Everyone learns differently, which can make creating a leadership development program for your organization very challenging. However, research over the years has suggested one overarching similarity when it comes to learning, learning by doing, is usually a very effective way to teach anything. Knowing this can help you to create a project management or leadership program for your AEC organization that yields a fairly high return-on-investment.
Introducing the 70-20-10 Rule
According to Wikipedia, The 70:20:10 model for learning and development (also written as 70-20-10 or 70/20/10) is a learning and development model that suggests a proportional breakdown of how people learn effectively. It is based on a survey conducted in 1996 asking nearly 200 executives to self-report how they believed they learned.[1]
In this survey respondents reported the following influences on learning:
- 70% from challenging assignments
- 20% from developmental relationships
- 10% from coursework and training
This Model was created by Morgan McCall, Michael M. Lombardo, and Robert A. Eichinger by expressing their rationale behind the 70:20:10 model in the following way in The Career Architect Development Planner.
Applying the 70-20-10 Rule in Your Leadership Development Efforts
To truly apply this method to designing your project management and leadership development programs, start by outlining the topics you would like to cover in your curriculum. Next, think about how you can challenge your leaders to practice these skillsets either on the job or through real-world examples. Then, build your program around these examples.
For example, if you are doing a six hour training session on how to give feedback and recognition, figure about 45 minutes of content delivery, 60 to 90 minutes of interactive discussions, and the remainder of the time spent on group exercises where the participants have to practice what you are teaching. For example, maybe they are given sample scenarios and they must provide feedback to one another, both positive and constructive.
Not only will this approach accelerate the learning, but it will also foster great relationship building between participants which can affect your organization’s culture in a very positive way.
Start Small with the 70-20-10 Rule
I know, making large scale changes to your learning and development programs seems like a very heavy lift. However, I would challenge you to start small. Start with your next 60-minute lunch and learn session. Try to keep the instruction down to 10 to 15 minutes, allow for 20 minutes of some breakout discussions, and close with a 30-minute project challenge related to the content.
If you utilize outside organizations, like the Engineering Management Institute, to assist with your training efforts, set clear expectations with them for how you would like your programs to be more interactive and hands-on.
Keeping learners engaged is more than half the battle in today’s distracted world. The 70-20-10 rule can be a great tool to help you do just that.
If you need assistance with making your learning and development programs more engaging, book a complimentary call with our team here and we can provide some advice based on our past experiences.
I wish you the best in your leadership development endeavors.
