Learning Missteps by Jesse Hernandez, Jr.

Episode Summary:

‍In this episode of the Learnings and Missteps podcast, host Jesse interviews Dr. Carrie Graham about training strategy, measuring ROI, and common organizational missteps in professional development. Dr. Graham challenges the traditional approach to training ROI by emphasizing that success comes from understanding who your workforce is as people and learners, not just their job titles or demographics. She shares her pivotal experience witnessing disengaged employees during mandatory sexual harassment training while the organization was simultaneously facing litigation for the same issue, highlighting how performative training wastes resources and fails to achieve actual behavioral change. The conversation explores how training strategy must begin with organizational vision and mission, ensuring that development programs reflect core values and actually serve the workforce rather than just meeting compliance requirements. Dr. Graham discusses the importance of asking hard questions, using data that organizations collect but often ignore, and moving beyond content-heavy approaches to focus on confidence, competence, and practical application. She shares personal missteps from her own career, including assumptions about learner preparedness that led to breakthrough moments in understanding barriers to success. The discussion covers the evolution of career paths, the importance of honoring personal growth cycles, and knowing when to quit situations that no longer serve you. The episode concludes with Dr. Graham's powerful reflection on her life's purpose as being "a light in others" through both professional training work and everyday human interactions that help people feel seen and valued.

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Listen Here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkDD7X77Brw

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10 Key Points:

1. Training ROI can't be measured without understanding your workforce as people and learners, not just demographics
2. Performative training that checks compliance boxes wastes resources and fails to create behavioral change
3. Effective training strategy must align with organizational vision and mission to be meaningful
4. Organizations collect survey data but often fail to use it for informed decision-making
5. Training should focus on building confidence, competence, and practical application rather than just content delivery
6. Assumptions about learner preparedness and resources often create barriers to training success
7. Personal and professional evolution requires honoring growth cycles and knowing when to quit
8. Sitting with discomfort and honestly assessing situations is necessary for growth and change
9. Learning that something "isn't for you" is a valuable lesson that guides future direction
10. Professional development work should ultimately empower people to go home fulfilled rather than depleted

‍10 Takeaways/Action Items:

1. Assess your workforce as learners with unique backgrounds and needs, not just job roles
2. Align all training and development programs with your organizational vision and mission
3. Use collected survey data and feedback to make informed strategic decisions about training
4. Focus training design on building learner confidence, competence, and practical application skills
5. Ask hard questions about resource availability, time constraints, and learner preparedness before training
6. Create follow-up support systems for skill application rather than expecting immediate expertise
7. Evaluate training programs based on actual behavioral change and business impact, not completion rates
8. Honor personal and professional growth cycles by regularly assessing what serves you
9. Practice honest self-assessment when facing friction or challenges in new endeavors
10. Set specific timeframes (6 months to 1 year) for evaluating new initiatives before making continuation decisions

Key Insights:

‍Dr. Graham emphasizes that effective training and development must begin with understanding who your workforce is as people and learners, moving beyond demographics to create meaningful experiences that build confidence, competence, and practical application skills. She advocates for training strategies that align with organizational vision and values, focusing on empowering employees to go home fulfilled rather than depleted, ultimately serving both individual growth and business objectives.

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Resources‍

Listen Here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkDD7X77Brw

Read >  Training Strategy is Your Untapped Advantage

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