Five effective ways to train the people you lead

Executive overview

Most leaders default to sending people to training rather than doing it themselves. You don't need budget or an HR department — five methods work regardless of resources.

The core constraint is always cost, quality, and time — but the real question is always: what do you want people doing differently when it's over?

The five methods: classroom, on-the-job training, role play, online learning, and social learning. Each fits different situations; the right choice depends on group size, content type, and available resources.

When to hold a class

• Use when many people need to learn the same thing at the same time
• Best for content that requires in-person practice (e.g., presentation skills)
• Design around the objective — not logistics like room availability or lunch
• Ask before building any session: "What do I want people walking out doing differently?"
• Classroom time is driven by learning goals, not by how long the room is booked

On-the-job training

• Right fit when there's limited time or only one or two people learning something new
• "Throwing people in to see how they do" is not OJT — it's the absence of a strategy
• Prepare in advance: what situations will you expose the learner to, and what's the objective?
• Sequence: demonstrate first → explain each step → let the learner try → coach and give feedback
• Praise improvement specifically; don't withhold positive feedback while learning

Role play (real play)

• Effective for skills requiring human interaction and thinking on your feet
• Most people dislike role play — reframe it as real play: use actual situations, not made-up scenarios
• Real scenarios remove the "this isn't realistic" objection and make practice feel authentic
• Demonstrate the skill first before asking others to practice
• Decide in advance whether you'll coach in the moment or debrief at the end — tell participants upfront

Online learning

• Best for knowledge that is repeatable, scalable, or needs to reach a large group consistently
• Leaders can create their own videos — even simple recordings can be repurposed organisation-wide
• Identify what you repeat constantly in person; that's the content worth putting online
• Tap existing platforms rather than building from scratch when possible
• Match format to learner preference — online doesn't work for everyone regardless of cost savings

Social learning

• Based on connectivism: most knowledge lives in networks, not in any one person's head
• As a leader, help people identify which relationships they should be building to learn from
• Suggest specific people, communities, or resources — don't leave it abstract
• Share what you're using: podcasts, articles, videos, newsletters — model the behaviour
• Bring resources into staff meetings; make learning a regular, visible team activity