One of the best training programs I ever went through was when I was promoted at Chipotle, where we walked through a leadership and safety ritual that reads just like the one detailed in The Making of a UPS Driver (Fortune, 2019). And like UPS’s refashioned method, the training, which was a blend of videos, shadowing and hands-on learning. That kind of framework made learning interesting and applicable. Great managers know that people learn most efficiently when their training can be consistent with their natural talents and they get to put those tunes to work right away (Buckingham & Coffman, 2016, First Break All the Rules). The combination of active learning and actual practice in the program has simplified my efforts to apply what I learned to my daily work.
Another college class I attended, on the other hand, felt far less effective because it was lecture-style and lacked interaction or feedback. It was good info, just not much chance to use it so you would remember it. According to Ellis et al. (2017), effective training and onboarding occur when they are interactive, manager-supported and create a sense of belonging among new team members. That personal connection and feedback were what was lacking in class, so it was less inspiring and therefore less effective.
The Walmart Academy piece also made me remember that the success of training in the long term is only as good as what real chances organizations give afterwards. A strong program will go beyond the skills; it will be linked to growth and career development. From these examples, one thing is clear effective training combines relevance, practice and support. When employees can understand the value and are optimized to learn and grow, both learning and performance increase.
References
Buckingham, M. and Coffman, C. (2016). ’First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently. Gallup Press.
Ellis, A., Nifadkar, S., Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. Your New Hires Won’t Succeed if You Don’t Onboard Them Right. Harvard Business Review.
The Making of a UPS Driver. (2019). Fortune.
At Walmart Academy, Training Better Bosses. But with a Better Future? (2017). The New York Times
