Key Takeaways
- Managers don't need to be instructional designers to create effective training—they just need to focus on actionable outcomes
- Start with what people need to be able to DO, not what they need to KNOW
- Choose the simplest format that works: a document, a video, or a live session
- Check understanding through questions and demonstrations—don't assume explaining equals learning
Your team needs training on something. Maybe it's a new process. Maybe it's a tool you've rolled out. Maybe it's knowledge that keeps living in your head instead of being shared.
You could submit a request to L&D and wait weeks or months for them to build something. Or you could create it yourself.
That second option feels daunting if you've never done it. Training seems like something that requires specialized skills—instructional design, authoring tools, and learning theory. The kind of thing professionals do, not managers.
But here's the thing: you know your content better than anyone. You know what your team needs to learn. You know how they'll use it. What you need isn't a degree in instructional design. You need a simple approach that gets the job done.
Start with What They Need to Be Able to Do
Don't start by writing content. Start by answering one question: after this training, what should people be able to do that they couldn't do before?
Not what they should know. What they should be able to do.
"Understand the new expense process" is too vague. "Submit an expense report correctly using the new system" is actionable.
"Learn about customer objections" is too vague. "Respond effectively to the three most common customer objections" is actionable.
This becomes your target. Everything in your training should serve this goal. Anything that doesn't help them do the thing can probably be cut.
Figure Out What's Actually Essential
You know a lot about your subject. The temptation is to share all of it. Don't.
People can only absorb so much at once. If you throw everything at them, they'll remember nothing. If you focus on what's essential, they'll remember what matters.
Ask yourself:
- What must they know to do the thing? (Essential—include this.)
- What would be nice for them to know? (Secondary—maybe include, maybe save for later.)
- What's interesting background? (Cut it. Save it for a follow-up or a reference document.)
Choose the Simplest Format That Works
Training doesn't have to be elaborate. The right format depends on what you're teaching. Understanding when to use microlearning versus traditional training can help you make this decision.
A document or guide works for processes and reference information. Step-by-step instructions. Policies with examples.
A short video works when showing is better than telling. Screen recordings for software. Demonstrations of physical tasks.
A live session works when interaction matters. Complex topics with lots of questions. Skills that require practice and feedback.
A quiz or assessment works when you need to verify understanding. Compliance topics. Anything where getting it wrong has consequences. AI-powered tools can help you create all of these formats quickly.
Function Over Form: You don't need a fancy e-learning module with animations and interactions. You need something that effectively transfers knowledge to your team. Often, the simplest approach—a recorded screen share or a one-page PDF—is the best one because it's easy to create and easy to consume.
Structure Content in a Logical Flow
Even simple training benefits from structure.
- Context: Why does this matter? What problem does it solve?
- Logical Order: Chronological for processes. Simple to complex for concepts.
- Summary: Recap what was covered. Repetition aids memory.
For a ten-minute training, this might be: 1 minute on why, 7 minutes on the content, 2 minutes on recap. Simple.
Use Examples. A Lot of Examples.
Abstract concepts are hard to learn. Concrete examples are easy.
If you're teaching a policy, show how it applies in a specific situation. "Here's what this looks like when a customer asks for a refund." If you're teaching a skill, demonstrate it. "Watch how I handle this objection."
Examples make abstract things tangible. When in doubt, add more examples.
Check Understanding, Don't Assume It
The biggest mistake managers make when training their teams is assuming that explaining equals understanding. It doesn't. Learn more about measuring training effectiveness beyond completion rates.
After covering something important, check whether it landed.
- Ask questions. "What would you do if a customer asked for X?"
- Have them demonstrate. "Show me how you'd do this in the system."
- Use a quiz. For larger groups, a few questions at the end confirm whether they got it.
If people can answer questions and demonstrate the skills, you've succeeded. If they can't, the training didn't work—which is useful information. Better to discover that now than when they're doing the job for real.
Make It Available Afterward
Training is a moment in time. People will forget. They'll have questions later.
Whatever you create, make it accessible after the training. If you did a live session, record it or create a summary document. If you made a video, put it somewhere people can find it. Tell people where to find it. Knowing help is available reduces anxiety and encourages people to actually use what they learned. Consider using on-demand knowledge tools so team members can find answers when they need them.
You don't need to be an instructional designer to create effective training for your team. You need to know your content, focus on what matters, use examples, and verify understanding. The best training isn't necessarily the most polished. It's training that actually helps people do their jobs better. See how L&D teams are using AI to enable exactly this kind of self-service content creation.
JoySuite makes this even easier. Turn your documents into training. Generate quizzes automatically. Verify that your team actually learned. Training that takes minutes to create and actually works.
