Ever tried to ice skate? You were most likely a pro after one lesson, right?

Learning is a process, not a one-time task. Those of us in the ‘teaching’ industry know this all too well. Sure, there are well documented learning styles, but all that pales compared to the value of repetitive training … especially when different medium is used.

Drip, drip, drip. Maybe start with instructor-led sessions, then something to read, then a text message with supporting quotes, or an eLearning course. The point is, our employees need multiple lessons from multiple sources in order to master any important skill. Thinking in a one-and-done manner limits the effectiveness of our employees and short-changes them in the long run.

Recently elearning companies have started to understand this concept and provide tools which help employers ‘drip’ material to their employees. Some are pushing out curriculum on text or email which supports a subject matter which was taken in a previous training session or online course. While quantifiable results are not in, the trend is clearly a winner.

Think about it this way: especially with the less than 40 year old crowd, employees have the ability to digest data from a multitude of sources … social media, streaming networks, sound-bite messaging, etc. So, if information is dripped to them, slowly, they will learn, change, adapt and improve. Give it to them in the manner which they are used to and they will get it.

How fast you ask? Well, it took Wayne Gretzky 20 years to become known in the skating world … one shot at a time.