Finally! Learn How To Have BETTER Training

We all know, or should know, that human attention spans are measure in nanoseconds these days.  However, our training methods are not shaped and modified to adapt to this lack of focus from people.  We continue to plow on with mind-numbing PowerPoint presentations, boring speakers and training meetings that turn into town gossip.  Our regular training sessions are not doing anything for us and yet we keep on keepin’ on.

There is hope!  I believe that this article, if thoroughly implemented, could improve your training today.  Or tomorrow, depending on when you have your next training sessions.  With my years in the Army and in the private sector, I have been a part of really bad training, pretty good training and amazing training.  The next few tips focus on what I think is the best way to conduct your instructional times.  Here we go!

I recorded a Podcast on having better training that you can listen to here.

Setting

Keep in mind, your participants have a ton of other stuff to do that does NOT include this meeting, so they don’t want to be there.  Trust me, they may say they do…but they are really more concerned about their own deadlines, commissions, etc.  Do your best to remember that these are humans, complete with personal lives, difficulties and egos.  With that in mind, take a look at the setting of your next training period.

Make it comfortable!  Have everything prepared beforehand so that training can begin right away.  Learners should be able to come in, sit down and get going.  I recommend that you limit snacks and drinks as this creates distractions.  Allow for breaks at regular intervals so that people can get refreshed and stay engaged.  Eliminate all the distractions that you can.  I’m not a fan of board room training, but if that is all you have, then keep the time down to a minimum.  Eliminate any noises, buzzes or interruptions.  Training time is protected time, don’t forget it!

Train where it is relevant.  If you need to do a quick 15 minute training session on a new report, then have your staff gather around the desk of a worker and have him or her give the training on how to properly do it.  If you’re training on a new production tool, then get on the floor and get their hands on it to learn more effectively.  If you’re teaching new bartenders how to pour drinks, then get them behind the bar!  Make it realistic, no matter what.

Once the time has arrived for training, get started.  If you are consistent with your training times, people will get the message.  Punctuality is an employee responsibility, not the trainer and certainly not the manager.  If your people can’t show up on time, then your training should focus on that!

The Trainers

Training is valuable.  Don’t allow just anyone to do the training.  In my Podcast, I talk about having the best managers lead the training, or YOU should do it if you’re the owner.  Your staff is an extension of you, so they need to see you doing what needs to be done.  You’re the boss, your team needs to do what you need them to do.

Your trainers should be dynamic!  Select people that actually WANT to train and know the material well.  They should include fun stories, specific examples and shortcuts so that people get some real benefit from the training sessions.  This is a vital key to learner engagement.  If you have a boring speaker, you won’t get results.  If your trainer doesn’t know the material, the crowd will eat him or her alive.  Don’t do it, don’t waste your training time with bad presenters.

Frequent Breaks

Let your people leave the room frequently.  Break up your training sessions that allow for a learn-then-do sort of thing.  Build up to the bigger tasks by taking frequent breaks around key subject areas.  For example, if you’re training on how to format a particular report, have them first learn how to properly set up the document template and then have them do it themselves on their own computers or laptops.  Once they do that, take a break.  Come back and get into the rest of the report by showing, then doing.  Follow this format so people get and stay refreshed.  Yes, I know that sounds silly, but it’s much better than having people sit through two hours of lecture and then try to do something.  Get them engaged!

If your training sessions are too long, people won’t pay attention.  Even the most dynamic speakers have limited ability to stay attractive over the long term.  Eventually, our minds will drift off and the instruction become ineffective.  Just think about a Hollywood movie and you’ll understand what you need to do.  There needs to be equal parts of plot, character development, twists, turns and so forth.  You can keep your audience engaged by frequent breaks.

No PowerPoint - Please!

If you can read this, I’m very proud of you.  However, if you are reading your PowerPoint slides, then I am disgusted with you.  Why didn’t you prepare?  Did you not care enough to learn the material before you were going to be a presenter?  Why is there so much information on your slides to begin with?  No, my friend, you have disappointed us all.  The days of clogging up a slide with information have long since passed.  It’s time to join today!

Your slides should be useful, not your entire presentation.  If you are touching on an emotional subject, then have an emotional image on the screen.  Let’s say you want to show figures of the performance of a particular product, then you can simply show a graph that outlines the data.  I hate when people are facing their slides and not the crowd.  I KNOW HOW TO READ!  I don’t need you to demonstrate your ability to read for me.

There are tons of resources out there to help you build better slides.  If you need help, simply ask!  Head over to Canva and download some of their free slide templates and you will instantly look better than your colleagues.  More graphics, less words.  Emails, phone numbers and address are acceptable texts, but there should never be anything on a slide that can be read aloud.  It’s simply not necessary and makes you look foolish and unprepared. 

In Summary

You can have better presentations right NOW!  Don’t settle for the same old boring formats that you have grown to endure.  Instead, try something new.  Train in a new place and bring some life back into your meetings.  Learn to be creative and keep those learners engaged with frequent breaks and hands-on learning situations.  Make your training relevant and realistic with an end goal in mind.  Make sure people understand the benefits of this training, and that will lead to greater buy-in and performance of the task.

Make sure people understand the benefits of this training, and that will lead to greater buy-in and performance of the task

Training is so important.  Don’t waste it!  If you need help with your next training session, I would be happy to help you make it better.  Simply email me at [email protected] or follow me on Twitter:  @bccg_main

#saysomethingcompletelyhonest #tuesdaymotivation