Can I let you in on a little secret about training and development? I’ll share it with you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else.
The secret is that a lot of the time – especially for non-technical skills – the participants in a development programme aren’t the only ones who can learn from the subject being covered. The bosses of the participants can learn, too. In fact, sometimes, they can even learn more than the participants.
This may come as a shock, but once you think about it, this secret actually makes a lot of sense. For most of us, our boss is one of the most powerful shapers of our professional skills, for better or for worse. If your boss is good at giving constructive feedback, you will likely learn to effectively give constructive feedback. If your boss exhibits poor listening skills, chances are that your listening skills will be sub-par.
We emulate our bosses. Because of that, when we are sent to undergo some development, it is often because we haven’t picked up those skills from our bosses.
How does that secret knowledge affect you as a training participant? The hope is that when you learn new skills, you will go back to the workplace, talk with your boss about what you learned, and begin practising those new skills. Your boss will hear you, observe your new behaviours, and will start to emulate you. In other words, your boss will now learn from you.
Does this sound far-fetched? The actual effect on your boss may be minimal because when you return to the workplace, your boss may not ask what you have learned. If your boss is really disengaged, he or she may not even notice any changes in your performance as you apply your new learning to your day-to-day work.
And that leads us to a second secret: if you want your boss to learn anything from you, you (as a learner) need to make it a point to sit down with your boss both before and after your training session.
This should be applied to any type of learning or development: not just training classes but also online learning, workshops, and self-directed learning programmes.
Let’s say that you will attend a training class next week on Listening Skills. A few days before you attend the training class, you will say to your boss, “Hey boss, I’m attending a Listening Skills class next week. Can we talk for a few minutes about what you expect me to learn and how you think I will apply that learning to my work?”
This audacious opening line will capture your boss’s attention. Once you have his or her attention, the opportunity exists for you to have a powerful conversation about your performance and how you are growing and developing.
You will also have a similar conversation within a day or two after returning from the training. “Hey boss, I just returned from Listening Skills class. Can we spend a few minutes talking about what I learned, what action plan I have to apply that learning to my work, and what changes you can expect to see in my behaviours at work?”
Not only will these conversations help your boss learn something from the training you attended, but you are more likely to retain what you have learned and apply it to your work if you have your boss’ support. Talking with your boss is the first step to gaining that support.
Unfortunately, I know that conversations in the workplace rarely go as I’ve described. But I also know that when employees actively manage their bosses, talk about what support they need, and ask about their bosses’ expectations, they tend to feel more engaged, more empowered, and more satisfied with their jobs.
It’s worth noting that this approach can work even in the hierarchical culture found in many Thai offices. You might change your words a bit, but the idea of talking to your boss before and after any learning and development is a powerful habit that can increase your success and improve your boss, too.
So now that you know these little secrets, what will you do with them? My hope is that you will break your promise to me and go share it with as many people as possible, including your boss.
------------------------------
Christopher Schultz is a principal consultant specialising in Leadership and Culture Training and Executive Coaching at APMGroup, Thailand’s leading Organisation and People Development Consultancy. He can be reached by email at christopher_s@apm.co.th