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Have you ever opened a college course catalog and seen a class titled “How to Be a Rock Star?” Probably not. While the great musicians of our time likely took lessons to learn their craft, their real growth occurred in the practice sessions, the performances, and the countless hours on tour buses jamming with their bandmates. Rock stars learn on the job, and it turns out, your teams can too. Experiential Learning Theory Experiential learning, a theory developed by David A. Kolb, states that people learn through a four-step Experiential Learning Cycle: Experiencing – Reflecting – Thinking – Acting. When people are engaged in these situations, they may not even recognize that they are learning, yet deep learning is occurring. Think about the roles you’ve had over your career. How often were you (as a new hire) parked in front of a video, instruction manual, or classroom setting to learn your job? Did you find that helpful, or do you feel like your real training began when you stepped out of the classroom and onto the “front lines?” The Benefits of Experiential Learning There are several benefits to learning through experience. 1. Teaches Necessary Skills No matter how tailored your training program, you may be burdening your new hires (or transfers) with information, they don’t need. Rather than gather multiple roles together for a training class, why not place your employees in their new roles with a mentor or trainer who can teach them how to handle situations as they arise? 2. Improves Retention Reading something in a book or hearing someone teach a skill or task is no competition from having people roll up their sleeves and “get their hands dirty.” When you do something, you are more likely to remember how to do it moving forward. 3. Strengthens Teams When you get hired at Zappos, no matter what position you are hired for, you start on the phone providing customer service. It doesn’t matter if you come in as a senior leader, a techie, or an accountant, you start on the phone. Why? Because customer service is the core of what they do and you have to understand that in order to do your job and support your fellow coworkers properly. How can you incorporate this into your business? Consider cross-training employees, having them spend time in several roles so they understand what occurs. 4. Builds Confidence On-the-job training fosters an environment of problem-solving. Employees have the opportunity to navigate real-world challenges and become more confident in their abilities in the process. Imagine the celebration when a new employee solves their first problem! 5. Inspires Creativity Experiential, hands-on learning sparks creativity and innovation in problem-solving. Employees can work through issues with new approaches and see, in real time, whether their approaches fix the issue. A new employee with fresh eyes and no preconceived notions may be just what your company needs to jump an existing hurdle. If you want to create rock-star employees, experiential learning is a great tool to have in your tool box. What Does Experiential Learning Look Like There are a variety of ways you can incorporate experiential learning into your organization. It’s time to rethink your current training program and consider adding one (or more) of these methods: On-the-Job Training When a new hire joins the company, skip the classroom and put them out in the field with a trainer, mentor, or buddy. Cross Training A new or existing employee can spend time with other teams, learning the ins and outs of what these departments do. Role-Playing If your industry or new hire’s role doesn’t translate well to on-the-job training (too high stakes), consider creating a safe, simulated work environment where they can role-play to learn and practice skills they’ll need when they officially “go live” as an employee. Interactive Workshops Workshops can engage your team members as they do group activities, role-play, share their experiences in the field, and practice skills they use (or will use) every day. Conclusion If you want your employees to learn in a way that helps them digest, remember, and feel confident using their training, it’s time to turn up the learning! Learn from the rock stars who put in countless hours practicing their craft, and incorporate Experiential Learning into your business.
” Practice,I used to sit on the edge of my bed with a six-pack of Schlitz Malt talls. My brother would go out at 7 PM to party, and when he would come back at 3 AM, I would still be sitting in the same place, playing guitar. I did that for years — I still do that.”
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