Building Blocks of Training

There are four building blocks to effective training.

Trust

Trust is the foundation of any relationship and the cornerstone of any effective training program. Without trust, participants are less likely to engage with and accept the material. Trainers need to facilitate trust by showing their expertise and knowledge on the topic – they need to be credible. Trainers also need to create a comfortable environment with open communication where people can trust that their questions and concerns will be seriously considered.

Outcomes

Without clear outcomes, participants won’t understand what the purpose of the training even is. Start your training with clear, measurable outcomes that are aligned with the organization’s and the team’s goals. Learning outcomes should be assessed regularly to know when more training should be delivered.

Solution

Training needs to provide real, practical solutions to struggles that the company and team are facing. This ensures that the training is relevant, that participants can directly apply what they learn, and that participants will stay engaged in the training. Along with training, it’s essential that trainers also provide the necessary resources to support the learning process and solution implementation, and that there are support systems in place to continue with post-training implementation.

Value

Participants need to believe that there’s real value and benefits from the training in order to engage with it. Value can be career advancement, skill development, enhanced job performance, etc. It’s also important to remember that organizations need to measure the value of the training. There should be key performance indicators or other outcomes from the training that can be measured.

Oversee Successful Training

Without these building blocks, it is very difficult to get buy-in from your participants. I think most employees want to learn, but they hate learning events that they feel are wasting their time. Could it be that your teams really want to improve their skills, but they don’t want to learn the way you’re teaching them? Try implementing different training methods, such as hands-on activities, simulations, etc.

Ultimately, however, to oversee a successful training program, keep your discussions with all the stakeholders focused on strengthening each relationship with them within these four building blocks – trust, outcomes, solution, and value. These are the drivers for ensuring that each and every one of your programs has the best internal sponsorship, the most enthusiastic participants, and the greatest, and I think this is the most important, the greatest impact post-training. Again, it’s not hard to train; that’s easy. Implementation is the key, and right now, where we see most people falling down is on the post-training experience. The best sales calls are good conversation; be it an internal sales conversation, selling up the organization or selling your programs down the organization. It all starts with the conversation centered on trust.