Origins and the Components

When executives develop their skills, they do so primarily through the experience they get – and you’ll find this principle at the very heart of the 70-20-10 framework. Back in the 1980s, three researchers at the Center for Creative Leadership (Morgan McCall, Robert Eichinger, and Michael Lombardo) talked to around 200 successful executives about how they learned things throughout their careers.

Their findings changed how we think about professional growth. You won’t learn most of the skills you need in training rooms or in structured workshops. Instead, you’ll probably pick up about 70% of your knowledge by tackling hard work situations and figuring things out as you go along. Your relationships with others will make up about 20% of your learning – this includes everything from quick conversations by the coffee machine to sitting down with your trusted mentor.

These interactions let you see ideas from new angles. You can learn from what others may have been through. Traditional training programs only account for about 10% of learning, which was surprising news when these findings were first released.

Businesses were putting big amounts of money into formal training sessions that weren’t giving them the best possible return on their investment. The 70-20-10 framework works because it naturally matches how your brain usually learns new activities. You probably learned more from actually hopping on a bike and trying it out than from someone explaining the physics of cycling to you.

You should treat these numbers as flexible ideas instead of permanent rules to always follow. The researchers never meant for you to strictly follow these percentages. They mainly wanted to show that experience and learning from others deliver stronger results than relying on classroom training alone.

Critics have raised some points about this model over the years. The original study didn’t take into account that some people and even modern workplaces might call for different learning ratios. Still, the main idea remains true – you’ll learn the most by actually doing.

Organizations now grow their people differently because of the framework. Businesses can give their employees real projects to work on and help connect them with mentors instead of just scheduling more training sessions.

Focus on On-The-Job Experiences

You learn the most when you’re in the trenches – when you have the real problems at work. Your brain lights up in a different way when you need to solve something on your own – like that time when the printer jammed in a weird way or when a customer showed up with an issue that you had never seen before. These challenges stick with you because you actively worked through them.

Mistakes can actually help you learn faster than just reading about what to do in some training manual. It helps to have someone nearby who can explain what went wrong and help you become aware of how to stay away from similar problems the next time around.

A skilled mentor can completely change how fast you’re able to pick up new abilities at work. Experience can give you some feedback on what works and what doesn’t. You try something different, see the results, and adjust your strategy as needed – this cycle helps you learn faster than you would by just sitting through training sessions.

Just like an athlete practicing their moves, you’re building job-muscle memory. Apprenticeships have stuck around for thousands of years for a reason.

You learn things that no book could teach when you watch a skilled person at work and then try it for yourself. Your brain naturally connects the theory with real practice, which makes the lessons stick. You actually accomplish real work while learning.

Your first few weeks at a new job are filled with these kinds of learning moments. Each job feels like a little adventure, and every win can give you a sense of accomplishment. Our brains are wired to learn better through experience instead of just abstract ideas. We’re naturally attracted to figuring tasks out on our own and seeing how everything works in real situations.

Use Social Learning Methods

Learning from your colleagues is one of the best ways to grow in your career. Your coworkers can usually give you advice that sticks with you far better than anything you’ll learn in a training manual.

The “20” part of the 70-20-10 model shows how much social learning makes a difference – especially through mentoring and coaching from your peers. You’ll get way more plans from people who know what you manage each day. They face similar challenges as well.

When you build trust with your colleagues, it can give you a comfortable and safe space where you’re able to share wins and setbacks. It’s natural to feel more open about your challenges when you’re talking to someone who has walked in your shoes before. This kind of sharing can give you some real growth opportunities.

Remote work has shaken up how you connect with your coworkers. But social learning still matters just as much. You have options like virtual coffee conversations, video mentoring sessions, and online teamwork tools to keep everyone connected even when they are miles apart.

People from different cultures often like different ways of giving and receiving feedback. Some people like to be very direct, while others take a softer strategy.

Strong peer relationships need people to contribute equally. Even more experienced mentors can pick up new ideas from the people they’re teaching. This kind of back-and-forth sharing helps everyone grow their skills together.

Regular catch-ups with trusted coworkers help you move toward your goals. You’re more likely to follow through when someone checks in on your progress. This kind of steady support fuels your motivation to push forward.

Social learning works because humans naturally want to connect with each other. Stories and advice from your peers stay with you because they come with real experiences and emotional connections. These person-to-person conversations can support your growth in ways that standard training just can’t match.

Use Formal Educational Tools

Formal training can give you some clear benefits in your professional development. You’ll be able to learn about new skills a bit faster through the structured courses and the workshops than you would through just experience alone. These programs will also put you through exercises and scenarios to strengthen your problem-solving abilities.

Your organization invests in certification programs because they want good proof of your expertise. With certifications, your employer knows what you’re able to do, and you’ll stay up-to-date with the latest industry patterns.

General Electric’s Predix University program shows how thousands of developers have learned IT and software engineering skills through this initiative. Their success proves that training fills knowledge gaps faster. It gets everyone interested in learning even more.

Traditional training does come with some limitations. The courses often dump too much information on you at one time. Others might bore fast learners or leave out the people who do better when learning by doing tasks. Quality programs sometimes cost money, which sometimes discourages pros from signing up.

The right balance between the classroom learning and experience makes the difference. One short course could even change your entire strategy to work challenges. Modern training is different from traditional classroom lectures.

Programs combine online lessons along with workshops and real projects. It guarantees that you’re aware of concepts while also practicing them in actual situations. Courses now also have game-like elements, which make learning fun and easier to remember.

Formal training directly addresses real workplace problems. These programs give you tools and methods to use. When you combine this structured learning with mentoring and work experience, then you’ll be able to build a foundation for growing your career.

Create the Framework Effectively

Carrying out the 70-20-10 learning model can be a little bit stressful. But you’ll find it easier to manage by starting with a small pilot group. Your teams can try out different approaches and get feedback before they make any big company-wide changes.

Most of the needed resources are already right at your fingertips. Most businesses already use different parts of the model without even realizing it. Your lunch-and-learn sessions, informal mentoring, and job shadowing programs are examples of the 20% social learning piece. Your leadership team can help successfully put 70-20-10 into place.

Your managers need to know their role in supporting learning opportunities. They should always be looking for hard projects to delegate and welcome their teams to learn from new experiences.

Clear metrics will let you see how well your 70-20-10 is doing. Easy measurements like employee satisfaction scores and skill assessments will help show you if you’re moving in the right direction. Regular check-ins with your team members will show what’s hitting the mark and what might need changing.

The 70% learning component can present the biggest challenge for organizations. Breaking down bigger projects into smaller learning opportunities will make it easier.

Modern tech tools can help in putting 70-20-10 to work. Online places connect your employees for social learning and can track their progress along the way. These online tools also let them record experiences and share knowledge across different teams.

Change management counts when switching to this learning model. Your employees might push back against new ways of learning and building skills. Open discussions about how 70-20-10 helps everyone will cut back on any resistance.

Some Real-World Examples

The real power of the 70-20-10 framework can become clear through examples of the businesses making it work for them. Citigroup turned its own training methods upside down with the #BeMore campaign when it decided to put way more learning through actual work experience.

Hilti’s sales department is another example of a success story. They needed their new sales reps to get up to speed much faster, so they came up with an answer. The company paired their rookies with experienced pros for learning, and they also added some online training to round out the program.

Healthcare organizations show some creative approaches, too. At one hospital, staff members now practice with basic emergency scenarios. They also get to shadow their own colleagues on the job.

Now, the whole team works way better together, and patients receive care that’s much improved as a result. Tech businesses create their own recipes for success with this model. One company lets its leaders take charge of important projects in different departments as part of their growth process. They back this up with mentoring and tech training, which helps produce innovative products.

This framework will always need some customization instead of just easy replication. Different industries need different mixes of these learning methods. Healthcare workers will sometimes need more classroom time because of the regulations.

Tech businesses need more experience to keep up with their fast changes. American Express found something pretty eye-opening about making training stick. Your manager plays a big part in how well you end up learning. Their research showed that when managers had conversations with their team members before and after training sessions, people used what they learned way more often.

Successful businesses create their own approaches instead of just following the crowd. Your company’s culture and goals should guide the way forward. Some teams grow through lots of mentoring, while others do better when they can manage real project work. Your job is to find the path that works best for your situation.

Alternatives and Criticisms

The 70-20-10 framework has received some criticism ever since it first came out. Again, experts point to its shaky scientific foundation and its somewhat vague origins. The original study looked at only 200 executives, too, which means you can’t completely trust these findings across all different jobs and industries.

Experts are especially skeptical about the rigid percentage splits in the model. The learning process doesn’t always fit neatly into these precise categories.

A sales team might need different development approaches compared to technical specialists. The model’s treatment of formal training also raises some concerning flags. Structured learning, limited to just 10%, usually doesn’t cut it in today’s tough workplace.

Your position might need formal training for rules and technical skills that matter. Technology changes so fast that you’ll likely need more structured learning than before. The framework assumes that your managers will guide most of the on-the-job learning experiences.

However, most managers have a hard time finding time for employee development, as they’re usually swamped with regular duties. They might not even have the right coaching skills. The 3-33 Pervasive Learning Model has a fresh perspective when it gives equal weight to formal, informal, and social learning.

You can study more options through conferences, mentor programs, and online resources. Organizations find that this balanced strategy tends to be more effective in today’s workplace. The way your learning methods evolve can depend on how new technologies emerge and how your workforce changes.

Remote teams face obstacles that weren’t even on the radar when the original model first came out. Different generations in your workplace also like to try learning in their own ways. Organizations now often take a more flexible strategy for development.

Instead of sticking to rigid percentages, they adjust their methods based on what fits them best. Some even change the ratios depending on roles, while others combine and match different models to create something that works for their teams.

Learning Should Be Natural

Your best teacher is the direct and professional growth that comes through experience. The most meaningful lessons will come from tackling the actual challenges head-on in your daily work. Think about those memorable moments that have shaped your career path – maybe it was that demanding project or the time you stepped outside your usual comfort zone.

Learning at work should feel natural and shouldn’t feel forced. You’ll pick up some new skills during the course of your regular tasks. Get some helpful tips from your coworkers and discover fresh ideas in training sessions. The trick is to find what works best for your specific situation. Creating a space where your team feels comfortable trying out different approaches matters a lot.

We at HRDQ-U can provide you with the tools you need to build your team’s development. Our active community has lots of useful resources – ranging from live webinars to blog posts. Be sure to check out our webinar, Accomplishment-Based Talent Development: Focus on Employees’ Valuable Contributions.

You’ll also want to check out our Get Fit for Coaching program at HRDQstore to help strengthen the learning connections in your team!