Knowledge by itself won't help with growth and development

I was asked at a conference recently by a person of high standing and long service in his firm “what is the point of training?” He said: “I understand the need to meet CPD requirements and to be technically up to date, but the rest of it – well, what is the point?”

Two things immediately went through my mind. The first was a sadness that, in his modern thriving business, there are still people who don’t understand the impact a good approach to learning and development (L&D) can have on the success of the business. The second was that he had solely focused on training and not given the wider L&D perspective any consideration at all.

Law firms need to harness the capabilities of their staff at all levels in as profitable a manner as possible without sacrificing the quality of service expected of them by clients. If you have a fine repository of knowledge, how can you make more from that repository? This is where L&D steps in and can make a valuable contribution to your firm’s strategic efforts for sustained growth.

Demonstrating the links between individuals, their departments or practice areas and the firm as a whole is the starting point. Individuals learn. They either simply hold and enjoy that knowledge or they do something with it. Lawyers are good at the scholarly acquisition of knowledge, but often less practiced and conditioned in the acquisition of new skills or even
changes in behaviours such as selling
or consulting rather than perhaps reviewing and analysing.

An L&D function will help to channel that knowledge towards practical application and support individuals in their efforts to utilise newfound capabilities or opportunities. This is because knowledge by itself won’t help with growth and development. When coupled with the application of related skill sets, change
or development will take place.

Knowledge and skills

The education system in England and Wales has it seems, for decades, focused on knowledge and has placed a premium on that knowledge; the more complex the subject, the higher the value. Many people of a certain generation will recognise the different value attributed to the part of their school’s curriculum which related to vocational or practical skills.

On reflection, I can see that the majority of my time in education was directed towards knowledge acquisition rather than the development of skills that may be useful in the application of that knowledge. My experience is not unique; what that interaction with education produced was a generation (or more) of individuals conditioned into a mindset and habit in which learning equals knowledge and therefore training equals something less important because training is only skills related.

But, law firms need to refocus that crooked thinking and place equal value
on the acquisition of skills as on knowledge. When this happens, the
value of L&D will be far more readily recognised and appreciated by more
‘old school’ individuals.

The immediate application of skills brings results. Allowing people to try and fail encourages a culture of development (as long as they understand why something failed and learn from those mistakes or newfound data and information). Development brings a spirit
of striving for success. Striving for success is done by motivated and engaged individuals and is proven to result in
more productive and effective firms.

Value of training

So, what is the point of training? When used in a developmental culture, it will mean a more profitable firm. And what is the point of L&D? To provide the mechanisms and expertise to make all
of this growth happen without expecting the firm’s partners and senior managers
to have to work out how to do it on top
of their existing responsibilities.

When questioned about the value
of L&D, I once heard a senior L&D manager say: “We make employees
better, faster than if it was left to them
to do it for themselves.” The real value of L&D is perhaps in making the links between individuals, their departments
and business to facilitate seamless learning, development and growth that meets the firm’s business and strategic goals and aspirations. L&D can make a real difference to a business if used well.

Sue Beavil is UK learning and organisational development manager at international law firm Slater & Gordon (www.slatergordon.co.uk)