Do you find this familiar? With high expectations you sent your staff or yourself to a personal or training program. Six weeks later, it’s not clear if it was worthwhile. Come and visit our website search it on DISC Workshops you can learn more.
You and your team must be prepared for any situation in an ever-changing business environment. That concept is very common, so why are people still questioning it? Why does training not seem to work for so many people. Although most people love the idea of training, they don’t know how it will work for them. Let’s take a look 10 key factors that will ensure you achieve lasting results with training.
1. Perform a detailed needs analysis.
You must ensure that training is the right answer. First, conduct a detailed needs analysis. Often, the obvious cause of a deficiency is not the root cause. Skills-related training, even if it isn’t a problem with the skill, won’t solve anything in the long term. It can damage your reputation with your employees, and it can lead to lower morale.
2. Don’t fall for the next fad.
Okay, so you already know that training is the best solution. You need to find the best solution for yourself, not another’s. Be sure that the program meets your requirements.
3. You shouldn’t be a part of every fad.
You shouldn’t let the seasons change distract from your core focus. The latest and greatest program won’t work if it didn’t produce results in the previous programs. Reassess what you need. Find out why other programs failed to work for you. What would you do differently to start a new program?
This brings us to…
4. Get support.
Changes in behavior or processes should be made by the people who matter most to your company. People who are positive and supportive of the new behavior or process will help you get lasting results.
5. Consider delivery.
Once you have determined that training is the best solution for your organization, focus on how you will implement it. Here are some questions that you need to ask about how training will be delivered. Lecture, discussion, hands-on? It is important to ensure that training is interactive. People learn best when they do it. How big will the group be? It is difficult to have meaningful interaction with the group and it can be intimidating for people to participate fully. Keep the number of participants at a minimum of 12-15. This will ensure that everyone is not lost in the crowd. Everybody can reap the same benefits.
6. Think about the person.
If you are deciding on an in-house solution, and there will be multiple sessions, mix people and personalities to create synergy. Remember that the whole can be more than the summation of its parts. The participants learn from one another. There should be plenty of discussion.
7. To maximize learning, set class times.
When possible, schedule training for after-hours. Remember that people do not work in isolation. They’ll be more productive and focused if they don’t have to worry about their kids, parents, spouses or pets. Split the difference, if needed. If you need to split the difference, for example, 9-5 is the office and 2 hours of training classes: 8AM. Give everyone plenty of notice if you need to schedule beyond the regular shift.