The value of learning and development (L&D) has soared as leaders seek to keep pace with rapid change, future-proof their organizations and retain great people. The ways people learn on the job (and outside of the job) have steadily shifted from formal training programs to on-demand, just-in-time resources: video, microlearning, instant messaging or ad hoc sessions with colleagues and so on. How and what people decide to learn is as unique as they are, and, given the right circumstances, they’ll follow their instincts and seek out learning through their own volition.

And yet, they’re not seeking it out — or not as much as leaders would like. “We want our people to take ownership for their own learning” is a common refrain in L&D. As the conversation around “creating a culture of learning” (one of the top challenges reported in our L&D trends survey year over year) evolves, there’s growing frustration and an increasing tendency to blame learners for their lack of motivation, even to imply the root cause is laziness. This is not accurate or helpful.

Instead, executive, human resources (HR) and learning leaders should seek to foster an environment where a spark of curiosity can ignite into a sustaining flame of discipline and perseverance required to learn next-level skills. It is a complex challenge: People have very little time for training and managers may be more focused on productivity than on development (not to mention they are busy as well). Often, the training being offered simply doesn’t inspire learners to take the time to benefit from it.

The solution lies at the heart of the problem: The uniqueness of every individual. We each have different motivations, and if training doesn’t tap into them, it won’t work — and if learners get enough experience with training that doesn’t work, they will eventually avoid it whenever they can.

To establish and enhance a culture of learning, the training you offer needs to connect with your learners and offer them (and their managers) high value for their limited time. How is this accomplished? By centering learning design on the learner, with empathy and a genuine desire to understand them. We believe that training, in any form, has to meet these seven learner-centered design (LCD) criteria to be successful:

1.  Effective

Training is a means to improve performance, so simply put, it must improve performance. Learners should feel that training contributes to improved performance, positively impacting their careers and lives, which motivates them to take and complete the training.

2.  Relevant

Training should be relatable and immediately applicable to learners’ jobs and lives, which facilitates transfer and increases motivation.

3.  Adaptive

Each of us has differing needs, skills, tendencies, identities, responsibilities and interests, and effective training adapts to them.

4.  Intuitive

Training should make sense to learners and work the way they expect it to work. It should minimize cognitive load by being a frictionless experience all around — user interface, visuals, content and flow.

5.  Efficient

We are all busy and have precious little time to devote to becoming more proficient. Training should have minimal to no wasted time or effort — just enough provided at the right time.

6.  Empowering

We learn when we want to learn, not because we were forced to watch a video or click through an eLearning course. Training should recognize learners’ agency so they remain in control.

7.  Social

Humans as a species are social, and most of what we’ve learned in life we learned from others. Training should provide opportunities for coaching, asking questions and providing feedback, human-to-human.

Fostering Self-Directed Learning

An L&D team can use these seven criteria to drive needs analysis, using surveys, observation or manager reports, to identify how to make training sufficiently effective, relevant and adaptive. These criteria can also be measured as a learning experience is designed and deployed (e.g., in a pilot), ensuring it meets the mark.

With these criteria as a premise, how can companies foster self-directed learning? For people to take ownership of their own learning, they need to have:

• Access to training that fits the LCD criteria, either developed by the organization (internally or with vendor partners) or available through external resources. Apply these criteria to every training in an organization’s catalog.
• Managers who are both interested and skilled in having career and skills growth conversations with their people (e.g., Ikigai model, etc.). Managers play a key role in the growth of employees.
• A clear message from top leadership that this is a priority (e.g., everyone is granted sufficient time, with no meetings or distracting responsibilities, to allow for L&D). The organization must recognize the value of training and carve out space for learners to engage in it.
• Culture, systems and technology to make it easy for learners and their managers to access training relevant to their jobs, to track progress and to support them in moving forward in their career goals (e.g., credentialing). This includes tying training and application of new skills to compensation, recognition and succession planning.

In her book, “Atlas of the Heart,” Brené Brown writes, “Blaming is one of the reasons we miss our opportunities for empathy.” Creating a vibrant culture of learning starts with a mindset shift to understanding and putting ourselves in the learners’ shoes. We need to understand their differences, desires and challenges, and provide training that reduces friction, increases their confidence and values their time. Foster an environment that rewards curiosity and self-improvement — and it will serve your people and your business.