Författare: Promote

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1579601716942{background-color: #00c570 !important;}”][vc_column][pi_hero headline=”Everybody knows that training is supposed to be a process..”][/pi_hero][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1568123856267{margin-top: 20px !important;}”]Author: Professor Robert Brinkerhoff

Everybody knows that training is supposed to be a process, not an event. We also know that training on its own doesn’t hit the mark, it should have impact, it should drive performance improvement, 70:20:10 should be respected since informal learning on the job matters – a lot of social learning is powerful and popular managers and participants should be engaged together, training should be shorter and digitalized.

It is relatively easy to tweak our current L&D offerings to respond to one or maybe even two of these new impact-enhancing elements, such as breaking a multi-day workshop into two parts, and adding some on-the-job applications in between session. But, incorporating many of the performance improving aspects into our L&D intervention designs is a challenge, a challenge that takes a good deal of design expertise and energy.

Designing a process where the design of a training initiative combines all the things needed to create high performance is another thing entirely from designing a traditional course.

We call this new challenge High Performance Learning Journeys (HPLJ) design.

• Performance, because the focus is on improving on-job performance, not just “learning”
• High Performancebecause we are after sustained performance improvement that consistently produces results the organization needs to execute its strategy, not just an occasional application of a new skill.
• Journey because it stretches time boundaries over weeks and more typically months.
• Learning because we know that true learning requires multiple cycles of acquiring new knowledge and skill, followed by application try-outs, followed by reflection and feedback.

The research that underlies High Performance Learning Journeys is based on my extensive hands-on encounters with training participants and their managers for over 40 years  determining what is actually working, and what is not, in getting the desired impact out of training programs. HPLJ is a way to put together all that stuff we know makes a difference into a practical and effective way of working that is scalable and doesn’t break your back.

We have been working for several years with the HPLJ process, we’ve studied and evaluated it to be sure that it works and to get the kinks out of it. (And there are indeed kinks, and few easy solutions). We made a decision to boil it down into a practical learning experience that others can learn about and use. We now have HPLJ certified practitioners that are out there using the process and they are finding it to be very impactful; the even better news is that this growing group of pioneers is already innovating improvements that make the HPLJ approach even stronger and more effective. We will always have a need to learn from applications for the continuous HPLJ improvement.

So our HPLJ efforts are themselves a journey a true learning journey that has changed our performance for good. We can’t go back now. We know we are on the right track, and others are picking up the learning journey concept and promoting their solutions. This tells us that we are the front edge of a wave of innovation in the L&D profession. Where this journey goes next is exciting to think about and be a part of.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” background=”pi-background–5″][vc_column][pi_text headline=”The HPLJ approach has been proven to dramatically increase the impact of training – by a factor of 3 to 4 – on workplace performance.”]

Without recognizing the four core elements of learning design, you will create training programs that are an ongoing expense without the prerequisites to provide value. You will find that you will benefit from using technical platforms to support your programs, but it is not a necessity to have technical platforms for taking part in the program or making use of your knowledge.

The Brinkerhoff Certification Program for High Performance Learning Journeys has the right tools to improve your programs and your outcomes!

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The new survey tool Fetch is now available for integration with Promote.

Fetch is a new tool that will allow you to create surveys and get a deep understanding about your learners by collecting feedback from them. In Fetch you can create surveys, collect data and create reports.

Fetch makes it easier for you to evaluate your programs, and to collect relevant comments and opinions. An invaluable part of the work to make your training programs more effective.

Fetch is now available as an integrated part of Promote. This means respondents can access surveys directly from programs in Promote. No more need for separate evaluation systems or paper based evaluations in the classroom.

In upcoming releases Fetch will also support quizzes, a great way to engage your participants before, after and during your courses and programs.

Get more information about Fetch and our upcoming Promote releases, contact us at support@promoteint.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1579602053435{background-color: #6c2a83 !important;}”][vc_column][pi_hero headline=”“They don’t have the time..?“ Really? (Part2)”][/pi_hero][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][pi_image image=”997″][vc_column_text]My latest blog post was about management involvement and the sometimes incorrect assumption that managers do not want to be involved in their employees training, or don’t have the time. Both research and our experience show the opposite. As long as managers understand the importance of being involved and are given the accurate tools, they are happy to support their employees. This post is about how easy it is to involve your managers and create higher effect and results with the training.

 

1. Getting involved in goal setting

One of the most important parts of management involvement is goal setting. We often meet employees taking part in training programs without knowing why and how they are supposed to contribute to the organization differently when they come back. Encourage the managers to discuss and clarify the individual goals and expectations with the employees. Try to define the goals according to SMART and make sure the goals are understood and that the employees are committed.

2. Identifying situations where we want to see change

As soon as we start designing a new training program or improving an existing one, it’ very important to involve the mangers. Ask the question: In what situations do you want to see a new or improved behaviour? By asking this question your get the mangers to really think about crucial situations where they want their employees to act differently and more effectively.  By doing this early on, you have a created a better understanding of what we are trying to achieve with the training.

3. Letting the employees apply new behaviours

Managers play an important role in letting the employees apply what they have learned, i.e. using the new behaviours. According to the research by Dr. Brinkerhoff, 70 % of the participants try one to three times and then fall back into their old behaviours. In order to change this, the managers have to take part in the change and let the employees frequently apply what they have learned.

4. Commenting and giving feedback during training

When the managers have taken part in identifying situations where they want to see change, it’s much easier for them to follow up and give feedback on improved behaviours during the training. Feedback and acknowledgement from managers during training is crucial for the employees in order to try and stick to new behaviours.

5. Reviewing and evaluating goals

After the training, the manager’s role is to review and evaluate the goals together with the employee. To what extent has the employee reached the goals? What is the next step and what kind of support does he or she need to be able to stick to the new behaviour?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1579601898552{background-color: #ffaf02 !important;}”][vc_column][pi_hero headline=”Three Pillars of Training Programs”][/pi_hero][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][pi_image image=”961″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]For new recruits (or any employee for that matter), training is always a fun experience. Mostly because it’s where you learn something new. Sadly, not all training programs produce results that impact the business in a positive way, and even when they do, to prove these results is a big challenge!

This is not because the training program is bad. As a matter of fact, some of the most in-depth training programs can fail in achieving or proving results. Lucky for you, you can use Promote to create a one-of-a-kind training program that hits your goals, focus on results from the very first day and, most importantly, prove then! All of this while making sure that your trainees are having a good time.

 

It’s not all about you

The thing most training programs fail to see that it’s not all about the program itself. It should also be about the people who will take the training. Focusing only on one-part defeats the purpose of making a training program that urges people to learn.

It’s very common (more than you would think) to see people getting back to work after a training program, without applying their learning. It means the business will not benefit from the training; instead, money will just go to waste. With a training program, companies expect results, they expect their employees to learn new behaviors that will impact the business, and it should make a difference!

 

It’s very common (more than you would think) to see people getting back to work after a training program, without applying their learning.

In order to facilitate this process, training attendants need to be empowered from the beginning, their managers need to be involved and create the right environment for their return to work. For its success a training program needs to be designed with results in mind, with the right technics to involve managers and a set of tools that will help the attendant before, during and after the training.

 

Three Pillars of Training Programs

So you want to make a good training program with Promote but you don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

It is said that there are three pillars that make a good training program. Let’s list them down one-by-one and find out why each of them are important when creating training programs.

 

1. Results, results, results!

Know what you want, knowing your goal is the battle half won. Sadly, this is where most training programs fail, they are created without a goal in mind. Well, you might have the central idea or the thought of the whole training program down but what really is your goal? Are you just going to stop with your trainees learning how the machines work? Or do you want them to be not just operators but also safety engineers?

2. Know what they want

Alright, so this is the part where we discuss how a training program becomes boring or ineffective. Like what I said earlier, it’s not necessarily because the central idea of the training is bad. It’s mostly because the training program was created without thinking what the target group wants. You know what’s the best part about this? This is actually the easiest part. Why? Because all you have to do is ask.

A simple questionnaire can give you loads of insight into what your target group wants. Would they want a more hands-on training session? Maybe give more concrete examples for each instruction for the training? When they know that it is for their own good, they won’t have second thoughts about giving their two cents worth.

3. Make it simple yet fun

I can’t really count how many times I’ve heard friends or colleagues tell me how much they hated a training program all because it was too complicated for a very simple training and I share their pain. People have this notion that when something is complicated then it is bound to be good not necessarily.

All you have to remember when creating training programs with Promote is that although the end goal is to gain new skills, habits, or knowledge, you don’t have to be so hard and strict about everything. Going down the “simple yet effective” route should always be your choice when making training programs. Not only will this make the program fun and easy for the participants, it will also save you the trouble caused by an overly complicated regimen.

 

You will be able to visualize results!

Applying all the three pillars of training programs is a lot easier with Promote. Promote allows you to custom-fit any training program to your liking. With that in mind, the possibilities are endless.

With Promote, you can create a scaling training program that incorporates social learning along with effective training modules. You will be able to visualize results! Your attendants will have the conditions they need to use their new learned behaviors, when they get back to their workplace.

 

The company will finally benefit from the training and the business will experience a positive impact from it.

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When thinking about staff training, organisations often put their faith in what is available to them externally, they look outside for a complete fix to whatever problem they may have, and often behave as if training takes place in a vacuum.

Let’s take an example. Imagine that a company’s sales team is underperforming.  To address the situation, training is suggested to improve the team’s performance. A logical argument for sure. The question of cost will raise its head and discussions will be held as to whether the business can afford to spend a few thousand pounds on training the sales team. Someone will suggest that they cannot afford not to and the decision will be made that they ought to do it and the search for a training provider begins. Once found, the provider will deliver a two day sales course, the group will enjoy it and all will be well. Or will it?!

I have written often about what providers can do to ensure that the learning sticks and that the training is not just enjoyable but also actually creates new behaviours in order to impact on business objectives.

In this article I want to focus on what the business who bought the training can do to ensure it works as well as it can. For it is not down to the provider or the trainer alone!

1) When deciding which provider to use for your training, always invite three or four to meet and propose their solutions. It sounds obvious but all providers are not the same and making sure that the provider fits your business’ culture and approach is crucial for the success of the training

2) Always ask the providers what they do before the training and after the training to help make the learning stick, as well as what they do during the course. If they do not show any inclination to meet the participants (or at least make contact) before the actual course, it is unlikely they will be able to tailor the content accurately.  This is particularly important when training more experienced participants. If they have no way of embedding the learning after the course itself, it is highly unlikely that it will make a lasting impression.

3) Once the training provider has been decided, ask the trainer/facilitator to contact the line managers of those who will be attending. This is an essential part of the process. Trainer and line manager will need to collaborate in order to help the participants use what they have learnt.

4) Ensure that the line managers have a clear understanding of the content of the course and its design. This makes certain that they do not have to ask the participants what was included on the course. They should know so that they can help the participant use what they have learnt, in line with their personal development plans.

5) Give the line managers some guidelines as to what they should be doing before their team member or members attend the course and what they should be doing after they return. The training should be able to help with this. At Phoenix we encourage managers to attend a short session before their team members participate in any training to provide an overview of content and more importantly, an idea of their responsibilities for the success of the programme.

6) Make sure that the participants set objectives for the training and discuss them with their line manager. They must have a goal for the training and really know why they are attending and how it will help them going forward.

7) Do not fill the course with extras to make the budget go further. It is always tempting to add extra attendees to create better value. Only those who really need the training should attend. Extra participants with no real objectives or reasons to attend other than they “might need it at some point” only dilute the training and its impact. It is much better to spend the money on those who need the skills and can use them immediately.

8) Make sure you have an appropriate room for the training to take place in. It is amazing how much difference a good training room can make to the success of the event. Don’t be tempted to squeeze the group into an unused meeting room. If the training provider can’t offer or source training facilities, a quick search should provide you with plenty of choice to match your budget. Make sure they have natural light and good catering options. These are the two things I find receive the most feedback.

9) The participants should always return from the training with some sort of action plan or a what I’m going to do now-list. It doesn’t have to be formal but there should be something that reflects what they are going to use as a result of the training. Line managers must have this post training conversation, that promotes the use of what they’ve learnt. It should not consist of”How was the training?”; “Really good thanks”; “Good”, and no more!

10) Give those who have attended the training the chance to use what they have learnt. They are being trained to develop a particular aspect of their role. It is vital that they are given the chance to practise their newly learnt skills. Training will probably have started the ball rolling in the right direction but they are unlikely to be experts at this stage. Practice in the “live” environment is where the skills become embedded. Without this the participants will quickly return to their old habits and techniques. Management support is once again vital to ensure this happens.

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1579601967887{background-color: #6c2a83 !important;}”][vc_column][pi_hero headline=”Execute strategy and drive change provide focus for results”][/pi_hero][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][pi_image image=”973″][vc_column_text]Welcome to the clutter of everyday work. Surrounded by all of those things craving your attention. Constantly battling for your most precious resource – time.

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[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” css=”.vc_custom_1579601993371{background-color: #00b5e1 !important;}”][vc_column][pi_hero headline=”Training needs to change to keep up with business”][/pi_hero][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”5/6″][pi_image image=”977″][vc_column_text]Markets are changing. Business is changing. Companies need to be light on their feet, to compete. The pace of change in today’s world demands it, lest you risk being left behind. To be strong, means to adapt. Training’s no exception.

Life cycles to execute on strategies are shorter than ever before. Business needs training as a performance tool, to implement strategies and new/better ways of working. In short, for companies to keep up with the world of business, training needs to keep up too. People need to learn faster, smarter and more efficiently. Training must be relevant to business execution.

Effective training is a powerful tool, by which business can implement desired ways of working. And yet, it’s common to find organizations still holding onto out dated views of what effective training means. An old mindset, often born out of an ill formed belief, that there’s a direct cause and effect relationship, between training and improved performance in the workplace. There’s not! Numerous studies and expert opinion attest to that.

In fact, research tells us that 85% of training initiatives have absolutely no impact on business at all!

So why might this be? Well, the old training mindset contains a catastrophic flaw, it separates training and learning, from the needs of the business. Meaning, organizations will continue to fail.

Training requires a new mindset. We need to fix what is broken. Effective training pertains not just to HR and L&D. It’s relevant to all who execute strategies and crave performance improvements.

 

Training needs to be more than just learning, it needs to drive performance

Good training is a powerful tool, which helps people perform at their best. Good training needs to address performance and be measured on performance improvements. After all, any training intervention ought to be able to provide a reaction of sorts, perhaps some even provide new knowledge and skills. However, the real value of training is when the outcomes from training act to drive the desired behaviors, in line with expectations.

In line with business needs, to be specific. So, not just knowing, understanding, or some other intangible line of thought that might derive from the more traditional training intervention, but putting such knowledge and understanding into practice, because it’s the “putting into practice” that creates real business value.

Training vendors and L&D professionals are not hitting the mark. Research tells us that learning transfer, that is, from learning to application, is low. In fact, when measured (and it rarely is), learning transfer, on average, can be as low as between 5-15%. And yet, despite such paltry numbers, research also tells us that it’s still paying the bills!

Let’s take a typical training intervention in sales, for example, statistics tell us, that in a class of 20, two delegates only, are likely to go on and make full use of their training and in so doing, effectively paying the bill for themselves and for the rest of the class!

The business needs remain. The vast majority still seem to be walking down the old business tracks. And yet, the train left the station long ago. And for a new route. People are getting left behind, and more so for each change. But what of the strategic implementation that was needed? And the baseline for future business development not being where it needs to be? (Or where senior executives expect it to be …) There will be disconnections.

The truth is, training alone can’t deliver increased business performance. Training can only make a real difference when enforced by performance drivers and it has the means to overcome obstacles. Training needs to be seen as a development process. It needs to be supported by business and not reduced to some costly event, measured by how much a participant likes the coffee breaks or the facilitator!

Line of sight has been lost. Often the participants and much worse, their managers,  lose sight of how a particular training initiative is supposed to support their organization’s aims and objectives.

Sometimes, even those designing and delivering the training interventions lose line of sight, seemingly no longer able to align the behavioral application of their training to an organization’s needs. Most easily seen in “learning objectives” that describe the effects of a training program (“After this program the participant will be able to..”), rather than addressing the actual needs of the business (“This program drives our desired behaviors for increased customer satisfaction and increases margins from our services”).

We need to work together. The degree to which training transfers into improved business performance, is often the measure of how well an organization is managing its training programs and processes. When training programs are managed well, in other words, they derive from business needs, and in so doing, individual learning outcomes are consistently translated into improved individual performance then the expectations on training will be met.

(Making matters worse, ROI studies on training initiatives sometimes attempt to distil the impact from a training initiative, with other, collectively produced results. Not only do these studies tend to be counterproductive, in that they distance training yet further away from the business, they also tend to be wholly inaccurate.)

Why invest in developing human capital? It’s not uncommon for senior executives or management to question the value of training; not unreasonably so, given the previously mentioned rates of learning transfer to improved business! Moreover, we know that multiple factors contribute to the success of a business through improved performance, without necessarily meaning the development of people. For example, investments in technology, marketing or consultancy. So yes, multiple variables contribute to the success of an organization. Another truth, if you like, is that these days, most things can be bought, written, or copied! But behaviors and culture, not easily so!

 

One study of particular note, is that of Bruce Pfau and Ira Kay (The Human Capital Edge, 2001), who showed a correlation between human capital and shareholder value. Based on an analysis of 750 large, publicly traded companies, they came to 3 major conclusions:

1. Superior human capital practices are a leading indicator of financial performance
2. Organizations with the best human capital practices provide three times greater returns to shareholders versus those with weak human capital practices
3. Certain specific practices improve shareholder value, while others actually diminish it

 

So, to be successful and to be able to adapt over time, every organization needs to align people to performance and training to business. Working in the field of training, this is what you need to accept and adapt to, or face the consequences of being left behind.

And this is how you do it as a training provider or L&D professional:

You need to partner up with business. Training alone (no matter how great) will not bridge the performance gap. The new mindset requires a holistic approach and view to training. That it’s part of a performance system like nursing a plant, the seed needs sunlight, mud and water, to sustain itself over time. Too much of one, or not enough of another, and you’ll not grow something to be proud of, training is one key element among others, to be nurtured all the same.

You need to facilitate success! As a training vendor or L&D professional, you will need to drive the learning function and manage the learning process, which means stepping away from your desk! The research is clear, learning transfer won’t happen by itself. From learning to performance is a process. It needs support and key drivers, to be successful. Your role is to design and orchestrate a training initiative to drive the desired performance. Your function needs to contribute to business success.

Timeless truths

 

• Always start with the end in mind, understand the needs of the business, for example, what will success actually look like and how will you know?
• Engage those being trained, align what you want to achieve, think purpose and know their needs to be successful
• Make it simple, but without ever over-simplifying, make it easy for those being trained to understand how to reach the goal
• Set those being trained up for success, don’t leave it to chance, make sure the key “drivers” and support are in place

Source: Prof Robert Brinkerhoff and KirkpatrickPartners

 

Your path to partnership and success.

 

1. Find a starting point. A training initiative that you believe could make a difference for business, that is not too big to handle as a “first case”.
2. Start with the end in mind, discuss with your sponsor, see the big picture, understand “why?” and “how” the initiative is important to business.
3. Identify critical behaviors and key indicators for desired outcomes.
4. Know how training will make a difference, what will those being trained need, to be successful?
5. Create an impact map, a description of how business needs are linked to the desired behaviors and key learning objectives (at the organization level, individual level, or both).
6. Find points of evaluation and measurement, what will prove that each step delivers what it should? Identify feed-back sources aligned with everyday business metrics.
7. Involve and co-operate with line-managers for follow-up and feed-back.
8. Launch a powerful training program with support and drivers for success. And communicate continuous follow-up on the different metrics and outcomes.
9. Build success-stories and share with the organization.

 

Promote International have the experience, system and processes to fix what is broken. With our support you will be able to address these issues and take on managing the learning process that you facilitate.

To be a partner with business, means acting like a partner. Still waiting for an invitation from your business?

Don’t, because it starts with you!

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