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Summary.
Companies spend billions of dollars on training and development in the United States alone, but precious little time or money is spent on preparing the mind of the learner. Too many people enter learning experiences with too much on their minds. To maximize your company’s investment in training, development professionals need to bring mindfulness into their classroom experiences. The first step is to create an environment conducive for learning and to minimize distractions. During a crowded course, it can be tempting for participants to read an incoming text or email (no one will notice, right?). Stress to them the importance of being disciplined. A few minutes of mindfulness training at the beginning of a learning experience, and in between each new learning segment, can also help participants clear mental clutter. And finally, be deliberate about what participants do during breaks. Too many people use breaks as an opportunity to check in on work activities, which is detrimental to learning.Companies in the U.S. spend over $160 billion on training and development, according to the Association for Talent Development. This includes investment in courses, facilities, systems, and tools. But precious little time or money is spent on preparing and enabling the mind of the learner. The fact is, if the learner doesn’t have the “in-the-moment” mental capacity to pay attention, these investments aren’t paying off.