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Before we look at some ways to capitalize on the investment, we need to explore briefly why so many people just never seem to use what they learn in training to the fullest extent possible. Let's say you go to a two day class in Improving Your Interpersonal Skills. Do any of the following sound familiar?

  • You're late to class because you had another meeting first or the phone rang just as you were leaving your office?

  • During the introductions, when the trainer asks why you're there, you say, 
    • "My boss sent me," or 
    • "It's on my employee development form," or 
    • "A co-worker said it was a good class and thought I would enjoy it," or 
    • "I'm not sure," or some other deeply profound reason.

  • When the trainer asks what your expectations are for the course, you say, 

"Well, I think we all need to be better at communicating, so I'm looking for some skills to help me improve," or if you're nearly the last one to respond, "I guess I would ditto what others have said," or some such thing.

  • At the mid-morning 15 minute break, you dash back to your work station to check email, voicemail, and/or snail mail, put out eleven fires that have sprung up just this morning, get collared by your boss, and return to class twenty minutes late, a little disappointed to learn they didn't wait for you. Don't they understand how busy you are and that you really have more pressing things to do than sit here for two days, no matter how good this class might be? This scenario repeats at least once before the class is over.

  • When the training mercifully ends for the day, you hurry back to your work station to call your loving spouse and kids to apologetically explain that some stuff came up while you were away from your office and you just won't be able to make it home in time for Johnny's basketball game. This will absolutely be the last one you'll miss - you promise. YES, REALLY!!!

  • When the training is finally over, you have to admit it was pretty good and you can see some value in it for yourself. You promise yourself you're gonna try hard to practice what you learned and be a better communicator, but somehow, as the days and weeks hurry by, nothing much seems to happen. Even though you learned the stuff and understood it, you're still handling your interpersonal communications pretty much as always. One day, while taking a frantic potty break, you fleetingly wonder what happened.