Put hundreds of banking industry training leaders in a room and watch what happens. That’s exactly what our Director of Business Development Erica McNulty discovered at this year’s Bank Trainers Conference in St. Louis after countless discussions with Training and HR Managers from banks and credit unions across the country.
Their message rang loud and clear: traditional training methods have hit their limit, and they want real solutions that work in today’s world. Through all these conversations, one solution kept coming up: Learning in the Flow of Work (LIFOW).
The Reality of Modern Banking Training
The banking world has changed dramatically, and so have the demands on its people. Gone are the days when training meant scheduling a few compliance sessions and calling it done. Today’s financial institutions face a complex tangle of challenges requiring a completely new learning and development approach.
The Many Hats of the Modern Banking Professional
Banking professionals these days must master a growing range of skills and wear several different hats. On Monday morning, they might roll out new regulatory compliance training to meet the latest federal guidelines. By afternoon, they might be coaching relationship managers on sophisticated negotiation techniques for high-stakes client meetings. Tuesday could bring the challenge of onboarding new hires while simultaneously updating the institution’s digital transformation training to keep pace with rapid tech changes. And so on and so forth.
The scope is staggering. These professionals must make sure that every employee understands the nuances of risk management and financial regulations – areas where even small mistakes can have serious consequences. They’re responsible for building customer service excellence across every branch and digital channel. Leadership development programs need constant updating to reflect new management challenges in hybrid work environments. Meanwhile, they’re juggling the demands of ongoing sales training, teaching relationship building in a digital-first world, and keeping the team current on a rapidly expanding suite of financial products and services.
Why Learning in the Flow of Work Matters Now
Mark Coomes, Chief People Officer at Colibri, shared a powerful insight during his packed session at the conference: learning needs to happen where the work happens. Picture a banker learning negotiation skills while preparing for an actual client meeting or mastering new compliance regulations while reviewing authentic cases. This approach drives real impact. When training blends seamlessly into daily tasks, it becomes a practical tool that delivers measurable results.
LIFOW: The Essentials
At first glance, LIFOW might sound like another trendy acronym. However, as Mark Coomes demonstrated, it represents a fundamental change in the approach towards professional development in banking. The main reason is that it recognizes a simple truth: learning happens most naturally when connected to real work challenges.
The Two Rhythms of Learning
Learning in banking follows two distinct but complementary rhythms.
First, there’s traditional macro-learning—think intensive training sessions, certification programs, and structured courses—which builds foundational knowledge. It’s the deep dive that prepares teams for major transitions like promotions or new role responsibilities.
Second, and where, arguably, the magic happens, is micro-learning. These are the quick problem-solving sessions when a relationship manager pulls up a helpful video before a tough client negotiation or when a loan officer consults a quick reference guide while working through a complex application. Josh Bersin’s research reveals something fascinating: employees who regularly engage with these bite-sized learning moments actually seek out more in-depth training opportunities. They develop an appetite for learning that grows stronger with each successful application.
When Learning Becomes Second Nature
LIFOW’s real power shows up in daily operations. Picture this: A branch manager notices a team member struggling with a complicated customer interaction. Instead of scheduling a future training session, they can immediately share relevant tips or guidelines. The employee applies this knowledge on the spot, turning a challenging situation into a learning opportunity.
Such immediate application can completely transform the training experience. Banking professionals report feeling more confident in their decisions when they can access guidance at the moment of need. Armed with fresh knowledge they can apply immediately, they solve problems more creatively. Most importantly, they experience less stress because they know support is always at their fingertips, not locked away in a future training session.
How Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI) Aligns with LIFOW
At Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI), we build our programs to fit seamlessly into the LIFOW framework around three proven principles: Customization, Engagement, and Reinforcement. Here’s how:
- Making It Relevant to You: We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all training. Instead, we take the time to understand your organization’s unique challenges and build our program around them. That means you can take what you learn and use it right away – whether you’re negotiating with a vendor later that day or handling a tough client conversation next week.
- Building Skills That Last: Have you ever been to a training where you forget everything a week later? We prevent that by giving you practical tools you can actually use, like straightforward checklists and templates that guide you through real negotiations. Think of them as your personal negotiation playbook that you can turn to whenever you need a refresher.
Help When You Need It: Sometimes you need quick advice right before an important meeting. That’s why we’ve created easy-to-use digital tools and guides you can access anytime, anywhere. It’s like having a negotiation coach in your pocket, ready to help at a moment’s notice.
Final Words: Making Financial Learning Work
Financial training needs a shake-up, and the Bank Trainers Conference has only confirmed this fact. Those days of marathon training sessions and thick binders gathering dust? They’re behind us. Today’s high-performing teams learn best when they’re tackling real challenges, not sitting through PowerPoints.
That’s why partnering with the right people matters so much. At SNI, we see it firsthand: When teams can grab exactly what they need to handle a tough client meeting or close a complex deal, they don’t just learn—they deliver—no fluff, no theoretical frameworks, just practical tools that work in the heat of the moment.
Think of it as upgrading from a clunky training manual to having a skilled mentor in your pocket. When learning fits naturally into your team’s workflow, you build stronger capabilities and better results—simple as that.
