Bryant Consulting Group January Newsletter

January 2007 Issue

BCG Bulletin

THE LEARNING EXPERTS

Professional Development
Course Schedule

	February 6 The Write Stuff: Professional Business Writing
	February 9 Avoiding Uncertainty: Effective Communication in the Workplace
	February 13 Meeting and Exceeding Expectations: Delivering Outstanding Customer Service
	February 16 The Front Line: Delivering Phenomenal Customer Service for Help Desk Professionals
	February 20 Compelling your Audience: Effective Presentation Skills and Strategies
	February 23 Lead, and They Shall Follow: Effective Leadership in the Professional Environment
	February 27 Controlling the Variables: Time Management in the Workplace

Three Tips on Training Delivery

How many times have you heard it? “I want to be a trainer.” Often, just because someone is a subject matter expert in their field, they think they can train others to be just as versed. But there is definitely an art to be able to effectively train so the students actually learn. There are 3 key tips out of many that can be utilized when training.

Knowing your Training Needs
by Drew Hamlin, BCG Learning Consulting

Training has become an integral part of becoming the “best of the best” in the contemporary business world. Industry elite agree that effective and continuous training is a key aspect of a company’s success. But deciding what type of training is necessary for your organization is not a simple task. There are several elements to analyze when determining what training is right for you.

What Do We Need and How Vital is the Need?

The first element to determine is what kind of training your organization needs. What are the most pressing issues affecting work performance? Is there a lack of knowledge when it comes to using some of the essential computer operating systems? Are sales declining due to ineffective sales and marketing strategies? Identifying the major issues that are negatively impacting your organization is the first step in implementing effective training and getting back on the track of success.

The next step is to determine the level of need for the identified trainings. This answers how vital is the need for the training? Obviously, you cannot afford to immediately address every single training need that exists in your organization. Prioritize your training needs in terms of urgency and importance. Dedicate resources to those training needs that of greatest importance and urgency.

What Kind of Training Do We Need?

Training itself has changed dramatically over the last few decades. How training workshops are conducted, the training space that is used, and the format of the training are all aspects that an organization must consider when determining its training needs and how they will be met. Upon identifying your training needs and what areas will be addressed first, brainstorm ideas about what kind of training would be most effective to meet your needs. Here are some questions to answer:

What should be the format of the training? Should it be a computer-based training application, on-site instruction, or a different form of instruction?
Where should the training take place? Will it occur on-site, or will participants venture to an off-site location?
How long can the training last based upon current scheduling needs?
Is this training going to be led by members of your organization, or will you be enlisting in the services of a professional training company?
How will information about this training be effectively communicated to the members of your organization?

In Summary

Knowing your training needs is an essential part of making your organization go from being “good” to being “great”. Knowing your organization’s training needs, prioritizing those needs, and brainstorming ideas for training delivery are the fundamental elements of implementing effective training in your organization.

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation... Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle

Trainer Training:
Details Getting In The Way

Boring - that’s the last word we want to hear in our training evaluations! There can be many reasons why our students feel that way. A common reason for boredom and confusion is providing too much information.