The Teachable Moments of Learning Software

When I was in the fifth grade, the class was divided with all the girls in one room and all the boys went to another room – for, what else? The Talk. I don’t remember much about what was said (I was nine years old!) What I do remember was looking around the room at all the other girls who were sharing side glances and nodding knowingly. I had no idea what they were trying to say in the little filmstrip the teacher had popped into place on the projector. Afterward, we were dismissed to go to the playground for recess. I watched as my friends all gathered into various groups whispering all about The Talk. Then someone asked me what I was going to use during “that time of the month.” I answered what I had already heard my friends say, my friends who all had older sisters and mothers who cared about supplying such information to their daughters. In truth, I had absolutely no idea what The Talk was or anything else about “becoming a woman.” And, I didn’t really care.

Eventually, I had to figure it all out about a year later and it was scary and I had no one to talk to about it. (And no internet – Egads!!!)

I am reminded of that time because I started with a new company and was trying to learn Yardi all over again. (All the other companies I was with had switched to Onesite.) It kicked my butt all over the office as I was stumbling through a part of the program I had never even known existed in purchase orders and payables. So, reaching out to a manager at another property she came over to “teach me.” However, what she did (and I do appreciate her efforts!) was just tell me to point and click on this and that and go to this and click on it and hit submit! See! Understand?

Uh, nope. Not at all. So, I tweeted over to Yardi who suggested utilizing some tutorials and I found a manual and I dove right in trying to learn how to use this part of the program. It was be a while before I will master this, but at least I have an action plan.

Communicating how to do something and the steps needed to accomplish a task is very different from imparting the reason something is done the way it is. Every person processes directions so differently. And the thing is that is all right. For me, I need to understand the whys of doing something in addition to the ways of doing it. If you are training a new hire, please remember this – your staff learns differently and as a trainer, it is up to you to figure that out for each person under your tutelage. Or, at the very least, provide an illustrated booklet all about “Becoming ….” Reference materials are almost always welcome because if you aren’t ready for the information at that particular moment, there will be a moment in your future when it will become imperative to understand it.