Learning Leaders Digest #113
Here's what's interesting this week.
Welcome back, Learning Leaders.
I’ve been thinking about something lately.
For years, trainers have been told we need to earn a seat at the table. We need to be strategic partners instead of order takers. We need to understand the business instead of just building courses.
I agree with all of that.
But I think we’re asking the wrong question.
The goal isn’t to get a seat at the table. The goal is to become someone people can’t imagine having the meeting without.
That happens when we stop thinking like course builders and start thinking like problem solvers.
This can happen a lot of ways. For example, someone asks for a two-hour workshop. Instead of opening PowerPoint, we ask, “What are people doing today that they shouldn’t be doing?” And what follows is a discussion that uncovers the real reason for the suboptimal performance.
Someone asks for an e-learning module. We ask, “What would success look like six months from now?”
Someone says, “Our people need training.” We ask, “How do you know?”
Those questions don’t make us difficult.
They make us valuable.
The best trainers I’ve met over the years weren’t known because they could build beautiful slides or write clever activities. They were trusted because they helped organizations solve problems that training alone couldn’t fix.
As AI continues to change our profession, I think that skill becomes even more important. Building content is getting easier. Knowing what content is worth building is becoming more valuable.
That’s the kind of trainer I hope to become.
And it’s the kind of trainer I hope this newsletter helps all of us become.
In Case You Missed It
The Course Is Not the Finish Line
I used to think the hard part of training was getting people to learn something new.
Activity Tuesday: Breaking the Invisible Barrier
Sometimes the biggest obstacle standing between people and success isn’t a lack of skill, resources, or opportunity.
Throwback Thursday: Making Change Happen
This was originally published in Bob Pike’s Creative Training Techniques Newsletter in July 1992.
What I’m Reading…
I’m currently reading Think Again by Adam Grant, and it’s been making me rethink the way I approach conversations.
One of the biggest ideas in the book is that changing someone’s mind rarely comes from having better arguments. It comes from creating an environment where people feel safe enough to reconsider their own thinking. That resonates with me as a trainer because our job isn’t to win debates or overwhelm people with information. It’s to ask better questions, encourage curiosity, and help people discover new perspectives for themselves. There’s also the importance of creating psychological safety in the classroom, so minds are open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
Whether you’re facilitating a workshop, coaching a leader, or having a difficult conversation, Think Again is a worthwhile reminder that learning begins when we’re willing to question our own assumptions.
📖 Recommended Reading: Think Again by Adam Grant
Around the Learning Industry
Time Management: What is it, who has it, and can you improve it?
Train Seasonal Workers for Success With a Connected Employee Experience
Game Design + Pedagogy + Leadership = Experiential Leadership
How Day-to-Day Managerial Actions Impact Organizational Behavior
The Forgetting Curve: Why Your Training Is Erased Within a Week — and How to Stop It
Every week I share practical ideas to help trainers, facilitators, and learning leaders improve their craft. If your organization wants to create more engaging training, develop stronger leaders, or build a culture where learning actually sticks, I’d be glad to help.
I work with organizations through keynote presentations, train-the-trainer programs, leadership development workshops, facilitation coaching, and consulting.
Learn more about bringing these ideas to your team at DuaneLester.com.
