Thanks for the reference to Jesse Lyn Stoner and the questions as to when learners should be 'let go'. I'm working on a transformational change project in a company and although the workers will have new job role names, the majority of the new knowledge and skills that need to be taught is small (that is, they used to do ABC, in new role they'll need to do ABC and D) and also those teams need to be cross specialised in ABC & D.

I'm having a hard time trying to convince L&D management that we only concentrate on the D and put the trust in the learners (are SMEs in ABC) to learn, coach and share with each other. Instead, the solution that they propose I use is to put them all into a classroom to instruct them ABC and D.

The four questions posed above are enough now to be able to go back and explain my argument that we need to trust that our teams will cross specialise and allow them the time, freedom and technologies to do so.

I worked with a small team trialling this new approach (I begged to have a team which I could use as a pilot) and the results have been phenomenal. Not only have they bonded, they have come up with ideas of how to share what they know with each other; there's a lot more self-directed learning; an equalisation of relationships across the team and an openness I hadn't seen before - and it's a real pleasure working with them as I'm learning from them too.

Thanks Andrew for the video too - yes, if only we could get that same reaction from our learners. I'm trying to figure out now how I can get this pilot team to be the 'voice' to the rest of the department to inspire a collaborative approach to learning to get L&D to change their mind - as someone from within their ranks (ie me) doesn't have the influence unfortunately.