How to coach a reluctant learner

Winston Churchill was quoted as saying: ‘I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught’.

Indeed, there is no shortage of HR professionals who have encountered an employee who is resistant to coaching and mentoring programs.

Mark McPherson, principal, Best Practice Behaviour, was one of the expert speakers at yesterday’s L&D Masterclass at L'Aqua, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

He spoke about persuading people to allocate time to coaching and mentoring, and convincing senior managers of the benefits of ongoing learning.

McPherson outlined how to improve employees’ perception of learning and coaching programs, and how to beat blockers embedded in an organisational culture that limit learning.

He explained the importance of:

• Making programs meaningful, relevant and rewarding to the learner (and to those who can make or break it)
• Making programs agreeable, likeable and user-friendly
• Making programs deliver the long-term results you really want

In particular, learning has to be:

• At the employees’ time
• A their level but challenging
• Flexible availability, pace, …
• Format and presentation they like
• The presenter is nice
• Timely not ‘just in case’
• Chunked
• Feature examples and case studies that work for them

In addition to McPherson, the day's program featured a range of HR and L&D heads from a myriad of organisations and backgrounds, who focused on practical examples and recent developments in the industry.

The next L&D masterclass will be held on the 6 April 2017 in Melbourne.