You are absolutely right here. We simply cannot expect people to attend a training course, master the content, internalize it, and then apply it on the job weeks later. The challenge would seem to be putting some sort of structure around this informal learning paradigm and making it easily accessible to all. Bob Mosher is another person who has been writing about these very issues, most recently in an article on form factor that relates to the “learning design” vs. “instructional design” distinction you’ve drawn here.

http://www.clomedia.com/selling-up-selling-down/bob-mosher/2008/May/2184/index.php

Keep the great thoughts coming.

John D.

Your comments above contrasting training with experiences is quite interesting; it echoed facets of the Leadership competency model used at my former employer, PepsiCo.

In addition to the typical competencies one sees on job requirements defintions, PepsiCo included sets of ‘Critical Experiences’ that were necessary for employees to fit well into leadership roles. These experiences included those gained by having held certain job roles, project assignments, or other factors such as having worked outside the US, or having field as well as headquarters experience.

Regards,
Penny Wilson