Issue #10: When Training is the Wrong Solution

Not every performance issue can (or should) be solved with training. But in many organisations, training is the default response. Sales team underperforming? Run a negotiation workshop. Managers struggling with feedback? Send them to a leadership seminar. Project delays? Time for another eLearning module on time management.

The problem? Most of these issues don’t stem from a lack of knowledge or skill. They stem from broken systems, unclear expectations, poor incentives, or flawed processes.

When Training Becomes a Band-Aid

Training becomes the go-to fix because it’s visible, reportable, and safe. But using it to solve non-learning problems only hides the real issue. If people know what to do but still don’t do it, it’s not a knowledge gap. If the same issues persist after every training, it’s likely an environmental or process issue. If performance drops under pressure, it’s not a content issue, it’s a context issue.

The one question to ask before any training investment: “What is stopping people from doing this now?” If the answer isn’t lack of skill or knowledge, don’t train.

Diagnosing the Real Problem

Before designing a learning intervention, you need clarity on what’s really at play. Ask: Is this a knowledge or capability issue or something else entirely? Are people underperforming because they don’t know how, or because the system doesn’t support what they know?

If roles, goals, and feedback loops aren’t clearly defined, no amount of training will solve the resulting confusion. And even the best-designed programmes fail when the culture doesn’t reward application. Worse, training can even breed resentment when it’s used as a band-aid for system failures.

Workarounds are a sign of broken workflows. If employees are finding ways to circumvent processes just to get things done, the process is the problem.

What to Do Instead

When the root cause isn’t a skill gap, don’t default to training. Fix the system. Clarify expectations. Redesign workflows. Make sure the environment supports the behaviour you want before trying to optimise that behaviour through learning. Once the system is sound, use training to deepen, reinforce, and scale capability.

A Real-World Case

At a client site, the customer service team struggled with slow resolution times. The proposed solution? A training series on communication and empathy.

But a quick diagnostic showed the real culprits: multiple legacy systems slowing ticket retrieval, lack of autonomy to issue resolutions, and performance reviews penalising speed over thoroughness.

We paused the training. Streamlined the systems. Redesigned workflows. Only then did we introduce targeted microlearning. The result? Faster resolution rates because the system finally enabled performance.