Month: May 2011

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Tips and Tricks of an Effective Trainer

We, at the Free Management Library like to share other views as well and use Guest Bloggers. Gena Taylor of Maestro eLearning is the guest blogger for Training and Development. She interviewed Becca Hammer, the Director of Training at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and JS Online.

Gena’s interview with Becca explores the difficulties of being a trainer and how to overcome them, along with tips and advice to make your training more effective and even more engaging.

Q. What inspired you to become a professional trainer?

I started my career in advertising sales at a small daily newspaper. I then went to sell advertising at The Kansas City Star where I sold to both small mom and pop businesses and eventually some of our largest healthcare customers. I have a deep appreciation for how businesses at every level approach the market and the promotion of their businesses.

In 1997 I became a volunteer for Junior Achievement. I took on the notoriously wiggly classrooms of first, second and third graders. What I discovered was that after every JA session I facilitated was that I felt exhilarated and ready to tackle the day. Teaching was fun! This was something I really liked.

In doing an annual career assessment, you know, that “where do you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years?” question; I took a long look at how much longer the selling of advertising was going to continue to satisfy my desire to grow. The pieces started coming together. I am a self admitted know-it-all and always want to know more and liked being the person co-workers would turn to with questions. Couple that with a passion for sales and a genuine interest in helping people understand concepts, and viola! – a trainer was born.

Since my start as a trainer doing on-boarding and New Hire training I have developed and trained sales people on consultative selling, online advertising, what makes advertising work, how to set budgets, how to measure results, countless product training sessions and much more. My position as a trainer has also lead to stints reporting to HR where I developed programs to teach: ethics training (why, yes, yes it can be fun), Basic Business Acumen, ongoing coaching and development, difficult conversations, annual reviews that make sense and almost anything else that needed to be trained on.

Becoming a trainer has been completely the right decision for me. I believe that very few people are doing what they do best and love. I am one of the lucky few that springs out of bed every day that I know I get to be involved in training!

Q. How do you make your training materials exciting and engaging for your audience?

Before I begin developing the training, I really try to understand what we need to happen as a result of the training and WHY that isn’t currently happening. When I can engage an audience right off the bat with their issues, demonstrate that I understand their pain and why it causes such a problem, I can usually get buy-in and they are more likely to stay with me.

As I describe the issue at hand I like to develop analogies. Often times, a training attendee is too close to the situation to see the bigger picture and why what they are doing isn’t working so if I can tell them a story that helps them see their issue through a different lens, it helps them see the problem for what it is.

For a team struggling with identifying a customer’s need in the consultative selling process, the analogy might sound like this:

“Imagine you go to your doctor’s office and when the doctor comes in and asks you how you are you tell her that you have a headache she says, “Aspirin, you need aspirin.”

And you say, “Well ok, but do you think that will work, it’s a throbbing pain.”
And the doctor replies, “Aspirin. Definitely aspirin.”

Well, you are reluctant but she is the expert and went to medical school and she should know what she’s talking about so you agree to take some aspirin hoping it would fix your problem.

She cheerfully tells you to have a nice day as she heads out of the room satisfied in knowing that she has cured another patient as you finally ask, “Should I try to take the knife out of my head myself?”

Then I ask the team, “how many times have you prescribed ‘aspirin’ to your customer who really needed surgery?” Everyone laughs and then we go into the value of asking questions and how you become the “Sales Doctor.”

The visual to go along with this story are rapid-fire single image slides of patient, doctor, aspirin, patient, doctor, aspirin, question marks, patient with knife. It’s effective.

I will vary the impact of visuals so that sometimes the images go in rapid fire succession, then alternate with numbered lists or information pieces so that it never becomes a typical PowerPoint slideshow.

Q. Do you have certain tricks you use to make your audience more interactive?

I believe that having an audience that participates helps in retention of the material, so I work hard to make sure they are participating. There are several things I do to keep them engaged and active, including standards like breaking them up into groups to do small discussions. I like to get them out of their chairs and moving by posting big flip chart pages around the room and have them do a “gallery walk” where they can comment or vote on the items on the page. I then have one of the participants co-facilitate the comments to the rest of the group. Even if that is just reading the comments then we discuss the importance or value of the issue. It lets the audience know that at any time they may be called on to “help.”

Humor helps too. If there is a learner who has not commented at all and seems to be detached from the group, I will stop and call on them as if they had raised their hand to comment. When they say, “oh nothing, I didn’t have anything to say,” I will say something like, “You made eye contact. Every trainer knows that they only time that people make eye contact with them is if they want to say something. Did I read that wrong?” It lightens the mood and indicates to the people that I am plugged into them.

If I can’t get anyone to say anything, I have become an expert at playing the silence card. After what seems like an unbelievably long uncomfortable silence (maybe 1-15 seconds) I will say, “perhaps you misunderstood, this is the part where YOU get to talk.” Then I repeat the question, and wait. I have told quiet groups, “I’m here for the duration, the more you talk, the faster we get done.” They always start talking after that!

When hosting online training it is very difficult to know if your audience is engaged, so I try to put little interactive quizzes peppered throughout the session. They can be a quick review of the material we just covered, opinion polls, guessing games, just anything that breaks up the material and keeps attendees attention.

Q. How has training changed from the past to present? Where do you think it will go in the future?

When I first started as a sales rep, training was typically classroom, off-the-shelf, non-customized material that could be used by any one. Sales training emphasized gimmicks and techniques to get people to buy your product with you and display your product as the main “winner,” as if sales were a win-lose proposition. Training was also thought of as a “have-to” by attendees that was meant to “fix” them. It was assumed that one 2-hour training session would cure what ailed an employee and they would make improvements as a result of a training session alone.

Happily, at many organizations, training has lost a lot of those characteristics. Training is much more customizable than it previously was; more so if you have a staff trainer who can also build training. There is also an understanding that sales training has to come out as a win-win if you want to have any hope of continuing the relationship and make future sales.

It has taken countless hours and untold wasted dollars, but organizations that get it right have learned that training is just the start. They realize that training, without specific desired outcomes and consistent follow up, is just a waste of time and money. Companies have learned that to have successful execution of strategic plans that training and coaching employees and then training them some more is a key element to success.

Two of the most important changes in training over the past 10 to 15 years have been the way training is delivered and the expectation of training by employees. With technological advances, training can be done in-person, over the web or in a pod-cast. It can be done when it works for the employee and not when the trainer schedules it. Groups in the same building or across the globe can all participate simultaneously and interactively.

Thanks to nearly two generations who have never been without computers and constant access to learning opportunities, training has become something strongly desired by many employees instead of something seen as a waste of time or requirement. We consistently see in employee engagement surveys that employees demand access to training and development. Interviewees consistently ask what the on-boarding and continuing training programs look like at our company. It’s a good time to be in the training business!

Q. Do you have any tips your would offer other trainers?

Attend as much training as you can, not only to constantly learn new things, but so that you can see how others are effectively (or maybe-not-so effectively) getting the message out. This especially applies to online training. It seems as if there are many classroom facilitators who have been thrown into online training and have not adjusted their delivery to suit the needs of an online audience.

Challenge yourself to try new things in your training. Just today I was reminded of the saying, “Sometimes when you think you are in a groove you are really in a rut.” Are you still communicating that new hire training material effectively after delivering it sixty-five times the exact same way? What small changes can you add that make the material more relevant, more engaging or more helpful so that the participants understand it better?

The most powerful way I have found to improve is to videotape myself doing training. There is just nothing under the sun that can communicate what you can change faster or more effectively than seeing it on video. Once you get past how mortifying it is to see yourself fidgeting with the pen, dancing, swaying or standing like a statue the quicker you can get on to being the rock star trainer you know you are.

Q. What kind of literature inspires you?

Since I love learning about sales and presentations I like to follow Jeffery Gitomer to make me smarter in not only how to sell but how to very effectively market and present a business, I like to watch videos on TED to watch how people of influence spread their message. There are a couple of training groups on LinkedIn that I find to be very worthwhile. When it comes to community groups that you find on LinkedIn, I prefer discussions that are moderated so the content stays timely and on topic and doesn’t stray to self-promotion.

I subscribe to any industry e-newsletter that I can that I think can help me be more knowledgeable about training, advertising and sales. I can’t always read every one of them in depth but I dedicate time each day to learning more about what I do.

Maestro eLearning is a customer service company in the business of creating custom online training courses. They’re collaborating with industry professionals to deliver more value in their series “Trainer Talks.” If you would like to participate in an interview, contact genatyalor@maestroelearning.com.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

If you would like an opportunity to guest blog on training and development topics, contact me through the email on my website or my profile on LinkedIn. For a look at the human side of training from my Cave Man perspective, please check out my book, The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development. Happy training.

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Using social media to sell stuff (Part II)

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Given the explosion of social media for networking, relationship-building, communication and awareness, I’ve been surprised at how few social enterprises seem to be using it specifically to attract and retain customers. The good news is that this is changing, and, well, the more I look the more ventures I come across taking advantage of these new opportunities. Here are some more examples (see also my blog on this topic on 3/12/11):


Continue reading “Using social media to sell stuff (Part II)”

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G is for God

Hands folded in prayer to God

Got your attention, huh? I thought God might. I can’t really tackle God as case study in this blog entry, but thought I would try to add some insight. Actually what I plan to do is share some thoughts around how to tap into our relationship with God to increase spirituality in our lives.

A book called God is a Salesman by Mark Stevens, a Business Week bestselling author, caught my attention. With “Lead by Faith: Pray for God’s Guidance” as the number one value for my business, I thought this book might help me. The author shares how he put his insights into this book not from a particular religious perspective, but from having a personal relationship or communing with God. He said, “If we understand how and why we have faith in God, we can use this power to create and lead more successful lives.”

I love the concept of learning about our spirituality from “The Master.” Here are a few of his components from the book that really struck me in how we can follow the insights and guidance that God gives us so we can deeper and connect more meaningfully to what matters most to us!!

God’s presence

Mindfulness, living in the moment and other words describe the importance of being present. Being in God’s presence allows us to have a deeper connection and more meaningful life. We feel rested, peaceful and calm. The more I experience His presence, the more I want to be there.

God’s loyalty

The great thing about God’s loyalty is that it’s eternal! No matter what mistakes we make today, God is willing to forgive those whose hearts are sorry and focused on Him. Knowing that I have this loyalty with God enables me to reach further and take risks that I might otherwise not take.

God’s listening

I read in another book the other day that we tend to only recall 50% of something we just listened to. Not God. He is the best listener. He listens to our prayers, our pleas, and our problems. He hears our shouts of joy and thanksgiving. He also listens intently to the deepest desires of our hearts, those dreams or fears we’ve never shared. He is never distracted. He never interrupts. He advises us and gives guidance if we choose to listen to him.

God’s attraction

Stevens shares how God is a magnet because people all over the world turn to Him and search Him out. Are you a magnet? When we are living authentic and spiritual lives, we too will become magnets and we attract people, encouraging them to live out their highest selves.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Janae Bower is an inspirational speaker, award-winning author and training consultant. She founded Finding IT, a company that specializes in personal and professional development getting to the heart of what matters most. She started Project GratOtude, a movement to increase gratitude in people’s lives.

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Strategic Intuition

Hand using a chess piece to knock out a black chess piece

Napoleon Strategic ThinkingBiographers of Napoleon Bonaparte talk about his ability to size up a situation with a single coup d’oeil, (pronounced koo-DOY), meaning “a stroke of the eye” or “glance.” Napoleon was so knowledgeable about his strategic situation—the landscape, the enemy, available technology, similar situations from the past—that he could understand and respond quickly to ever-changing circumstances.

To become a master strategist, you must develop strategic intuition. Consider Warren Buffett’s masterful ability to see investment gems lying unnoticed in a huge pool of possibilities…. Or Steve Jobs’ ability to rightly intuit the features and qualities of technology that will bring magic to consumers… Or Oprah Winfrey’s ability to discern what her viewers want to experience and learn about… In the end, wisdom on this scale cannot be gained through analytical tools or logic… it is a matter of knowing without knowing how you know.

To study the dynamics of decision-making under pressure, Gary Klein lived with firefighters and other emergency or quick-response personnel. His objective was to understand how people make decisions in the most hectic of moments. In his book Sources of Power, he concludes that the keys to good spontaneous decision-making are entirely different than what matters when one ponders decisions with time available for analysis and deliberation. The best decision-makers in chaotic “fog of war” conditions seem able to call on intuition – knowing what to do without knowing why or how they know.

For example, Klein tells the story of one fire captain who entered a burning house, got an odd feeling that something was amiss, and ordered his firefighters out of the structure seconds before it collapsed. It turned out the source of the fire was in a basement that they did not know was there. Something about the situation just felt wrong to the captain, and he acted on his intuition, saving the lives of his men. Intuition, Klein says, is recognizing complex patterns “without knowing how we do the recognizing.”

napoleon plotting strategy with mapPattern recognition, by the way, is a key indicator of whether someone has begun to develop a “Zen” way of knowing about his or her field of expertise. Master chess players, for example, can take a brief glance at the pieces configured on a chess board, turn around, and accurately recreate the placement of all the pieces on another board. The rest of us, at best, can remember where one or two pieces are placed. The difference is that the chess masters look at the board and see a pattern – a story – that they can hold in memory and recall later. To recreate the board, they just put the pieces into place in order to tell the same story. This is the basis of intuition. While the word conveys a bit of magic or mysticism, psychologists say that intuitive knowledge is the result of repeated experience. The chess master has seen countless configurations on chess boards and gradually learns to see them as a whole experience, pattern of story. To the master, the pieces are just elements of something larger. In like manner, a quarterback who intuits where to find the open man or just seems to sense that it is time to get rid of the ball as he’s approached from behind, has achieved masters level pattern recognition.

Psychologist sometimes call the things that we know intuitively “tacit knowege.” And we can only use langauge to speak about things that are “explicit.” Psychologist Bill Snyder says that “Unless we can distinguish between tacit and explicit knowl­edge, we are likely to pay inordinate attention to explicit knowledge and underesti­mate the prevalence and value of tacit knowledge.”

Tacit knowl­edge refers to knowledge that one has but cannot explain. In coprorate settings, we distinguish between “codifiable” knowledge that can be written down or documented in some way, and non-codifiable knowledge that you can only learn from experience. This kind of knowledge includes intuitions, values, and basic assumptions as well as “artistry” or Zen mastery. Explicit knowl­edge involves knowledge that can be explained and codified. For example, facts, theories, recipes, standards, and procedures are all examples of explicit knowledge. It is important to distinguish tacit and explicit knowledge because research indicates that more than half of the knowledge in organizations is tacit.”

How to Develop Strategic Intuition. As Malcolm Gladwell has shown in Outliers, mastery of a field generally takes 10,000 hours of concentration in that knowledge domain. With time and practice, the individual begins learns to recognize patterns where others don’t and begin to recognize gaps in knowledge and begin to make new connections in order to solve or fill in these gaps. Warren Buffet certainly put the time in to gain his legendary intuition about the world of investments.

Gaining napoleon’s coup d’oeil – it – comes from a mix of aptitude and hard, constant, persistent work.

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If It’s Important, Less Is More

There will be milestones in our projects –or initiatives- that are important because they determine what the project team does next. Maybe it’s a ‘Scope Definition’; maybe it’s a ‘Design Review’. When these important decisions surface, sometimes project teams tend to swell – even though you, the Project Manager, have not asked for more resources. There may be uninvited guests at your meetings. You may see emails from people you don’t really know. I remember a particular project briefing, where the conference call provider actually advised that “the maximum number of lines has been reached”. Who were all these people? These situations can be addressed with the adage “less is more”.

As Project Managers, we are moderators of the information exchanges in our projects. If we have a workshop with N amount of participants, we will have to moderate a total of (N) X (N-1)/2 information exchanges. This means that, in a meeting with 6 participants, there are (6 X 5)/2, or 15, possible communication channels to moderate. In a meeting among 8 people, we will have (8 X 7)/2, or 28, possible communication streams. You can see how, very quickly, meaningful exchanges that yield a final solution become harder to moderate. The PM has to focus mostly on ‘crowd control’, and consensus may not be reached.

So if an important decision is required, a small but very skilled committee is a better option than a cast of thousands. Hopefully these few project team members can even be empowered to commit their organizations on, say, deadlines or funding. But even if they need to consult someone before doing so, at least they can manage their own communication streams in order to give you a decision. Of course, we must be very grateful and diplomatic as we say ‘no’ to those who have invited themselves. But at the end of the day, a small yet skilled team will yield a better decision than a large, rambling gathering. Less is more.

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For more resources, see the Library topic Project Management.

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The Combined Federal Campaign: Debunking The Myths

An-office-CFC-fundraising-campaign-officer-with-a-colleague

This is the first in (what’s likely to be) a long series of postings about the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

Workplace giving, with the CFC, is the only type of non-profit fundraising that is subsidized, low-risk and high leverage. If you’re not familiar with the CFC, let me share a few facts and debunk a few myths.

1. Myth   It’s hard to get into to the CFC.
   Fact    94% of nonprofits that apply are accepted.
The CFC actually has an “open admissions” program. If you meet the criteria, you’re in. And, in general, the 6% that don’t get in are the ones that don’t follow the instructions.

2. Myth  The CFC doesn’t raise significant money.
   Fact    One billion dollars of unrestricted funds in the past 5 years.
CFC donors have contributed more than $200 million to thousands of local, national, and international non-profits. CFC monies are unrestricted, reliable and predictable. In terms of actual giving, if the CFC were a foundation, it would be the 10th largest foundation in the United States.

3. Myth  The only place that has Federal employees is Washington, D.C.
   Fact    89% of Federal employees live outside of the DC region.

4. Myth  The CFC is only for the “big guys” (National Nonprofits).
   Fact    40% of the funds raised go to local nonprofits – the “little guys.”

5. Myth  There’s a lot of red tape.
   Fact    No more than any grant application, much less on the “back end.”
The regulations were substantially streamlined in 2006, so even if this was the case before, things have changed. There is zero red tape for the non-profit after the funds are received — (not bad for a government program!)

6. Myth  Some “expert” is going to decide if our non-profit gets any money.
   Fact    Donors designate more than 90% of CFC dollarsto specific nonprofits.

7. Myth  CFC Donors are fickle
   Fact    Most CFC donors are multi-year donors to the same nonprofits.
How many ten year grants have you gotten from foundations that support your organization? CFC donors are consistent !!

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My next posting on the CFC … “What is the CFC and Where to Apply”

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During his 25-year career in the Federal sector, Bill Huddleston, The CFC Coach, served in many CFC roles. If you want to get involved in the Combined Federal Campaign, maximize your nonprofit’s CFC revenues, or just ask a few questions, this is the guy to contact: Bill Huddleston1@gmail.com .

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Dancing with the Butterfly-V

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Leading and Working in Complex Human Systems

As the stakes go up…

In our “dance with the butterfly”—our continuing conversation about human systems—we have examined The Butterfly Model of Complex Human Systems, the three major sub-systems that make up a human system, and how the face to face world is a stage on which the systemic drama plays out.

In this post, we will focus on two questions: What happens in Human Systems “as the stakes go up”? (Stakes = threat, risk, importance x difficulty). How can you lead most effectively in these kinds of situations?

It is useful to think of the behavior of Human Systems on a continuum:

Interactions in Low Stakes Situations

Interactions in Medium Stakes Situations

Interactions in High Stakes situations

In each of these scenarios, Human Systems exhibit different kinds of behavior.

In LOW STAKES situations, interactions are usually pretty much what they appear to be. Individuals’ profiles are at play, but not in a demonstrable way. Conversations proceed smoothly.

In MEDIUM STAKES situations, metaphorically, the heat goes up a bit. People’s repetitive patterns of behavior, while they may not dominate the interaction, start to become more visible. For example, if a person gets anxious when conflict occurs, in low stakes territory they will probably not experience much anxiety. In medium stakes situations, they start to feel some anxiety that other players may detect.

In HIGH STAKES situations, a number of more visible shifts tend to occur.

  • Most notably, forces from the larger external system and the deeper internal systems tend to interject themselves more directly into face-to-face interactions.
  • For example, in a bankruptcy, lawyers, buyers, and bankers bombard the executive team; most of their face-to-face conversations are about finances, possible buyers, and what the lawyers are telling them.
  • Some people get “hooked”. That is, their deeper insecurities, shadow material, and unresolved issues are triggered.
  • When hooked, people tend to revert to long-standing learned ways of reacting to threats—behaviors that may have been appropriate for the situations in which they learned them but that are not effective responses to the present pressures. The anxious person tends to move into a state of higher anxiety.
  • In high stakes situations, the darker parts of our systemic stories (see my earlier series of posts re “Unleashing the Power of your Story”) interject themselves into our feelings and behavior. Some people may cry; some may yell or bang on the table, others may withdraw.
  • People are more apt to get into “stuck” interactions with one another. They feel like they are in a trap that they can’t see.
  • In most extreme cases, two or more players can become locked in what for them is a very old conflict. That is, rather than responding appropriately to pressures in the current situation, people may behave more like they have learned to respond to threats historically. They get caught in a ritual impasse in which they are both reacting to the shadow sides of their deep stories rather than to the current dilemma.
  • They become locked in mortal combat, but, as far as dealing with the present issue and reaching resolution, they totally miss one another.
  • They believe they are talking about the same things, but they are not. For example, on person may have learned that to survive and be noticed in threatening situations, he must loudly claim his place and resist others. He raises his voice; he yells.
  • Another player may have learned that, to be successful, she must take control.
  • These two players can become locked in conflict, one becoming louder and louder and the other trying harder and harder to gain control of the meeting. Each individual feels compelled to behave in ways he or she mistakenly feel will make them safe, but, all the while, the situation becomes both more stuck and more chaotic.

Guidelines for Leaders

How can you lead effectively in these very difficult situations?

  1. Learn to read the room and detect whether your team is in a high, medium or low stakes situation.
  2. Be aware of your on tendencies in high stakes situations. Learn to manage your own foibles. With practice, functioning effectively in high stakes situations is a learnable skill.
  3. Be aware when you, and/or a number of other players in an interaction, are feeling hooked.
  4. Help people learn to step back from threatening situations and see them in a different light.
  5. If people cannot extract themselves in the moment, disengage–take a break or table the issue until a later date.

If you want to explore leading in high stakes situations further, feel free to contact me.

Meanwhile, good journey…

Steven P. Ober EdD

President: Chrysalis Executive Coaching & Consulting
Partner: Systems Perspectives, LLC
Office: PO Box 278, Oakham, MA 01068
Home: 278 Crocker Nye Rd., Oakham, MA 01068
O: 508.882.1025 M: 978.590.4219
www.ChrysalisCoaching.org

Steve is a senior executive coach and consultant. He has developed and successfully uses a powerful approach to leadership coaching, Creating your Leadership Story, which enables leaders to make deep, lasting improvements in their leadership effectiveness in short periods of time. He and a group of partners have created a breakthrough educational program, Coaching from a Systems Perspective, in which you can significantly enhance your abilities as a systemic leadership coach. See http://SystemsPerspectivesLLC.com

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Thinking About Joining a Board?

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I recently gave this presentation entitled “Being on a Board: What’s It All About?” at the Grant Professionals MidAtlantic Conference and I am sharing the slides with you here. I was asked to give this presentation because many grant professionals get asked to be on a Board and some would like to be on a Board for professional development.

Being on a Board is a serious responsibility and commitment and should be considered thoughtfully. It also can be a major personal growth experience and be an important career enhancing experience. The slides are posted on slideshare for downloading and you can view them here.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Nonprofit Capacity Building.

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Marion Conway

http://marionconwaynonprofitconsultant.blogspot.com

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Selecting the Right Trainer

Selecting-a-new-trainer-

One would think that of all the training needs facing an organization, selecting a trainer would be the simplest, a matter of hiring the right person for the job. While selecting the right trainer is not as simple as it seems, the task can be made easier if you think about what your company or organization needs in the way of training and explore the best delivery methods for your employees.

Jeff Turner begins his article, Choosing the Right Corporate Training, this way:

“According to a Gallup Poll, 80 percent of employees said the availability of company-sponsored training programs was a factor in deciding whether to accept a new job or stick with a current one. And yet the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the average number of hours of formal training per employee per year is only 10.7.

More companies are starting to realize that it’s smart to invest in training, but faced with so many choices, how can an organization make sure it’s getting the most out of its educational investment?”

There are experts at evaluating what a company or organization needs in the way of training, and can recommend a training plan.

And, he’s right. Organizations have a lot of research to do in deciding how to spend their training dollars and getting the most for their investments. However, while his article focuses on the many options a company has regarding training, I’m going to focus more specifically on selecting the right trainer.

The right trainer can lead your entire effort if that is what your organizational training assessment tells you need, or that trainer can be a short-term solution for your training needs. Still you have to decide what your company needs. Help for hire is available from many companies specializing in working with companies on training solutions.

There are experts at evaluating what a company or organization needs in the way of training, and can recommend a training plan. They have specialized in those assessment aspects of training, but you should look at them for experience with similar companies before hiring, and check out their track record of success.

Does your company already have a training director or coordinator–someone tasked with monitoring the training needs of the organization? Or, do you want someone who can come in, and after a proper grounding on what your company or corporation does, analyze your situation and tell you what you need? Or, are you subject-matter specific? How to do a specific job better?

Trainers, like companies, come in all sizes and manner of expertise. From one-time training on specific or general skills to providing all the training in various formats your company needs.

Does the training have to be in-house or could you provide options for employees to take training at a local college and reimburse them for the cost?

Would your company benefit from hiring someone full-time rather than contract the work or position–the advantage being the full-time employee is vested in the company’s success? That is not to say, a training company or trainer for hire is not going to do a good job, but both hires will be specific to what is in the contract. A full-time employee may lack certain expertise (no one knows everything) and have to contract some training or analysis out, but can also be depended on to do whatever else is required without necessarily a change of contract.

Does the training have to be in-house or could you provide options for employees to take training at a local college and reimburse them for the cost? Is it a one-time training for every employee? Is it ongoing training that will change periodically? Does the training require subject-matter expertise specific to the company or a particular field, say engineering? These factors influence who you choose.

One option useful for companies that deal in specific or technical knowledge but do not have the in-house ability to pass on that knowledge effectively to new employees is to bring in an expert communicator or facilitator to work with a subject-matter expert in training employees. See my previous article, Training Sessions and Seminars: Who Should Do the Most Talking.

Other articles I have written in this series focus on the value of the trainer as a communicator in relation to subject-matter experts as well as aspects of communicating effectively and motivating employees, which is not necessarily the job of a subject-matter expert.

A smaller firm, perhaps a break-away from a larger company may have the expertise but not the established record yet is anxious to do a good job and for less money in order to earn its place.

My article, What Would a Caveman DO – How We Know What We Do About Training, focuses on the value of bringing in a trainer from outside your organization that has new ideas or a different perspective. Everything a caveman learned came from outside sources and that was the traditional way to learn from others in prehistoric times, but today bringing in someone from outside or going outside for training is considered non-traditional. Both types have their advantages and disadvantages; the outsider has the advantage of a fresh perspective but the disadvantage of not knowing the corporate culture in your organization.

So, the question becomes is your organization looking for an infusion of new ideas, a strengthening of the company pulse, motivating or providing employees with more working knowledge. Maybe it’s all of the above and more.

My recommendation is look at your organization first and decide what you want, then widen your net–especially if you don’t have an established training group in your organization–to see what is offered outside in that area; if a single trainer or training group may work for you, look at several. Bring them in for a meeting to see how they would function for your organization and ask how they will measure results. Essentially, you want to know how you will be able to see for yourself if they have accomplished the job as promised. Most importantly look at their track record and ask for references.

Finally, while money is always a factor, here it must be weighed against potential results. An established firm may have a track record worth admiring; it will also cost more. A smaller firm, perhaps a break-away from a larger company may have the expertise but not the established record yet is anxious to do a good job and for less money in order to earn its place. As for individual trainers, the same goes. A celebrity trainer who has name recognition and will certainly be a proven communicator will cost more than an equally good trainer/communicator without the celebrity status.

Prestige costs, but efficiency, flexibility and desire to succeed don’t have to. Good hunting.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

For more insight on training, communication topics, including effective presenting and public speaking, check out my website. For a look at the human side of training from my Cave Man perspective, please check out my book, The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development. Happy training.