Too many learners leave training programs as wise as when they went in! Some participants take away a few nuggets but frequently forget them in short order. This is particularly true in “soft skills training”. So if this is the case, why do organizations spend so much time, money and effort in providing employee training programs?

To get real about organizational training, think of learners in three categories:

• Category 1–Engaged Participants: about 10% of the class are there to learn. Their motto is, “Hey this is good stuff”
• Category 2–Vacationers: about 80% of the class are mentally on vacation. Their motto is, “This beats working”
• Category 3–Prisoners: about 10% of the class feel trapped and really do not want to be there. Their motto “I have a lot of other things to do”

Some tips for the trainer:

• Try and maximize the number of engaged participants early in the program by making the opening engaging and fun (icebreakers, attention getters, personalized exercises, etc.)
• Mix up the engaged participants in group work with the vacationers to try and spread their level of energy and engagement
• Identify the WIIFM (what’s in it for me) factor for the group ahead of time so you can link the training to current issues in to organization—this may capture the interest of some of the vacationers and prisoners.

By applying some of these approaches you may just turn a Cinderella training course into a thing of beauty.

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Quote of the Day

Leaders need to be optimists. Their vision is beyond the present. ~ Rudy Giuliani