Stop Training Solo: How Group Learning Accelerates Adoption

Hopefully, you enjoy your own company. It’s nice to do things solo sometimes, isn’t it?  

Some things can even become a solo adventure! You can start small and build up. And some things lend themselves directly toward spending time on your own. Things like reading (very solo), going to a movie (a step up on the solo ladder), or going to dinner (are you uncomfortable? Lots of people are with this one). 

One thing that isn’t a solo activity? 

Microsoft training. Most training is treated like one of those solo adventures. There is a good chance that the person on this journey didn’t even choose this adventure, either. They may be assigned, they may be the most senior team member, or they attend by some other random default that has nothing to do with interest or accumen.  

Hm.  

Sounds kinda rough. Take notes and report it back to the team. You absorb the knowledge and then deliver it to them. They’ll get it when you share it! 

The problem is, that’s not how adoption happens.  

Real change and real learning happens when teams learn together. 

So, what’s the problem with going solo? 

Great question. There are a few glaring challenges with one person trying to ‘learn it all’.  

Not everyone is the best communicator (shocking, I know. But we’ve all watched enough reality tv to know this is true). When one person is tasked with delivering this knowledge, it could get.... messy. Unclear. Key details missed. Elements that might benefit a department outside of the only one that got trained might miss out on some impactful applications, you know? 

Which brings me to the next challenge. Without shared context, it’s hard to figure out how to apply all the skills demonstrated.  

And yes, at this stage the skills are merely demonstrated, not really learned. Without the ability to get their hands dirty on the keyboard, it’s hard for the skills to really take hold. In theory, they might make perfect sense, but when put into practice, obstacles surface.  

Teams have different needs and adoption becomes inconsistent. The users in the single learner’s department have the best chance of adoption, but that’s really still just a chance. 

Is that what you want for your organization? 
 
A ‘chance’ at using the platform to its full potential? Probably not. 

Group training = a better way 

It involves one of my favorite words: collaboration. 

Learners are witnessing the questions and challenges of one another, making their own connections to their applications. They might hear a problem and solution that they’ll encounter later, and it may not have been uncovered on a solo learner’s first pass. 

Shared context is huge: same tools learned at the same time for the same goals. Boom. 

More interaction drives better retention. The learners aren’t passive observers; they are actively engaged, bringing their big brains and creative solutions to the party. They walk away actually retaining information that they participate in. What a concept, huh? 

What does this mean for our organization? 

It means that when group training is deployed, we have consistent workflows, collaborative teamwork, faster adoption of tools (like Copilot), and stronger ROI from every session.  

You’ll find that your team will actually be ready for advanced training quicker. They’ll master the basics quickly and get excited to level up together.  

At Excel and Flourish, we know that group training works. We see it every single session. Not only does the material stick, but the team that trains together also enjoys that shared experience and has a common bond outside of their daily work. It’s a great way to get to know more about one another and celebrate departmental success when the training produces the results we know it can. 

The best training, in our humble opinion, is made up of groups that are given relevant, real world scenarios. They have a safe space to ask questions and get curious. They show up regularly to reinforce their training, tackle new questions that arise, and share the wins.  

Save the solo adventures for the movie theater or going to sushi. I love spending solo time as much as the next person, but not when it comes to my tech training.