I always remember when my friend Tom asked me what our business did. I explained that we own a staff training and development company. He asked for further clarity, so I told him that we deliver seminars, keynote addresses, and executive coaching — and now, thanks to available technology, webinars and on-demand training programs.
Tom asked about the subjects, and I explained that we essentially help people better manage themselves, lead others, and develop business financial intelligence, encouraging employees to think and work like owners.
Tom went quiet for a few minutes, and then he declared: “I did some training like that once — but no one knew why.”
Intrigued, I asked him to tell me more. Tom, who worked for a large quasi-government organization prior to retiring, went on to explain that his boss instructed him and a few colleagues to attend a five-day training. Tom couldn’t recall why the training was required. He couldn’t remember what it was even about. He said that after the five days were completed, everyone went back to work and the training event was never discussed again.
I asked Tom if he could remember anything at all about the program. He went quiet for a few more minutes and then said: “I remember we were each given a case with 12 audio cassettes.”
Now, for anyone under the age of 30 reading this: Cassettes preceded audio CDs, which of course preceded iTunes and other downloadable music files.
I asked Tom if he ever listened to any of the cassettes. He said he didn’t — and that after a few years in the garage, he took them to Goodwill.
And therein lies the tale of why most training doesn’t work.
Humans have to understand the “why” and the “how.”
• Why are we doing this?
• How does this training tie into our organizational priorities?
• How is it related to the work I do every day?
My observation has been that a one-off training “event” (like an individual seminar — or even a five-day program such as the one Tom attended) doesn’t change human behavior.
We often say, “Processes endure and events are forgotten.”
For staff training and leadership development to be effective, project sponsors must be clear about why this investment of time and financial resources is being made. Creating a process around the training event — such as pre- and post-seminar activities (for example, a reading assignment, a work-related application project, or a conversation with your boss about what they want you to get from the training) — can help tremendously.
Time is an incredibly precious resource, and sponsors of training and development activities have a vitally important role in ensuring that any effort directed toward training is clearly communicated, tied to organizational objectives, and supported by a process that ensures return on investment is significantly and sustainably achieved.
All training should have a measurable end goal:
• Will this program increase sales?
• Reduce costs?
• Improve morale?
• Increase customer satisfaction?
• Reduce staff turnover?
I’m a great believer that any training and development effort can be reasonably and rationally measured.
Fascinated by Tom’s story, I asked him, “Did you really take the cassettes to Goodwill?”
He replied, “Yes — about 15 years ago. And last time I checked, they’re still there.”
So, if you’d like to leverage the benefits from Tom’s five-day training, check out the Goodwill off Lyons Avenue in Santa Clarita and ask if they have a 12-cassette box on something vaguely related to staff training.
Paul Butler is a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia (newleaftd.com). For questions or comments, email Butler at [email protected].
