Emma Weber - Turning Learning into Action: A Proven Methodology for Effective Transfer of Learning

Emma Weber is the founder of Lever Learning and developer of the Turning Learning into Action methodology.

Born in England, now carrying an Australian passport, in 2002 Emma left a successful corporate career in London to start her own business in Australia, following her passion for coaching and learning.

Emmas firm belief, and the platform on which she has built her successful global business, is that the key aim of learning in the workplace is to create tangible business benefits. She established Lever Learning to help organizations and their employees convert learning to effective action back on the job.

Under her guidance Lever Learning now delivers Turning Learning into Action programmes throughout 16 countries and in 11 languages.

A recognized authority on the transfer of learning, Emma has been a guest speaker on learning effectiveness at conferences in Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

Fostering entrepreneurship is Emmas other keen interest and for the last three years she has co-facilitated training at the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is also an active supporter of Club Kidpreneur, a foundation that helps children unlock their passion and potential for business.

In her spare time Emma salsas, sings and enjoys the beautiful Sydney coastline. In 2013 she cycled 800km (500 miles) across regional Thailand, raising funds for Hands Across the Water, Australias fastest growing charity.

Contact Emma on emma@leverlearning.com

• F ollow Emmas blog at http://leverlearning.com/blog/
• C onnect on LinkedIn at au.linkedin.com/in/emmaweber/
• F ollow on Twitter https://twitter.com/emmaweber
• W atch on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/user/EmmaWeber1

L ike all books, this one was not a solo effort.

First, my thanks to the amazing Karen McCreadie without whose help this book would not have got past 26,000 words. Karen you have kept this project on track and moving forward. Thanks for your skill, talent and persistence. A word architect to be recommended. Thanks also to Jack and Patti Phillips from the ROI Institute who have allowed me to reference their evaluation work and research. You are true inspirations in the Learning and Development field.

The book has also been developed with the unknown help of many hundreds of participants who have attended training and then worked one-on-one either with my team or myself. You have helped us identify the patterns that occur back in the workplace that create the learning transfer dilemma and more importantly, allowed us to shape the methodology that solves that dilemma as quickly and effectively as possible. Thank you.

A huge thank you to my team for their unwavering support and enthusiasm for all things learning transfer! Thanks for trusting the process and doing outstanding work day after day with such expertise, grace and care. Thank you for supporting people to grow through learning, and helping them to deliver business results in the process. Maree McKeown, Alison Williams, Theresa Hackett, Deb King, Hilary Chatterton, Phenella Lill, Pam Solberg-Tapper, Anna Marshall, Cindy Biggs, Florence Divet, Gulruh Turhan, Jennifer Arnold-Levy, Esther Goette, Sogut Zengingonul, Halka Balackova, Coen Hamming, Ivana Klepaczova , Sheryl Pope, Keke Quei you know you all ROCK!

A special mention to the back office geniuses of Madhura Bhagwat, who keeps the Lever Learning machine running smoothly and Juliet Hammond our evaluation specialist, both of whom enable me to do the work I love. Thanks for being such legends.

Going back to the very beginning, thank you to David Williams and James Harper, formerly of BMW Australia, who gave me my first big corporate break after I had left the world of the employee and travelled 17,000 km to start my own business. Your belief and trust in me and my process started this ball rolling.

This work wouldnt have been taken to the world without the belief and enthusiasm of our partners Stuart and Renata at Diversity Consulting, Jeremy at Blue Sky Development, Kevin, John , Paul and Ros at JBA Design thank you for choosing to partner with us and having our methodology support your great work. Teamwork gets the results. A special thank you to our strategic partner LIW, specifically Pia, Dan. Dan, Charlie, Rob, Sue, Alan, Sharon, Mark, Kerry and Mel who have taken us global to countries I never dreamed would demand my learning transfer methodology! You have my deepest respect and gratitude for letting us do great work with your clients.

Lever Learning is the vehicle that allows me to take my learning transfer work to the widest audience possible. It thrives under the guidance of an amazing team of mentors Jenni Smith, David Powell, Peter Finlayson and Cimone-Louise Fung. Heartfelt thanks. A special thank you must go to mentor extraordinaire Creel Price, whose entrepreneurial genius keeps us growing from strength to strength.

Thanks sincerely to my friends who have supported me through my book journey and my business journey. I feel incredibly blessed to have the best people in my life.

To my wonderful family Mum, Helen, Phil, Charlie and the gorgeous James and Thomas thank you for your love, support and trust as I live on the other side of the world following my dream.

And finally, to you the reader, thanks for not only picking up this book but for being inspired to read it. Thank you for allowing me the flexibility to start my sentences with and, sharing my passion with you along the way!

My hope is that you will take this book and turn your learning into action and join with me in allowing Learning Transfer to make a real difference in our workplaces.

Enjoy Turning Learning into Action and let me know how you go.

Emma
15 November 2013
emma@leverlearning.com

Context: in this sample the participant wanted to tick the box and talk through how he knew how to build trust, but he had clearly identified it as being difficult. The TLA facilitator needs to find out which bit is difficult and where they can add the most value.