Thoughtful Tuesday | Lego Learning, Part 1
Right shift, then up shift. Never diagonal!
When you are building anything with Lego, you create a base, build on that, create a new base, build on that, and continue ad nauseum.
Our brains work like Lego.
When we are in our natural state of seeking a skill, we experience awareness of how something connects, and then try something (Lego base). We build on that with new information (connecting Lego). We then try something more (more connecting Lego). We build on that with new information, and continue. Without tacit knowledge of the skill development process, there are bumps and bruises, but the individuals who get up to proficiency get there through that path.
When we go into transformation modes to ensure teams get to a specific skill level in a constrained time, we tend to create “the perfect journey” on paper. The visual below represents a training program of what most change managers and instructional designers would deem excellent and worthy of investment.
Unfortunately, no where in Lego or the human brain does it go diagonally. While the design looks attractive on paper, incorporating knowledge and practice, entire areas of practice get left out before jumping a knowledge level. Just as Lego can’t build without interlocking, our brains can’t leap skills forward without interlocking, which boils down to practice and experimentation within each knowledge level.
However, the biggest trap in the change management world is building in stacks … straight up the cognitive axis. They want to incorporate skills with practice and experimentation, but time is always against them and the training defaults into a series of workshops that builds up an incredible bank of knowledge and no actual implementation skill.
Sometimes teams will recognize a skill need, but when we attempt to figure it out without any support (no training budget, no coaches, no knowledge increases), we tend to build really strong low bases.
The reality of a strong structure is to combine base and height, but in a way that is structurally supportive.
This is why we only right shift, then up shift, but never skip up the diagonal.
So with a clear metaphor, let’s look at some real life scenarios to demonstrate. Here’s an example of classically well constructed transformation map (diagonal learning), and how we can turn it into a proper Lego structure.
The Big Plan on Paper
Large model to demonstrate all the pieces and how they go together.
Slideware workshop to explain roles and expected behaviors.
Change actual roles to match the model (as explained in workshop).
Planning, Doing, Reflecting on a quarterly basis.
This is not a bad plan! It has great flow and appears to cover all the bases. So what’s the problem?
This plan doesn’t represent skill development, usually with the assumption of “they’ll learn in situ”. This has a chance of working, but it will take time; much more time than necessary with distracting flotsam along the way.
They are being told to perform new behaviors, but there’s no deliberate practice for improving those behaviors. This results in floundering frustration, which builds resistance.
The Lego Plan
Large model to demonstrate … yes! This is great!
(shifting right) Practice workshop for one recipe that will be different in their new role.
(shifting up) Slideware workshop to explain the new role and how that recipe fits in the new behaviors.
(shifting right) Provide several recipes (new Standard Operating Procedures); one for each new behavior - provide time, coaching, and communication for this deliberate practice on these recipes.
(shifting up) Bring together in similar roles across the organization to discuss problem context it’s impact for the required behaviors.
(shifting right) Transition to more nuanced challenges to structure and handle across teams … dependencies is a great example. Have learners analyze the context and choose behaviors to match.
Stay tuned for Lego Learning, Part 2! Just as all Lego blocks have specific names and uses, next week’s Thoughtful Tuesday will name each Green Block for a finale of our public Green Path deep dive.
Thank you for your continued interest on my Green Path Masterclass! If you haven’t already, let us know if you wish to be notified when it’s ready this Spring :)