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Training distributed teams is a massive challenge. Yet, Würth Polska is succeeding in this area. What is the 70-20-10 rule they use? What solutions support employee development? And why is it so important today? In the new episode of our "Company That Supports" series, we host Anna Falkowska from Würth Polska—an experienced manager, coach, and behavioral profiler. Join us!
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:47 The VUCA and BANI world – why adaptation is necessary
00:03:49 Neuroplasticity and the need for new experiences
00:06:32 Würth Polska's structure and team specifics
00:07:52 The 70-20-10 model in employee development
00:13:43 Networking and peer-to-peer learning among sales staff
00:17:36 Online and in-person training
00:19:47 Microlearning, podcasts, and courses as a process
00:23:19 Popular development topics – assertiveness and leadership
00:26:25 Differences in development needs between men and women
00:27:20 Challenges and difficulties in implementing development programs
00:34:56 What distinguishes a supportive organization
Transcript:
Dr. Ewa Hartman: The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. These words by Alvin Toffler, a writer and futurist who explored the digital revolution and its impact on business and culture, are highly relevant in these fast-paced times. To learn, embrace the new, and let go of what no longer serves us—whether as individuals, employees, business owners, creators, or advocates—we need an open mind, fueled by curiosity and a high degree of self-awareness, including knowledge of our own talents, habits, and adaptive or non-adaptive ways of operating.
Why? The answer lies in models used to describe reality, often applied interchangeably rather than just chronologically: the VUCA model (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) and the BANI model (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, incomprehensible). While these concepts differ in detail, they share one essential truth: the instability and unpredictability of the world around us. This necessitates vigilance, rapid response, and adaptation.
An open, curious mind, situated in an environment that fosters growth, is exactly what enables us to handle this. In a VUCA and BANI world, an organization cannot rely solely on traditional methods. Continuous learning has become a survival requirement. Business is no longer about stable, decades-long planning. Today, companies must be ready for rapid change and the search for solutions—often along completely unconventional paths. Furthermore, the corporate world is automating, shifting routine tasks to artificial intelligence.
What is left for us humans? We are left with solving more complex problems, innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Because without collaboration, neither problem-solving nor innovation is achievable. So, how do we solve complex problems and collaborate effectively? We must learn, but learn broadly, to connect distant ideas. We should not promote a single, linear way of thinking where everything follows step-by-step, but rather explore different points of view and ask bold questions. In the business world, learning means employee development, but not just through the lens of the business utility of the knowledge gained—that is, not just diving into products, Excel, or making presentations.
Growth means exploring the secrets of communication, how the brain works, improvisation, and even ikebana if needed. Because a narrow approach to skills and knowledge reinforces the bubble we are in. Its walls become less permeable, and instead of broadening our horizons, we are effectively narrowing our field of vision.
It’s like the saying, "when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail." In an environment where learning is foreign, every new idea stops fitting in before it even has a chance to be heard. Every new person is a nuisance because they disrupt the neatly arranged, albeit long-dusty, building blocks.
Let’s also remember neuroplasticity—the brain's ability to continuously develop and adapt by creating new neural connections and reshaping thought patterns. However, to take advantage of this neurobiological foundation for learning, we need something new: new content, experiences, conversations, and moments of wonder. If we get stuck, we become masters, but masters of stagnation. We will get better at finding problems, better at making excuses, better at wishful thinking, or repeating, "Things used to be better, but now..."
We can no longer afford that luxury. Companies that want to lead their industries must consciously invest in processes for developing future-ready skills and create space for experimentation, even with the potential risk of failure. They must support agile learning that emphasizes rapid testing and encourages asking questions and challenging the status quo. As Alvin Toffler reminds us, an organization's success begins with the individual—someone aware of their predispositions, open to learning, and ready to act. Let inspiration strengthen our readiness, because the world will never change as slowly as it does today.
My guest is the Training Manager at Würth Polska, with 15 years of experience in people development within international organizations. She currently supports the growth of distributed teams by designing and leading development programs, individual career paths, and talent initiatives. She has a background in coaching and is a certified behavioral profiler. Anna Falkowska. Good morning, Anna.
Anna Falkowska: Good morning, it’s a pleasure to be here. Thank you for the invitation.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: I am very happy you joined us. I’m happy for many reasons. First of all, I love employee development and want to learn as much as I can about it myself. Our audience is also interested in employee development. I have a question for you—have you ever heard the statement: "But our organization is unique"?
Anna Falkowska: Ewa, I hear it all the time.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: You hear it all the time?
Anna Falkowska: I hear it all the time, yes.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: I hear it all the time as a trainer too, "but our organization is unique," and I understand that. Why do we say that? Because, first, we think we are exceptional—and in a sense, of course, we are—but on the other hand, as I think about our audience, they would like to know what you work with on a daily basis and who you work with, so they can make even better use of your insights. So, here is my next question. Tell us briefly, introduce our audience to what you do and what your organization's structure is, meaning who exactly you are developing.
Anna Falkowska: Sure. Würth Polska is part of a global group operating worldwide. We provide products for professionals. Since we are a trading company, the majority of our employees are in sales departments distributed across Poland. That’s 600 people. There are also over 200 people in support areas, such as warehouse, logistics, marketing, HR, finance, and accounting. So, we really have a lot of people to look after.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: There are a lot of them, and they are scattered, right? And I assume that, just as we started talking about the specifics—that "our company is unique"—this likely impacts how you need to prepare and think through your programs. I’m very curious if you had a foundational concept? Is there a core framework in your company that you relied on to address the fact that you have employees in the field, some in the office, that there are quite a lot of them, and—importantly—they are sales representatives, meaning people for whom "every minute counts"? Right? So that’s another challenge. Is there a guiding principle or a model you based this on?
Anna Falkowska: Yes, we use the 70-20-10 model, which consists of three pillars: practice, feedback, and training. To elaborate, 70% of an employee's knowledge is gained through daily work—the everyday challenges, responsibilities, and tasks, such as those assigned by a supervisor.
20% of knowledge comes from feedback, both from supervisors and colleagues. A very characteristic feature of our organization is what we call "joint rides," which are regular meetings between managers and sales reps out in the field.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: And that’s the second pillar, the 20%?
Anna Falkowska: Yes, because it’s a collaborative effort. The manager goes with the sales rep to meet a client, and the conversation happens there—naturally, in a live environment with a real client—so it’s an observation of the customer service and sales process. Afterward, both the rep and the manager can discuss strengths or areas for improvement, so it’s a very important element of our organization.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: And the third one?
Anna Falkowska: The third is 10%, which is training. This includes both traditional training and modern learning methods.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: I’d like to dive into each of these pieces. On one hand, it’s truly fascinating because people really do learn through experience. By placing such a strong emphasis on experience—that 70%—we have a guarantee that someone will learn exactly what they need most. I also like the element you mentioned—I mean, every part is important, but it fits together beautifully with the 10% training, where having that knowledge allows me to learn even better from experience. Have you noticed that, for example, after a training cycle, sales reps pick up more in the field?
Anna Falkowska: This relates to competence development in general, because "competence" is such a buzzword, right? "Competence development"... But what is hidden behind that word? What are "competencies" really? I always explain this in training sessions, for example, when addressing sales reps: "What do you understand by this term?" Because competencies are knowledge—knowing "what." They are skills—knowing "how." And they are attitudes—"I want to implement this." I know there might be mistakes, because there always are, but I have the mindset of "I want to try." And that experience is built in the field, through practice. So, I can have these competencies, I can have the knowledge, but if I don't put it into practice, if I don't test it and practice it, that knowledge becomes dead knowledge, because it is built right there.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: Tell me, do you promote this learning-through-experience in any special way? Is there support for these sales reps, like asking them additional questions? Because that experience is truly amazing, but it’s great if it gets reinforced, so that the person experiencing it actually sees what they’ve experienced. Does something like that happen?
Anna Falkowska: That’s exactly what those joint rides are for—it’s the regular work of a manager with their sales rep, or with the whole team, to be able to catch what’s happening out there, because when people come to training, they are in a slightly different environment. It’s not their natural work environment, so training is just training, right?
It is very important to pass on new knowledge and set people on the right track, or to refresh existing knowledge. However, in reality, everything is consolidated through practice in the field. For us, that 70% is also about self-study, because it is not just a matter of us providing the knowledge and that being it. People really have to work on themselves to grow and to have the drive, because that is probably the most important thing.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: You know, what you’re saying reminds me of when I lived in the UK for a few years. I knew people who had lived there for a very long time and were still making basic mistakes. They lacked the two elements you mentioned: the collision of speaking with someone who can correct them—let’s call that person the manager in our context—who could say, "Listen, I know you're doing well, but if you just swapped this tense for another, it would be even better." Often, these people couldn't catch their own mistakes because they lacked that training, that hard foundation, like knowing that if I want to ask a question, I should, for example, place the auxiliary verb before the subject, and so on.
And for me, from a brain-science perspective, it all fits together beautifully—it shapes up perfectly. We have experience, we have conversations, and we have training. We already know a bit about experience—salespeople go out, verify things, and then have the chance to meet with their managers. But tell me, how do they learn from each other? Do the salespeople learn from one another? Is that an element as well?
Anna Falkowska: Are you talking about networking?
Dr. Ewa Hartman: For example.
Anna Falkowska: They exchange knowledge with each other. They call one another, even outside of their own teams. Networking actually forms quite naturally for us. For example, salespeople who come to onboarding training are mixed across different divisions. Let me explain what these divisions look like. Divisions are sales departments, such as the Auto Division—where we target products at car workshops, for instance. The Metal Division—for manufacturing companies. The Construction Division—for construction sites. People from different industries and different parts of Poland meet at onboarding training, and later they set up WhatsApp groups and exchange information. Sometimes, when I’m driving with a salesperson, I hear them get a call: "Wait a second, Ania is riding with me." So they really do call each other and exchange tips, and of course, they do the same within their own teams, because they function together and are one unit.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: And that is also very interesting. You see, I—perhaps due to stereotypical thinking—had the conviction that salespeople prefer to keep their skills and knowledge to themselves. But you’re saying they are eager to share. That’s amazing. Does it come to mind how this was initiated, or what made the salespeople—who, as I said, I probably stereotypically think play for their own team—say, "I have a great technique, I won't share it with my colleagues"? How did it happen that they talk to each other?
Anna Falkowska: It varies, Ewa. Sometimes they do play for themselves and want to keep that know-how, but there are also those who are happy to share and ask questions. I operate on the assumption that we can ask people how they do things, but we also have to show them that we appreciate them. So, if you want to learn something from someone, appreciate that person, and they will be more willing to share. I think the specific nature of the area they work in also determines this, as they ask each other questions and exchange knowledge—for example, if someone manages to sell something or has successfully developed e-commerce for their clients, others will ask: "Listen, how did you manage that? What did you do?"
Sometimes it’s like revealed magic, but it turns out to be very simple tasks, and someone might say, "Well, I just did this and that." And the other person thinks, "Oh, just that? Okay, I’ll do that too." And that is exactly what happens here. It is important to encourage people to do this. We also talk to managers so that during their meetings—whether they are calls or online meetings, given that we are a distributed team—they share such tips or ideas on how things can be done. If someone has succeeded at something, they should share how they did it, so I think it happens quite naturally.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: On one hand, it’s natural, but on the other, you said something very important. If you ask someone for help, if you ask them to share knowledge or information—show appreciation. Appreciate that this information and knowledge has come back to you. You see, we often talk about appreciation, but you can never say too much about it, right? That appreciation will always return to us in every area—we can learn from each other because of it. And since we are continuing to learn, what about the training? Online, in-person? How do you organize that?
Anna Falkowska: We mix it up because we introduce variety, but there are also different teaching methods, so we won't achieve what we can with a whole spectrum, a whole range of activities, by using just one standard method. How does it look? As for training, we have traditional forms of learning, i.e., in-person training. However, I am perfectly aware that development is a process. It is not enough to invite people for two days of training, give them knowledge, and then expect them to know everything.
It doesn't work like that, because development and learning are a process. It has to last, it has to fall into place slowly, step by step. So, between these meetings and training sessions—if it is, for example, a development cycle where they come together periodically, or even if it is a one-off training—there must be some follow-up; there must be something that continues.
We use modern forms of learning here, such as micro-learning. I’m referring to various types of e-learning and courses, but also podcasts that are widely available. It also includes articles and books, whether in traditional format or as audiobooks, depending on personal preference, as there are many different types.
So, I believe that even if you listen to a course or a podcast and not everything resonates with you, if even a small fragment sticks, it’s like being at a training session where you think, "Okay, this is starting to make sense and fit together." When we collect these small pieces, we eventually realize, "I get it, I can start applying this." Things that were once unconscious suddenly become conscious, and we start using them intentionally. That’s the beauty of it, but it is a process.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: Exactly. That brings me back to our conversation just before we started recording, where we were sharing our experiences as moms regarding what’s happening in schools. Often, schools expect students to just know the answers rather than ask questions. They are taught to know, not to inquire. As adults, having spent years in an education system that prioritizes knowing over asking, people forget that learning is a process. You are trying to undo that and show them that you don’t have to be an expert right away.
It’s important to ask, to share, and to gather small fragments of knowledge—get a bit here, reach for a bit there, and keep building. I want our audience to remember that knowledge is a process and that nothing is solved in a single meeting. Of course, one-off meetings are great and have their own value, but it’s worth building, inspiring, and deepening that knowledge over time. For example, do your sales reps listen to these while driving?
Anna Falkowska: They do. You know, they travel from client to client, so sometimes the distances are short and they can listen to one lesson, but other times they have a longer drive and can finish an entire course. But imagine, people tell me they listen to podcasts or courses while working out, even after hours. It’s not just limited to work time. Because we provide 24/7 access, our employees can use it whenever they want and as much as they want—it’s truly for them.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: From the platform, micro-learnings, podcasts…
Anna Falkowska: Yes, we use the Multi.Life development platform, which covers a wide range of growth areas. As I mentioned, employees call me or tell me, "I’m working out and listening to this," or "I’m listening on my way home." It’s not just for those on the road; our office staff uses it too. Some live nearby, while others have a 40-minute commute. They’ll say, "I do one podcast or one course on the way to work, and another on the way back." People use it everywhere—even while cleaning. Recently, a manager called me before going on vacation and said, "Ania, remind me of my login, I’m going on holiday and want to listen to some things."
Dr. Ewa Hartman: It’s truly fascinating that you’ve built a culture where people reach for these resources on their own. Of course, they have the opportunity because you’ve provided 24/7 access to various tools, so if they’re busy at work, they can catch up after hours. I think that’s a great solution. But the fact that they *want* to do it reminds me of the 70-20-10 model. When I hear that my field work gives me experience, I can verify it with my manager, get feedback, and share it with my colleagues—and female colleagues! See, I just fell into the stereotype that sales reps are all men, but that’s not true, is it? There are women too?
Anna Falkowska: There are women, yes, of course.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: We’ll talk about that in a moment. I’ll ask you shortly if there’s any difference in their approach. But overall, if you approach it this way—where I can share something with my colleagues and they appreciate it—I’m even more motivated to reach for more and deepen my knowledge. After all, we like to feel useful and valued.
Anna Falkowska: You know, we’ve noticed that our employees aren’t just interested in strictly business areas like sales, customer service, or negotiations. They are also very eager to take courses that touch on their personal lives.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: And what is that exactly?
Anna Falkowska: What is it? Well, for example… Do you know what the most popular course is overall, and what people ask about most often?
Dr. Ewa Hartman: Based on my experience as a trainer, I’d say it’s personality types. That would be my guess.
Anna Falkowska: That too – but also assertiveness.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: OK, fair enough.
Anna Falkowska: People really notice that they could improve their assertiveness, or that something could change. Sometimes it’s the case that perhaps a lack of self-confidence makes them think they aren't assertive, when in fact they are. It’s a very interesting course—how to be assertive in today’s world—and people are eager to sign up for it. But speaking of the fact that it’s not just strictly business areas like sales, people are happy to reach for something that helps them grow. They might hear about assertiveness, and that might lead them to think about how to build more self-confidence.
And later, that might lead to things like time management or stress management. You know, you finish one course, and it turns out you’re interested in that, and then in this—that’s how you build that awareness and that process. Sometimes you just need to inspire someone, give them that little start, a little nudge to "give it a try," and then people start to gain more self-confidence and, actually, more self-awareness. And once they start gaining more self-awareness, they know exactly what they need.
They start choosing things that genuinely interest them. That’s why development isn't always a "one size fits all" approach. Of course, we do those kinds of trainings too, for example, when we’re developing people for specific roles. But these soft skills, these more developmental topics, are individual because "different things work for different people."
Dr. Ewa Hartman: Right?
Anna Falkowska: Exactly.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: And what do women choose?
Anna Falkowska: Women often reach for assertiveness, and they are also interested in female leadership, for example. So those are some of the areas, but women also frequently choose topics that are developmental for them, as well as things that are useful at home—for instance, topics related to children or nutrition—so things that are more universal for them.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: We’ve spent quite a bit of time on this culture of learning, and it resonates beautifully here, but I assume there are some difficulties as well. And that there was something at some point where you heard or thought, "Maybe this isn't the right direction." Would you share some of the challenges?
Anna Falkowska: Challenges exist, and that’s actually a good thing because we can learn from them and observe. It’s not like we just sit around and invent things; we listen to people to see what they need. A major challenge is matching, for example, a training program to the target group—and vice versa—because these topics sometimes arise from business needs. For instance, we consider the target group—we had this approach with one sales project where we decided to train managers on a topic, expecting them to cascade it down to the field. However, after the training, it turned out that this wouldn't happen and that it wasn't the right direction, as several indicators suggested it wouldn't go the way we wanted. So, we took it on the chin, said "OK, let's change the target group," and retargeted the entire training to our sales representatives, since they are on the front line with our customers. And that was the turning point; when we later started measuring the impact of the training on business results, it turned out that after six months, the selected group of sales reps who had been trained showed very high year-over-year growth.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: OK, can you think of any other challenges? Or situations where you had to make a slight pivot or a change in direction?
Anna Falkowska: Implementing development programs and training platforms is definitely a challenge. Why? Because you can implement them, but if you don't have a plan for what to do next, how to look after them, how to manage them, who to address, and when to address them, these benefits become "dead" benefits. They don't really live within the organization. People say, "Yeah, we have that, but I don't use it." That makes no sense, right?
So, when approaching this at all, what we did was think very carefully about how we want to use the training platform, who we want to target, and how. We do it in a very logical way, rather than just sending out a course to everyone on a whim. No, everything has to be strongly connected. For example, right now, our colleague, our HR business partner, is conducting first aid training for employees—there are various groups. He does a fantastic job, really. But what next? Yes, you can do first aid training, but for me, the automatic next step is to send a follow-up email thanking them for attending, along with a course where they can refresh and deepen that knowledge, so people can return to it at any time. They know where to go back to, so they don't find out about the course later. You know, there are many courses, so people might not even come across them. That’s why we provide suggestions on where they can find things.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: So, in fact, you remind them where, what, and how to use it. Exactly—just providing it isn't enough, right? You also have to show how to use the resources. I also assume that for sales reps, who value their time—since it's obvious their time is "worth its weight in gold"—they probably demand even more, right? Very clear messages and simplified access paths: "Simplify it for me, make it easy, show me, click-click—and I'm there." That’s my assumption—I don't know what your experience is.
Anna Falkowska: Yes, when it comes to the time of sales reps, if a rep isn't in the field—for example, if they are in training—they aren't earning, right? That’s how it is in sales companies. So, we try to pull our employees away from their daily duties as little as possible, but we know that in-person training is also important. So, we try to keep that to a minimum. However, the areas where we want to redirect that attention and also save time—because that’s an optimization of both costs and time—are these microlearning areas. This means that to refresh someone's knowledge or help them learn, we don't have to pull them away from their daily work, because they can do it while traveling, for example.
They refresh their knowledge gradually and have it available whenever they want. Yes, they have access on a tablet or phone; they turn it on, they can watch it later, they can watch it with visuals—whatever they prefer. So, it’s about matching different needs. One person is an auditory learner, another is a visual learner, so it’s a very broad reach and a way to utilize all of that.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: Ania, I’d like to capture the main thought, or main thoughts, from our conversation—if I get anything wrong, please correct me, okay? So, we have a large, dispersed group of people whose time is valuable, and your approach, at the highest level, is 70-20-10. We learn primarily through experience—that’s 70%—we learn through feedback, for example, from a direct supervisor and among ourselves, and we learn during training, which provides a foundation that we can later deepen. And generally, the process is key—we provide something, but then we implement it calmly, share it, exchange thoughts, and that builds curiosity in people.
And that is truly, for me, the quintessence of learning—build curiosity, show that learning happens in different ways, and then you can go further and actually design programs. I’d like to start wrapping up our conversation, but I have one more question for you, which I ask various guests at the end of our talk.
Imagine you are a judge for the "Company That Supports" awards, and your task includes setting the criteria for the "Company That Supports" trophy. From your perspective as someone who works in corporate development, what would an organization have to do to earn that title from you?
Anna Falkowska: That’s a great question. I think an important criterion is how a company approaches development. Is it only focused on promotions, or is it focused on role-based growth? There’s a huge difference there. Do we only invest in those we promote, or do we invest in those who are with us every day and help them grow in their current roles? I think that would be one criterion.
The second criterion is accessibility. Does the company just want to be a learning organization in theory, or does it provide actual, real, tangible opportunities and tools? For example, does it organize training or provide various forms of learning? Does it promote these things, or are they just there in the background for people to use if they want? Is there a strategy that says, "You can do it this way and that way, and you can use these resources"?
What other criteria could there be? I think a very pragmatic one, as is common in business, is whether there is clarity—a very clear, distinct process. This ranges from career paths to how the competencies needed in a given organization—or even future-proof skills—are developed, and finally, whether it’s even measured—whether training is tracked.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: OK, great. I’m so glad we could talk about this. It’s incredibly inspiring and uplifting to hear you talk about learning simply as development and as a process. It’s something we need to reinstall in adults. Because, unfortunately, our education system is built on the idea that we are supposed to know things, not learn them. But eventually, the time comes when we have to learn, so let’s learn. Thank you so much for this conversation. I’m taking away "process, process, process" for myself, and I hope we can talk again sometime.
Anna Falkowska: Me too. Thank you very much.
Dr. Ewa Hartman: Thank you ve
