Filmmakers use montage segments in films to speed through the repetitive work that people do to prepare for the showdown, climax, or denouement. The montage will contain lots of jump cuts between a variety of activities. They will often show progression and development as the protagonist improves. They don’t, however, show the final performance.

It sometimes feels as if learning and development teams are expected to produce people as if they’ve been through a montage. Take the new starter in an organisation – their engagement and recruitment will have been directed by a line manager. They then start and are handed off to the LnD team to spirit them through orienteering, health and safety, values and processes. The learning team are expected to produce a perfectly ready new employee in speeded up time like the montage.

What we forget is the montage is where the work happens. The montage is the place where we develop, learn and improve.

Don’t sell your learning as if you’re speeding people through an illustration of ideas.

Show people the work they’re expected to do.

And don’t promise to speed it up if it won’t prepare people.