How can you make your account management training more inclusive and diverse?

1 Assess your current situation

Before you can improve your account management training, you need to understand where you are now and what gaps you need to fill. You can start by conducting a diversity audit of your account management team, your training materials, and your client portfolio. This will help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of your current approach, as well as the opportunities and challenges for improvement. You can use various tools and frameworks, such as the Diversity and Inclusion Maturity Model or the Account Management Diversity Index, to measure and benchmark your performance.

2 Define your goals and objectives

Once you have a clear picture of your current situation, you can set realistic and specific goals and objectives for your account management training. You should align your goals with your business strategy, your client expectations, and your team values. You should also consider the short-term and long-term outcomes you want to achieve, such as increasing client satisfaction, retention, and loyalty, enhancing team collaboration and innovation, and attracting and retaining diverse talent. You should also define the metrics and indicators that will help you track and evaluate your progress.

3 Design your training curriculum

The next step is to design your account management training curriculum, taking into account the diversity and inclusion aspects. You should aim to create a comprehensive and balanced curriculum that covers the essential skills, knowledge, and behaviors for effective account management, as well as the specific topics and issues related to diversity and inclusion. For example, you can include modules on cultural awareness, unconscious bias, communication styles, empathy, feedback, conflict resolution, and negotiation. You should also ensure that your training materials reflect the diversity of your team and your clients, and that you use inclusive language and examples.

4 Deliver your training effectively

The way you deliver your account management training is as important as the content itself. You should use a variety of methods and formats, such as online courses, workshops, webinars, coaching, mentoring, and peer learning, to cater to the different learning styles and preferences of your team members. You should also create a safe and supportive learning environment, where your team members can share their experiences, perspectives, and challenges, and learn from each other. You should also encourage feedback and dialogue, both during and after the training sessions, to reinforce the learning outcomes and address any concerns or questions.

5 Evaluate and improve your training

The last step is to evaluate and improve your account management training, based on the data and feedback you collect. You should measure the impact of your training on your team's performance, your client's satisfaction, and your business results, using the metrics and indicators you defined earlier. You should also solicit feedback from your team members and your clients, using surveys, interviews, focus groups, or other methods, to understand their perceptions, opinions, and suggestions. You should then analyze the results and identify the strengths and areas for improvement of your training, and make the necessary adjustments and enhancements.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?