When corporate training has to cover tough or sensitive material, it's key that learners understand and can apply the message or policy in context. However, getting the message across and ensuring learners know the content can be one of the toughest types of training to be assured that learners will execute effectively when they go about their day-to-day jobs. 

This is where stories come in. Stories are a powerful way to safely communicate tough or sensitive material. Stories are usually non-threatening, and therefore easy for learners to accept. Stories are also easy to relate to - learners don't need to be the main character to empathesize with a situation, or be directly told the take-home messages in order to see the implications of a situation for themselves. 


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</br>However powerful stories may be for conveying messages, stories alone cannot measure what an employee might - or might not - do in their day to day job. Complicating the picture is that most outcomes of training are measured with quizzes. It can be easy for learners to 'assure' compliance by passing the test that is on the very topic they learned - that is, a 'false positive' metric for trainers that by passing the quiz, the learners 'know' the content. Perhaps they do know it - but will they apply it, live it, be thoughtful about it in their day-to-day jobs? 

There is a more powerful way to measure the impact of stories than with quizzes. Scenario-based learning offers a method of training that easily transfers story to employee actions. But measuring scenario-based learning takes expertise in measurement and evaluation. The SparkWorks SaaS system is one of the few that will easily let your training come alive in measurable, transferable ways. An open tutorial on the early steps of the type measurement SparkWorks does is available here: www.slideshare.net/SparkWorks_4U/measuring-for-mastery-how-to-measure-for-deep-performance
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If you have questions about using stories to powerfully connect with learners, contact me. I'm always happy to dialogue and help you take training to excellence! 
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