The resources you need could be as cheap, convenient and close as your smartphone

The old adage that you learn something new every day is true for business owners and leaders. I have seen a significant uptake of learning opportunities in Thai businesses over the last couple of years, but the rate of uptake has varied between different groups.

The learning culture in many of Thailand’s big companies is something to be proud of. They have transformed over the past decade or so. They have sophisticated mechanisms that help their people do new and innovative things. They have invested in their people and are reaping the rewards.

Smaller organisations and micro enterprises have had a slower uptake. They don’t have the budgets of their bigger cousins, but even as learning opportunities become cheaper and more available, even free, they still lag significantly.

Do micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) not need to learn? I think there are barriers to learning that need to be addressed, and business owners and leaders in these organisations need to invest, but the investment may not be as daunting as they think. 

Every day is a learning experience, but we cannot assume that our people are learning at the same rate as we are. Even in dynamic environments, people get comfortable, and even people committed to the organisation’s success fall into patterns. They subconsciously follow the paths of least resistance, and comfort zones kill agility and innovation.

In smaller companies, success depends on competitiveness. In these changing times, we need more innovative behaviours and thinking. But first-hand experience shows innovation and agility (especially maintaining them) is hard. Thais are innovative, but innovating well is impossible without learning opportunities.

Overcoming the barriers

Many smaller business owners prefer informal approaches to learning, and why not? They tend to be cheaper and more appropriate to the business context. However, they risk leaving money on the table. A recent report I read suggested that 50% of small firms see no need at all to train their workforce more formally, and only 30% of smaller employers try to measure any benefits of training (or 1.6 of every 10 smaller business owners). Guess which are the more innovative? 

I know many entrepreneurs and business leaders who are active, avid and passionate learners who want the best for their people. The advice that follows is for those who are interested in doing more. If we accept there is a link between learning, innovation and competitiveness, let us look at what gets in the way and what we can do about it:

I don’t know what’s available. This is understandable and frustrating, and people don’t want to waste time on frustrating searches. Our society  thinks of learning as something that happens before and at the start of careers. Moreover, it often equates adult learning with filling in gaps. It is worse because formal training providers are mainly oriented toward serving big and international companies.

So, get online. Every business owner has a smartphone. There are so many free and effective learning opportunities available. Invest some time (yours or one of your people’s) and curate these sources to meet your needs. Then have your people share what they found useful.

I’m more focused on business today. This is also completely understandable. We are busy solving client/customer problems to ensure we are still in business next month. This gives us plenty of learning experience. This is true, but it is dangerous to assume your people are learning what you think they need to be. Learning doesn’t happen from experience alone. Learning occurs from unpacking and making sense of experiences and finding new and better (innovative) approaches based on those insights.

Again, invest time in finding new approaches based on emerging insights. Doing more of the things you have always done risks tunnel vision. Leaders must ensure short and long-term views and build skills for the future.

I think that what training is available is irrelevant to my business. It often is. It may come from business schools or training experts with a corporate repertoire, but who don’t speak the language of smaller business owners. I have often seen these accepted ideas shrugged off as irrelevant. But again, the world is changing, and there are many free resources. One I like is the My Own Business Institute, from the University of Santa Clara, but there are many more that help smaller and new businesses bloom.

I think my people are great already. As the owner/ leader, you must ensure they prepare for tomorrow. Look at the technology and customer trends that are changing your industry, identify the future capabilities required, and source development for them before the competition passes you.

My people won’t bother, even if I make learning available. This is often the truth. If you have to take a key person off the job to go and learn, see it not as a loss but an opportunity to stretch somebody else. This doubles the learning opportunity and lessens the cost. If your people think they are too busy to learn, then it is your job to correct their mindset.

I shared last week that there are more than 3 million smaller business owners in Thailand. A recent Bank of Thailand report indicated this represents over 99% of all companies. Just imagine the benefit to our economy and society if they had and took full advantage of better learning opportunities.

Arinya Talerngsri is Chief Capability Officer and Managing Director at SEAC — Southeast Asia’s Lifelong Learning Center. Contact her at [email protected] or https://www.linkedin.com/in/arinya-talerngsri-53b81aa