Training Intervention...ON Purpose!

​The purpose of training is to tighten up the slack, toughen the body, and polish the spirit. Morihei Ueshiba

One of the first things we hear from clients after launching a new program with CliftonStrengths or TotalSDI is, “That was awesome!” Then comes an important question…“So how do we keep the message alive?” Ah, sustainability… or, as we call it, the IMPORTANT elephant in the room. 

With that said, the folks asking the question are indicators we , perhaps, could have done a better job of practicing what we preach...keep reading!

Why It's Important to Address the Elephant BEFORE the "Event"...

Reality...research suggests most training doesn’t create a lasting impact. Dr. Robert Brinkerhoff, an internationally recognized expert in training effectiveness and author of eight books in the field, estimates less than 50 percent of training and development initiatives result in sustained behavior change aligned with organizational performance improvement goals.

So, how to ensure your training intervention sticks?

BEFORE the INTERVENTION

​Let's first take the pressure off...you should NOT have all the answers...you should though have a way of understanding, facilitating and gaining insight into someone's world.

Align WITH the Organization's Strategy. In other words, at the highest level you want to learn how will your training teach / enhance skills needed? AND, how will success be measured? Once there's clarity around what needs to improve, you and your stakeholders can better determine whether training is the solution!  So how to get there...

As "easy" as 1, 2, 3...

With that in mind, there are three steps to leading an effective pre-training conversation to confirm the need and resources are available to address...

Step 1: Why Fill-In-The-Blank is Needed?

- Your organization needs to achieve…
- Teams need to get better at…
- Your organization is considering investing in Fill-In-The-Blank training because… 
- What you need to learn / put into action as a result...

Questions to Ask:

​- Why do we need training?
- Is it a SKILL challenge or a MOTIVATIONAL challenge?
- In other words, could the employees do the job if they had to?
- If no:  Due to lack of aptitude, training, resources?
- What data do we have to support this claim?
- If yes:  Consider transfer of employee(s), implement training, or, enhance resources.
​- What data do we have to support this claim?
- What opportunity have we identified that training will address?
- Are employee(S) motivated?
​- What data do we have to support this claim?
- If no: discuss motivation methods: set goals; financial incentive; merit pay; skill-based pay; recognition;  positive reinforcement; behavior management; empowerment; enriched job roles; and life-long learning.
- If yes: continue to discuss training option!

Step 2: How Fill-In-The-Blank Will Help...?

- Discuss how Fill-In-The-Blank can help you get better results… 
- Where / what / want training to focus...
- Identify actions learners will take to address a real world situation based on training results and what learned. 
- Determine what situation can have the biggest impact.

Questions to Ask:
- What do we hope the training will accomplish? Or, 
- What does success look like as a result of doing the training? Or,
- What outcome are we trying to realize?
- Do we have buy-in from the stakeholders (leaders, managers, employees)?

Step 3: What You’ll DO to Help?

- Get together after training to discuss what learned and how to apply. 
- Pull out our calendars and make the appointment.
- Identify actions / strategies that allow learners to be more focused during the training.

Questions to Ask:

- How will top-level management support this initiative?
- How will we support the leaders, managers, employees through the use of the training? Or,
- How committed are we to rolling out training AND follow up AND follow through?
- How will the training be rolled out? Positioned?

If you, supervisor, and/or manager work in advance with the people who will use Fill-In-The-Blank tools in the training program, you’re sure to garner more buy-in and greater results – for yourself and for your clients. Not only that! These pre-training conversations are great opportunities to clarify program logistics and the importance of completing all pre-work. Setting the stage in this way will make for a smoother running program, more receptive learners, and position you, the consultant, as a valuable resource for driving organizational performance.

Share the word! 

Don’t limit this clear sense of purpose to a few organizational executives. Everyone who might be touched by the training needs to understand the reasons behind it and how the training will affect the way teams work together going forward. For example, the CliftonStrengths and TotaltSDI provides a common language for talking about relationships, more effective ways of providing feedback and preventing conflict, and a path to choosing strengths that make people more effective in a variety of situations–all of which should be integrated into the culture of the organization.

Start at the Top!

This process often begins at the top with a written or video endorsement by an executive sponsor. In some cases, a division head or vice president will graciously offer to kick-off each event with some brief remarks. IDEALLY, a classroom introduction shouldn’t be the first time learners hear how company executives care about the training. Managers or supervisors should meet with direct reports attending the training to explain it’s importance for the organization, team, and individual.

The focus of the message should be on specifics: How particular aspects of the training can address specific issues they are facing with a tie back to the bigger picture of organizational outcomes. In other words, managers should connect the dots for people.

If this sounds like a lot of extra work for managers already swimming in extra work, it’s not. These pre-training conversations can be a brief as 10-20-minutes and incorporated into regular coaching sessions or weekly one-on-one meetings.

DURING the INTERVENTION

Clearly define, and gain the group’s buy-in on, the point or desired outcome of the meeting. Keep in mind this quote, attributed to philosopher John Dewey: “A problem well put is half-solved.” A jointly understood problem definition at the outset increases the chances of reaching an effective solution.

• Ask open-ended questions that begin with “what, “how,” or “why” to prompt discussion.
• Ask closed-ended questions, which can be answered with “yes” or “no” or multiple choices, to confirm understanding.
• Gather ongoing feedback in real time to gauge the value of a question or activity. This will help keep the focus on intended outcomes.

Immediately at the end of the session:

• Ask how the group believed they did compared with the objective agreed to at the beginning of the session. 
• Have a discussion about obstacles that could impede progress in applying the enhanced / new skills. 
• Brainstorm and discuss ways of overcoming the obstacles.
• Have each learner complete a document called a “Contract with Myself” and collect them. The contract has THREE sentences...

1 - “The most important or significant ideas I’ve learned, thought, or heard while at this workshop are …”
2 - “As a result of these ideas, I intend to do the following within the next 30 days …”
3 - “By doing these things, I will achieve the following results …”

AFTER the INTERVENTION

Support, Encourage, and Shape!

Business leaders and managers need to integrate lessons from training into everyday work and behavior. Support, encourage, and shape desired behavior changes over time, leading to engagement versus mere compliance. To foster across-the-board participation and empowered workforces, executives and supervisors need to cascade learning to help employees manage themselves when the boss isn’t there.

Focus and Repetition!

Instead of trying to apply hundreds of things learned in a training session, it’s most effective to hone in on one or two behaviors or skills and guide employees in repeating them daily in many situations for incremental success. Steady improvement in small behaviors adds up to meaningful strides toward meeting business goals.

Daily Practice!

Give learners an on-the-job assignment to complete after training. Or, send brief / micro quizzes out after the course to refresh learners on course content.

Other Techniques to Engage Employees in Boosting Their Work Results:

• NOT telling and directing.
• Walk around every day and have one-on-one conversations lasting a few minutes. (Note: more short discussions are better than fewer long ones.)
• Conduct daily team meetings and share best practices.
• Show interest and ask employees to describe what they do well is more reinforcing than conventional forms of recognition and reward. 

5 questions you can ask in one-on-ones: (questions may be tweaked to fit particular needs):

1. What recent accomplishments are you most proud of?
2. What did you learn today that you didn’t already know?
3. How did you modify your approach to make it work better?
4. What did you do that worked well today?
5. How did you do that? (Ask this question when you see something you like.)

Remember the "Contract with Myself"? 

30 days after the course, send them the completed "Contract with Myself". It’s very powerful to see a goal statement written in your own handwriting. Ask learners to provide feedback when they receive the contract. Chances are you'll be pleased to hear the positive feedback. Even if they hadn’t accomplished all the items listed, it's still motivating and a good reminder when they receive the contract in the mail.a memo to participants to find out what they have done regarding the course content. Collect the responses and send them out as a mini report to everyone who attended.

Arrange a follow-up course a month or two after the original course. The purpose is to assess progress, discuss problems and find ways of solving those problems. Learners and their supervisors should attend this course together.

Bottom Line: People should never arrive at training without a clear understanding of why they’re there, what they should focus on, and how much their immediate supervisor cares.  That said, it requires discovery, planning, execution and disciplined follow through! 

My best to your quest!

Mark
I believe each of us is a gift. I create trusted relationships where individuals, teams and leaders NAME, CLAIM and AIM their gifts to achieve optimum performance.

​Interested to Learn About Yourself or Your Team? Mark is a Certified CliftonStrengths Coach, Facet5 and TotalSDI Facilitator and happy to discuss your situation.

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