The Human Sheep Dip

You've attended them, haven't you? The training sessions that 'they' say you have to complete to be compliant.

You got told that you have to complete your mandatory training, just like everyone else and it is going to take you away from your tasks today.

When you turn up to the classroom, who do you see? Me! I'm your facilitator and I've already delivered 3 of these FLIPPING COURSES this week, let alone the ones from last week. I've got to get you through it so you can be compliant though. Got to be compliant they said.

Of course, you have to be compliant so why is this kind of training treated as a 'sheep dip'?

Well, a sheep dip is where the farmer lines up their sheep and dips them in insecticide and fungicide to keep them free of nasties. You can see where the comparison comes from right?

The difference is that *big reveal*

Humans are not sheep!

The working world needs this kind of training to keep businesses, leaders, teams, and workers safe from legal and dangerous problems. We need this kind of training.

I think the problem lies in the perception of the training. It's the old "well I've got to get this bloody training done" kind of thinking. The training isn't going to go away though whether it's online, face to face, or in a booklet, we all still have to be compliant.

So here's a crazy idea; why don't we all treat the training differently? Why not accept that everyone needs it so let's make it a quality learning experience? This means that everyone has to own it.

• Leaders brief and support people so that everyone can attend, then they discuss the learning taken from it in the next team meeting.
• Learners see that it's a positive opportunity to learn and maybe collaborate. They are made to feel involved and get a quality experience with balanced knowledge, discussion, and practice.
• L&D teams create quality content on dry subjects which, if they are good, they can make very appealing. Yes, even the most boring of subjects can be made sexy! If it's face to face we treat each delivery as if it's our first.

There is always going to be a need to train everyone en masse, so make it worthwhile by turning the hindrance into an investment. Sure, tick the boxes but also measure the value by discussing it before and after.

So going back to the sheep dip analogy; Jumping into a cold, smelly old ditch is something even the sheep don't want to do. People need to feel the worth in doing something, make that dip a quality experience that will enhance what they do, and keep them safe.

#BeRebellious