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Is Our Training Focused on a Group From the Past
Are we practicing training myths as we bring people
on board?
In fact many of us are finding that our training may
be broken. We might not have a sense of why that is.
In fact we might not even have a sense of how it got
broken. We are just observing that what we had done is
broken. We are in fact training for an agent who ceased
to exist.
The result then is that we have training that is not
getting the desired result of production that we require
and we are not getting the agent to achieve in ways that
make the most business sense.
Many organizations are struggling with the training
process. Organizations are struggling because there are
a variety of groups in each organization who need to
be trained. Each of these groups has different ways they
receive information; and we are training usually as if
the groups were all the same. In fact many organizations
focus on perceived training needs that do not produce
profit. We train on a list of agenda items that really
do not create revenue flow and feel that topic after
topic has to be handled in the way they have been for
years.
As we examine training challenges there is no distinction
between the age groups that participate in the training
environment in terms of the way that they learn
Yet, these same age groups are almost determined improperly;
as the participant is assessed by production level and
age ignored entirely.
We make other mistakes as well. We tend not to focus
on training for the future of the business; we focus
on ideas and concepts that are not action oriented and
create dependencies on managers to be problem solvers.
We focus on forms; on marketing ideas but do not use
action driven strategies as assignments on short time
frames. In addition we usually train on the things that
seem important; detail focused issues that are not business
driven. These often can be taught upon need as opposed
to now when they are taught early on they are forgotten.
(how to fill out a contract for example) . we rarely
teach how to find the person to fill the contract out
with.
We are facing a training need of four if not five groups.
In one room there are those sitting next to people who
in age are two or three generations removed. You will
have seniors perhaps (those 56 and over) boomers; aged
40-56; Generation Y( 30-40); Generation Xers and then
the even younger generation "nexter".
They all have different experiences in training and
we can not just train for the boomer (who most of us
identify
with); who is the growing relic of the business.
Many organizations train in classrooms for weeks before
they send the "trainee" out to perform and
work their experiences. In fact when the agent is sent
out there is not even a firm expectation of performance.
Often, we do not get the candidate out into the field
using self guided business drive to test and execute
strategy.
The classroom becomes the training environment and is
geared to only new people. We tend to ignore the energy
opportunities to refocus non beginners. Some who even
need a refocus or business expansion.
Training needs to be diverse and compatible for a variety
of experience levels at the same time maximizing integration
into organizational thinking and profit growth. It
must have strong accountabilities as a component.
Managers, in turn feel that training is a burden because
they think they must do it themselves or wait for a training
schedule(led by others). The generation "nexter" does
not tune into burdensome waiting, as they want action
now. It then becomes clear that the boomer and the "nexter" do
not learn in the same way as a result. The boomer is
used to sitting and watching; the nexter to doing. Yet
we must train in a way both can benefit.
To help you assess this challenge; Is your training:
(Answer Yes or No)
- On a calendar that rotates in a cycle ?
- Does one
or a series of people who stand in front of a room
consistently teach training?
- Is your training on a
schedule that limits when someone can tune into that
segment?
- Is your training limited to the number who
can participate (in other words if there are too
few participants it
does not take place?)
- Does your training allow a participant
to start at their needed activity point?
- Must different
levels of success and tenure be segregated because
at different levels the training seems wrong
for advanced or multi diverse groups. (For example: Would
someone say this is "back to basics?")
If you answered yes to any of these (except question
5); your training may not be in tune with those you are
recruiting
In fact you could be instantly creating their long-term
failure.
Often when we see a training "class" we see
a trainer or a leader cover over a multi day or multi
week period, an instruction syllabus that is presented
topic after topic. A student sits in a classroom learning
about a topic; one topic at a time. Sometimes it is interesting
and sometimes it is not. This is a tough long process
that puts the organization and the student at risk. The
topics often do not have strong field-testing opportunities,
and the time spent learning is not connected to any reality
of the students' real work situations. In addition the
number of students in a classroom creates a dynamic in
its' self; is the audience large enough to insure a good
learning environment?
Is the class dependent on interaction or lecture. Is
it turning the student in to someone who instantly is
required to implement or one who gets ready to get ready?
How do the groups compare?
The boomer was used to non-interactive presentation.
He was used to sitting in front of a television to pass
time. The boomer likes lecture because he is told what
is important. It also reinforces his information gathering
nature. The boomer also has a sense of the way things
should be and draws from experiences to validate that
and reflect on a changing way business has developed.
The boomer remembers life before computers. The boomer
remembers writing in long hand. The boomer went to school
and often sat in rows.
The generations below "boomers" have different
reference points. The Generation X has been living with
the computer age for some time; These are those who the
term yuppie was coined for in the 80's. Success by drive
was their focus.
The generation Y was the traditional follower to them
seeing success but forsaking the traditional routes.
They are not focused on business schools as the only
route but see the IPO as their credo and seek it aggressively.
Patience is not their attribute and training that take
too long is out of sync with their perceptions. This
person learned at stations where tasks had to be accomplished
often independently.
The generation Nexter is the Internet baby the one who
understands the web and can make the computer do things
no one else has imagined. They are in fact setting the
above generations on their ears by achieving huge success
almost out of air. This person often learned on line
before many of the others addressed what on line was.
This person learned in frequent independence in a true
environmental fashion.
What should be done?
1.Training should not be about non-profit creating "junk" ·
In any organization there are things that need to be
addressed. These may include how to answer the phones;
to answering email; to any variety of other household
related issues. These housekeeping tasks should be presented
in a pre-start orientation. This orientation should give
the affiliate a marketing list of things to achieve before
the first day of work starts. This might include assembling
the prospecting target list; getting skilled on a particular
software program or any other specific skill that needs
to be accomplished before the person can start. In fact
the associate should have access via company web site,
access to all of the support materials they might need;
and a "help" directory to the self guided solutions.
2. Training must be interactive
Each person must have a personally tailored list of
specific goals that will need to be accomplished in the
first week. For example if the goal for a sales associate
is to get an appointment in the first week then what
will this person need to able to do?
- Prospect
- Evaluate inventory
- Make a presentation
- Learn who and where ancillary
support can be found?
If that is the case then each person should be given
a task list to complete that is given out at an orientation.
No one starts until the tasks are complete. These tasks
are reviewed weekly with thrice weekly management coaching
sessions. People need accountability and seek quick results.
Refocusing the training for success is important to
you. It is important because too many candidates fail.
By refocusing the training approach there will be faster
production that supports better achievement for more
agents. In this form at do not be surprised when 70%
* of your agents succeed.
*Based upon national results of 497 managers
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