eLearning Is Key To Leadership Training
Preparing leaders to handle challenges
Posted on 06-01-2018, Read Time: Min
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Today, there is a leadership crisis in business. We know that this crisis exists for real when the World Economic Forum lists it as a critical agenda item. Some great leaders may be born, but most leadership skills like vision, management, problem-solving, communication, and so on, are taught. If you want your organization to perform in this competitive world, then you need to concentrate on developing your leaders. Great leaders have the power to influence employees and make them feel invested in the organization. If you do not have effective leaders that guide the people, then it will be difficult for you to survive the competition. Most organizations offer instructor-led leadership training. But is that really working?
In this digital age, millennials are always craving for instant access to information anytime and anywhere through their mobile devices. Leaders want personalized digital solutions at the point of need. Let’s look at some statistics. Based on a research by Towards Maturity, 65% of the leaders do not have time for face-to-face learning. They often reach out for help when they need it. And, if they do not find help in-house they turn to Google. Almost 75% of the leaders believe that online learning can help them do their work faster and better. eLearning leadership training can close this gap efficiently.
So, how can digital learning best support both needs-based learning and long-term leadership skills?
How Does eLearning Develop Leaders?
eLearning is the starting point for effective leadership training. Coupled with personalized coaching and mentoring, it can work wonders. Here are some ways in which eLearning prepares leaders to deal with challenges.
- Online leadership training blends knowledge with real-life situations. This provides learners with immense confidence to apply theoretical knowledge to their work role. Online simulations mimic real-life scenarios that the learners can identify with. They allow managers to experience and deal with challenges that they might be facing in their job role. They must identify the problem and use their skills to come up with a feasible solution. Hands on practical application works much better than theoretical knowledge.
- Branching scenarios in eLearning leadership training build and hone essential leadership skills. In a branching scenario, managers are provided with different options. Each decision they take leads them to a different path and has its own consequences. If they make the right decision, they are rewarded. If they goof up, they know that they start over. They realize the need to brush up the relevant skill in order to move down the right path. For example, if they fail to choose the right step for a process to proceed, they know that they need to brush up their knowledge on that specific process.
- Leaders need to upskill regularly. They should be aware of their existing strengths and weaknesses and keep upgrading. A good way to gauge your skill level is through online learning assessments. These assessments may be in the form of scenarios, simulations or games. The idea is to provide immediate feedback so that learners can identify their trouble areas and course-correct. With on-the-spot feedback, wrong behaviors are not committed to their long-term memory. Providing instant feedback is an inherent feature of eLearning.
- Online certifications focus on precise skills. Learners need to master each skill, display their proficiency, and then move on to the next one. There are assessments that they need to clear to prove their expertise. This procedure ensures that the learner is serious about the course content. If they are invested in the course, they learn faster and recall better. So, if they are faced with a similar problem at their workplace, they are well-equipped to deal with it.
- Leaders/managers are extremely busy people. They are adept at multitasking because they have very less time at disposal. eLearning helps them save a lot of time. They do not have to travel to the venue or spend hours attending classes. They can utilize pockets of free time that they have, to upskill. They can learn at their own pace. They need not move at the speed of other learners.
eLearning goes a long way in bridging the gap between knowing what leadership is and being one in life. But, coaching and mentoring is essential to ensure that the knowledge gained is retained and applied.
Author Bio
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Andrew Hughes, who founded Designing Digitally, Inc. in 2001, has extensive experience in the development of enterprise immersive learning solutions for Government and Fortune 1000 clients. He teaches as a professor at the University of Cincinnati and has been a consultant for the Ohio Board of Regents and the U.S. Department of Education for the Office of Innovation, where he helped to develop ground-breaking learning spaces for the K-12 sector.
Connect Andrew Hughes Visit www.designingdigitally.com Follow @DDINC |
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