Engage: The Trainer's Guide to Learning Styles

Introduction

When you reflect back over your career can you recall a particularly transformative learning experience—one that made a significant impact on your life? I bet you can. Most people can spend a few moments on this exercise and generate a powerful example. What was it about this experience that impacted you?

I can recall a transformational moment that occurred during a visionary presentation on leading organizational learning. The insight I gained in that experience completely changed the way I viewed the role learning played in an organization. I was inspired to change my approach to leading training and development in the organization I worked in at the time.

While most of us can identify a transformative learning experience in our lives, many of us would be hard pressed to identify more than a few that occurred in a formal learning environment. Not only are some formal learning experiences less than transformational, but many are downright boring and include a wide range of attention-sapping barriers to effective learning which you have likely experienced. The reading of the PowerPoint® slides, the endless lecture on product features, the page-by-page review of a policy manual, and even the well-intentioned use of irrelevant games that promote learner-centered training often have a mind-numbing effect. No wonder many learners groan at the prospect of attending training.

So what distinguishes a transformational learning experience from a mind-numbing one? Clearly, the person designing and delivering the learning experience holds the key to making every training event an effective and even transformational learning experience. As a learning professional or someone recruited to design and/or deliver some form of training, the idea that you (the designer or trainer) hold the power to transform may be a bit overwhelming. After all, isn’t the ability to move others in this way (to lead, engage, inspire) a gift of natural talent? While it’s true that some people are naturally gifted at engaging others, the focus of this book is to demonstrate how you can build on a natural cycle of learning that empowers anyone to lead inspiring and engaging learning experiences. Once you learn what happens in this learning cycle and how to lead learners through the cycle consistently, you will find yourself among the (rock star) ranks of those you once thought truly gifted.

IT’S ABOUT YOUR STRENGTHS

The first step in becoming a creator of transformational learning experiences is identifying and applying your natural learning strengths to help you:

gain the learner’s attention,

share information in a compelling way,

inspire action, and

make a difference in the lives of your learners.

The next step is building a thorough understanding of the four primary ways your audience prefers to take in and make meaning of new information. We call these preferences learning styles. In this step, you will discover how your strengths relate to each learning style. The final step focuses on implementing a plan for maximizing your strengths and adapting your natural learning style to generate the greatest learning impact while reaching all learning styles.

Let’s explore how we will do this:

STEP 1−DISCOVER YOUR TRAINING STRENGTHS

Current brain research informs us that there are four distinct parts of a universal learning cycle that must happen for true learning to occur. When one part of the cycle is missing, learning impact suffers. The 4MAT model explored in this book was created by Dr. Bernice McCarthy in 1979. McCarthy combined her learning theory studies with the hemisphericity (right brain and left brain) work of Nobel Prize winner Roger Sperry. She drew on the research of Carl Jung, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and David Kolb to create an instructional system that would move learners through the complete learning cycle using strategies that would appeal to all learning styles.

Since 1979, over one million people have discovered their natural learning, leading, and training strengths through 4MAT strengths assessment tools. Hundreds of thousands of trainers and educators all over the world have experienced the 4MAT instructional model in professional development programs in the fields of education, corporate and government training at both teaching and training levels, as well as administrative and leadership levels.

The 4MAT model that we will explore in this book addresses each step in the learning cycle with specific details on what the learner is doing in each part of the cycle and what the trainer must do to successfully move the learner through the cycle. You’ll discover how to lead learners through this cycle when designing and delivering training using the 4MAT skills and tools.

In this book, you’ll find a unique passcode to gain access to the 4MAT Training Style Inventory® (TRSI). The Training Style Inventory measures your preference and natural strength in four distinct training approaches. When you complete the Training Style Inventory, you will receive an in-depth analysis of your training strengths and an action guide to maximize your unique strengths.

What you will likely discover is that there are parts of the process of designing and leading learning in which you are naturally strong, maybe even gifted. There are some areas where you have to work harder and focus conscious attention around to do well. And there are some parts of this process that you may avoid altogether. To reach every learner and ensure that you generate real learning results, you must have a threshold level of competency in all four parts of the learning cycle. The trick is figuring out how to apply your natural strengths and use them to reach that threshold in the parts of the learning cycle you might normally struggle with or avoid altogether. With a bit of conscious intention, you can expand your natural strengths to engage, captivate, and empower all learning styles.

STEP 2−UNDERSTAND ALL LEARNING STYLES AND HOW YOUR OWN STYLE CONNECTS TO THE LEARNING STYLES AND NEEDS OF OTHERS

Learning is the act of taking in and making meaning of new information. By this definition, every time you read an email or dialogue with a colleague you are learning. Learning style refers to the unique preferences of individuals and how each likes to take in and process new information. An important fact for all trainers to understand is that the term learning style refers to the part of the learning cycle learners tend to linger in. Regardless of their learning style preference, all learners must move through the complete learning cycle explored in this book. Only when a learner moves through all four steps of the learning cycle are learners fully prepared to implement what they’ve learned in the real world.

Your own learning preferences naturally influence the training approach you choose. Just as you, as a learner, like to linger in certain parts of the learning cycle, you are just as likely to linger in certain parts of the learning cycle in your trainer role. What this book will help you do is to build skills in each of the four primary parts of the learning (and teaching) cycle and successfully move your learners through the process. You will also learn the favorite questions of each style and how these questions guide your learners’ evaluation of learning experiences. In addition, this book will show you what works and what doesn’t as you move through the four critical parts of the learning experience and how to simultaneously engage everyone in the room.

STEP 3−BRIDGE THE GAPS BETWEEN YOUR TRAINING STYLE AND LEARNING STYLE AND THOSE OF YOUR LEARNERS

An important mission for this book is to help you explore your own strengths using the Training Style Inventory through an in-depth exploration of the four learning styles and the 4MAT model. After you have discovered your natural strengths, you will get an inside look at what master trainers do well in each of the four parts of the learning cycle through examples taken directly from real-world learning environments. In addition, this book will break down each part of the learning cycle using simple tools and strategies that you can put to use right away to create and deliver effective learning experiences.

Armed with the 4MAT model for designing and delivering training, you will be able to consciously craft and deliver experiences that appeal to all learning styles and move learners toward successful on the job implementation.

HERE’S WHAT WILL BE EXPLORED IN THIS BOOK

Chapter 1: What Are your Natural Training Strengths?

One of the unique features of this book is a companion web site designed to allow you to assess your own strengths in four critical training roles and access support tools (www.trainers-guide-to-learning-styles.com). Once you have completed the Training Style Inventory you will receive a comprehensive Training Strengths and Action Guide which details your natural training abilities and strategies for improvement.

Chapter 2: The Four Learning Styles in the Room

You will learn how to recognize and engage every learning style in this chapter. Anyone who has logged time in front of a group of learners knows for a fact that learning style differences exist. The research confirms that there are unique preferences in how we like to take in and process information. In this chapter, you’ll learn to recognize each learning style’s needs and simultaneously address them as you move through the learning cycle.

Chapter 3: 4MAT: The Four Steps of the Learning Cycle

With a fundamental knowledge of the Four Learning Styles, you will be ready to explore what both the learner and trainer must do to successfully complete each step in the learning cycle. We’ll reinforce the importance of completing the cycle by sharing the latest brain research. Understanding what is required in each of the four parts of the cycle and how your training style approach relates to delivering these requirements will help you assess which skills and strategies provided in this book are most important for you to include in your training approach.

Chapter 4: Engage-Appealing to Type One Learners

Creating a compelling opening generates and sustains energy throughout the learning experience. This chapter explores effective approaches for connecting new learning to what the learner already knows. You will explore an inventory of opening approaches designed to encourage personal reflection and dialogue that will enable learners to discover the personal relevance of the content being shared.

Chapter 5: Share-Appealing to Type Two Learners

Learners want information delivery to be informative and entertaining. This chapter explores how to effectively use stories, images, metaphors and visual imaging exercises to bring any content to life whether the topic is technical or soft skill related. We will explore how to edit content and effectively use one of the most widely mis-used visual presentation tools, Powerpoint®.

Chapter 6: Practice: Appealing to Type Three Learners

Every complete learning experience must include learner practice. You’ll focus on improving the learner’s ability to make distinctions about the quality of leaning implementation using a four-part model for coaching learner performance.

Chapter 7: Perform: Appealing to Type Four Learners

This chapter offers strategies to prepare the learners for successful implementation in the real world. An inventory of practical strategies to push learning beyond the formal learning environment is offered here including innovative uses of blended and mobile learning.

Chapter 8: Designing for Virtual Learning

Designing and delivering learning in a virtual environment requires a different approach. In this chapter, we will explore strategies and activities for engaging all learning styles in the virtual learning environment using the 4MAT model.

Chapter 9: Begin with the end in mind

Defining what the measure of success is before you begin development or delivery is critical. In this chapter, we’ll explore four key learning outcomes that need to be defined before you begin crafting a learning experience. You will find tools you can use to work with stakeholders and subject matter experts to mutually define the desired learning outcomes and accelerate the design process.

ADDITIONAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES

We have created a companion web site with downloadable tools and other resources to support the application of the information shared in this book. You can access the site at www.trainers-guide-to-learning-styles.com.

Here is some of what you will find on the site:

Training Style Inventory (TRSI®)

Downloadable versions of tools shared throughout this book

Access to the 4MAT® blog

Videos, podcasts and free web events

QR codes have been placed throughout the book. Using a QR reader on your mobile device, you can access web content pertinent to the page referenced. The url address is also offered, if you prefer to access the page from your computer.

Chapter 10: Assessment: Integrating Measurement into Training Design and Delivery

Certain indicators and clues tell us that learners are mastering the content being learned. This chapter explores on-the-way assessment strategies to determine how each learner is progressing through the learning cycle. At-the-gate assessment strategies are offered to assess learning at completion points in the learning process. You will learn how to integrate these assessments into the design and delivery of learning and to adjust your approach along the way to maximize impact (ROI) of the learning experiences you design and deliver.

WHY SHOULD YOU STRETCH? WHY NOW?

This book will bring together the critical components in effective learning design and delivery. When connected together, you’ll see a creative blueprint for designing and delivering learning experiences which are compelling and transformative and create measurable impact.

Why is this important?

Now, more than ever, learning initiatives must generate a measurable return on investment.

Participation does not equal engagement. Fun icebreakers and interactive exercises are not enough to engage learners at a deep level. Personal relevance must be generated in a learning experience, and this takes a higher instructional skill set to create and deliver.

Learning is happening everywhere. If we define learning as the process of taking in and making meaning of new information, the ability to share information in a compelling way that appeals to all learning styles is an essential skill in every role within an organization. 4MAT provides a simple learning language that you can share with learners, front-line managers, and subject matter experts that will influence the ultimate outcome of your training.

Let’s begin.

Chapter 1

What Are your Natural Training Strengths?

Your strengths are an expression of who you are. They are connected to the way you think, perceive, and evaluate the world around you. Marcus Buckingham, who is often referred to as the leader of the strengths revolution, points out that our strengths are a composite of natural talent, skill, and knowledge. In other words, your strengths are directly linked to innate abilities (a talent for reading others or seeing the big picture) and the skills/knowledge (effective coaching skills or strategic planning skills) that you bring to the table.

For example, I have a friend who is a truly masterful networker. She has used her talent to generate a great deal of knowledge—connections and relationships she can tap into when needed. The skill she has developed is the methodical way she meets, greets, and follows up with her contacts. Taken together my friend’s strength has given her a network of valuable contacts. On the other hand, networking is not one of my natural strengths. Yet, I have managed to acquire the needed skills and knowledge to thrive in business through observing and learning from masterful networkers (like my friend) and figuring out what works for me.

The Trainer’s Strengths

The ability to effortlessly deliver engaging and transforming learning experiences is a rare gift. Most trainers and instructional designers come to the craft with a natural ability in one or more training approaches (dynamic storytelling or organized delivery, for example). Other approaches require us to build knowledge and skills, just as I had to work on my networking skills.

As we develop skill, we move though a predictable process. The Conscious Competency Spectrum describes the stages we move through as we develop our abilities and build skill and knowledge. Learners begin in a stage of unconscious incompetence and move to the final stage of unconscious competence (Chapman).

In the unconsciously incompetent stage, we have little to no knowledge of a given subject and are often unaware of what we don’t know. When we discover how much we don’t know, we become consciously incompetent. We seek out new information and practice new skills, which brings us to the stage of being consciously competent. And if we continue to practice and gain mastery, we move to the stage of unconsciously incompetent.

In this book, you will become aware of skills you are unconsciously competent (even masterful) in because they are an extension of your natural strengths. And you will become aware of skills that, if practiced, can greatly enhance your ability to perform the real job of a trainer, which is to move learners through a complete learning cycle.

The Conscious Competency Spectrum

Job of the Trainer

As a trainer, you move learners through the competence spectrum by creating an opportunity for them to discover what they know, what they don’t know, and the value of knowing more. You do this by guiding the learner through a complete learning cycle that includes four essential steps.

1 You gain the learners’ attention and generate interest in the content so that they are aware of the value of the learning and appreciate that there is room for personal growth. If you have ever tried to teach people something they believe they already know, you know this is a not to be missed step in the learning cycle.

2 Next, you share information that will enable the learner to move into application. One of the most important jobs during this stage is to ensure that the learner is not overwhelmed with information. To accomplish this, the content must be refined to the essential information and delivered with clear and consistent organization.

3 You create an opportunity for learners to practice and build skill. As the learners practice and gain skill in real-world application, the job of the trainer is to coach and assist them as they evaluate their own applications.

4 To ensure performance transfer, you create an opportunity for the learners to assess their applications, refine for implementation, and commit to next steps. In this final step, you prepare the learners to move out into the real world and generate performance results.

Value of This Book

This book will share with you the training skills you need to deliver a complete learning experience that appeals to all learning styles while moving learners through a complete learning cycle. To do this well, you must competently and confidently guide learners through the four unique parts of the learning cycle. You will discover what must happen for real learning transfer to occur. You will learn how to build on your strengths to design and deliver the four critical parts of the learning experience. You will have an opportunity to assess your training strengths using the 4MAT® Training Style Inventory (TRSI). As you move through this book, we’ll explore the four critical parts of the learning cycle and show you how to build upon your existing strengths to enable you to be masterful in leading a learning experience that appeals to all learning styles.

Let’s Get Started: Taking the Training Style Inventory® (TRSI®)

In the companion site to this book, you will access your personal