The Master of Dough
The Master of Dough
When we think of the service industry, hotels, restaurants, and perhaps hospitals come to mind. However, service exists wherever there are people or living beings. In these high-intensity systems, especially in shift-based industries and businesses, the pace is even more relentless.
In such busy systems, it is much harder to train employees to perform at their "best" for one or two days. Businesses want to make a profit, and guests expect to be treated excellently. (And this isn't just about guests in hotels or restaurants; someone visiting a tech store also expects to be treated well.)
So, what happens if you don’t have the luxury of extensive training?
Perhaps the best approach is to create frameworks tailored to individuals and situations rather than fitting everyone into rigid molds.
Consider master bakers who make excellent bread.
Each of them has their own unique dough starter. Some produce special starters for the bakery they work in, while others customize their starters for different types of bread.
In the 1960s, Professor Allen Tough from the University of Toronto researched different learning styles. He discovered that 70% of learning occurs through self-directed experience. This laid the foundation for the modern 70/20/10 model.
To break it down further, we get a formula like this:
70% of learning comes from real-life application and experience. Think about how you learned to swim. Did you master swimming through theoretical classroom instruction, or did you become proficient by actually swimming in the water?
20% of learning occurs informally through role models and mentors. This could be in the form of a master-apprentice relationship or learning from supervisors, directors, or senior colleagues.
10% of learning comes from formal classroom training, e-learning platforms, courses, or similar methods. Imagine that after hours of classroom training, you’ve only grasped 10%!
As discussed in previous writings and will be again, the times are changing. As times change, so do training methods.
The current version of the 70/20/10 model can be seen as an effective example of the "Learning by Doing" model.
Previously, it was believed that 70% of learning came from classroom instruction. Therefore, if there was a failure in operations, the blame was placed on the individual who received the training, and the efficiency of the training system was rarely questioned.
For example, instead of taking employees from a shift-based retail company through a full day of classroom training, you could opt for half-day classroom sessions. They could then coordinate with their managers to apply and experience what they learned in the field. This way, what they need to do and avoid doing will be more effectively ingrained in their minds.
However, it’s important to remember that the 70/20/10 model is not a universal formula. Every trainer, organization, manager, and working method has its own formula.
Just like every skilled baker has their own unique dough starter and method
