Over the past few weeks, the new model of learning has started to take hold. The new model to which
I refer is a hybrid model that provides an optimal balance of self-driven study, live facilitated learning, experiential learning through business simulations, and the much needed and talked about live human-to-human networking and bonding.
Example of the New Hybrid Model
We recently completed a hybrid business acumen leadership development program for a group of 24 high potential leaders all coming from the Medical Affairs department of a global pharmaceutical company. The engagement will provide participants with the ability to build their Business Acumen skills over the course of a year and the investment of time is 26 hours per person. Only about 40% of that time in this new hybrid model is live and in-person.
The new hybrid model includes:
A virtual kickoff (1 hour) – Learners are introduced to each other and the complete virtual learning journey. They start to understand the expectations, meet each other, gain exposure to the facilitators, and receive details on their self-study work. The virtual kick-off occurred 2 weeks before the live portion of the learning.
Self-study work (4 hours spread over 2 weeks) – Learners were given access to a complete library of Business Acumen modules to review. The interactive eLearning modules provide a foundation of skills in the areas of Strategy, Finance, Metrics of Performance, Commercial, and Operations. In addition to the content, learners are provided with an introduction to and access to the digital business simulation software they will be using in the learning journey. The simulation is designed to include micro-learning content about how the simulation works and the types of decisions being made.
Live and In-Person – All 24 participants flew from around the world to the headquarters location for about 10 hours of live, in-person training. In the live sessions (6 hours and then 4 hours), learners asked questions about the content and then ran 3 years of their simulated pharmaceutical company. Learners arrived the day before, had a group dinner after the first day, and most left in the afternoon of the second day of learning.
The learning continues virtually
Unlike many learning events, the learning doesn’t stop after the live session. There is much more to come, and the entire experience is accelerated because the learners have a different connection and bond to their teammates. After the live session, there were two more 3-hour virtual sessions each a week after each other. In the first session post live event learners completed the 4th year of running their simulated company and in the final virtual session, each team running their own simulated company made their presentations to their board of directors.
In addition to the board of director presentations, each learner is responsible for creating their own Action Plan that they share with their manager on how they are going to use their new Business Acumen skills to make better business decisions.
Reinforcement, continuous learning, and staying connected
Again, most learning journeys would end here but this client is committed to reinforcement, continuous learning, and staying connected. For the next year, all learners will be invited to participate in a quarterly learning event called “Deciding the Earnings Call” where we explain in simpler terms the meaning and numbers of the company’s quarterly earnings call. They participate with other alumni and it’s a great opportunity to network, ask questions, and further build their skills.
This Hybrid Model is Not for All Audiences (and it Doesn’t Have to Be)
The example described is something I believe will become the norm for more senior-level, high potential audiences. One of the many lessons we have learned during the pandemic is that learners can receive excellent training virtually that they never would have had the opportunity to receive previously. And that is not going to go away. This is a classic case of it’s not, “either or,” but it is a case of having both. Other audiences in desperate need of skills like Business Acumen now have options to participate in similar programs virtually and receive the same skills and value in learning. The difference is that it can be done at a fraction of the cost, there is no travel, and it can be integrated into the work, learning, life balance at scale.
In summary, as we head into this Thanksgiving weekend and our thoughts are on family, food, and football, 2022 is just around the corner. It is going to be the 3rd year in a row of disruptive change. The hybrid learning model is going to take hold while pure virtual continues to expand. It’s going to be exciting and best of all learners will have all the options they need to find the right learning paths that give them the skills they need to make the best possible decisions for their companies.
