Apprenticeship gets a makeover - The McKinsey Podcast Recap

Podcast: The McKinsey Podcast

Published: 2022-07-28

Duration: 2008

Guests: Lisa Christensen, Tony Gambell, Rob Poulter

What Happened

Lisa Christensen and Tony Gambell explain how modern apprenticeship is transforming organizations by creating a teacher-learner dynamic within the workflow. Unlike mentorship, which focuses on guidance, apprenticeship is centered on skill transfer from an expert to a novice, employing techniques such as modeling, scaffolding, coaching, and fading.

Scaffolding plays a crucial role in apprenticeship by establishing support structures like templates or guidelines to aid learners in task execution. This non-hierarchical approach allows anyone with knowledge to impart skills, emphasizing accessibility and the integration of experts into learning ecosystems over generational differences.

Intentionality is key in successful apprenticeship programs, as demonstrated by a pilot program where deliberate apprenticeship efforts improved relational dynamics for 80% of participants. The effectiveness is gauged by the learner's adoption of a new mental model rather than just output changes.

Cognitive apprenticeship requires experts to articulate their thought processes, making invisible insights visible. Experts often find this challenging, highlighting the importance of sharing knowledge to build institutional expertise.

Remote work presents challenges for traditional apprenticeship due to the loss of informal collision moments. Organizations must create intentional learning opportunities by involving team members in meetings and collaborative tasks, ensuring exposure and practice.

Enthusiasm is as valuable as experience in apprenticeship programs. Organizations are encouraged to teach skills to eager learners while avoiding the 'mini me' bias, which can hinder diverse perspectives that enhance learning and problem-solving.

Rob Poulter shares a formative career experience in the My Rookie Moments series, where he stood by a team's analysis against a client's bad idea. Despite the risk of losing a client and not being paid, Rob's team maintained their professional integrity, ultimately preserving McKinsey's commitment to objectivity.

The client proceeded with the acquisition against McKinsey's advice, resulting in a failed transaction and the end of the CEO's career. While McKinsey lost the client, they upheld their obligation to provide independent and objective analysis.

Key Insights

• Apprenticeship is a non-hierarchical learning approach that emphasizes skill transfer within the workflow, using techniques like modeling and scaffolding to facilitate learning.
• Intentional apprenticeship efforts can significantly improve relationships within organizations, as shown by a pilot program where 80% of participants experienced better dynamics.
• Remote work necessitates the creation of intentional learning opportunities, as traditional apprenticeship relies on informal interactions that are less frequent in virtual settings.
• Rob Poulter's experience illustrates the importance of maintaining professional integrity and objectivity, even when facing potential financial and client relationship risks.