3 of 7: “How to Check if People are Applying What They’ve Learned?”
“The question I have about creating a great workshop is…”
What is the best way to check if people have been able to grasp and apply what you’ve taught?
Great question.
I think some kind of pre- and then post- enrollment quiz or assessment might do the trick.
But there’s another part of the equation: you need to release the idea that you are responsible for what people DO with the material you teach.
Unless it’s something like CPR, where there are actual life-and-death implications to them learning or not learning, or there’s some kind of meaningful certification involved, it is none of your business whether they ever implement what you teach.
This was VERY hard for me to learn.
I always felt like I wanted to make sure that every single person got every last drop of what I had to give.
But that was just my ego talking, you know?
Sometimes it’s an important step on a person’s journey to buy a book and not read it.
And sometimes it’s important for them to enroll in a class and not use it.
And that’s OK.
Here’s what I reckon: you are responsible for setting up the learning environment, for creating a safe container, for giving them the very best and most accurate information, tools and resources to help them, and for providing your best guidance & encouragement along the way.
But you can’t make them pay attention.
And you can’t make them apply themselves.
You can’t make anyone do anything.
(Have you noticed that?)
But you can light the lamp.
And you can share your story.
And you never know….you just might change someone’s life.
