Remember Larry who wants to know which training supplier can help him transform his purchasing organization?  Let’s suppose that training is part of Larry’s solution. 

Larry will have a variety of obstacles to overcome if the training is going to change employee actions.  Consider some of the obstacles that often arise.

Do employees read the material before attending the training class?

Do they have enough time to think about what they read?

Do they know how the information relates to them?

Are they able to actually use the information?

Do they use the information?

Correctly?

The obstacles form a funnel.  As each layer of questions is passed, some of the employees are stopped by the obstacle.

To change behavior on the job, the employees have to overcome these hurdles.  How many firms want to find ways to overcome these hurdles? 

What steps might help people overcome the obstacles?  Feedback from my business students suggests that they learn best if:

• Learning is fun  
• They are challenged 
• Training is interactive
• They can make mistakes
• The context matters to them
• They can relate to the context
• Training is provided in small chunks
• They have time to practice for a few days
• They know why the training matters for them
• New ideas are connected to their existing knowledge

Is this feedback consistent with your experience?  How can training comply with this feedback?  

Filed by Coleen Davis at 7:32 pm under Business Acumen, Business Tips, Negotiations, Solving Problems, Training