Hello and welcome to the first instalment of my blog-to-book journey—a project designed not just to inform, but to generate conversation and engagement in my upcoming third book, “Train Better: Spend Less.” A practical toolkit for business leaders committed to cultivating professionalism through ongoing staff development, even when resources are stretched to their limit. If you’re keen to build a professional workforce that’s astute and adaptable, read on and stay tuned; more insights and creative ideas on how to make the best use of existing resources are coming.  

The question on my mind this week is: Why do good intentions around training and development so often fizzle out?

Most of us would agree that training and development are very important.

It’s clear to us all: knowledge quickly becomes outdated, and skills fade or lose their relevance over time. Every day, we see how qualified, trained staff work productively and confidently, make fewer mistakes, and keep accidents and compliance issues at bay.  

We know that if staff don’t remain sharp and adaptable, we risk getting left behind as the world races ahead. We also worry that our brightest, most innovative, and loyal team members may be drawn away by more inspiring opportunities elsewhere. A nightmare that strikes at both our hearts and our pockets.

With all this in mind, it’s obvious why training matters. Yet, unless it’s mandatory or lives depend on it, training rarely feels urgent. So, while we wholeheartedly believe in its value, all too often, it’s pushed to the bottom of the pile.

The very thing we value is often sacrificed.

This is not because we don’t care, but because the relentless pace of daily tasks, ingrained workplace habits, and financial pressures push it further down the list of priorities. As a result, training slips quietly into the background, overshadowed by everything else demanding our immediate attention.

With urgent deadlines looming and targets to meet, training becomes the thing we’ll get to when it’s quieter—but these moments never arrive. Taking staff away from their desks for personal development feels almost impossible when every pair of hands is needed, and finding cover or creating downtime is a juggling act few are willing to attempt.

Then there’s the classic “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” mindset. Unless staff are struggling, it’s tempting to believe yesterday’s approach will also see us through tomorrow. But that attitude can hold us back and allow us to pretend there is no need for improvement.

Even when we recognise there’s scope for enhancement, the real challenge lies in overcoming the capability gap by finding and shaping training opportunities that genuinely feel like personal and professional growth, not a box-ticking exercise or remediation.

Nor can we ignore the elephant in the room: training costs money, and its benefits aren’t always clear-cut. Measuring success or impact can be tricky, and without obvious results, it’s hard to justify the investment. Worse still, training can be uninspiring, generic, or poorly organised; it’s no wonder we doubt its ability to meet our business needs and drive the change and growth we hope for.

The key issue is that although we say training is valuable, our actions often paint a different picture, as we let practical challenges and ingrained behaviours push it aside.

So, what is it about our own circumstances that creates that gap?

The response to this question mainly depends on where we place ourselves on the spectrum between valuing training and development, creating room for it, and dedicating adequate resources to it.

This is not intended as a judgment but rather as an honest check-in.

Training and development, of course, come in many forms, whether it’s formal, classroom-based instruction, practical on-the-job training, or social, collaborative mentorship. A lack of training and development is not without reason. If we can identify our position and understand the root cause, we can begin to address the issue.

The answer gives us a starting point for deciding what needs to change, what support is needed, and which conversations are needed to move forward with a training and development strategy that closes the gap between intention and action.

Our approach to training and development should not focus solely on providing more training; it should ensure that the right skills are developed in the right people, at the right time and in the right way. Any training, whether delivered internally or externally, needs to be purposeful, targeted and aligned with our business needs and the personal and professional development we want staff to achieve.

What matters is that we find ways to prioritise staff development. This sends a clear message that staff potential is valuable and that our business is dedicated to thriving in a fast-paced environment. The journey will almost certainly require commitment and changes to habits, but the rewards—greater engagement, creativity, future success, and stability—will be worth it. It is often through small, manageable steps that we achieve our business goals: Training and development is no different. We see real changes in staff skills and a culture that values learning when we close the gap, and that gap is almost always closed through steady, intentional growth.

The question is: Are you ready to turn training and development into something you do, not something you promise?

If so, connect or follow me on LinkedIn for updates and articles focused on making ongoing training and development a reality through the optimal use of resources.

Written by Dr Cheryl Whiting, EdD, © March 2026

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. As always, your thoughts and feedback are welcome. Whether it’s a question, a shared insight, a suggestion for improvement, or a request to cover a particular topic in my blog series, please do get in touch.

February 2026 marked the completion of the first draft of my second book, Professional Collaboration Matters, a sequel to Professionalism Matters, published back in 2023. I cannot believe that I have written ‘the end’ for the second time. The material is by no means perfect, but over the coming months, I’ll be collaborating with editors, proof-readers, and publishers to bring this manuscript to life as a book.

I didn’t originally plan to write two books, but once I started writing, my mind kept generating new ideas. Having begun a literary conversation with Professional Matters, I felt compelled to keep it going, largely because there was so much more left to be said. Furthermore, having bumbled my way through writing the first, I thought it was only fair to have another go, applying what I had learned in the hope of refining my skills, just to be sure success was down to talent, not luck.

As I begin exploring ideas for a third book, I feel that the decision to keep writing isn’t so much a conscious choice as a quiet, inescapable pull towards another book, for reasons I’ll explain below.

Professional development is a topic that refuses to shrink

Having spent the best part of my academic career researching concepts of professionalism and exploring its impact on training, personal development, client satisfaction and outcomes, I thought I knew all there was to know about the subject, but clearly, I was wrong.

Professionalism Matters aimed to blend my academic insights with the real-life experiences of business owners. While interviewing such individuals about building strong client relationships, enhancing credibility, and establishing a positive reputation through professional practice, it became clear I was only scratching the surface. Conversations revealed that building and maintaining strong relationships with collaborative partners were just as important, but required a different set of skills, attitudes, and values. Professionalism remained central, but it appeared and felt different in the context of sustaining shared endeavours and securing long-term collaboration partnerships.

It was a fresh angle, a different theme that invited new questions and a deeper exploration of experiences. Since more detail and more examples would be necessary, the subject of professional collaboration seemed deserving of its own book. Those I interviewed, unknowingly, were already shaping my second book and guiding me towards putting pen to paper.

This wasn’t quite what I expected. I had hoped that after finishing the first book, I could finally sit back and relax, but it turned out to be the opposite. Suddenly, I found myself holding others’ thoughts and perspectives that would probably never come to light unless I articulated them, things I hadn’t even realised needed sharing until that moment. My interviewees were setting me off on a different intellectual journey, giving me a new purpose, so I couldn’t stop the bus even if I wanted to. 

Writing develops you into a writer

Nothing prepares you for writing a book more than writing a book. The more you write, the more writing a book becomes less of a project and more of a way of life. My first book was really a warm-up act, a kind of apprenticeship, in which I learnt to write. More than this, I was able to recognise my habits, strengths and weaknesses, discover my creativity, find my voice, make mistakes, practice, and improve my skills. Between the first and the last words, a different writer emerged, who knew how to sustain momentum to create a book worth reading.

The act of writing changed me. By the end of book number one, I was no longer a novice. I had become more efficient and disciplined, confident that, by writing again, I would start from a place where I could refine processes, deepen my understanding, shape my voice, and sharpen my skills to craft a much stronger book.

Writing has become part of my identity

Writing becomes a way of thinking, and thinking naturally leads to writing. Writing for three hours each day is more than just a task; it’s now a fundamental part of my life. Writing has become a habit, and one that I’ve come to realise I love, mainly because writing expands my perspectives, skills, and ambitions, enriching the overall experience. It is a practice that fulfils me, reinforces my belief that my voice matters, and moves me closer to becoming the accomplished author I aspire to be.

Essentially, my first book was an exciting intellectual adventure that led to a second one built on ideas and lessons from the first, yet it is my growing confidence as a writer that motivates me to pursue a third.

The mix of experience, learning, and confidence has changed how I see myself

I am no longer just someone who writes, but a writer. I’ve learned to trust my ideas and voice, which gives me the confidence to pursue a new creative challenge that adopts a very distinctive approach, which until now didn’t feel possible.

In my earlier work, interviewing people made perfect sense; I was using their thoughts, ideas and examples of practice to strengthen my own point of view. The time is right to try something different, and instead of collecting others’ voices, I’m going to reclaim my own. For my third book, I will return to my core expertise: vocational education and training. As an educator, I am already sitting on work that deserves a second life and a coherent narrative. So, with a working title of ‘Train better, spend less’, it will be a book that draws on decades of personal knowledge and experience to help businesses maximise opportunities for staff development, even when budgets are tight.

Early days yet, and ideas are still embryonic; nonetheless, I’m going to take the brave step of making this a living project by adopting a blog-to-book approach. If there is one thing I wholeheartedly appreciated about my first two books, it was sharing the journey with others. My interviewees certainly kept me accountable and connected, offering encouragement and valuable feedback along the way. Not wanting to lose all that keeps the momentum going, I’m turning book number three into a shared journey through regular blog posts so everyone can follow my progress, comment, and apply what I am sharing without waiting until the end of the book. 

My books are not just ideas and words; they are a journey of personal growth and discovery

A blog-to-book approach seems like a perfect way to share my progress and creativity, whilst changing practices and inspiring others. If you have ever felt the urge to share your story or feel you have a book in you, that’s just waiting to be written, then I encourage you to follow my lead. If you’re looking for further guidance and motivation, then do check out my blog “Thinking of writing a book? Here are 5 top tips to get you started.”

Regardless of your interest in professional development or writing, stay tuned for updates on my new writing adventure and the publication of my second book, Professional Collaboration Matters (out soon!) If you haven’t yet checked out Professionalism Matters, click here and find out more.

Here’s hoping as my journey continues, yours begins.

As always, your thoughts and comments on anything I write are most welcome, so please do contact me.