I’ve always been uncomfortable with the term “eLearning” but I continue to use it because it seems that no one has come up with something that is both generally agreeable and more appropriate. My discomfort stems not from the “e” prefix – although it is terribly vague – but from “learning.”
Don’t get me wrong, I’m OK with the dictionary definition of “learning” and it does in fact accurately describe what we generally hope to accomplish through an eLearning module. My problem is with the narrow definition of “training” within most organizations, and the direct tie often drawn between training, learning and eLearning. As in “our training division is responsible for all of our learning initiatives,” or “the training budget doesn’t include funds for eLearning.”
This gives me grief on two fronts. First, it’s now almost universally accepted that customer service is everyone’s job regardless of department, role or title. In many organizations, the same is true of sales. Common sense says that every single employee can recognize new opportunities, support your brand, and build customer loyalty… and that they can improve their abilities through proper training and experience. Yet few of us say “learning is everyone’s job.”
If that’s not enough to prompt a “Whoa!” moment, think about this. If globalization has taught us anything, it’s that almost everything can be made a commodity. In today’s world economy, the only sustainable competitive advantage is an ability to adapt and change more quickly than do our competitors. “Adapt” and “change” sound like “learning” to me.
My second concern is with the artificially narrow functional role often assigned to training. For example, both product training and sales skills training can be essential components of a product launch strategy. Too often, however, we see those activities as something done before the launch itself. Do the training, and then do the launch. Separate and definitely not equal.
Here’s my radical idea. Every product, service or communication your organization creates or provides IS training. Advertising is training. Promotional materials are training. Packaging is training. Documentation is training. Press releases are training. Newsletters are training. Blogs are training. Branding is training. Sales calls are training.
Why? Because “training” is an attempt to introduce, reinforce, or modify a fact, attitude, belief or skill in someone else. “Learning” is the set of processes through which that fact, attitude, belief or skill is internalized. Do it better than your competitors and it will be your values, your product, your brand, and your message that wins that valuable real estate in the human mind. Do it poorly and someone else will capture that turf.
Am I advocating the reassignment of all sales and marketing personnel to your training organization? Of course not. But just remember: communicating, persuading, and training are just three sides of the same coin, and learning IS everyone’s job.
What do think? Am I pointing out the obvious, or am I running off the deep end?
