The hidden costs of ineffective training: A path to transformation
“Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.”~ B F Skinner
A Broken system, Not built for everyone
Back in 2016, I received a message on LinkedIn from a UK-based training company: they wanted me to deliver a Lean Six Sigma training course in Australia. The invitation seemed promising, so I agreed to an interview. However, after just a few minutes of conversation, it became clear that their business model was deeply flawed.
Here’s how their system worked:
- They ran ads online and sold training courses to businesses and individuals.
- After taking the payment, they scrambled to find a trainer.
- Curriculum was sent to me at the last minute—days before the session—with no time to assess the needs of participants.
Curriculum was like a lost traveller, unprepared for its journey and completely disconnected from the learners. People had paid for something that promised value, but it felt unlikely to meet their expectations.
How this affects you
Have you ever attended a training course or educational program that didn’t cater to your unique learning needs? Maybe the content didn’t connect with your real-world experiences, or the examples seemed irrelevant to your industry.
That’s exactly what happened in that room:
- Participants had paid good money for a tailored, high-quality experience.
- Instead, they received generic content that didn’t reflect their diverse perspectives or challenges.
In your role—whether you’re leading academic programs or corporate training—teaching inclusivity is essential. Curriculum must adapt to learners, not the other way around. When training fails to meet diverse needs, it loses its effectiveness.
Familiar frustrations: A need for inclusive teaching
I’ve worked in large organizations, so I understand the stress you face when well-intentioned ideas get bogged down by ineffective processes. Walking into that training room in 2016, I immediately recognized the signs of poor delivery: frustration, disengagement, and disappointment.
Here are some of the common issues I’ve seen in ineffective training programs:
- Trainers fail to connect material with the learners, leaving people behind.
- Rushing through lessons without checking for understanding creates gaps.
- Outdated teaching methods are used, rather than adapting to modern techniques.
- Lack of hands-on engagement means fewer voices are brought into the conversation.
- Ignoring participant feedback leads to further disengagement.
“Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.”~ John Cotton Dana
Building diverse and inclusive learning environments
You have the opportunity to make a lasting impact by adopting more inclusive teaching methods. Imagine if your training didn’t just deliver content but actively engaged with the diverse perspectives of your audience.
Here’s how you can create inclusive learning environments:
- Understand your audience’s needs: Assess participants’ backgrounds, learning styles, and expectations before the training.
- Tailor content: Use examples and case studies that are relevant to different industries and experiences.
- Incorporate diverse teaching methods: Use hands-on activities, real-world examples, and group discussions to include all voices.
- Embrace feedback: Create a feedback loop to continuously improve the delivery and structure of your training sessions.
The benefits of inclusive teaching are clear: when learners feel understood, included, and valued, they’re more engaged. This leads to better discussions, improved problem-solving, and stronger learning outcomes.
The risks of not adapting
If you don’t make these changes, your training programs risk falling behind:
- Learners will disengage.
- Performance will suffer.
- Your reputation as an educator or trainer will take a hit.
The cost of staying stagnant is high: missed opportunities, disconnected learners, and a growing perception of irrelevance. Curriculum must evolve to meet the needs of today’s learners—without this shift, your programs will quickly become outdated.
The solution is in your hands
By adopting inclusive, human-centered teaching approaches, you can transform your training programs. Curriculum can soar when it’s aligned with learners’ needs. You’ll not only improve learning outcomes but also create an environment where everyone can thrive.
I go over this in more detail in our training course about AI-Driven Lean transformation course(Click Here). However, there’s just no way to teach all of this in a blog post, which is why I’m offering one-on-one consultancy(Click Here). Don’t miss the opportunity to reshape your training approach and ensure that no one is left behind.
Further books:
