On my workshops, one of the questions I use to challenge trainers is, “Tell me, in one word, what is the purpose of training?"
I get a variety of answers; though few are a single word. ‘More profit’ is a common one, along with ‘Process improvement’ and ‘Better customer service’. Others might say, ‘Giving people skills’, or worse, ‘Passing on knowledge’.
The one word answer I give them is, in fact, 'Change'. As a professional trainer, do you ever think of yourself as an agent of change? If not, you should, because that’s exactly what you are.
Giving people skills or knowledge does not necessarily lead to any improvement, unless participants use those skills do DO something differently. Similarly, more profit, process improvement, or better customer service will only be achieved by something changing back in the workplace.
Ultimately therefore, all training is about delivering change. If people aren’t going to think and/or do something differently as a result of the training, then it has no commercial value. Nobody attends training to learn how to do exactly what they’re already doing.
As change agents, our role is to motivate people to undertake a journey of transformation. We need to show participants the purpose of that journey - the potential their future holds – and to motivate them to deliver the changes that will help them achieve that potential. We might also want our learners to consider the dangers of not completing their journey and of, instead, continuing to do the same old things in the same old way.
I’d like you to
watch this video from those we’ve created to support our learning materials. Although designed to be used for managers, the messages are as valid and important to us as trainers. Non-members can view the full video too, until the 22nd December,
by clicking here.
Remember, if we want our learners to make a journey of discovery and learning, we need to inspire them to run towards a brighter future and embrace the changes necessary to realise that potential future.
Christmas and the New Year provide a great opportunity to reflect on what we do now, and the opportunities the new year will bring. Perhaps there’s more you could do to move your perspective from delivering information, to delivering beneficial change?
If you’d like to know more about how we can help you build a creative learning journey for your participants, get in touch; we’re here to help you get the greatest possible value from the huge range of materials available in
Trainers’ Library and
Managers’ Library.