Recently, I went to see the circus for the first time in twenty years. Yes…I am an adult. And yes… I think I enjoyed the circus as much as the kids surrounding me. One of the most interesting/frustrating parts of my circus experience was how many different acts were presented simultaneously. Should I focus on the Chinese act or the Latin dancers? The acrobats or the little people? It was maddening to try to absorb and see everything going on around me. Even now when I think back on it, I only remember a blur of entertainment and portions of the main acts. But that’s okay…right? The circus’s goal wasn’t to have attendees remember each act, costume, or piece of trivia. Its purpose was to provide a magical experience.
Sometimes it can be tempting to entertain rather than train in a training course. While being entertained is fun, unlike the circus, the goal of a good training course should be to meet the course’s learning objectives. Without good learning objectives your training becomes like a family vacation where everyone gets in the car and just starts driving with no map, no GPS, no compass, and no real destination. If you are really lucky you might end up someplace exciting, but you could greatly increase your chances of success by choosing your destination ahead of time.