Capitalizing 5

Once you and your manager have agreed on the business performance gap(s) and measures (by the way, those measures can be quantitative or qualitative, whichever is appropriate), you have already begun the process of properly preparing for training. The next steps are:

Be absolutely sure you need the training. Work with your manager to determine that the gap in unit performance is actually due, at least partially, to insufficient knowledge and/or skill on your part. If it isn't, you are not a candidate for this training at this time.
Assuming you and/or your manager have determined that your performance can be improved by the training, meet before the training to identify the specific work unit performance factors you expect to impact, how your performance will impact them, and how you will measure them over time. That way, you'll know what to look for as you go through the training program.
Discuss the application of the learning model shown in this presentation. Identify the obstacles that will inhibit your full attention to learning for the duration of the course and how your manager can help alleviate those. Your job for the length of the course should be to LEARN and consider ways to apply the learning.
Set Up an appointment with your manager immediately upon your return from training to review what you learned and develop a finalized plan of action.
Agree that your manager will support your efforts to learn and apply the learning in agreed upon ways.
Immediately after training, keep the appointment with your manager that you arranged in Step 4. Review the training and what you learned; refine your plan for implementing your learnings. Make any adjustments you now think need to be made to what will be measured and how.
Dig in, get to work, and start looking for every opportunity to apply your new knowledge and skills.

Recognize that it will take time for you to become comfortable with the new behavior, so stick with it. Don't be discouraged when something doesn't work out the way it did in class. That's real life; the training room is a lab. Pick yourself up and try again. It's not unlike learning to ride a bike or swim. The more you practice, the better you'll get. And the more ROI you will see.

Ideally, your manager should take the lead in this process, but if he or she doesn't, there is nothing to stop you from doing it. After all, your motive is simple and honorable: to improve the performance of your work unit by improving your individual performance.

That's it. Pretty straightforward stuff, wouldn't you say? With a little advance analysis and planning, you can significantly raise the ROI you are achieving on y our training efforts.

The Planner lists 10 critical questions for you and your manager to answer. If you are successful at answering the questions to your mutual satisfaction, you are "ready" for the training. If not, you may want to rethink the advisability of taking the training, at least until such time as you can provide meaningful answers to the questions.

The ROI Worksheet allows you to calculate a "hypothetical," but realistic "value" and ROI for the training based on your own task related compensation, weighted for the amount of time you spend using the knowledge or skills covered in the training, and the importance you attach to those behaviors.

Together, these tools can provide you with an excellent analysis of whether you should take the training, and if so, will help you prepare to get the most out of the training and apply your learning on your job to fullest possible extent.