[If] members don’t feel like the leaders are committed to the message, [then] they won’t commit to the message themselves

Season 5, Episode 8 — Click here to download the transcript

Mandatory training serves important legal requirements, instills and reinforces certain organizational values, informs members about company policies and procedures not typically used in daily routines or to correct known problems. These are legitimate purposes that one would assume should be sufficient impetus for doing it right and getting everyone on board. But unfortunately, as long as I can remember, it’s been viewed drudgery and painful due to the poor quality and execution and the sense that the organization is merely checking a block. Organizational leaders themselves do not always seem committed to it, either — it is something we have to do, but no one really wants to do it and we don’t incentivize it much, either.

But, there are ways to do it better, and I offer some thoughts after having watched how mandatory training activities have evolved in the military while other organizations seem stuck in the narrated slide presentation modality that is ineffective and counterproductive. While mandatory training will likely always be seen as a pain, that doesn’t mean it can’t be done a lot better.