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Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
20 Reasons Why New Hire Training Is So Challenging (And How To Fix It)
Effective training is essential for employee success, yet many organizations still struggle to provide new hires with the tools and support they need. From rushed onboarding to outdated mindsets, a variety of issues can hinder learning and long-term growth. The good news? These problems are fixable with the right leadership approach. Below, 20 members of Forbes Coaches Council share key reasons why training efforts so often fall short, offering practical strategies leaders can use to build stronger, more impactful programs. 1. A Lack Of Structured Resources The most important issue contributing to a lack of essential training for new employees is insufficient onboarding resources. Leaders should prioritize designing and implementing a structured, well-resourced onboarding and training program that clearly outlines essential skills and knowledge for new employees, assigns trainers or mentors and provides accessible learning materials. - Souzan Bachir, Mira Coaching & Consulting 2. Treating Training As A Task List Training should feel like a guided journey, not just a checklist of tasks. Leaders must map out the first year's experience, showing how their roles will evolve and connecting them to organizational goals. Managers or leaders should be coaches and mentors, offering guidance and encouragement. Check-ins and recognition help employees feel supported and welcome, giving them an empowering path of growth. - Steve Walsh, Exceptional Transformations LLC 3. Overlooking Non-Technical Training Needs One key issue is the lack of focus on non-technical training during the orientation period. While technical skills are essential for job performance, it's the non-technical aspects, such as fostering belonging and connection, that drive long-term engagement. Leaders can use one-on-one conversations as coaching moments to uncover training needs and provide tailored support from the start. - Elif Suner, MBA, MCC, Enrichia 4. Viewing Training As A Cost Versus An Investment When training is perceived solely as a cost without tangible benefits, it's all too easy to eliminate it. However, when organizations recognize training as a strategic investment that actively drives employee engagement and retention, it transforms into an essential priority. - Karen Tracy, Dr. Karen A Tracy, LLC Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify? 5. Hiring For Immediate Performance Hiring based on immediate performance often pressures new employees to produce quickly and learn on the job. Leaders can fix this by prioritizing structured onboarding programs with defined milestones, assigning training mentors and measuring success through retention and productivity, not just speed. - Keirsten Greggs, TRAP Recruiter, LLC 6. Limiting Training To A One-Time Event Training is often designed as a limited event, rather than an ongoing experience. Training managers need to understand that it takes months for trainees to become competent and confident in their roles. After the initial training period, managers must be trained to become competent mentors and coaches. Companywide mentorship programs, utilizing one-on-one meetings, ensure ongoing engagement. - Edward Doherty, One Degree Coaching, LLC 7. Separating Training From Daily Workflows The expectation that employee training takes too long, isn't needed or is separate from daily activities is outdated and unhelpful. The solution is to understand and include employee training as part of an employee's job, in day-to-day activities, with opportunities to practice as they learn and receive feedback so they continue to grow. - Laura Vanderberg, Newton Services 8. Using One-Size-Fits-All Programs One issue is a lack of personalization in training. When organizations rely on one-size-fits-all programs, they miss the opportunity to engage employees based on their unique strengths. Leaders can fix this by using tools like personality assessments and co-creating growth plans that align with each employee's natural talents, making training more relevant, motivating and effective. - Megan Malone, Truity 9. Seeing Learning As Perk, Not A Vital Core Value A major issue is that executive teams often fail to prioritize learning as a core cultural value. When development isn't seen as vital to success, it doesn't get the time, budget or focus it needs. Leaders must embed learning into the company's DNA—model it, reward it and ensure it's treated not as a perk, but as a business-critical investment for long-term growth. - Alex Draper, DX Learning Solutions 10. Not Blocking Out Days Dedicated To Development Employees and managers often lack time for training because they're busy with their daily tasks. Leaders can fix this by setting aside dedicated training days where learning is the only focus. When companies prioritize learning and make it enjoyable, employees are more engaged and motivated to grow—it's all in how managers structure the experience. - Diana Lowe, Blue Light Leadership 11. Letting Limiting Beliefs Undermine Conversation The issue here is not one of resources—not money, training skills or time. The fundamental issue here is mindset—limiting beliefs and biased thinking—and environments immersed in overwhelm. A simple fix that's undervalued is to improve the quality of conversations. Business processes and operations break down due to a lack of quality conversations. Doubt it? You should try it! - Jay Steven Levin, WinThinking 12. Sacrificing Onboarding Quality For Speed One key issue is prioritizing speed over onboarding quality. In the rush to fill roles, leaders often underinvest in training. The fix is to build structured, scalable onboarding that balances short-term productivity with long-term retention—assign mentors, set learning milestones and treat training as a culture-building investment. - Jaide Massin, Soar Executive Coaching LLC 13. Resisting Knowledge Sharing Among Experts The problem is the 'knowledge hoarding trap,' where experts resist documenting expertise, fearing it diminishes their value. I help leaders implement 'Teaching as Leadership' recognition, where knowledge sharing becomes a performance metric. One client tripled training effectiveness by rewarding top performers for creating micro-learning modules. Shared knowledge multiplies indispensability rather than reducing it. - Nirmal Chhabria 14. Neglecting To Measure Training Outcomes The biggest problem is a lack of clear ROI tracking. Without measurable outcomes, training is often viewed as a cost rather than an investment. You can address this by implementing a feedback loop: After training, employees should share key takeaways, demonstrate how they're applying new skills and, where possible, teach others. This reinforces learning and helps assess the impact and maximize the value of the training efforts. - Sandra Balogun, The CPA Leader 15. Focusing Only On Current Role Requirements Employee training that does not have a line of sight to improving business outcomes is a low priority for organizations. Skill-based training has taken on significance due to its applicability. However, leaders need to understand that employees are not being trained for just the current job. They need to be upskilled for their next role, so a mindset shift is required to be systemic about training. - Thomas Lim, Centre for Systems Leadership (SIM Academy) 16. Undervaluing Employees As Key To Growth Leaders still don't fully believe their people are their greatest value. They treat employees as resources, not as potential for growth. To fix this, leaders must shift their mindset. When they truly see people as the key to success, training becomes a priority, not an afterthought. - Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC 17. Overwhelming New Hires With Ineffective Content One reason training fails is that it overwhelms and misfires. We dump information instead of building understanding. People learn through stories, emotion and sensory cues—not just facts. The fix is to strip training to the essentials. It's less, but better. You should make it experiential, memorable and human (perhaps even fun). When learning aligns with how the brain encodes meaning, it sticks—and so do your people. - Julien Fortuit, Julien Fortuit Agency 18. Leaving It Up To Hires To 'Shadow' For Self-Training The real problem is that training is treated as ad-hoc 'shadow work'—new hires are expected to learn on the fly whenever their team has a spare moment. Because these moments never appear, critical skills slip through the net. The fix is to schedule training as nonnegotiable calendar blocks in the first weeks, tie each module to a real task and make managers accountable for completion, not just delivery. - Peter Boolkah, The Transition Guy 19. Focusing On Execution At Improvement's Expense The greatest challenge is the prioritization of execution; the work has to get done. Only athletics and the military prioritize training over execution. You should focus on continuous improvement, then build steps into your policies and procedures that allow for frequent reviews, openness to new ideas, shifts to new and improved practices and job expansion into adjacent and promotional roles. - Ed Brzychcy, Lead from the Front 20. Not Connecting Roles To The Mission One issue contributing to a lack of essential training is not understanding what truly matters to new employees. Too often, training focuses on forms and tasks instead of showing employees how their roles connect to the mission. You can overcome this by creating training that helps new employees see who they need to know, why their role matters and how it fits into the big picture. - Kathleen Shanley, Statice
Forbes
15-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
20 Common Pitfalls Of Automation (And How To Avoid Them)
getty Automation can unlock major gains in efficiency and productivity, but only when it's implemented thoughtfully and strategically. If companies rush to automate without fully understanding the processes, people or goals involved, it can lead to costly missteps and resistance from teams. Beyond the right tools, a successful rollout requires clear communication, change management and a human-first mindset. Below, Forbes Coaches Council members share the biggest mistakes they see in automation rollouts and what you can do instead. One big mistake is treating automation like a silver bullet instead of a strategy. I've spent years in automation, and I've seen too many companies plug in tech without rethinking the process. The result? Faster chaos. To do it right, map the workflow, involve the humans and automate with intent, not just ambition. Tech should simplify, not confuse. - Anastasia Paruntseva, Visionary Partners Ltd. One mistake that companies make is attempting to automate a broken workflow, which results in an ineffective automated workflow. To gain real benefits from introducing automation into workflows, organizations need to first optimize existing workflows to ensure that they are operating effectively. Then, automation can be introduced to further streamline the workflows and gain efficiencies. - Peju Adedeji, Your IT Career People need context for making changes. Simply introducing automation without the 'why' behind it can be a big mistake. Let people know what is happening and how automation impacts them. Most people want to see processes improve, and providing context can engage them in the change in workflows. - Evan Roth, Roth Consultancy International, LLC. 4. Failing To Achieve Employee Buy-In A key downside of automation is the lack of employee buy-in. Without understanding or agreement, staff may resist, harming morale and productivity. Automation should support, not replace, people. Involve employees early, train them thoroughly and keep human oversight in sensitive areas to ensure efficiency while preserving trust and workplace culture. - Gabriel McCurtis, TMINI Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify? 5. Forgetting The People Behind The Process The biggest mistake is forgetting the people behind the process. Many organizations rush to implement tech without considering the impact on employee workflows, morale or training needs. Automation should enhance human potential, not replace it. Involve your team early, communicate the 'why' behind the change and provide the training and support needed to build confidence. - Jessica Miller-Merrell, Workology 6. Focusing On Bells And Whistles One big mistake is too much focus on bells and whistles and too little on the human impact. Humans tend to resist change. Add in the additional variable of automation, and people start to worry about job security. Or, they feel that their previous efforts have been of low value if they can be automated. Focus on the idea that automation can free up time for people to contribute at a higher level. - Kathy Bernhard, KFB Leadership Solutions 7. Overwhelming Users Automation fails with one word: overkill. When employees are bombarded with reminders, they start ignoring them. When customers are flooded with requests for feedback, they stop replying. When companies send endless messages to complete one small, simple task, recipients start ignoring them. The way to solve the problem of automation overload? One more word: simplify. - Joelle Jay, Joelle K. Jay 8. Automating Judgment Instead Of Labor Failure happens when companies automate human judgment instead of human labor. Companies rush to replace decision-making rather than eliminate repetitive tasks. I helped a client identify and separate 'thinking work' from 'doing work'—automating the latter while enhancing the former. Smart automation doesn't replace human creativity, it amplifies it. - Nirmal Chhabria 9. Ignoring Employee Input Automation training often skips employee input. This lack of involvement reduces their buy-in. People feel left out and resist change. Including them in the process boosts acceptance and engagement. - Laurie Sudbrink, Lead With GRIT 10. Not Identifying A Clear Problem It's a mistake to introduce automation without clearly identifying the problem it should solve. Companies often rush to implement the latest tech without understanding its relevance. To do it better, they should first thoroughly analyze the problem, then seek solutions that specifically address it, ensuring the technology aligns with their actual needs and objectives. - Aurelien Mangano, DevelUpLeaders 11. Misrepresenting The 'Why' Misunderstanding or misrepresenting the 'why' is a big problem. I have seen too many leaders come into a new organization with the goal of automation, but they cannot effectively articulate why it is beneficial for these workflows and who it really serves. Automation needs to be marketed to the internal customer as well as the external. When communicated well, it's much more effective and easily adopted by the culture. - Kari Parker, Connections Focused Consulting 12. Undercommunicating In Change Management Automation requires change management. We have learned that the biggest mistake during a change management process is not enough communication. When you are planning an automation rollout, an internal communication plan needs to be prioritized and adhered to. Overcommunicating is never as much of a liability as undercommunicating. - Antonia Bowring, ABstrategies LLC 13. Failure To Rehumanize The Work A common mistake is failing to rehumanize the work in parallel. Efficiency becomes the goal, but at the cost of meaning. When companies implement automation to people rather than with them, they erode engagement. Co-designing automation with employees invites ownership, preserves purpose and affirms dignity—because progress without participation breeds resistance, not resilience. - Cheri Rainey, Rainey Leadership Learning 14. Neglecting To Prepare Leaders Too often, companies introduce a drive to automate without preparing their leaders or teams. Change isn't just technical; it's neurological. Using brain-based assessments can help organizations align automations, such as using AI, with leadership development, emotional resilience and real behavior change. When leaders are ready, automation becomes a catalyst, not a conflict. - Sahar Andrade, Sahar Consulting, LLC 15. Not Allowing For Different Learning Styles And Paces The biggest mistake companies can make when introducing automation into their workflows is embracing the idea that all leadership, staff pool and contract employees will learn and accept it at the same pace. People, in general, are creatively driven or brain-driven. A creatively structured explanation with examples, allowing the time necessary, is essential to workflow fluidity. - J.K. Dickinson, J.K. Dickinson & Associates 16. Not Understanding The Human Interactions Involved A big mistake companies make is automating processes without first deeply understanding the human interactions involved. Automation should amplify human potential, not replace meaningful connection. Companies succeed by first mapping human workflows, identifying emotional and relational touch points, and then thoughtfully integrating automation to enhance, not diminish, these interactions. - Rachel Weissman, Congruence 17. Not Creating A Clear Roadmap Automation without a clear roadmap, with the purpose of clarifying the desired outcomes you want from the automation, will only create chaos and magnify inefficiencies. Companies must first ask, 'What is the desired outcome of this automation?' and then create a simplified workflow that achieves this outcome. - Aaron Marcum, Breakaway365 18. Automating Without Analyzing The Workflow One big mistake companies make is automating without first analyzing, optimizing or rethinking the workflow. They risk locking in inefficiencies or outdated habits. A better approach: Step back, challenge assumptions, redesign for clarity and value, and then automate. Done right, automation becomes a tool for progress, not just speed. - Stephan Lendi, Newbury Media & Communications GmbH 19. Seeing Automation As A Mere Tech Upgrade Executives often delegate automation as a tech upgrade instead of leading it as a business transformation. The better approach: Tie automation to strategic outcomes, redefine value-creating roles and model the mindset shift from efficiency to evolution. Sponsor it by hosting cross-functional reviews that connect tech changes to tangible business and customer outcomes. - Mel Cidado, Breakthrough Coaching 20. Ignoring How Humans Work And Changing Expectations I lived this one! The automation was flawless. The problem ignored was that it changed how human beings got work done, so performance expectations changed. Implementation of automation isn't just about software design, but also behavioral change. People don't like to be told how to do a job they've been doing for years. - Ira Wolfe, Poised for the Future Company
Forbes
27-06-2025
- General
- Forbes
How To Not Dread Criticism: 20 Mindset Shifts To Welcome Feedback
Feedback can be a powerful driver of personal and professional growth—if you're willing to hear it. But for many leaders and professionals, the instinct to resist criticism runs deep, fueled by fear, ego or negative past experiences. Shifting that mindset means training yourself to view feedback not as a threat to your competence, but as a catalyst for growth and clarity. Here, 20 members of Forbes Coaches Council share practical ways to reframe one's relationship with feedback so that it becomes a valuable tool for improvement rather than a source of dread. 1. Focus On The Outcome You Want To welcome feedback, focus on the outcome you want. Openness doesn't mean all feedback is true; it means you're growth-minded and curious. Get clear about what you want and ask questions to turn feedback into actionable input, rather than a threat. Stay grounded by separating fact from opinion, then decide what's useful. That clarity enables you to lead yourself and others intentionally. - Jill D. Griffin, The Griffin Method 2. Turn Feedback Into A Gift When you feel triggered by feedback, take a breath and ask, 'What else can you say about that?' Get curious about your own response, and ask yourself, 'What part of me is resisting this?' and pause. Ask for time to process the feedback, then write three facts that you agree with and three that you disagree with to move from subjectivity to objectivity. - Nathalie Blais, Coach Academy 3. Acknowledge Your Defense Mechanism The first step is to acknowledge that the brain will respond defensively when one receives negative feedback. The second step is to recognize how feedback is associated with negativity rather than positivity. The key to a mindset that welcomes feedback is to extract a positive element from the negative feedback, allowing the brain's activity to shift from the amygdala to the frontal lobes. - Valerio Pascotto, IGEOS 4. Treat Criticism As Fuel For Growth Treat criticism as free R&D for your growth—when feedback stings, lean in harder. Swap ego alerts for curiosity by asking, 'What hidden gold am I missing?' Map every critique into actionable insights, journal your learnings and thank your critics in private. Embrace the discomfort; it's the intense forge that tempers true leaders into unstoppable innovators. - Patricia Burlaud, P. Burlaud Consulting, LLC Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify? 5. Produce Trust And Eliminate Fear See people as more than number managers and results drivers. Be a sense-maker and a gap closer for your people's success. Frame intentions as being grounded in support and service of professional success and personal fulfillment. Model feedback that grows people across skill levels, building experience and confidence. Feed that back to nourish growth! - Jay Steven Levin, WinThinking 6. Reframe Feedback As A Learning Tool Reframe feedback as fuel for growth, not failure. First, detach ego. Critique actions, not worth. Second, ask, 'What can I learn?' to spark curiosity over defensiveness. Third, seek input weekly to normalize it. Fourth, pause. Even harsh notes often aim to help, so focus on intent. Consistency rewires resistance into resilience. - Maryam Daryabegi, Innovation Bazar 7. Check If Your Impact Matches Your Intent Feedback is an opportunity to understand whether your actions are actually having the impact that you intend. I help clients see that their intentions are only fulfilled if their actions align with them. Critical feedback can help you understand if there is a disconnect, and it provides a point to reflect on what you might need to change in your actions to ensure you have the impact you truly want to have. - Katie Anderson, Katie Anderson Consulting 8. Treat Input As Data For Growth, Not Identity The shift happens when feedback stops being about identity and starts being about growth. I've seen the most resilient leaders treat input like data. They stay curious, not defensive. The key is decoupling worth from performance so feedback becomes fuel, not a threat. - Laurie Arron, Arron Coaching LLC 9. Shift From Self-Protection To Self-Expansion The key to a mindset that welcomes feedback is shifting from self-protection to self-expansion. When identity is rooted in growth, not perfection, feedback isn't a threat—it's insight. This mindset thrives on curiosity over control and sees critique as a portal to evolution, not a judgment of worth. - Deepa Vohra Bahl 10. Choose Learning Over Being Right To welcome feedback, shift from ego to growth. Ask, 'What can I learn here?' instead of, 'What did I do wrong?' Feedback isn't an attack—it's a mirror. Train yourself to crave truth over comfort. When growth becomes your identity, criticism stops being a threat; it becomes your greatest tool. - Robert Gauvreau, Gauvreau | Accounting Tax Law Advisory 11. Proactively Seek Feedback The key is to train yourself to ask for feedback before it comes uninvited. That flips the script: You stay in control, show readiness to grow and lower the fear factor. When it comes, listen without defending—just say 'thanks' first, then reflect later. This habit rewires your brain to view feedback as help, not harm. - Stephan Lendi, Newbury Media & Communications GmbH 12. Connect Feedback To Your 'Why' It starts with your 'why.' Why is it important to you to receive feedback? How will it accelerate your growth and align with your goals? When we connect our goal to our true inner motivation, we are more likely to develop the strong and resilient mindset necessary to overcome old patterns of behavior, such as not being open to feedback, accelerating our growth and sustaining new behaviors. - Gina Martin, Gina Martin Coaching & Consulting 13. Redefine What Feedback Means To You Get clear on your understanding and definition of what feedback means to you. Good feedback is great—we all enjoy receiving positive recognition! But truly, even 'bad' feedback or criticism is good. Why? The law of awareness states that we cannot change what we are unaware of; we can only change what we are aware of. If we never accept feedback as an opportunity to grow and evolve, we will always come to dread it. - Jenna D'Annunzio 14. Separate Your Self-Worth From Feedback The key is learning to separate your self-worth from the feedback. When you stop taking criticism personally and start seeing it as insight, not an insult, it shifts everything. Feedback becomes less about judgment and more about growth. It's not about proving yourself; it's about growing and improving yourself. That mindset makes all the difference. - Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC 15. Prioritize Progress Over Perfection Welcome feedback by shifting your identity from being right to being a refined learner. Detach your ego and see criticism as data, not a verdict. When you treat each insight as a growth opportunity rather than a personal attack, feedback becomes a tool for mastery. The most powerful mindset? Progress over perfection—always. - Yasir Hashmi, The Hashmi Group 16. Ask Yourself What You Can Discover Set your energetic intention before or while receiving feedback. Ask yourself, 'Do I want to defend or discover?' and, 'What can I learn from this moment?' Then, to lean into welcoming feedback, ask yourself, 'If 5% of this feedback is true, what would I do differently?' These subtle reframes can start to lower defensiveness and invite growth. - Mel Cidado, Breakthrough Coaching 17. See Feedback As A Reflection Of Others The key is realizing that feedback reveals more about the giver than it does about you. It reflects what they look for, value or experience, not who you are. Seeing feedback as insight into others rather than as judgment of yourself makes it easier to welcome and use productively. - Kelly Stine, The Leading Light Coach 18. Practice Curiosity Over Personalization Approaching feedback from a place of observation and curiosity, rather than taking it personally, is critical. These are growth opportunities, not punishments, and that can be a hard thing to learn. Practicing having an open mind and reflecting on the feedback you're given can help build this muscle. - Elizabeth Hamilton, EA Hamilton Consulting 19. Think Of Feedback As Another Point Of View Think of feedback as seeing yourself from another perspective. We all see the world, and each other, differently. Sometimes, a person's feedback won't fully resonate because they only see a fraction of what is going on. This doesn't mean that the feedback isn't worth considering. My feedback motto is: Take what is valuable, leave what isn't. - Megan Malone, Truity 20. Stop Treating Feedback Like A Personality Test The trick is to stop treating feedback like a personality test you're failing. Real growth starts when you see criticism as intel, not insult. It's not about who you are; it's about what you can be. The best leaders don't flinch at feedback—they mine it for gold. Sure, it stings sometimes. So does the gym. That's how you build muscle. - Anastasia Paruntseva, Visionary Partners Ltd.
