Blended learning helping improve outcomes from major business events

Learning model helps leaders build sustainable businesses

To get ahead in business requires, amongst other things, a clear focus on skills and connections.

Business leaders cannot hope to succeed in the long term without continuously learning and building on new relationships.

Investing time and money to attend sector conferences, events and meetings remains an essential part of both learning and networking, and with the advent of the digital age business leaders are benefiting from much higher return on their investment.

Thanks to new technology, it is possible to attend a conference, join sessions and workshops and even meet other delegates, without actually leaving the office.

Virtual delegates at large conventions can dispense with time consuming commutes, expensive overnights and instead enjoy more targeted data driven networking and access to the learning elements of the event long after it has passed.

Similarly with training events, or regular business meetings.

Why take time out to catch the red eye flight to attend an event when you can dial in, participate in real time and download the training materials or notes after.

When it comes to upskilling, never has so much information been so accessible.

The difficulty is cutting through the noise to find material with the power to transform performance, people or processes to benefit a business.

That’s why a blended approach to learning and networking that underpins successful business leader development programmes should be adopted by everyone aiming to grow a sustainable business.

Having knowledge without connections to share it with is as useful as having connections without any knowledge or skills to share. We are human after all.

Our Business Leader’s Group is an example of how blended learning works.

The group, which is part of a global network, meets face to face four times a year for a mixture of networking and coaching aimed at upskilling members to assist them in meeting the business challenges they face.

Of equal, if not greater, importance is the best practice tools and processes, resources and training materials to provide tailored business solutions in areas such as growth, profit, leadership, strategy and implementation that can be accessed 24/7.

Face to face encounters help to build lasting relationships.

In-between the quarterly get together members of the group can access learning materials at any time to top up knowledge.

If a business presentation is looming, it is possible to revisit a session on self-confidence or download a problem solving tool to refresh the approach ahead of the event.

Our group also allows members to tap into the expertise of hundreds of business leaders and advisors around the world.

Successful leaders use the tools and channels available to them to develop their businesses.

Conferences and business events have not been killed off by advancements in technology.

On the contrary, because they can now deliver greater value for participants they are set to go from strength to strength.