“The human mind treats a new idea the same way the body treats a strange protein; it rejects it.” – Peter B. Medawar

The Reality

Let’s understand how our brains process information. We hold in our minds an existing framework of our understanding of the world. This is the complex web of knowledge, based on information we have encountered and the experiences we have had over the years. Whenever a new idea is presented to our mind, what happens inside within a split second, is we take this new idea and run it by the pre-existing system of understanding we have of the world. Metaphorically, we take our existing knowledge base in one hand, the new concept or idea in the other hand, and see where this idea is resonating with what we already know, and where it is conflicting. Then we highlight only those pieces of knowledge that either clicked with or conflicted with this new idea and weigh down the options. Based on this analysis, we accept or reject the new concept. Essentially, this is the process of assimilation of new ideas into the pre-existing frameworks of our mind.

           This entire process happens whenever we are presented with any information. Most of the times, the acceptance or rejection happens almost instantaneously, given the processing power of our brains. In one way, this is great for us, because it saves a lot of energy and time. However, it also becomes a pitfall at times, because of our lack of awareness of this process. We often attend trainings and seminars, in the hopes of learning something new. We get to know a lot of new concepts and feel great about the time well spent. Here lies the greatest trap – thinking that we have learnt something, while actually not learning anything. Sure, we get exposure to a lot of new concepts. But how many of them are we using in our day to day lives is a question few people ask after the training is over. If you work in a corporate firm and have ever been in an off-site or one-day leadership or team performance training, you will understand what I am referring to. The day of training is great, energy-filled and full of enthusiasm. Everyone has a great time and think they are full. Leadership keeps investing in these trainings year after year, and everyone is happy with the indulgence of information. Nobody asks or acts upon the question, ‘now what?’ No processes are put in place to measure the impact the leadership or performance training has created on the teams or the leaders involved. No clear identification of pre-training and post-training performance or employee engagement is done. Investing a significant amount of time and money into these trainings merely for keeping up the morale of the workforce is a poor strategy; Poor not because it isn’t the most effective, but because the morale-building is so superficial, everyone forgets about the whole ordeal within a week!

           Since leadership trainings do not give a significant return on investments, and since no reliable measurements are conducted on the results and the return on investment they generate, leadership and team performance training become a secondary and often understated topic in most companies. Few professionals consistently remind themselves of what they have learnt in the trainings and check whether they are implementing the knowledge they received in their day to day activities. This occurs because they haven’t really learnt anything. True learning takes time, it is a rather slow process and demands pro-activeness, consistency and individual thoughtful analysis. Trainings bombard people with information, and this information takes time to convert into learning. This depends on each individual’s ability and willingness to process the new information and assimilate it into his/her knowledge framework. If we are looking for inspiring and evoking personal leadership or peak performance, this is a strategy we need to entirely rethink.

The Hope

To tackle this issue, companies sometimes provide periodic online training to employees, with no actual measure of engagement within them. Again, the whole intention behind the training is to develop skill-set or potential of a professional. The intention is good, but the medium chosen is flawed. Training focuses on giving information. They are good for exposing professionals to specific technical skill-sets. Coaching focuses on generating insight. When something is given to you, you accept or reject. When you generate something, you change, you become better. When you are in a training room, the trainer and the topic of training become important. When you are in a coaching scenario, be it in a group or individually, you become important. Suddenly, the entire focus shifts to the individual in question, his or her own situation in their career or life, and how what is being said is relating to this unique individual situation. All this happens inside their own mind – in each of their minds – in their own unique way. Coaching stimulates processing and assimilation of knowledge. It does not merely tell people. It asks people. It asks them what they want and how they can get what they want. It asks them where they want to go, and how this information helps them get there. The individual becomes empowered and the creative juices within the mind are in action. A breakthrough is facilitated. Training addresses a group of individuals. Coaching addresses individuals within a group. Training makes a group work together. Coaching transforms that group into a team. Training helps a person get information and sometimes knowledge. Coaching helps the person use that knowledge in everything they do. Training gives you a tool. Coaching helps you embody it. Training translates. Coaching transforms. Training can give good results. Coaching will generate extraordinary results.

           Let’s call it out. No amount of training is going to make a leader out of someone. Training can equip managers and other professionals in leadership roles with methodologies, but leadership is neither about methods nor about designations. There’s a difference between knowing what a leader is, and being a leader. Leadership needs to be inspired from within an individual. It is personal, it is life-changing, and team-changing once inspired. Coaching is the only way to inspire great leadership across levels, create a high-performing team and a high-performing organization – one conversation at a time.