Is training really all that important?

I got a new toy at the weekend, a compact camera.  Until now I’ve been using my iPhone to take any photos, and whilst these are pretty good (if I say so myself), I’ve decided rightly or wrongly that I need something more.

Liam Neeson in character once said he had a very particular set of skills. In this case I had a very particular set of requirements. The camera needed to take good photos, be light so I can take it running, and sturdy in case it might accidently fall. So, after spending some time on Google, where would we be without Google, I found my new toy. After a visit to the local camera shop, the issue now is that I need to learn how to use it.

Exactly the same situation happens when an organisation makes a change. The key thing is not so much that the process, changes. The key thing is that all those who need to understand what is expected of them.

Without this, the outputs from the process will be inconsistent, and the desired result will not be repeatably achieved.

In much the same way, without understanding how my new camera works, I’ll be lucky to get one good photo in five!