When running any one of a dozen training programs I found that a role play was always included. Moving from simple to complex skills, stacking them through 2 or 3 role plays the learner built their capability through practice and feedback. But they also built insight through observation
The person practicing is able to learn through doing, to begin to personalize the learning into their own way of using the skill
The person being the customer or employee experiences how the skills feel when they are on the receiving end of the skill being used
The observer gets to see the person practicing and decide what good or bad looks like, they get to reflect on how they might do it differently - or pick up a a new technique or word choice they had not previously thought of
As a leader I learned to go on sales calls with new hires and have them observe the first few calls - to ask questions about what they had seen and get a sense of how such conversations flowed. After their participating in joint sales calls their "graduation" was my observing them to give feedback and recognition
And when learning to coach, observation is a key component too - watching other coaches use a "move" or hold the silence, of fill the silence with a gesture more eloquent than words... all learned through the opportunity to observe
Put observation to use with your team: ask them to observe one another at a task and then reflect on what went well or what is one thing that can be improved. Super powerful
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