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The Case For Live Workshops
Bruce Griffiths M.S.
Our long pandemic nightmare necessitated isolation, and made ZOOM a verb with a new meaning. It also precipitated an accelerated and permanent shift to remote / hybrid work. Remote work, and remote meetings, do have advantages for individuals and organizations. If we can work remotely, we do like the conveniences (no commute, control of the environment, independence, etc.), plus now both individuals and organizations can apply/recruit in a global talent space (I can live where I want, and I can recruit from a much larger talent pool).
In OSI's world of learning and development, remote also means convenience and scalability. It is easier to schedule and execute a ZOOM training, plus remote teaching options allow for more time zones (geography) and more participants.
But these are measures of efficiency, not effectiveness. The disastrous consequences of remote learning K through 12 during COVID are a reminder. And organizations are just starting to feel some of the negative consequences of an all-remote work force.
Early adopters of remote / hybrid organizations like 37signals out of Chicago (and authors of the excellent book REMOTE: Office Not Required) do report the absolute necessity of face-to-face on-boarding and regular team / company live meetings to instill, and perpetuate culture, as well as truly engage employees. Also reported is the amplified need for face-to-face leader learning, which is reinforced by several classic teaching principles.
Leadership IS about relationships. And that means leaders need emotional competence in fundamental Polaris® skillsets like Active Listening, Communicativeness, Sensitivity, Relationship Building, and Conflict Management. These "soft skills" are best learned/practiced in context, i.e., in actual interactions with others. Both the AI revolution, in which human creativity and emotional intelligence are more valued, and the increased need for remote team leaders to be better at building relations, create this heightened need for these interpersonal skillsets to be learned and practiced through in-person events.
I'll add a personal positive for in-person events; they are more FUN! All the interactions during breaks and lunches, plus the after-workshop happy hours/dinners do definitely drive more positive reaction, but also provide more opportunity for teacher-student interaction (better learning) plus increased networking. So, when scheduling training remember that what you're training (e.g. interpersonal skills) and how you're training (a transferable context) should help guide whether ZOOM i.e., remote, or live training are truly better for learning.
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