Everyone is talking about leadership training. “Are you investing in yourself and your team through leadership training? What leadership training events are you participating in this year? Have you listened to the latest leadership podcast?”
It’s THE latest buzzword you hear around the executive boardroom, and for good reason. Leadership training is essential to building a strong organization. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, there is so much variety of leadership training out there that it’s mindboggling.
The question is not WHAT leadership training to invest in, but HOW that leadership training is delivered. There is no one-size-fits-all methodology for delivering effective leadership training. It’s as individual as you are. Meaning there is a methodology that is best suited to your particular learning style.
After spending tens of thousands of dollars on leadership training over the years, I have discovered that I am a highly collaborative and kinesthetic learner. I need to go through the learning process with other people in a physical environment where I am in my body and even moving around.
As a result, I have let myself off the hook about being a poor coach because I don’t sign up for every online webinar or 6-month seminar program because those types of programs just don’t work for me. I need the interaction part of learning for it to be truly effective.
If you are paying for training for your team members, this is CRUCIAL to understand that one style does not fit all. As the leader, you need to be willing to allocate the funds in ways that suit each member, so they get the most from it and bring back the greatest value to your team and your organization.
How to Find the Best Learning Training for Your Learning Style
Before you sign yourself up for the next leadership training program that comes along, ask yourself, “What style of learning is best for me?”
Auditory – Can you follow information delivered to you via audio recordings or do you need visual cues to go along with it? If you are an auditory learner, downloading podcasts or listening to audio books will work best for you.
Visual – Do you need visual support for your learning? Visual learners do best with instructional videos or in-person events where the learning messages are accompanied with a strong visual presentation.
Kinesthetic – Do you need to get hands-on with the learning topic? Kinesthetic learners do best when learning is combined with physical. They need to be right there IN the experience to really absorb the information.
Collaborative/Relational – Do you need to interact and work it out within a group? Collaborative styles value the back and forth dialogue that accompanies the learning so they need to learn in an environment where they can share their experiences.
Solitary – Do you need quiet alone time to focus on the learning topic? Solitary learners find the interaction at live events distracting and perhaps even frustrating. Podcasts, webinars and how to books work well for this group.
Knowing your learning style allows you to choose programs that are aligned with that style so you automatically increase your chance of success. Even the most reputable courses that work for countless others may not work for you. Remember, it’s not about you. There is nothing wrong with you. It’s about the learning style.
This week’s challenge: determine your learning style so you know exactly where you are going to invest your time and money for the best results! Leave me a comment on my blog and let us know what your style is and what learning has worked best for you.
Need help determining your learning style to get the most from your education dollars? Sign up for one of my leadership style assessments today!
