How to get the best out of training
David Maister has posted a list of things organisations should do to get the most from their training efforts. Here are two points which I’ve seen make a real difference when people attend our workshops:
- It is usually better to train people in groups formed from the operating units they work in, so that the training can be action- and decision-oriented. (Collective commitments.) Training classes drawn from different parts of the firm force program to be ‘educational’ only. I prefer it when training sessions end with specific action commitments, which are monitorable.
- It really helps if the operating group leader attends the training simultaneously, as a participant. In fact, it should be mandatory. This ensures action-orientation, public commitment (‘We’re going to do this!’) Too often, we send the junior people off to be trained, and they continue to speculate whether the seniors or leaders are really committed and serious about all this. Even if they’ve heard it a million times, it’s good for them to be there. If it’s designed to be action oriented, it’s also economic for them to be there.
For David’s full list, go here.
About Shawn Callahan
Shawn, author of Putting Stories to Work, is one of the world's leading business storytelling consultants. He helps executive teams find and tell the story of their strategy. When he is not working on strategy communication, Shawn is helping leaders find and tell business stories to engage, to influence and to inspire. Shawn works with Global 1000 companies including Shell, IBM, SAP, Bayer, Microsoft & Danone. Connect with Shawn on:
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