{"id":23615,"date":"2022-11-16T12:55:08","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T18:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trainingmag.com\/?p=23615"},"modified":"2022-11-16T12:55:08","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T18:55:08","slug":"successful-training-starts-and-ends-with-managers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trainingmag.com\/successful-training-starts-and-ends-with-managers\/","title":{"rendered":"Successful Training Starts and Ends with Managers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\u201cLearning experiences are like journeys. The journey starts where the learning is now and ends when the learner is successful\u2026 The end of the journey isn\u2019t knowing more, it\u2019s doing now.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\u2014Julie Dirksen,<\/strong>\u00a0Learning Strategy and Design Consultant<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Much attention is given to training but not enough to learning and follow-through. Although they may be intrinsically linked, there\u2019s a major difference between the two. You can train someone to shoot hoops, but that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ve learned to be a great basketball player. The real assessment must be in what was learned and will be applied over the short and long term to achieve predetermined business goals. If behavior hasn\u2019t changed, the training yielded no return on investment (ROI).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

True story:<\/em>\u00a0A trainee attended a session, \u201cStories and Storyboarding: The Key to Presentation Success,\u201d before making a formal presentation hoping to be awarded a large grant. Instead of preparing a standard PowerPoint presentation, this trainee learned to prepare a storyboard for a compelling oral presentation with a few handouts. He applied what he learned and rose above the five other finalists who delivered hackneyed PowerPoint presentations. As a result, he was awarded the grant, and the organization got a huge ROI for its training dollars.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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ROLE OF MANAGERS PRE-TRAINING<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Relevant training starts with managers, but too many measure success by the number of people who attended. That\u2019s not a measurement, just checked boxes. Beforehand, managers should determine key performance indicators (KPIs)\u2014measurable progress toward intended results. They must be able to measure if employees learned what they were supposed to and if they\u2019re applying the new knowledge to meeting business goals. This should include:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
  • Parameters to measure success<\/li>\n
  • Formulated questions and\/or matrices<\/li>\n
  • When and how often to measure<\/li>\n
  • Trainees\u2019 investment in the outcome<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \n

    A critical consideration is method. Consider blended learning pathways to meaningfully engage diverse learners: instructor-led, in-person sessions; videoconferencing; eLearning; mobile learning; gamification; microlearning; or any combination.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    When the training is mandatory, managers must communicate its importance and set short- and long-term expectations. Too many managers think these are obvious. They\u2019re giving their employees a gift when they make expectations clear.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Managers need to foster a continuous learning culture\u2014leading by example, attending training sessions themselves, and using daily interactions to reinforce that learning is a priority.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    TYPES OF TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
    \n

    Asking trainees to fill out evaluation forms immediately following the session is one way to assess the trainer and the training (not the learning). While everyone is still aglow over the trainer\u2019s personality shining freshly in their minds, evaluations tend to be high. Conversely, some may judge a boring instructor poorly, even if the session contributed significantly to learning objectives.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    These evaluations are based on emotions and should be regarded as snapshots in time\u2014not success. There are two basic types of training:\u00a0hard skills<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0soft skills.<\/strong>\u00a0They go together like peanut butter and jelly and are equally important. For example, someone may have incredible technical skills but may lack time management, strategic planning, or critical thinking skills. The lack of these soft skills can derail a project.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Soft skills<\/strong>\u00a0such as teamwork, communication, critical thinking, time management, problem solving, cultural awareness, dependability, and the like are critical to an individual\u2019s achievement and a company\u2019s success. Many managers may argue that they don\u2019t want to spend money for soft skills training because the ROI isn\u2019t measurable.\u00a0Au contraire.<\/em>\u00a0The following are some qualitative (quality) measurements:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

      \n
    • Customer satisfaction surveys<\/li>\n
    • Employee morale and retention<\/li>\n
    • Sharing learned knowledge with others<\/li>\n
    • Self-assessment questionnaires<\/li>\n
    • Rubrics<\/li>\n
    • On-the-job observation<\/li>\n
    • Collaboration and partnerships<\/li>\n
    • Periodic evaluations from managers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      \n

      Note:<\/strong>\u00a0Feedback from peers and managers often is used, but be wary of secret-police-style reporting that can be threatening and destructive. Also, two or more people making the evaluation may reach different conclusions, as opposed to documenting how many widgets someone processed in an hour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

      \n

      Hard skills<\/strong>\u00a0relate to specific technical proficiencies learned through formal schooling, training, certifications, or real-world experience. These may include aptitude in languages, inventory control, business analysis, bookkeeping, coding, computers, and such. These are quantifiable and can be graphed or charted for yields, error rates, productivity, and other variables to measure ROI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

      \n

      ROLE OF MANAGERS POST-TRAINING<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
      \n

      Instead of (or in addition to) an evaluation following the training, ask trainees to write down two to three of the most important things they learned that they\u2019ll apply over a specified time period. Ongoing check-ins with managers are a must to promote accountability. They should consist of continuous affirmation and support, opportunities to demonstrate the new skills being applied, and timely and targeted feedback.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

      \n

      When managers are closely involved in training before and after, employees are more likely to be motivated, engaged, and successful. They\u2019ll feel that management supports their growth and development. Everyone wins!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      When managers are closely involved in training before and after, employees are more likely to learn and retain more, yielding a higher ROI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1695,"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":[31],"class_list":{"0":"post-23615","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-magazine","7":"tag-soapbox","8":"magazine_issues-november-2022"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSuccessful Training Starts and Ends with Managers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When managers are closely involved in training before and after, employees are more likely to learn and retain more, yielding a higher ROI.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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