Most training fills heads with information — models, theories, techniques — but workplace performance isn’t about what people know. It’s about how they think, respond and persist when things get tough. Photo: File.
While many large organisations lay out fortunes on training programs for their workers, Paul Lyons says the one-size-fits-all approach often renders them ineffective.
Each year, organisations collectively spend billions on workplace training. However, many of these programs deliver disappointing results.
Staff attend workshops, complete courses, then return to their desks unchanged. The investment vanishes like the morning mist.
Why does this happen so often? More importantly, how can we fix it?
I believe there are three fatal flaws that result in many training programs failing to produce the expected results.
We train without knowing what needs fixing: Imagine a doctor prescribing medicine without examining the patient. That’s exactly what happens when we send entire teams to generic leadership or resilience training.
We assume everyone needs the same development, at the same level, delivered the same way.
We focus on knowledge instead of mindset: Most training fills heads with information — models, theories, techniques — but workplace performance isn’t about what people know.
It’s about how they think, respond and persist when things get tough. You can’t lecture someone into being more confident or determined.
We never measure what matters: We count attendance, gather happy sheets, and potentially test recall, but we rarely measure whether people actually changed.
Did they become more resilient? More confident under pressure? More willing to embrace challenges?
Without proper measurement, we’re flying blind.
This is where mental toughness assessment transforms everything. By measuring the four crucial mindsets — control, commitment, challenge and confidence — we finally see what’s really happening inside people’s heads.
MTQ Plus is a mental toughness questionnaire that measures resilience and the ability to cope with pressure and change — it gives us precision where previously we’ve had guesswork.
Before any training begins, it reveals exactly where each person stands. Who struggles with self-confidence but thrives on challenges? Who has iron determination but crumbles under pressure? Who needs help with emotional control versus who needs to build commitment?
This changes the game. Now we can design training that targets real needs, not imagined ones. We can group people with similar development areas. We can skip teaching fish to climb trees and focus on helping them swim better.
However, measurement’s real power comes after training ends. When we reassess mental toughness months later, we see the truth.
Did the program create lasting change? Which approaches worked? Which didn’t? Where do people need more support?
This isn’t about judging people or creating league tables. It’s about understanding human development properly.
Some people transform quickly. Others need time and practice. Some respond to group work, others to coaching. Without measurement, we’d never know.
Organisations using MTQ Plus report remarkable shifts, not just in training effectiveness but in everyday performance.
People handle pressure better. They bounce back faster from setbacks. They approach change as an opportunity, not a threat.
The aim is to stop wasting money on one-size-fits-all programs by investing precisely where it counts. People get what they actually need, and the impact can be measured and proven.
The era of faith-based training is ending. Human resource professionals and practitioners require evidence, not promises. They want to see development, not just activity.
They need tools that reveal what’s really happening, not just what people say is happening.
Mental toughness measurement through MTQ Plus provides that clarity. It turns training from expensive hope into targeted investment. It replaces guesswork with insight.
Most importantly, it helps people genuinely develop the mindsets that drive performance.
In a world where resilience, adaptability and confidence separate winners from strugglers, understanding and developing mental toughness isn’t optional — it’s essential.
Paul Lyons is an experienced business leader, adviser and coach enjoying a diverse career across Australia and Asia. He can be contacted at [email protected]. This article first appeared on the Mental Toughness blogsite.
