Sure, you can go online and Google “how to…” do just about anything, but will these online lessons allow you to complete the task in real life without having actual hands on experience? Chances are you will not be able to learn how to do many things by just reading about them, the hands on element is missing.

So you say you want to learn how to drive a car with a manual transmission. You can read thousands of different websites until you have memorized them forwards and backwards. You jump in the car, start it, push in the clutch, change gears and you stall. Why? Every car is different and you need to feel the push of the clutch against your foot to actually know when to shift gears and press the gas while letting go of the clutch at the same time.

If you want to learn how to play the guitar you can research chords, fingering and tabs online. You can master finger placements, and then pick up a guitar and the note sounds awful. Finger placement is one thing but you also have to make sure your fingers are pressing down on all the strings.

There are many advantages to online learning. It is quick and you can do it at any time that is convenient for you. It is also easy, since there are so many websites and they are generally free. However, there are many limitations to online learning for the topics that require hands on practice – supervisory and leadership skills to name but two!!

Precise and detailed online explanation is great for learning the theory, but it cannot substitute for the practical experience a person gets from hands-on learning on the job or working with an experienced mentor or a coach.