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Big companies and start ups

A question that I frequently run into is "How should a start up approach LnD". In the last few months I have spoken to a few people who have the responsibility of running LnD for start ups. Here is my take (still evolving):

1. If you apply a big company framework and shrink it for a start up. This may will not work.
2. For instance, in a big company you may train some of the managers every year. In a start up, you almost definitely want to train all of them. Especially if you have the first few hundred on board. And, you might want to repeat this atleast once again or till you have confident of a 'culture'. Measure it using surveys.
3. Training ROI - In general, measure ROI as direct business output. If you do a workshop on problem solving - assign a project and measure its outcome. If you build skill in giving feedback, assess Manager scores.
4. Distinguish between Needs and Wants. Big companies will address wants, but as a startup, you are neither geared for fulfilling wants nor must you. Focus on training needs.
5. Will LnD help reduce attrition in your startup? Highly unlikely.
6. Will LnD help increase engagement in your startup? Not directly for sure. If you can train your managers to have better conversations, give feedback and have great goal setting and performance review conversations, you have done your job. LnD as an engagement strategy is a big company tactic - eschew it.
7. People join a startup for learning (on the job) and growth. They dont join a startup for their training benefits or expecting to learn via training. If they do, likely you are not a startup.
8. Functional training, Product training (Knowledge of your product) should be available for every joinee (including consultants). This is the only way people will internalise the work you do.
9. Get the values out as soon as possible. Repaint every six months or a year. Engage constantly on values.
10. Engage the leadership team early on for learning. This will set the learning culture at the earliest. Else as you grow, you will find it very difficult to build this culture and you will keep on adding more and more foreign culture elements - and managing the learning culture in this mix will be tough.
11. DnI - focus on blindspots - do not follow a big company strategy. Pick areas of greatest impact to the community and go there.
12. Focus more on skill building from a training lens. So, that way measuring output will be easier.
13. Experiment. Try out new things. Pivot. Be agile. Test. Prototype. Think frugal - do everything that you company does as a start up.
14. Bring your own folks on the floor. It is worth training them to "train" or "teach" or "share". Choose whichever word, but bring the leaders. And it is a win-win for both parties.

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