Michael, please don’t get the wrong impression on what I’m saying. Sometimes, what we call training actually isn’t training at all. My impression of you is that you’re less about training and more about inspiration and orientation.

David Maister and I both apparently have our beefs with training. He is addressing the faciliation. I’m addressing the word. I flat-out think ‘training’ is the wrong terminology. It evokes Pavlovian concepts. I feel like it lessens our people.

I like the Nordstrom’s employee handbook with one page simply stating:

Rule#1: Use your good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules.

She asked “Is here anybody who has a teenagers?”. Some people raised their hands. She continued “So what do you want them to have sexual training or sexual education?”…
That’s it

“The corporate training system doesn’t work” is closer to the point. Without relevance, or passion or context training will fall flat. “Tell only” training doesn’t work all that well either - and maybe that is what he has in mind. But I would call that lecturing.

And corporate trainers that won’t courageously walk when given the kinds of assignment Maister talks about are part of the issue too.

Sometimes I will have my clients watch Karate Kid with me. And then I will facilitate a dialogue. If no is getting “beat up” by the marketplace, why would anyone want to humble themselves to be trained in business “karate”?

Wax on! Wax off! Anyone?!