There is No Free Pass
There is no doubt now. We are well into the new year and training, as we know it, is in jeopardy. Thousands of trainers have lost their jobs just in the US and Canada over the past several months. I talked to a training manager in Las Vegas who told me that 66% of that city’s trainers are out of work.
Hundreds of employers are telling us that our time of having a free pass is over. The free pass I am referring to is our long-standing belief that because we are trainers, we are not required to demonstrate our value like almost every other line of business. This attitude has put us in jeopardy. I talked with a training manager named Fred Meinberg from the Detroit area last week about coming there to address his ASTD Chapter. The Detroit area, being the major US automaker center, has been hit particularly hard. He asked me, “Jim, do you have a message of hope for us?”
Fortunately, I do. I had the privilege of addressing the training community with Ken Blanchard last week. Our task was to offer trainers hope as to how to not only survive, but thrive despite the economic crisis we are facing. Our message was this. Business leaders the world over are looking for an edge – any edge that will stop the financial bleeding. Those of us who are willing to modify our traditional view of training can be part of that answer.
It is first important to take a quick inventory of yourself to see if you are a trainer or a business partner. One of the best ways to do that is to consider the type of feedback – specifically, compliments – you get from others. If you hear. . .
“Your programs are terrific.”
“I really enjoyed your training program.”
“You are a great trainer.”
“I really liked your book.”
“The food was great.”
. . . you are on the wrong track. These kind of comments indicate that in all likelihood, you are a good presenter of good training materials and offer good food, and little more. It is likely too much about you and your training department. I am saddened to say that much of our efforts are more about us than what we are ultimately in business to do – improve the performance of our participants and their ultimate contributions to their organizations.
Also keep in mind that good, even perfect, Level 1 (reaction) scores and high Level 2 (learning) post-test results only indicate that you are heading in the right direction. It is the Level 3 (behavior) and Level 4 (results) indicators that show that you are (completely) doing your job.
Following are the types of comments that would indicate that you are a true business partner and not just a good presenter:
“I have used many of the things I learned in my work.”
“I have passed along the key principles to my team members and we are planning to implement them.”
“I have seen my direct reports respond positively to the new coaching methods I have used.”
“My key performance indicators have risen over the past 6 months. Thanks for the great training.”
These are the sort of compliments that will provide good career security for you, and will set the table for putting together a Chain of Evidence for your business partners to show that, indeed, your efforts are paying off for your organization.
If you would like some ideas on how to go about doing this, please click here to download FREE Kirkpatrick Four Level Evaluation E-Book that provides suggestions at each of the four levels. Or you can go back and read past newsletter articles that are archived on our website – www.smr-usa.com.
SMR USA's Public Sessions, 2009
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