Learn by Doing!

Tell me and I will forget,

Show me and I may remember,

Involve me and I’ll understand.”

This ancient Chinese proverb is as relevant today as it was during the height of the Ming dynasty over six hundred years ago. People learn in a variety of different manner but the retention rate of the material presented increases dramatically when you have to get up from behind the desk or conference table and actually get your hands on the process. After all, this is where the theoretical meets the practical.

The concept of experiential learning or learn-by-doing is not new. Around 350 BC, Aristotle wrote in the “Nichomachean Ethics "for the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them". Unfortunately for a concept that has been around for centuries, in my experience, I find most organizations ignoring this practical approach and settling on the classroom PowerPoint presentation scenario. 5 days and 1200 slides later, the students emerge from the darkened class room bleary eyed, bored to tears and no better prepared today than they were a week ago to attack and fix real problems. Sure they might have retained a couple knowledge tid-bits, if they weren’t texting under the table, but was the modest value-added gain worth 5 days?

Now compare that approach to a Boot Camp. Solving real world problems using the necessary and appropriate Lean & Six Sigma tools for your particular business case. Learn how to engage and involve everyone, not just a select few.  Define the scope, gain agreement, measure current state, determine and fix root cause, & implement sustainability measures. The trick is making this typically complicated process simple and fast. This process results in hundreds of improvements a year rather then 1 a quarter

If your interested in a high intensity, action filled day with several on-site follow ups tackling the issues that keep you up at night, join us on June 7th. (Click image above for registration details) Otherwise don’t be surprised with the normal less than 20% learning retention and the lack of speed and unresolved business issues that result.