Many people approach training as an adult much like they approached classes when they were in school – and those strategies aren’t always best ones to maximize value from a learning experience. Regardless of length, situation or topic, there are some very specific things that you can do to convert experience into useful learning you can apply in your work and life.

Following are seven strategies that you can apply to convert your time and energy spent in training into real useful learning.

1. Have a goal. Been signed up for some training at work? Decided to attend a seminar on a topic you are interested in? Great! The first thing you should do in any case is set a learning goal. If you are already knowledgeable about topic and have specific things you want to improve, setting your goal or goals should be easy. If this is training you are less excited about attending, or are unclear about, you can still set a goal like: “Learn one new thing I can apply at work,” or “Meet one person I can add to my network.” Having a goal and writing it down focuses your mind and will help you gain real practical value from any learning situation.

2. Take personal responsibility. Take responsibility for your own learning experience. The training may not be most dynamic or engaging you’ve ever been to, but that is ok, because you have a goal. Make that your focus. Perhaps trainer isn’t going to cover that topic exactly. That’s ok – use their expertise. Ask them at a break, probe for other resources. Stay focused on your goal. Your learning is in your control. Take responsibility for getting from experience what you want and need.

3. Ask questions. Don’t understand something? Ask for clarification. Want a little more information? Ask for it. A big part of being responsible for your on learning is asking question to get what you need.

I’m serious. You can move on.

But if you do think there are new opportunities to explore, if you do think that there are ways to improve your results, then read on. I’m going to show you how scheduling a new meeting periodically can help make that happen.

That’s right, a meeting.

The Idea Meeting

An idea meeting is a meeting that exists to create, stimulate, encourage and honor ideas. Its entire purpose is to identify and consider new ideas. It is based on concept that ideas are seeds of all growth and that without growth, organizations will fail to reach their potential.

You’ve likely been in versions of an idea meeting. You’ve called them problem solving meetings. A problem has been identified and a group gets together to brainstorm possible solutions to problem. Ideas are generated, possible solutions considered, and hopefully this effort leads to a solved problem.

Problem solving meetings are important and valuable, and while they share some lineage with an idea meeting, they aren’t same. You see, problem solving meetings are reactive, but idea meetings are proactive.

Where Do They Work?

Idea meetings can work in any sort of organization from multi-national Fortune 500 mega-firm to a two person company. They will work in marketing, manufacturing, product teams, projects teams, finance and HR. They will work in civic organizations and church groups. Anyplace where people understand and care about goals of organization, idea meetings can be extremely valuable.

The Format