When doing workshops and even in elearning, there is always pushback on using sports analogies. So one of the good alternatives I use is cooking examples. Hey, everyone eats. I illustrate how to define performance by first watching a video of a master chopping onions. I like the Gordon Ramsey version.
Another method I use it to show a video of something the class knows little about but it fascinating to watch. Here’s one where you can ask the class to look for anything that tells you this person is proficient. Can you see it and measure it. Here’s one of the videos I use. Bandsaw Magic
Lots of programs are set up in a pick and choose manner so that learner can learn what they want to learn in any order. Sounds good but it doesn’t guarantee the learner will make good choices. This video from the Karate Kid illustrates the issue. How many people when they start to learn Karate would choice waxing the car, painting the fence and sanding the deck. Probably none. But the expert says, that’s the best way to learn it.
In the old days, we used to use a lot of sports analogies. We got considerable pushback from those who aren’t “sports people.” So over the years, I’ve switched to cooking examples, because everybody eats. This video about chopping an onion is a favorite. Gordon Ramsay does a super job of showing how to slide an onion the way the professionals do it. However, after watching it only once, it’s almost impossible for most people to do it right. In fact, it takes practice and watching the video several times. So an excellent Learning Path for slicing an onion is a mixing of watching the video, practice, and feedback. If you added into your Learning Path, chopping about 10 bags of onions, you’d be very proficient.
This video speaks for itself. It highlights the difference between how people teach and how we actually learn. However, it is one the best illustrations of waste in training. Waste, of course, is anything that doesn’t add value. Learning things one day, and then forgetting them the next has really no value and is therefore waste.
