Seven reasons why training does not produce the desired results and what you can do to improve your results
Overview
Abraham Maslow said, "If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." As managers, leaders and change agents, we improve our organizational performance. Often, training is seen as an important tool in this quest. Training is a wonderful tool! It can provide awareness, knowledge, skills and perhaps even an opportunity to practice. However, all our efforts for change are not nails, so training is not our only tool. This special report identifies seven common reasons why the training did not meet goals – even when it is the right tool – and most importantly – gives you some steps to take to avoid these pitfalls.
The "Who is responsible?" Game
People rarely are responsible for using what they learned in a course or workshop when they return to the workplace. So some people will recognize training as a game. That's why training is rarely seen (by anyone in the organization) and what could and should be – a strategic part of business, with responsibility for performance. Regardless of how the training is, if people are not, how likely is that the real performance change will occur? All shares will then clear accountability.
What can you do
• Give people a clear message before participating in the formation of what will be expectations of them when they return.
• Plan some time with the participants before and after the training session.
• Let participants before attending an action plan that is expected as a result of the training session. (Later he became interested in the results.)
• Ask participants how they can help them achieve new performance goals.
The cause Cafeteria – "Course du Jour"
Often, training is not related to the strategic objectives of the organization. Whether true or not, the perception prevalent in the organization is that there is no rhyme or reason for the final training. This cause is called "Course du Jour" because organizations often offer a new line like some people try new diets. New business books (and accompanying "hot" topics of training) are published with the frequency of new diet plans – and the similarities continue! With diets, popular fashion, people hear about the new approach, buy the book, get excited, try the diet, and soon stops – generally before receiving any real benefit. The same happens in an organization. The issue of training, focus, or crazy idea is tried and are removed before the results can happen .. Usually there is nothing wrong with training made, but usually not based on the organization – or, given the time to work. In these cases, the company is wasting time and money and confusing than most employees. Perhaps more expensive however, is the risk of fostering cynicism and reduced the credibility of management.
What can you do
• Decisions based on training in the strategic direction and the actual performance differences. Once training priorities have been established, stick to them.
• Make a commitment to achieve a return on that investment in training.
• determination to training time and support to work.
• Determine clear performance outcomes for the effort up front.
• When a new "hot topic" training course is proposed, ask, "How does this square with what we've been doing? This is only our diet comes next?"
• Use the real work in training whenever possible.
The Piling work on the paradigm
Often managers and leaders of the training is a costly waste of time. By attending classes, continually thinking about all the work is piling up "in the office." To view this attitude employees through actions of their leader. This thinking is growing because the leaders do not explain the reasons for the course and not help people cope with the workload, while they're gone. Since you can not make people learn, these situations can be disastrous in the training session itself. People may resent having to be in training because they do not understand why they are there and know they have to work harder when they return to work to catch up. In this situation, participants may leave more cynical than when they arrived, with little or no new skills to counter this possible effect.
What can you do
• Make every effort to ensure that all management is on board with the training and its purpose.
• Make a commitment to achieve a return on that investment in training.
• determination to training time and support to work.
• Determine clear performance outcomes for the effort up front.
• Establish a plan to handle the job, while the participant is learning. This action speaks volumes about the importance of training. Also improve your ability to focus on the session (eg "My main work is being handled," and "Ugh, I am very happy that most of my mail that have been hacked when I get back!")
The January allocation Third application
Well designed training with motivated students will result in people leaving the training with some clear ideas about how they will apply what they have learned back at work. But however well-intentioned plans might be, it can not be more effective than most New Year resolutions. Old habits are hard to break! Habits are hard to break especially when there is no support for new skills and behaviors back into the workplace.
What can you do
• Give people a clear message before participating in the formation of what will be expectations of them when they return.
• Plan some time with the participants before and after the training session.
• Let them know before you go, that a plan of action that is expected as a result of the training session. (Later he became interested in the results.)
• Ask how you can help achieve new performance goals. All these actions will be clear accountability.
• Giving a training set of working groups on new information and skills at the same time. (Whenever possible and appropriate.)
• Use the real work in training whenever possible.
Syndrome Sleepwear – "one size fits all"
Sometimes a shirt or sleepwear is designed to be "one size fits all" and serves its purpose. Training is not sleepwear and probably not effective that way. Look at it this way: if all teen-age children could use a size of the shirt to school, people use the same size dress or skirt to work? If so, do you see as well or work well? In other words, a "one size fits all garments are not as versatile for different situations. The basic objective of clothing – to cover our body and provide heat – would be achieved, but many other reasons not to wear clothes met. The same is true for training in the workplace. Too often, generics, "he managed through board training.The basic premise with this syndrome is that "Let's give everyone – to be fair – maybe not everyone needs this information or lack the skills, but at least we'll make sure not to leave anyone out." In fact, often management does not really know you need the skills and knowledge.
What can you do
• The basic training and participation decisions in the skills necessary to be effective in the workplace.
The situation of Lone Ranger
Often people are sent to training as a benefit, reward, or as a way to get into a new surroundings for a while. In most cases, people in a team or workgroup can not all see the same formation, except the "Course du Jour" or "one-size-fits-all" variety. Sometimes people need specific skills to carry out a specific part of their work. Often, however, the "up" workshops are skills that many people in the group might use (or maybe all will be sent over time, after all, everyone can not be passed at once .) Result? People come back to work in a vacuum. Not only are responsible (the number one reason above), but nobody has been working with the same skills and knowledge they do. Without support, as a Lone Ranger, the new ideas they bring back can not get out because of resistance from peers or from ignorance.
What can you do
• Giving a training set of working groups on new information and skills at the same time. (Whenever possible and appropriate.)
• Generate training that is linked to problems at work too.
• Use the real work in training whenever possible.
The "Name That Tune" Game
This problem arises when one compact, in the name of convenience or efficiency, the training time. Trainers are asked to "Name That Tune" (or complete the training) in shorter time blocks. This show begins with "The Management Team needs only an overview," and ends with the training that is designed to fit into a slot, instead of being designed to develop specific skills. The typical result of the designation "that tune – shorten the game for my people" is training which is little more than exposure to a subject area – training that can not transfer real skills, with practice time real in the classroom.
What can you do
• Provide staff training some muscle – is better than being strong advocates for the formation underlying the ability, not just the intention of filling the space of increasingly shorter time.
• Determine clear performance outcomes for the effort up front.
Concluding remarks
Training can be expensive, often long, and disappointing – both for individuals and for the organization. Training and learning is also vital to the success of organizations. These seven reasons are often why training is so disappointing and time consuming. Taking the actions listed will help reduce costs, reduce frustration and disappointment and dramatically increase the effectiveness of training in your organization.