I am many times faced with a class full of people who don't want to be in the room. In truth they would rather be in the dentist chair having their teeth pulled out one a time without anesthesia. However their boss/manager/supervisor has told them they had to attend this class. Do they see this as an opportunity to grow their skills? Do they thank their boss/manager/supervisor for investing in their personal development? The answer is unequivocally "NO!" The individuals in these sessions see the training as a punishment. Therefore, they are not in the right frame of mind to learn and grow from the experience.

So why does this happen? Managers are usually extremely busy individuals trying to solve a multitude of problems. However, they do not have a strategic process to deal with the chaos that faces the organization. So they are constantly creating new ways to deal with the problems they are facing.

Of course training seems like a quick and easy way to fix the problems. Unfortunately many don't realize that 1) training won't fix everything and 2) training alone doesn't solve anything. But because they are trying to fix everything as fast as possible they try training, at least they are doing something. Right? Then they send the individuals that they have the most authority over and believe they can do without for a short period of time.

So why doesn't training alone work? There are a variety of reasons. But the one that I want to discuss now is the planning for the training. Don't just spring training on the individuals that are taking the training. There needs to be a complete explanation for the training. Individuals need to understand why the training is necessary, how this will affect them, and what is in it for them? How will they be supported after the training? What will they be required to do differently? What happens if they have trouble implementing the new skills or techniques? Why are they involved in the training, (especially if not all the staff is involved in the training effort)? The answer to these questions is not "Because the boss said so." The more the individuals involved in the training understand the training goals and objects the better they can be prepared for the training.

The training then should begin with the senior level individuals first. This does a couple things for your organization. First it shows the support of the top level management. Second, it allows the management team a chance to develop new processes and behaviors that will be expected from the rest of the organization. The senior leadership then can begin modeling this behavior for the staff. (The senior leadership should be the highest level at a particular office or location.) Then establish the methods and processes that will be used to hold individuals accountable to not only learning the material but also using the new tools and techniques. The managers then become the coaches to help the staff learn to implement these new tools and techniques.

I know many of you are thinking that will take forever and cost a fortune. Have you considered what it cost your organization at this time to continue providing the programs that you are currently offering? Are you getting the results you desire? What is the cost of lost productivity, stress, and frustration from staff that attend session only for work to continue as usual?

So why aren't the bosses/managers/supervisors involved in your training programs?