Have you ever had someone describe something, and you just didn’t understand it until you saw a picture of it? How about the employee who grappled with new software but didn’t nail it until she worked with it herself, hands-on? These situations are completely normal, there are different styles and learning methods for employee development. Everyone has a different way of learning and taking in information.
When presenting to your team, keep in mind that individuals take in and retain information differently. Some grasp a concept best when they hear about it. Others need to see something in order to understand it. And other people can only learn from using a hands-on learning approach. Below is several options for methods for employee development.
Basic Learning Styles
Learn Best by Hearing
- These individuals are often eager to sit through a talk or presentation. They can even pick up information from tone, inflection, pitch, etc.
- It’s best to communicate with them via phone or in person.
- Talk to them in person about goals and expectations.
- Give them opportunities to speak and give presentations.
Learn Best by Seeing
- These individuals learn best by seeing information displayed in front of them.
- Encourage them to take notes during meetings and presentations. It’ll help them absorb information.
- Communicate visually via notes, emails, or texts.
- Present information through slide presentations, timeline, flow charts, videos, etc.
Learn Best by Doing
- These individuals absorb information through a hands-on approach.
- They prefer to learn by jumping into a project and figuring things out as they go.
- Be aware that kinesthetic learners often multi-task. They can still pay attention while pacing, doodling, or tidying up their desk.
- Help them understand new skills by letting them do it themselves rather than going deep into an explanation.
Understanding this simple premise of different learning styles can have a positive impact on your employees. Not one method is better than another. In fact, having employees with different learning styles can add to a team’s creativity and skill set. The key is to know how to use them in a positive way so that you can set your employees up for success, and create a dynamic team. To learn more about how
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