Diving Right In - To Train or Not to Train?

Over the past 10 days, I’ve watched on with interest as the debate over the value of marketing training has raged on. Triggered by the Ipsos research conducted for Mark Ritson and his Mini MBA, the LinkedIn debate has quickly been turned into the ‘pick your team’ style discussion; those that are now so common on social media these days.

In the Red corner is the Sweary Prof, Mark Ritson and his engaged army of Mini MBA alumni, and in the Blue corner it’s team Zoe Scaman joined by those who question the approach or those who value ‘street smarts’ over education.

Of course, the real discussion is actually far more nuanced - and both Ritson and Scaman’s positions are not as black and white as the ensuing debate has made out.

Ritson is not, I think, declaring that a 10-question multiple choice survey is a fundamental test of marketing prowess, nor is he saying that experience doesn’t count. He is simply pointing out that being trained in marketing makes you a better marketer, and that there are some fundamental principles of our discipline that everyone should know.

For her part, Zoe Scaman is absolutely correct to shine a light on the motivation behind the research in the first place (i.e. to promote formal marketing training) and to question some of the selective benchmarks (e.g. the ‘pass mark’) that have been used. For any piece of published data, it is absolutely right for any critical thinker to question who stands to benefit from this data entering the public domain.

 Since separating from Marketing Week, Mark Ritson has made no secret of his desire to increase penetration within the US market and this study is unashamedly a core pillar of that market entry strategy.However, in the midst of the ‘us vs them' debate, there are some genuine questions to be answered on the value of formal training, especially for seasoned professionals.

My own perspective on this central question has been heavily influenced by life outside of work. I first learn to scuba dive back in 2004 (over 20 years ago!) . I did my entry level ‘Open Water’ certification and then quickly took a couple of other courses to allow me to dive deeper (Advanced Open Water) or to use different gas mixes (Enriched Air). With those basic qualifications under my belt, I set about benefiting from my certifications rather than doing more training. Over the next two decades, I was lucky enough to dive all over the world – from the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean, the chilly waters of the Bristol Channel to the torchlit caves of Sardinia.

It's difficult to pinpoint therefore what made me decide in 2023 to renew my ‘dive education’ with nearly 20 years’ experience under my belt. Quite simply, I knew I wanted to become a ‘better diver’ and I needed help to do that. I didn’t intend at that point to become a Divemaster or begin supporting others in their formal training - that just kind of happened along the way!

However, in my opinion this experience definitely does shine a light on the value of ‘formal training’ debate. Interestingly, it’s a discussion that rages on in diving forums as much as in marketing circles. Certification bodies understandably push the benefits of continuing dive education whereas you’ll find plenty of salty sea dogs on dive boats who believe that it’s dive count and dive count alone that should be the true test of ability.

I can categorically say that formal training and, in some instances, going back to first principles has made me more proficient at doing the thing I love. It can be a humbling experience to be taught again in something you’ve spent two decades at but, if you approach it with an open mind, you’ll only come out better for it at the other end. Success here is as much in the hands of the trainer as it is with the learner and it’s important you can find someone who you trust and respect to take you on this journey (big kudos to Paul French and his team here!).

Similarly, I have witnessed the other side of the coin – divers who treat PADI cards like Scout badges but have not spent sufficient time diving in a more diverse range of environments, or those who have never really dived without an experienced instructor to act as a comfort blanket to support them if things go wrong. Similarly, dive boats are as full as boardrooms of those who are prepared to boast loudly about their experiences but don’t seem to have any of the foundational skills or knowledge to back up their bluster.

Each dive over the years (both those that went well and those where there have been issues) have helped mould me into how I dive today. Similarly, over 30 years in research I can remember the projects that were car crashes as well as those that won awards or received glowing feedback from clients. However, I can say that, without doubt, adding formal education and a willingness to learn has made me a more proficient and safer diver. It’s also made me realise just how much I had forgotten and how much I still have to learn, despite over 20 years in the water!

So, whilst I agree we should run a critical eye over the motivations and methodology of the Ipsos survey, I think everyone should approach training with an open mind. Experience counts for a huge amount but, if we’re honest, we all know we have areas where we can continue to develop. So, if additional training could help make you even better, the question has to be ‘why wouldn’t you...?’