Training Is Broken

Training Is Broken challenges the foundational assumptions behind organizational learning and development in an era where information is abundant, personalized, and instantly accessible through artificial intelligence.

Drawing on more than three decades of experience as a consultant, executive, and practitioner in the global learning industry, Shaurav Sen argues that modern training systems are optimized for activity rather than impact. Despite massive investments, most organizations struggle to translate training into real behavior change, improved performance, or measurable business outcomes.

This book is a collection of twelve essays that examine why traditional training fails-from flawed measurement practices and poor timing to credibility gaps and unrealistic assumptions about knowledge transfer. Rather than offering another framework or packaged solution, the essays invite leaders and learning professionals to question long-held beliefs and reconsider the role of training in a world where people increasingly learn through curiosity, autonomy, and real-world problem solving.

Training Is Broken is written for senior leaders, human resources and learning professionals, and organizational decision-makers who sense that the current approach is no longer working but are unsure how to move forward. It explores what becomes possible when organizations stop defending outdated models and begin designing learning that aligns with how humans actually learn-especially in the age of AI.

This is not a how-to manual or a prescriptive system. It is an invitation to rethink learning, confront uncomfortable truths, and begin building approaches that prioritize relevance, credibility, and real performance over participation metrics.