Is your skillset stuck in neutral while training dollars zoom past? Don't worry, fellow job seeker, you're not alone. A staggering 75% of employees worldwide feel like their company's training programs miss the mark, leaving them underprepared and uninspired. But fear not! Ejad is here to shed light on the common learning pitfalls and equip you with actionable tips to turbocharge your professional growth, even if your company's L&D department needs a wake-up call.

So, what's the problem with corporate training?

Wrong Reasons, Wrong Timing: We're often bombarded with generic courses irrelevant to our current roles, like that mandatory "conflict resolution" session when you're drowning in deadlines, not feuds. This "check-the-box" approach to training leaves us disengaged and forgets the golden rule: we learn best when it's immediately applicable to our work.

Forgetting Faster Than We Learn: Remember cramming for exams and then promptly forgetting everything? Turns out, our brains are wired to ditch unused information. So, those fancy continuous professional education (CPE) credits might look good on paper, but unless you're actively applying the skills, they'll vanish like last week's lunch.

Learning in a Vacuum: We're not sponges soaking up knowledge; we're active participants who thrive on real-world challenges and feedback. Yet, traditional training often isolates us from our daily tasks, leaving the newly acquired skills gathering dust in a forgotten corner of our minds.

But wait, there's hope! We can turn the learning tide with lean learning, a powerful approach inspired by Toyota's efficiency principles. Here's how you can hack your way to success:

Focus on the 80/20: Identify the 20% of skills that deliver 80% of the impact in your field. Master those essentials first, then refine them through real-world practice, like that colleague who aced Japanese by focusing on the most common phrases and practicing them daily.

Learn by Doing: Apply new knowledge immediately to your current projects. Imagine attending a "presentation skills" workshop and then presenting your findings to your team right after – talk about instant feedback and practical application!

Embrace Peer Power: Don't underestimate the learning potential of your colleagues. Organize peer learning sessions, swap knowledge, and provide each other with valuable feedback. Remember, teaching others strengthens our own understanding.

Bite-Sized Learning: Ditch the marathon training sessions. Opt for short, digestible micro-courses that address your immediate challenges and fit seamlessly into your busy schedule.

Personalize Your Journey: Technology is your friend! Utilize learning platforms that adapt to your individual needs and learning styles, offering personalized content and delivery methods.

*Remember, learning is a lifelong journey, not a one-time event. By embracing lean learning principles and actively engaging with your own development, you can transform your career and leave corporate training fails in the dust.

Ejad is here to support you every step of the way, providing resources, guidance, and opportunities to unlock your full potential. So, let's ditch the generic training scripts and write your own success story, one skill at a time!

Now go forth and conquer the learning landscape, Libyan job seekers! We believe in you!

P.S. Stay tuned for our next blog, where we'll dive deeper into specific lean learning strategies and resources available in Libya. Don't miss out! And for our Arabic-speaking friends, a similar blog post is available on our website, filled with valuable insights and practical tips in your native tongue.

Disclaimer: Your Career Journey Navigators at Ejad gave the HBR article “Where Companies Go Wrong with Learning and Development” a lively twist. Stay tuned for our revamped insights!