How to Select an Executive Coach

Why Most Experts Struggle to Train Others

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In many organisations, the people who know the work best are asked to train others. 

Engineers train junior engineers.

Managers guide new staff.

Technical specialists explain systems to colleagues.

But there is one problem.

Most experts have never been trained to train.

Knowing how to do the work and knowing how to teach someone else to do the work are two very different skills.

Without a structured approach, training often becomes informal conversations about past experience rather than a deliberate process that builds competence.

One of the most practical approaches to solving this challenge is Criterion-Referenced Instruction.

A Proven Method for Training and Coaching

Criterion-Referenced Instruction was developed by Robert F. Mager and Peter Pipe,

during the previous century as a systematic way to design effective training. during the previous century as a systematic way to design effective training.

The core idea is simple but powerful:

Training should be based on **clear performance criteria** that describe what learners must be able to do by the end of the learning process.

Instead of vague objectives such as understanding the process, CRI focuses on **observable performance. Learners must demonstrate that they can perform a task according to defined standards.

This approach shifts training from information transfer to competence development.

A Structured Process for Training Design

Criterion-Referenced Instruction provides a practical framework that helps trainers and subject matter experts move through three essential steps:

1. Analyse What Must Be Learned

The first step is to analyse the knowledge and skills required to perform a task successfully.

Experts often perform complex tasks almost automatically, but CRI requires them to break down their expertise into teachable components.

This analysis clarifies:

• What learners must know

• What they must be able to do

• The conditions under which performance occurs

• The standards required for acceptable performance

This process ensures that training focuses on real workplace competence rather than abstract theory.

2. Design Learning Material

Once the required performance has been defined, the next step is to design training materials that enable learners to reach those performance criteria.

A central tool in CRI is the performance objective.

A well-designed performance objective typically specifies:

• The behaviour the learner must demonstrate

• The conditions under which the behaviour occurs

• The standard of performance required

Because the objectives are clear and measurable, the training design is intentional rather than accidental.

The trainer knows exactly what the learning activities must achieve.

3. Implement the Training

After the analysis and design stages, the trainer delivers the training and guides learners through structured learning activities.

In this phase, the trainer does more than present information. They:

• Facilitate practice

• Provide feedback

• Observe learner performance

• Coach learners toward competence

This makes CRI a hands-on learning approach, particularly suitable for technical and professional disciplines where real performance matters.

Assessment is Central to the Process

An important component of Criterion-Referenced Instruction is assessment.

Assessment in CRI is not merely an examination at the end of a course. Instead, it is a deliberate method for determining whether learners can meet the required criteria.

Good assessment answers questions such as:

• Can the learner perform the task independently?

• Can they perform it under realistic conditions?

• Does their performance meet the required standard?

This makes CRI particularly valuable in professional environments where competence and accountability are essential.

 

Relevance for Continuous Professional Development

Criterion-Referenced Instruction fits naturally within a Continuing Professional Development (CPD framework.)

CPD is not only about acquiring knowledge. It is about maintaining and expanding professional capability over time.

CRI supports this by enabling organisations to:

• Identify the competencies professionals must develop

• Design structured learning programmes

• Assess real performance in the workplace

• Coach learners toward higher levels of mastery

It also encourages experienced professionals to become intentional trainers and workplace coaches, rather than relying on informal explanations.

Why Experience Alone Is Not Enough

Many experts assume that sharing stories and discussing past experiences will be sufficient when training newcomers.

Unfortunately, this approach often leaves learners confused or overwhelmed.

Experience is valuable, but experience without structure rarely produces consistent learning outcomes.

In fact, it is surprisingly easy for even highly experienced professionals to undermine their credibility if they attempt to train others without a clear training method.

Criterion-Referenced Instruction prevents this problem by giving trainers a structured way to translate expertise into learning.

From Expert to Trainer and Coach

For professionals who are responsible for developing others, learning how to apply Criterion-Referenced Instruction can be a transformative step.

It helps experts move from simply doing the work to developing the capability of others.

When combined with coaching, CRI allows experienced professionals to guide learners through a process of:

• Structured learning

• Practice and feedback

• Gradual mastery of professional skills

This approach strengthens both the learner and the organisation.

 

Becoming Competent in Training and Coaching

Like any professional skill, Criterion-Referenced Instruction requires proper training to master.

While the principles are straightforward, applying them effectively requires practice and guidance.

Attending a well-designed course can take professionals from the foundational principles of training design to practical mastery.

This ensures that training programmes are not left to chance and that learners develop the competencies they need to succeed.

A Final Thought

If you are an experienced professional responsible for training or mentoring others, consider this simple question:

Are you relying on experience alone, or are you using a structured method that ensures learning actually takes place?

Doing yourself—and your learners—a favour means becoming competent not only in your profession, but also in the art and discipline of developing others.

Criterion-Referenced Instruction offers a powerful way to do exactly that.

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