This Planner can be used for two purposes. The first is to help you decide if you should be taking the training program you are considering, i.e., to assist you in ensuring that this is the right training for you at the right time. The second purpose, should you decide to take the training, is to help you develop a plan to maximize the return on the investment in your learning by positively impacting business measures - work unit success factors - that are important to your organization - and you. 

If you are able to completely and satisfactorily answer the ten questions below, you are indeed "ready" for the training. The next step is then to do the Financial Analysis (the Training ROI Worksheet) to determine if there is a sufficient value added potential for you to invest your time and your company's resources. There is a link to the ROI worksheet at the bottom of this page. If that checks out okay as well, go for it. However, if either or both of these tools suggest otherwise, you may want to postpone the training until you can answer the questions purposefully and/or your potential impact becomes significant enough to warrant the training. 

INSTRUCTIONS:
Complete this form in its entirety to help you prepare for the training program you are considering. Ideally, you should consult with your manager to develop mutually agreeable responses. Be forewarned...This process will take a good deal of thought - and some time - to do well. If you do not have enough information about the training program you are considering to respond fully to the questions, contact the training provider for more details on the particulars of the course. Answer as concisely, yet as thoroughly as you can. Should you find you are unable to meaningfully respond to these questions, you may want to rethink the importance and/or value of this training for you at this time.

IMPORTANT... It's a good idea to print the page and use it as a work sheet. You can also fill out the form and save the page on your computer for future reference. (In your browser toolbar, click File/Save As, and specify a location where you want to save the page. Thereafter, any time you double-click on that file, it will open in your browser.)

The first 5 questions directly connect the training you are considering to the success factors for which your business unit is held accountable. It may take a considerable amount of thought and discussion to answer them in a meaningful and useful way. But doing so will prepare you to enter the training program with specific goals in mind, and a clear idea of how you expect to use what you learn when you return to your job.

1. What are your work unit's business success factors that should be impacted by your effective use of what you will learn in this training program?

2. How are those success factors measured?

3. How have you and your manager determined that you have a knowledge or skill gap relevant to this training that will impact on those success factors? Describe the skill gap in terms that make sense to you. (If you don't have a skill gap, you don't need the training.)

4. Specifically, how will you use what you learn in this training to impact those success factors? (If necessary, you can modify this plan after you have taken the training.)

5. After training, how will you and your manager measure the effect of using what you learned in training on the business success factors?

The next 5 questions identify and deal with issues that can and do interfere with focusing your full attention on learning while you are in the training program, as well as those things that are likely to hinder your ability to apply the extra effort needed back on the job to become thoroughly proficient with your new skills. (Remember the learning chart in the presentation.) Thinking these issues through now, developing an appropriate plan, and sticking to it are all key to successfully transferring your learning from the training program to your job and optimizing the ROI.

6. What obstacles can you identify that could detract from your ability to focus your full attention on learning during the training program?

7. What will you and your manager agree to do to minimize those obstacles?

8. What obstacles can you identify that could hinder you as you attempt to apply your learning on your job after training?

9. What will you and  your manager agree to do to minimize those obstacles?

10. Specifically, how will you and your manager follow through for the first six months after training to ensure that you are able to most fully utilize what you learned and to optimize your training ROI?

To complete your evaluation of the potential worth of the training you are contemplating, click here to go to the ROI worksheet.

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