Where most trainings fall short - and why the “how” matters most
In my constant search for ways to simplify reality, I’ve started to notice a pattern - especially when it comes to training sessions. Whether it’s about project management, negotiation skills, or handling organizational change, most trainings tend to follow a predictable structure. They focus on what something is and why it matters, but they often fall short when it comes to the how. And that, in my opinion, is where the real value lies.
A typical training session will start with the why. Why should we care about project management? Why is change management important? Why do strong negotiation skills matter? This part of the training is usually designed to get us on board, to convince us that the topic at hand is relevant to our work and worth paying attention to. Fair enough.
Some trainings go one step further and cover the what. What is project management, exactly? What are the key frameworks? What does change management involve? What practices and methodologies are available? This is useful information, sure - but it’s still just an overview. Most trainings stop here, at the level of broad concepts and theoretical knowledge.
But then comes the part that’s often missing - the how. And this is where things get interesting.
How do I actually monitor the progress of a project phase? What specific steps do I take to update project timelines? How do I document stakeholder concerns in a way that’s actionable? How do I ensure my team stays consistent and motivated? How do I handle project deliverables, not just in theory, but in the messy, unpredictable reality of day-to-day work? Even something as simple as how do I celebrate a win with my team? - these are the questions that make the difference between knowledge and real expertise.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Where you can see who truly knows their craft. And unfortunately, it’s also the hardest knowledge to find.
The people who really know how to do things - the practitioners, the ones who live and breathe their work - aren’t always the ones leading trainings. They’re too busy doing to stop and explain. And when they do share their insights, it’s often in passing, in offhand comments during meetings, in war stories over coffee, or in the rare moments when you get to work alongside them.
That’s what makes learning the how so valuable - and so difficult. It requires direct access to people who are actually doing the work, not just talking about it. It means finding mentors, shadowing experts, and paying close attention to the tiny details that separate theoretical understanding from practical mastery.
So next time you’re in a training session, ask yourself: Is this just giving me the why and the what, or is it actually teaching me the how? Because at the end of the day, knowing why something is important is useful. Understanding what it is can be interesting. But learning how to actually do it? That’s where the real learning begins.