I’m one of those people who need to be seriously unwell before I’ll visit a doctor. It’s not exactly best policy for man hurtling towards his 50s … but there it is.
My rationale for enduring the symptoms of all matter of afflictions is pretty flimsy. I just hate the waiting room.
I know full well that there’ll be New Idea magazines from 1994 on the coffee table and that the tv will be either broken or stuck on some permanent “Days Of Our Lives” channel.
I hate waiting so much. And so determined am I to not to do it that I reach immediately for my phone. Is that roughly you too?
Our loathing of waiting is no more evident than in the learning environment. Consider for a moment the workshops, seminars, presentations and conferences that you run or attend in the name of L&D. Now wonder about what percentage of time is spent waiting by participants.
Waiting for the lunch break.
Waiting for this boring speaker to shut up.
Waiting for my friend to show up at the breakout session.
Waiting for my Uber out of here.
Waiting for my turn to participate in some way.
Waiting for the post conference free drinks.
Waiting to implement back at work.
Waiting for the presenter to stop reading his/her PowerPoint slides.
How many willing participants have waited so long that they are now sneakily on their phones?
The opposite of waiting in education is engagement – and engagement is best defined as participants who are speaking, listening, thinking or doing.
Now, instead of through the lens of waiting, choose the lens of our simple engagement definition to the view the workshops, seminars, presentations and conferences that you run or attend in the name of L&D.
You’ll see a wonderful opportunity for change and competitive advantage.