| Much of the training undertaken by business is quite | | | | These usually take the form of "At the end of the |
| reactive and carried out for some diverse reasons. | | | | training/development program, the participant will be |
| The glossy brochure which arrives at a time when | | | | able to" |
| Sally has been complaining about the job, or pay, or | | | | For example, a training need may be identified as |
| both. The leadership course which "seems like a good | | | | situational awareness. The objective may then be |
| idea". Well, we always want to improve leadership. | | | | written as: "At the end of the training program, the |
| The reward for hard working staff. The idea that we | | | | participant will be able to describe, in a systematic and |
| had better do some training because successful | | | | objective way, a business situation and list the various |
| companies seem to do it and we've read that good | | | | factors impacting on it, and their possible |
| employees are likely to stay if we provide training. | | | | consequences." |
| While we would always be supportive of business | | | | A training objective for "innovation" may be written as: |
| developing staff, it seems that much effort and | | | | "At the end of the training program, the participant will |
| expense is misdirected. How can we avoid this | | | | be able to use a number of techniques to draw |
| mistake? | | | | together possible unrelated resources to develop |
| If we start with identifying what knowledge skills or | | | | solutions to problems or implement improvements." |
| behaviour we need after the training, then we are | | | | Formal training courses are not the only option. Once a |
| going to stand more chance of being on the right track. | | | | need has been clearly defined we may find there a |
| These training needs may arise from your business | | | | are a number of ways to meet it. Enlisting the help of |
| plans, performance management process, recruitment | | | | someone who already has the required skill and ability |
| needs or even a systematic approach to identifying | | | | to coach the trainee is an often overlooked source of |
| the training and development needs of the business. | | | | development. There are also inexpensive books, CDs |
| They may also arise from individual requests. | | | | DVDs and other materials available including online |
| All too often they are listed as vague programs rather | | | | courses that can be very effective. |
| than specific outcomes. For example, many | | | | A creative approach to training and development |
| performance appraisals will list "Excel skills" as a | | | | starts with defining what you want and being proactive |
| training objective. A more effective way of addressing | | | | rather than reactive. |
| this is define exactly what is required e.g. "to be able to | | | | It is also valuable to follow up some weeks or months |
| enter key statistical formulae and produce graphs | | | | after the training to review how the outcomes are |
| showing sales trends by product" | | | | being put into practice. This reinforces the value put on |
| The secret to making sure the training investment is | | | | the training and helps assess how well a particular |
| worthwhile is to determine what it is you want to | | | | method has worked and judge whether to use it again |
| achieve. This is best done by spending time writing | | | | to meet a similar need elsewhere. |
| very clear training objectives. | | | | |