Before an athlete begins a training session, they spend a considerable amount of time warming up. Most elite coaches expect that when the athlete shows up to practice, they have already gone through warming up, so that when practice starts they are able to jump right into the drills and skills for the day.
Without this warm up period, athletes are more likely to get hurt, are unable to participate in the drills and miss out on working to improve the key skills they will need for their sport.
Successful business leaders understand that to stay competitive, they must offer frequent training opportunities for their staff. They may be initiating a new process, offering a new product or improved customer service, or want to problem solve with new methodologies. Regardless of the reason for the training, companies are spending (in total) millions of dollars per year to provide continuing education to their staff.
Remarkably, a
recent study by McKinsey revealed that nearly 75% of corporate training failed to accomplish its goal. The reason? A failure to prepare.
Similar to the athlete who fails to adequately warm up before a training session, companies that fail to prepare their employees ahead of corporate training will find their efforts and money have been wasted. How can you ensure that your training efforts are a success?
Help Your Employees “Warm Up” to Learn
One of the biggest factors in educational success is the desire to learn. Regardless of how engaging and motivational a training is, if the employee does not want to learn, the training is not effective.
Educate Your Employees About their Purpose
Employees should know the purpose of the training and how their unique personality, skills, attitude and interests can contribute to the goals of the company. Without allowing your employees to get clear on their individual contributions, your corporate training won't be as effective and your employees won’t be as engaged.
Provide Action Plans
Engage your employees in the training by having them prepare beforehand. Even prior to the training, consider having them participate in a program that is meant to get their mindset right about contributing to your organization BEFORE the corporate training starts. It is possible to encourage the great in the individual and have them contribute to the company’s goals.
Keep Engaged
One of the biggest hurdles business leaders face is helping employees understand how to implement what they’ve learned. Instead of providing them with volumes of information and then expecting them to apply it, teach the employee how to set gradual goals and targets. This effective means of training can be applied in any area of learning and can be used to measure progress. A weekly or monthly milestone is an effective way to start.
Prepare to Train
Goal setting is an essential tool that can be used in any field. Offering your employees a goal-setting workshop can greatly impact the success of your next training program, and provide lasting results for your workplace. Before you schedule your next training, speak to the experts at My Big Idea and find out how we can help you set your employees up for success.
