Chief Learning Officer published a story highlighting the increasing importance of “pull” technology for organizational learning, which is “a mechanism that allows people to find and access relevant resources at the point of need.” On the other hand, “push” technology has been the standard training method in the US and in many other countries, where learning is pushed to individuals from the institution through scheduled, formalized training. The drawbacks of the latter are heavily based on the fact that forecasting needs and demand for information is challenging.

‘In a world of pull, it’s about helping people to develop the capabilities to become leaders in their own context so when they’re confronting an unexpected challenge they have the initiative and the questing disposition that will make them want to embrace that challenge and find creative ways of overcoming it and addressing it, and in the process learning from that experience,’ [John Hagel] said.

Online learning platforms like CultureWizard are examples of technology that allow individuals to pull or search for information they need. The material is accessible whenever and wherever through an internet connection. Even a simple Google search, which most professionals use several times a day, is reflective of the approach many are accustomed to taking to learn.

However, according to the article, organizations looking to integrate a “pull” learning strategy should beware:

Cultivating a proprietary knowledge stock is bound for failure. Instead, organizations should focus on creating effective knowledge flows that allow people to learn faster and replenish knowledge stocks at an accelerating rate.

How do you feel about formal, classroom training in comparison to “pull” learning? Do you see the “pull” approach becoming the new standard?

Charlene

RW3 CultureWizard