If you want to build new career skills to excel in your organisation, taking the time to choose the right pathway for professional development can be a daunting task.
Have you ever had to cram for an exam you know nothing about at the last minute?
Unless you have a photographic memory, It’s not exactly a walk in the park. The stress of digesting large amounts of information in a short amount of time can be enough to send someone into a complete meltdown!
This experience is similar to how some workplace training events are run. Taking a day off your busy work schedule to be firehosed with new information for 6-8 hours will not exactly aid the learning process or motivate you to change your workplace habits when your return to your desk.
More often than not, you will resume your regular duties and forget 90% of what was said.
In order to implement new career skills in your work, you need to attend training programs that support embedded learning.
Programs with micro-learning techniques support professionals with embedded learning by delivering content in small, digestible chunks. This method will help you to engage with each new topic and transfer it to your role more easily.
What is micro-learning and how does it work?
Science tells us the human brain has a working memory capacity and attention span of about 3-7 minutes. This means, your ability to retain new information is stronger when it is delivered within this timeframe.
By breaking down large amounts of content into bite-sized pieces you are allowing your brain to properly process and retain what you have learned without causing stress. Small (or micro) learning moments can then be introduced to your work context more easily.
This modern approach to workplace training also supports the learning process by allowing you to focus and engage with new information more deeply. Research shows participants engage 50% more with content delivered using micro-learning techniques.
I don’t know about you, but I certainly learn better when I focus on one thing at a time…
Not surprisingly, micro-learning is also the preferred method for Learning and Development professionals, with 94% of them rating it above traditional courses.
The Colin James Methodology® is designed around the techniques of micro-learning to support your learning and help to embed new knowledge in a way you can easily implement in your role.
The Mastering Communication training program takes a participant-focussed approach by shaping the content to be as applicable as possible to your workplace environment. This way, the training will come with you when you return to work because you have already practiced in this context.
Think of the learning process a bit like gardening…
If you want to grow beautiful plants in your backyard, you don’t just throw a bunch of seeds over the soil and hope for the best!
First, you need to test the soil
We do this by surveying our participants before the program, to get a better sense of their knowledge, experience and an insight into what they want to get out of the training.
Next, you need to check the condition of the soil
By providing pre-work for participants to complete before the training, they are already starting to think about how the content will apply to their workplace.
Now you’re ready to sow the seeds
Too many training courses place all of the focus on what people should do, without any emphasis on the why or the how. By creating relevance between the content and how it will be applied in your work context, The Colin James Methodology® ensures you are more receptive to learning for the best possible outcome.
The balance of theory and practical learning activities, delivered in a step-by-step process also facilitate your learning as the content is delivered in bite-sized chunks. Over the 2 days, the Mastering Communication training program connects all of these micro learnings so you are able to use them for the final presentation with confidence and ease.
Finally, don’t forget to water as they grow
Support and encouragement to implement afterwards is an important part of the learning process. After the 2-day training course, we also provide more micro-learning material to continue embedding your new career skills, as well as a commitment process where you can choose one element of your learning and look for opportunities to apply it on a day-to-day basis in your workplace.
As the trajectory of the workforce continues to shift, building new career skills is an important part of your future as a professional. Investing in quality workplace training can be the defining factor that sets you apart from your peers in an increasingly competitive workforce.
Find out how professional communication training can advance your career here.
The Colin James Method® coaches executives to improve their leadership skills with a proven methodology. Our coaches are recognised for their experience in their fields and have worked with many individuals and organisations around the world to master the art of communication.
