Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 36 | Page 39

Peer-to-peer learning isn’t just about the expert offloading their expertise. It’s also about the expert learning from others, using the insights and commentaries provided by the peers they are teaching to reshape their own understanding and build their own skills. It’s a two-way process that allows for continuous learning and growth across the board and it allows for deeper engagement in the technology or solution as people become increasingly excited about sharing content and ideas with their colleagues. Leadership must get behind the potential of peer-to-peer learning for it to become embedded within the culture of the organisation and to see any value. If leadership isn’t committed to building a peer-to-peer training network, then it’s unlikely it will achieve sustainable growth. This should be further supplemented by clearly defined outcomes that outline the expected results of the peer-to-peer training programme and how this can evolve over time. This can then be assessed using key performance indicators www.intelligentcio.com (KPIs), employee feedback and overall employee engagement. Implementing a peer-to-peer training culture and methodology in the business doesn’t have to be incredibly complex. You can use external service providers that specialise in peer-to-peer training solutions to help build the culture and focus of your employees. While it may sound counterintuitive – external trainers can suddenly look a lot like traditional trainers – if you use the right people and approach the skills development from the right level, the dynamic shifts. And by using a company that understands how this type of training works, you’re already benefiting from the process. Using an external company to provide peer-to-peer training has another benefit as well – it can help the business identify the skill gaps that lie within the different areas of the business. In a recent LinkedIn survey of more than 4,000 professionals, finding the skill gaps has been a company priority for a while. “ CIO OPINION PEER-TO-PEER TRAINING KEEPS PEOPLE IN THEIR COMFORT ZONES AND . . . CAN BECOME A PART OF THEIR ROLE WHICH HELPS THEM OVERCOME ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS THAT ANY TRAINING PROGRAMME FACES – TIME. INTELLIGENTCIO 39 39