Content Officer

For training to work, it has to stick. “Sticky” training provides people with
knowledge and skills that significantly improve their work product, productivity and
success. Workshops, lectures and training sessions are wonderful, time-tested
training tools. You know they work, but now you may be looking for something a
little different. Following are five secrets for increasing the odds your people use
what they learn from training.

Secret #1: Go Organic

People are creatures of habit. They may be perfectly willing to try something new,
but if it conflicts with how things are done in their organization, they may not use it.
Overcome this barrier by going organic.

Going organic means ensuring that the training incorporates your organization’s
best practices. Are there methods that Joan has applied to help people get out of
meetings faster and increase productivity? Consider integrating her ideas into the
training methodology or at the very least acknowledging them. If something has
worked for your organization, people will be more likely to pay attention to it.

Secret #2: Let Them Surf

It’s no secret that people love to surf the Web. They use it to find information, shop
and stay in contact with friends or colleagues. Indulge this urge by developing
interactive training tools. This means going beyond placing them on your
organization’s Intranet site. Instead, use technology to ensure that the information
remains relevant as needs change.

One solution is to develop and deploy a simple program that spits out relevant
information based on a user’s current situation. For example, someone needing to
quickly launch a long-running initiative in a new location would receive one set of
information. A person looking for ways to reignite interest in the project in another
area would access another. People will use information if it is relevant and
customizable.

Secret #3: Everyone Learns Differently

People learn in different ways. Some learn well by attending lectures. Others prefer
to read books. A few may learn better from audiotapes. Delivering information via
visuals, text and sound can increase the odds people will retain it.

Consider developing an interactive training course that uses all three forms of
communication. These courses provide people with the freedom to peruse
information at their own pace. They also meet the needs of all types of learners.

Secret #4: Make Them Use It

Once people apply a new skill, they are more likely to use it again. One way to help
people use what they learn during a training seminar is to have them apply it to a
relevant situation.

Media trainers (those that prepare people for media interviews) have learned this
lesson well. After delivering a talk about the needs of the media, they have trainees
conduct one or more mock interviews. These interviews provide trainees with
much-needed practice and help them clearly communicate key messages.

The next time you are searching for a training method, look for those that enable
people to immediately apply their newfound skills. Doing so will increase the odds
that they will use them in other situations.

Secret #5: Change Is Good

Nothing stays the same and neither should your training methods. No matter how
customizable and relevant they are, every training tool should be reexamined
periodically to ensure that it is still meeting the needs of your organization. If it
isn’t, you should think about changing it.

Remember, if people aren’t applying their training, it isn’t doing any good. Use the
five secrets outlined above to maximize your training efforts, and your
organization’s success.

(c) 2006 Fard Johnmar

Fard Johnmar is founder of Envision Solutions, L.L.C., a full-service healthcare
marketing communications consulting firm. Envision Solutions provides
innovative products and services to not-for-profit and for-profit
organizations. Envision Solutions’ goal is to make our clients more efficient
and successful. For more information about Envision Solutions please visit
our Web
site.

The concern of a project manager is to deliver a project on time, on budget and with the quality (functionality) as defined. The Time and Budget aspects are relatively clear and straightforward. They are not less difficult to manage, but most people involved in the project and external stakeholders, know what (figures and timelines) you are talking about. The quality aspect however is often open to discussion. And when you enter these discussions, the budget and time aspect will consequently open for them selves.

Before you know you are in the middle of a flight that has no destination, no fuel indicator nor estimation on the remaining flight time.

There are however methods on the market which provide the professional and certified project manager all he or she needs to fulfill the job. Still, different managers will shape the method according to their personal preference.

There are two kind of project managers, who balance somewhere on the scale of involvement in the subject. At one end is the manager that is highly involved and seen as a “foreman.” At the other end is the “activity” or “people” manager.

In the first case the project manager manages the content, functionality or quality more than the other resources. In the second case, the project manager should trust on someone else that is knowledgeable to steer the function (quality).

Both roles are possible as long as the role is communicated to the team and that the responsibilities are clear. As the second role requires more resources, this role is preferred for larger and more complex projects.

© 2006 Hans Bool

Hans Bool is the founder of Astor White a traditional management consulting company that offers online management advice. Astor Online solves issues in hours what normally would take days.
You can apply for a free demo account.

Today as people become increasingly conscious of their worth, they are no longer willing to stay in a job that has become intolerable and impersonal to them.

This means that in the corporate or business world, it no longer suffice to have a system in place and expect people to just comply by them.

Without some form of human connections, things won’t work out for long and the strength of commitment from your employees will simply disintegrate.

Whether you’re an executive, a business owner with employees or an organisation with a team of board members, you have a common ground. Your biggest asset is people and the number one key to ensuring that your business runs like a clockwork is to secure the loyalty and trust of the people on your payroll.

The days of people working for altruistic reasons have long passed. People want to feel appreciated and emotionally connected and without loyal people at your side, your business will go nowhere and die.

There are very simple ways to keep the loyalty of your workers and co-workers. When you implement these practices, you’ll reap substantial benefits for yourself and your business will become strong to wager any storm.

1. Make an effort to know the people who work for you. When you find a way to get to know your workers and to approach them as individuals, people feel appreciated and become devoted to you.

Most people spend their whole lives trying to get noticed and be someone. This can be very frustrating for them, especially if their efforts remain unnoticed.

Too often, many top managers forget too quickly where they started from. Remember how you once had to slowly work your way up the corporate ladder and how you felt working persistently away in a dingy place. Maybe you even ached to be noticed and get an encouraging word from your former boss. Well if you did, you’re not alone. Other people also long for the same thing you once yearned for.

You may think, well I’m not a psychologist and my duty is not to hold my workers’ hands. Just think again. If you want dedication, you certainly won’t get it by refusing to pay attention to those who work for you. And if that’s what it takes, then it’s wise to become proficient at it.

2. Be open and straightforward with people. Show people you care, and tell them what you expect of them. Be upfront and clear about your position in relationship to them and their work. Let them know exactly what they can expect from you in return.

We all model our lives after someone. My own business life has been modeled and influenced by two great men. My father who was a great lover of people, and my uncle who was a visionary industrialist with an unquenchable passion for supporting others.

These two men taught me 2 crucial things about people:

a) Humility: that no matter how high you may get, without people you are nothing. For it is people who made you what you are.

b) Ingenuousness: When you hide your true self from people, you end up not knowing yourself.

3. Encourage and support your employees. In order to encourage people, you need to know their strong and weak points.

Many people have great gifts and talents, but feel timid and are self conscious as a result of their pre-dispositions or the environment they grew up in. Do yourself and the society a favour and support people to grow and you’ll be greatly re-warded in return.

Also save yourself and your business a great deal of unnecassary sufferings. Find out what people are truly good at and place them in the position where they feel nurtured and can fully implement their abilities.

When people know that you have their interests at heart, they will naturally strive to apply themselves and give you their best. This is because people want to belong to “a fold” they can tender, even if that “fold” is a business. But you must be genuine about your intention. Because if you’re not, people will soon see through you.

4. Go the extra mile by being vigilant and showing some interests in the lives of your workers. This is also a way of keeping the path of communication open. People trust someone who takes the time to ask after them and really listen to what they have to say. One reason why psychotherapy flourishes so well is the attention people get.

I know of some business owners, who make it a point to seek out their employees on their birthdays. One man in particular does a round of his three-storey business building every morning when he gets to work. He says that he checks his workers’ lists of names at the end of each day and makes note of the names of birthdays coming up the following day.

The first thing he does the next morning is to go to each “birthday kid” as he calls them, and congratulates them personally! Now that’s what I call awesome. Especially since he has 350 employees in his business. Who says you can’t find time to be personal with your workers?

He even takes the time to visit his workers at their home when they suffer the loss of a loved one, or if they’re absent from work for more than 3 days with an illness. His personal assistant never fails to sing his praises in admiration.

It’s no wonder that this man enjoys excellent references and great respect. Which is also portrayed by the profits he makes.

People have natural needs which include acknowledging their existence. If you, as a business owner, forget to cater to these needs, you may end up sitting in a big but empty arena, wondering what went wrong. If, on the other hand, you make time for your employees, you’ll be rewarded with great gratitude through, relentless and undying loyalty.

Kunbi Korostensky, N.D., Psychotherapist and Certified Life Coach is specialised in supporting people in transition. She helps them to accept the changes in their lives as natural happenings, and to use these to create a more joyful and happier lives. View her ebooklet Top 10 holistic Questions to Embrace Change and Grow at: http://www.embracingchanges.com/Books-and-Tools-to-facilitate-Changes.html or: mailto: kunbi@embracingchanges.com