“Tell me and I’ll forget. Teach me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll learn.”

04 Jul “Tell me and I’ll forget. Teach me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll learn.”

I recently read the quote:

“Tell me and I’ll forget. Teach me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll learn.”

In reading it, I couldn’t help but feel that this was true now more than ever — especially as upskilling, culture and engagement become even more important across organizations.

In the public service, we often focus on processes, policies, and outputs. But real transformation, the kind that builds engaged teams and drives lasting change, comes from involvement.

It’s not enough to pass on information or deliver a training session. When we involve our teams, be it in decision-making, in problem-solving, or in modernizing our organizations, we empower them to lead, grow, and take ownership.

I’ve seen firsthand how involvement builds confidence, unlocks creativity, and strengthens accountability … but also how it sustains change, which is more often than not one of the hardest parts to manage.

But what does involvement look like?

Truthfully, it can look different across organizations, projects, and teams but here are some general examples to keep in mind.

Think about:

🔹 Bringing staff into early stages of planning — not just asking them to execute, but including them in shaping ideas, identifying risks, and co-developing solutions. This builds ownership and leverages the frontline perspective that leadership may not always see. This is true for clients and other stakeholders too.

🔹 Creating space for ideas by carving out time during team meetings for staff to pitch improvements, share lessons learned, or propose new ways of working. When people feel heard, they show up with more energy and initiative.

🔹 Delegating with trust — not just assigning tasks, but giving team members the autonomy to lead on files, make decisions, and learn through experience …with support, not micromanagement.

🔹 Making learning and development participatory by encouraging staff to co-lead lunch-and-learns, facilitate onboarding, or mentor colleagues. This reinforces their skills while helping others grow.

Involvement isn’t about adding more to people’s plates, it’s about unlocking their potential. It builds confidence. It builds capacity. And most importantly, it builds a culture where people feel seen, valued, and trusted.