Formal Training Programs to Accelerate Growth - James Bryant

James Bryant - "Business Excellence"

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Introduction
The things we feed and nurture are the things that grow and flourish.  Investing in the development of your employees is one of the keys to creating a growing organization. Every business has some type of training need from onboarding, specific technical competencies, management, leadership, marketing, sales and or communication. Investments in talent development helps with job satisfaction, recruitment and retention, by providing a path for personal and career development.  As your company continues to grow and become even more efficient the need for formal training programs will increase.  Training programs help to equip your team with the tools that they need to succeed and provide a foundation for future leaders and managers within your organization.  To remain competitive in this you must continue to invest in your people.  

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Show Objectives
The past two weeks we talked about two key elements to developing growing employees: (1) have a Career Path and (2) promote based on performance. This week’s show focuses on Formal Training Programs to Accelerate Growth.  Training for the sake of training will not move you closer to your goals.  Training for the sake of training is like random physical exercise which may be beneficial but not as effective as a well thought out training program with specific goals in mind.  What is the purpose of your training program?  If you are preparing for your next stage of growth then your training program will have to account for your current and future development needs of your employees. 

What You Need to Know
No Career Path No Growth
Performance Decides Promotions

Key Issues:
Owner/Manager Perspective

1. How do I determine my company’s training needs?
2. What are the intended outcomes of the training program?  Are there some specific gaps that were revealed during the training needs assessment process?
3. Make sure that your employee development needs are considered. 
   1. What feedback have employees given on any knowledge or skills gaps?
4. How are you going to track your training?
5. Training needs should be incorporated into the employee evaluation and performance review process as well.
6. It is important to develop a learning culture within your company.
7. Look at a career development from several viewpoints – technical, organizational, and individual. 
8. Develop people technically first - the job of management is developing skill mastery, but do not forget to include the development of soft skills into your training program.
9. Continue to develop their business skills to make competence complete.

​Key Issues - Employee Perspective:

1. Continue to gain skills for my current position and prepare for the next position.
2. Proactively look for opportunities to attend training that enhance technical and Human skills.
3. Show your employer that you value your training by putting your newly learned or enhanced skills into practice.

 
What You Need to Do 

1. Review your existing training programs and processes that you already have in-place.  You must know your starting point.
2. Assess your organizational training needs.
   1. Are there key areas within your organization where you see a clear need for training?
   2. Are their market or technology changes that are driving the training needs?
   3. Is training needed as part of succession or growth planning? Or Developing a “deeper bench.”
3. Assess your employee training needs.
   1. Engage your employees for suggestions on any gaps in technical knowledge or skills that they may be aware of.  Be sure to communicate that you are in the process of developing a formal training program and you want their input.
   2. Do your employees need to further develop their “soft” skills? 
   3. Get feedback from your leadership team on areas of need.
4. Develop your training program based on the needs of the organization and the employees.
5. Determine how best way for the training to be delivered (Group, Individual, remote or in-person.)
6. Clearly define the purpose and goals of the training program and individual training sessions.
7. How will success be measured organizationally as a whole, within each department, and on the individual contributor level.
8. Include training in part of the performance evaluation and promotion process. 
9. Coach your employees and managers on developing training plans for their teams and themselves.
10. Make sure your management team is on board with the training program as they will reinforce the everyday importance of training with their team members. 
11. Develop a learning culture within your organization.

Written by James Bryant
Let’s connect.  Use this link to schedule a complimentary session to assess your current leadership training or peak performance coaching needs.
https://calendly.com/james-betteryou4u/ibgr

We can also connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbryant2/

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