The difference between training and development has always intrigued me.
During my training to become a school teacher, I soon became aware that teaching and learning are not the same thing. Creating an environment in which children are motivated to learn, free from unnecessary disturbances and distractions, is more important than the information being presented to them. In my view, the best teachers are the ones who are able to inspire children to learn. They move beyond regurgitating knowledge and are able to create situations where pupils are encouraged to discover things for themselves. It's not about how much the teacher knows, but how well the teacher can stimulate the curiosity of the child to want to find out more.
For me. the same is true with training and development in the workplace. It's possible to acquire knowledge and to learn new skills effectively through a whole range of training techniques, whether face-to-face, e-learning or virtual. The plethora of technology-based solutions enable us to impart knowledge and demonstrate skills in many exciting and cost effective ways. We can soon become dazzled by the amazing variety of tools, models and learning methodologies on offer. "New and Different" can often become more important than "Tried and Tested".
In my experience, the difference between training and development can be exampled through observable changes in behaviour back in the work place. The best personal development embraces new knowledge, builds new skills but, most importantly, encourages individuals to want to behave in a different way. Creating a desire for personal change and then delivering on it requires emotional engagement as well as intellectual connection. It's less about "What do you know now, that you didn't know before" and more about "What are you doing now that you were not doing before".