The title above is triggered by this article. There really isn’t anything new in this article but it is a good reminder to those new trainers out there and the other trainers who lie to themselves that often training is not as successful as we would like to think it is. This is not something you have to get upset about. There isn’t a profession in the world who gets it right and is successful all of the time. Doctors, lawyers, politicians, motor mechanics, builders aren’t 100% successful. Qualified Project Managers are more likely to get it wrong than they are right.
There are some good tips at the end of the article in regards to how to make training more successful and I think they are worthwhile though not all that surprising. I’d like to throw in a few of my own. (not all that surprising either)
1. Always, always do some form of training needs analysis even if it is limited by the budget. A doctor always examines the patient he doesn’t just provide a cure.
2. Don’t believe the client. Validate their claims so that you can understand what the real problem is and why training is required. They are often wrong. A doctor listens and then examines and tests the patients self diagnosis. The patient is often wrong or partially inaccurate.
3. How do the employees feel about the training and what it will provide them with. And we are not just talking about new skills and knowledge. The research the article was based on was about the motivation to transfer the learning. If employees are tired, overworked, been there before and underpaid then your training is not going to achieve a great deal. Work with the client to establish incentives to make the training work. Doctors provide more than medicine, they provide advice, follow ups and assistance to get you healthy again.
4. Follow up training and provide support. A one day session on customer service to a weary group of employees who have been to a customer service course each year for the last 5 years has little chance of success. It’s not the training. They need help embedding it into their work. They need incentives. They need coaching. They need someone to provide feedback and listen to them. It doesn’t have to be you but you can ensure that the client understands the importance of these factors. You can help set up the mechanisms. Doctors expect you to come back. They schedule ongoing appoinments. The schedule checkups. They know your family and your life style. The good ones listen.
5. Research. Do more than collect feedbacks sheets. I think most of the time they are a waste of time. What effect did your training have on the individual, section, organisations? It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just start collecting evidence. It is better than none. Doctors rely on good medical research and they adjust their practices accordingly. Do you?
Do you have any tips or ideas. Comment below.
You can also watch my short video on TNA if you can’t remember what that is. There is a whole series on my YouTube Channel. I hope they help.
Leave a Reply