practices" presentation I'm going to call it "Next Practices" and we're going to have a dialogue! That's a promise...a challenge to the status quo.

Training is for mindless cogs, non-thinkers, sheepish people who want to work in a factory and be told what to do. Development is for innovators, critical thinkers, and creative problem solvers. We don't need more factory workers, we need creative problem solvers.

If you're like me, you still need help determining the difference. Here are Mike's 20 points that differentiate between training and development:

1. Training blends to a norm – Development occurs beyond the norm.
   
2. Training focuses on technique/content/curriculum – Development focuses on people.
   
3. Training tests patience – Development tests courage.
   
4. Training focuses on the present – Development focuses on the future.
   
5. Training adheres to standards – Development focuses on maximizing potential.
   
6. Training is transactional – Development is transformational.
   
7. Training focuses on maintenance – Development focuses on growth.
   
8. Training focuses on the role – Development focuses on the person.
   
9. Training indoctrinates – Development educates.
   
10. Training maintains status quo – Development catalyzes innovation.
    
11. Training stifles culture – Development enriches culture.
    
12. Training encourages compliance – Development emphasizes performance.
    
13. Training focuses on efficiency – Development focuses on effectiveness.
    
14. Training focuses on problems  - Development focuses on solutions.
    
15. Training focuses on reporting lines – Development expands influence.
    
16. Training places people in a box – Development frees them from the box.
    
17. Training is mechanical – Development is intellectual.
    
18. Training focuses on the knowns – Development explores the unknowns.
    
19. Training places people in a comfort zone – Development moves people beyond their comfort zones.
    
20. Training is finite – Development is infinite.