Rule #7. The World Has Order.

Crawl, walk, talk, sing and dance… Same in training!

Would you expect a newborn to run before they can even crawl? 

In life, there's a natural progression—crawl before you walk, walk before you talk, talk before you sing, and sing before you dance. The same logic applies to training within an organization, especially when it comes to technical or product training. Skipping steps doesn’t lead to faster results; it leads to failure.

I learned this lesson firsthand when I presented a three-year plan for a brand-new L&D department. The executives were skeptical—this was the third attempt to establish this function, and past failures had left them wary. But our new CRO, with his fresh perspective and strong belief in training as a revenue driver, backed me up. At the end of the meeting, he asked me, "Olia, if you could only do one thing from this plan, what would it be?" My heart wanted to choose something ambitious, but my logic spoke loud and clear: "Onboarding." He nodded and said, "Right. You can't build a house if you don’t have a foundation."

This analogy of building a house mirrors the evolution of training in any organization, including technical or product training.

Here’s how it breaks down:

1. Crawl: Onboarding

   Just as a baby needs to learn the basics before they can explore the world, employees need a thorough onboarding process to understand the company’s products, systems, culture, and tools. This is the foundation. Without proper onboarding, employees will struggle with the fundamentals, leading to confusion and mistakes in their roles. Onboarding should introduce them to the company's core values, the basics of the products or services offered, and the essential tools they’ll need.

   
   

2. Walk: Core Skills and Technical/Product Training

   Once employees have a firm understanding of the basics, the next step is core skills training, which includes specific technical or product training. This stage is about building competency in the specific tools, technologies, and products they’ll be working with. Just like a child learning to walk, this phase requires time, repetition, and practice. Rushing it could lead to errors or misunderstandings that ripple through their work. This is where they start mastering the key functions they’ll perform daily.

   
   

3. Talk: Troubleshooting, Problem-Solving, and Collaboration

   As employees become proficient in their roles, the focus shifts to enhancing their ability to troubleshoot, solve problems, and collaborate effectively. This is the stage where they learn to 'talk'—to diagnose issues, communicate them effectively, and work with others to resolve them. In technical roles, this is where they begin to connect the dots between different systems and processes, becoming more confident in their ability to handle challenges. It’s also where collaborative skills are honed, ensuring they can work well within a team.

   
   

4. Sing: Advanced Skills, Innovation, and Strategic Thinking

   Now that the basics are in place and employees are comfortable with troubleshooting, it’s time to move on to advanced skills and innovation. This is where employees start to 'sing'—where they take their deepening knowledge of the product or technology and begin to push boundaries, finding new ways to improve processes, optimize systems, and drive innovation. It’s about thinking beyond the day-to-day tasks and contributing to the broader strategic goals of the organization.

   
   

5. Dance: Leadership, Mastery, and Strategic Application

   Finally, with all the other stages in place, employees can begin to 'dance.' This is the stage of leadership, mastery, and strategic application, where they not only master the technology or product but also mentor others, contribute to strategic decisions, and help guide the direction of future product development or technical strategy. This is where they fully integrate their skills, lead teams, and drive the organization forward with innovation and strategic insight.

   
   

Skipping any of these steps is like trying to teach someone to run before they can crawl. It leads to frustration, errors, and ultimately, failure. Each stage builds on the previous one, creating a strong, stable structure that supports more advanced skills and responsibilities.

In #training—whether it’s general onboarding or specific technical and product training—respecting the natural order is key to success. Lay a strong foundation, build step by step, and you’ll create a team that not only performs well but thrives. Ignore this order, and you risk constructing a process that looks impressive on paper but is bound to fail under pressure.

Same thing with #AI. Start from the beginning. Don't try to change the world overnight.