Hello and welcome to a very practical, wins-inducing Friday Fresh Newsletter!

Have you ever thought that for many of your learners, your training may be their first exposure to the subject you’re teaching?

Many providers unintentionally forget this simple fact, and this is how we end up with training courses that people either ignore or sign up for with hesitation and reservations. Why? This is often because the most detailed information they can find is the learning outcomes, which is not enough.

What’s missing from the learning outcomes?

While learning outcomes meticulously outline the knowledge and skills to be gained, their direct impact on the learner’s life or career isn’t always immediately apparent. This gap between understanding and application is where the true magic of benefits comes into play. In essence, while learning outcomes are crucial and typically listed under “What you’ll learn,” it’s the benefits often found under “How this course will improve your life” that can truly capture a learner’s imagination and motivation.

Training providers who master the art of translating learning outcomes into tangible benefits not only illuminate the path of learning but also light up the destination, showcasing the impact of the journey on the learner’s personal and professional growth. This understanding is the key to engaging a broader audience, making it evident why the knowledge being offered is not just useful but indispensable.

The Synergy of Outcomes and Benefits: A Side-by-Side Look

To make this Friday Fresh most useful to you, we thought you’d see it best in real-life examples, so here are a few.

Example 1: Conflict Resoltion

Learning Outcome: Participants will learn effective conflict resolution strategies, including negotiation and empathy, to manage and resolve workplace disputes

Benefit: Mastering these conflict resolution strategies will reduce workplace stress, improve team dynamics, and position you as a key problem solver within your organisation, opening doors to leadership opportunities and enhancing your professional reputation.

Example 2: Project Management

Learning Outcome: Gain an understanding of fundamental project management principles, including project planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.

Benefit: This course will empower you to lead projects confidently, even without a formal project management background. By applying these principles, you’ll enhance your ability to deliver projects on time and within budget, boosting your value within your team and opening up new career opportunities.

Example 3: Excel Skills

Learning Outcome: Learn to use Excel for basic data analysis, including sorting, filtering, and applying simple formulas to interpret data sets.

Benefit: With these Excel skills, you’ll be able to make data-driven decisions with ease, increasing your efficiency and effectiveness in any role. This newfound ability to uncover insights from data will make you an indispensable asset to your team, enhancing your career prospects and professional growth.

Final Thoughts

Linking the learning objectives of your training to impactful benefits will make it easier for learners to see the value of your training before they sign up.

Most importantly, however, it will help them think about the knowledge in terms of practical application, thus ensuring that they’re not merely focusing on frameworks and theory but actively seeking their own way to convert the knowledge into actionable insight.

To make the most of this, use written or video testimonials to compliment the benefits you list alongside your learning outcomes. This will add “flavour” to the experience before it even begins.