Training False Emergency

Let’s Get Everyone Into Training, Or Should We?

How often have you heard or said, “Let’s get everyone into training, that’ll fix it!”

In my learning and development career (spanning decades), I have heard this countless times.

A training false emergency is usually a superficial problem. It’s something that appears urgent but is not the real priority. It occurs when someone, or a group of people, believes a workshop or one-off training session will fix the most obvious issue. It is a reactionary, band-aid type response rather than a considered and structured approach.

A Common Scenario: The Process Is Not Being Followed

Let’s take a more common workplace example.

A manager notices that their team is not following a newly introduced process.

The immediate reaction is:

“We need to run training again.”

But in this situation, everyone has already completed the training. They understand the process. Running the same session again is unlikely to change behaviour.

This is where a training false emergency occurs. The issue is not a lack of training, but understanding what is causing the breakdown.

What’s Really Going On?

Before deciding on a solution, the manager needs to step back and ask:

• Why are people not following the process?
• Is the process practical in day-to-day work?
• Are there time pressures or competing priorities?
• Do team members see the value of the process?
• Is there clarity around expectations and accountability?
• Are there system or resource limitations getting in the way?

Without answering these questions, training becomes a default response rather than a targeted solution.

Why Training Isn’t Always the Answer

A person attending training on a process they already understand will not change the behaviour that drives the action.

A quick 30- or 60-minute session will not fix a problem rooted in:

• unclear expectations
• poor process design
• lack of accountability
• competing priorities
• or workplace culture

Training can support change, but it cannot replace proper diagnosis.

Identify the Cause Before the Solution

To create meaningful change, individuals or teams need to uncover the underlying issue.

That means:

• defining the actual problem
• identifying where the breakdown is happening
• understanding why it is happening

Only then can the right solution be applied.

If the issue is capability, training may be appropriate. If the issue is something else, a different approach is needed.

When Training Is the Right Approach

If you identify that a genuine capability gap exists, then training and development activities may include:

• Instructor-led classroom training
• Hands-on training
• E-learning training
• Video-based training
• Coaching
• Mentoring

The key is that training is used intentionally, not as a default response.

Define. Prioritize. Develop. Deliver.

Not every problem is a training problem.

Before jumping to solutions, take the time to:

• define the issue clearly
• prioritise what actually needs to be addressed
• develop the right response
• deliver it in a way that supports real change

Conclusion

A training false emergency happens when training is treated as the immediate fix without understanding the real issue.

For managers, the shift is simple but important: move from reacting to diagnosing.

When you understand why people are not following a process, you can respond with the right solution, whether that is training, process improvement, clearer expectations, or better support.

Training works best when it is part of a broader, considered approach, not a quick fix.

If you want to strengthen how your team approaches performance and behaviour change, consider how the right training and support can help you address the root cause of issues.