How Training and Developing skills are different?

Training and Developing skills are related yet very different. Training is done more for professional growth and performance improvement. Whereas developing skills is inclusive of personal and professional growth. Comparison below gives us a better understanding of these two. 

Trainings are time bound and structured learning pattern. They are planned and sometimes repetitive and typically conducted in a formal setting. Of course now a days we have multiple forms of training and are named the way they are delivered. Like offline, online, classroom, workshop, outbound etc. Trainings are mostly guided by an instructor online or offline. Also, sometimes they are curriculum based in an academic centric society. Depending on the industry there can be multiple training topics. Broadly they are categorised into technical and non-technical trainings. And, no business can sustain without these in the long-run.

Developing Skill is broader and a more of a continuous process that involves not only training but also practical experience, continuous learning, and personal effort to enhance one's capabilities. Developing a skill often requires time, practice, reflection, and adaptation to new challenges. It's more about the long-term mastery and refinement of an ability rather than just learning it for the first time.

Like taking a 3 hours session on communication or leadership will not develop these skills instantly. One has to form a habit of following it on regular basis and further develop it. It requires lots of self initiative and input for continuous development.  Similarly, a training on 'Problem solving' can just give a conceptual understanding. To develop problem solving mind, attitude and skills needs time.

Certain Major Differences in Training & Developing Skills are:

• Scope: Training is often a component of skill development, but skill development goes beyond the initial training to include practice, experience, and continuous improvement.
• Timeframe: Training is usually short-term and focused, whereas developing a skill is a long-term process.
• Approach: Training is structured and often instructor-led, while skill development can be self-directed and more experiential.

Few Examples:

• We all know that a trained cook can prepare dishes with great skill. However, after a break of two years, their cooking speed and style may not be the same. To regain their previous efficiency and flavor, they need to refresh their training and practice regularly to work at the same speed and deliver the same taste as before the break.      
• Similarly, a swimmer who takes a break will need to retrain their body to regain their previous speed and stamina. This is what we refer to as training.
• A pianist who has been away from their instrument for some time will need to practice again to regain their dexterity and precision.
• An athlete (runner) who hasn't been trained for months will require conditioning to rebuild their endurance and strength.
• A software developer / programmer returning to work after a gap might need to revisit the latest coding practices and tools to get back up to speed.

In contrast, skill development is an ongoing, continuous process of growth and discovery. The nature of the development process is similar to evolution; it’s gradual, and each step forward builds on the last. Once in development mode, new skills and insights are continually added, leading to long-term improvement and adaptation.

• An artist who continuously experiments with new techniques and mediums to evolve their style over time.
• An Entrepreneur business owner who learns from every venture, success, and failure, continually refining their strategies and approach.
• An academician (trainer or teacher) who regularly updates their methods and knowledge, incorporating new research and technologies to enhance their teaching.

Conclusion:

While training can help kickstart the development of a skill, true mastery comes from a sustained effort to apply, refine, and expand that skill over time. For example, a manager might attend a leadership training program (training), but becoming an effective leader requires ongoing practice, feedback, and learning from real-life experiences (skill development).

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