\n\tStructure can help. Paul Smith recently wrote a new book called \u201cLearning While Working\u201d (ATD Press, July 2018). Now, on-the-job training (OJT) isn\u2019t new. In fact, it\u2019s the oldest form of training. But putting structure to it so that it is scalable and creates high results across the organization is a relatively new twist that changes everything\u2014 including organization results\u2014dramatically.<\/p>\n
\n\tHere\u2019s an example I\u2019ve adapted from this valuable book. Let\u2019s say you had 10 excellent project managers, each managing multi-million-dollar projects. And you need 10 more. Can the 10 you have mentor and coach the 10 new ones you need?<\/p>\n
\n\tThose of you with more experience will say, \u201cNot all of them!\u201d And you\u2019d be right, for the most part. Being a great project manager doesn\u2019t mean you have the knowledge and skill to transfer your project management abilities to someone else. But some of them do\u2014and if you develop a formal process and structure for mentoring and coaching new project managers, more of those 10 will be able to develop new, high-performing project managers. This is a brilliant way of taking something old (OJT) and making it work in a new world.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe bad news is you probably won\u2019t be able to turn to the solutions that have always worked for you in the past and expect them to perform the same way. Why won\u2019t they? Because conditions change. I can\u2019t bake a great cake in Aspen using the exact recipe that created a great cake in Phoenix. Why? Because even though the ingredients are all the same, one condition\u2014altitude\u2014is different. As Training professionals, we need to go beyond the \u201ctraditional\u201d right answers and look for new solutions if we hope to get better results from our training efforts (or even maintain current results!).<\/p>\n
\n\tThat may mean embracing new technology-delivered learning systems such as mobile learning and microlearning, or performance support systems. Or it might mean being the voice of reason that says, \u201cNo, multimedia doesn\u2019t make sense in this particular situation. Instead, let\u2019s try playing a consultant\u2019s role.\u201d And, yes, it might even mean admitting that training\u2014in any form\u2014isn\u2019t a solution to a performance problem. The key is being willing to look for second, third, or even fourth solutions to training challenges.<\/p>\n
\n\tPerhaps having managers participate in needs assessments as a way to increase buy-in isn\u2019t enough. Maybe you also need to organize a management advisory board to lend credibility and support to your efforts. Perhaps the entire curriculum needs to be reformatted into shorter, 15-minute and half-hour programs so employees can get training without having to be away from their jobs longer than a coffee or lunch break.<\/p>\n
\n\tTEST YOUR OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tWe\u2019re constantly trying to get our students to \u201cbreak out of the box\u201d and look at situations differently in our training courses. As trainers, we have a unique opportunity to lead organizations through the difficult waters of change, but we\u2019ll have to take our own advice and break out of the box to do it.<\/p>\n \n\tHere\u2019s a simple way to test your own \u201cout-of-the-box\u201d thinking. By rearranging just one toothpick in the image below, make both sides equal. Do your best to come up with a solution and then e-mail me at Bob@CTTNewsletters.com and I\u2019ll send you four we\u2019ve come up with\u2014and I\u2019ll share how I use this in training.<\/p>\n \n\t \n\tUntil next time\u2014continue to add value and make a difference.<\/p>\n \n\tBob Pike, CSP, CPLP FELLOW, CPAESpeakers Hall of Fame, is known as the \u201ctrainer\u2019s trainer.\u201d He is the author of more than 30 books, including \u201cCreative Training Techniques Handbook\u201d and his newest book, \u201cThe Master Trainer\u2019s Handbook.\u201d You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook using bobpikectt.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \n\tAs Training professionals, we need to go beyond the \u201ctraditional\u201d right answers and look for new solutions if we hope to get better results from our training efforts (or even maintain current results!).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[26],"class_list":{"0":"post-11110","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-magazine","7":"tag-trainer-talk","8":"magazine_issues-september-2018"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"\/sites\/default\/files\/trainertalktoothpicks.jpg\")
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