Odds are, all of us can answer the question “What is a training strategy?” But do we really know or why they work or not?

Corporate America does not have the greatest track record in managing training strategies with programs that come and go in predictable cycles. Why does training have such a bad rap?

Let us start with how leaders view training. On the surface of most organizations that have some sort of training strategy and varied opinions on how they are managed. A typical (and hollow) topline belief goes something like this: “We believe in our people and in developing their capabilities.” This one is especially fun just after training budget cuts, making leaders appear ridiculous!

When you explore how leaders think training works and the underlying attitudes, you’ll likely hear comments like these:

“We don’t really train – people figure things out naturally.”

“We train people on the job when needed.”

“If training programs are good, people will naturally apply what they learn back on the job.”

“HR is responsible for training.”

“We train everyone 3 days per year.”

“We train all our leaders in_______________ (you name it – Myers-Briggs, Seven Habits, Situational Leadership, DEI, etc.)

“We don’t have time for training in our business.”

“Training doesn’t work, we’ve tried it”

“We do training when operations are shut down.”

“We send people to outside training if needed.”

“We let our people pick training they want every year.”

Most all these waste money, are problematic or simply do not work for a variety of reasons.
Top Reasons for Training Strategy Failures:

-No real understanding of the role training should play at the senior leadership level.

-Unclear understanding of job-specific knowledge, skill, ability requirements (KSAs) or competency specifics required for desired job performance.

-Poor/inadequate resourcing of necessary training.

-KSAs not translated into viable training designs.

-Behavioral and/or application expectations on the job not understood or defined, communicated to trainees.

-Managerial roles in training reinforcement unclear, ill-defined or simply absent.

-Poor accountability for application on the job of KSAs.

-Performance development as a cultural attribute hollow/not a priority.
The Fixes:

1) Senior leadership is deeply versed in how performance expectations are set at all levels, the KSAs their managers must understand and manage people to, and the elements required for training that works (below). Expectations that performance capabilities development are a core value become a visible priority.

2) Managers, Supervisors are well-versed in specific employee KSAs necessary for performance success (including their own).

3) Establishing proper resources for prioritized training programs – this includes funding for designing, delivering, managing such.

4) Selecting/designing programs that align to desired performance-supported KSAs.

5) Leaders are well-versed in the behavioral expectations employees will be held accountable for back on the job and such are communicated clearly.

6) Require leaders to monitor skill application and actively play a role in bringing skills to life on the job post-training.

7) Deploy an integrated chain of accountability for required skills, behaviors from the boardroom to the shop floor – make training an ongoing priority. Establish training metrics not just for course completions, but for coaching sessions, skill demonstration audits, and competency proficiencies for critical positions in the organization.
Training Traps to Avoid:

1) Training “Everybody” in programs du jour – i.e., “Seven Habits, Myers-Briggs, Sensitivity, Pumping the Colors,” or any that do not align to specific, spelled-out job application. These programs tend to be mostly “feel-good” and do little to promote on the job performance.

2) Programs that are “Happy Training” if they have no corresponding behavioral applications clearly communicated.

3) Assuming employee attendance in a program links back to on-the-job application with no other managerial involvement. This is the number one failure!

4) Expecting overloaded leaders to bear the burden of training – without adequate resources, such will fail.

5) Buying “Off the shelf” training programs that are poorly designed or mediocre in their alignment to required KSAs.

6) Expecting overloaded HR departments to design, manage and deploy training programs.
Summary – If we want effective robust training strategies that work:

-Evaluate performance requirements of leaders and employees and translate these into specific KSAs.

-Design a training support strategy that is properly resourced to help design, schedule, collaborate with leaders and structure course deployments and post-program assessments.

-Actively evaluate training efficacy outside the classroom – measure performance better.

-Work to make performance excellence a core cultural attribute in the organization through effective training, leader engagement of followers and behavioral accountability.

Training strategic success requires clarity of expectations, consistent leader alignment, engagement, and competent training professionals.

Learn more about training strategies, programs and building success at:

www.blueskyleaderways.com