Training Trends for 2006

Training is available in many forms and on most every topic imaginable. Sorting out the trainings that produce results from the ones that don’t can be difficult. If you are outsourcing your training, deciding who to trust with your organization can be risky. There is nothing worse than investing in training that doesn’t make a measurable difference.

What are the current Trends in Training? What is the new focus of the large training companies? You might be surprised to learn that the newest training trend is all about leveraging a powerful intangible asset – our state of mind.

It turns out that skill development is not enough. Apparently, our subconscious minds play the largest role in how we do our jobs! Motivation is largely influenced by our managers and their skills or lack of skills in acknowledgment. The best employee will stop performing well if they don’t feel valued. Helping our employees understand their unique and important role in an organization can have more impact on the bottom line than traditional skill training. What we believe is as important as what we know.

It might sound strange that aligning the subconscious mind of your employees with business goals would generate such great results. Here are a few tips to guide you in benefiting from this trend – before your competition does.

• Unless your organization has participated in this type of training in the past, go slow and mainstream. Some of the major training companies (especially sales and leadership training outfits) address this powerful force in their regular trainings in subtle ways which are more comfortable for employees new to this process.
• Only use trainers with references and professional documentation (website, marketing materials, training packets, etc.). If your trainer isn’t experienced and professional he/she won’t have buy in with participants.
• Use trainers with business backgrounds. All material must be relevant to your business and customers. Fun training that doesn’t apply to your organization ­will not generate profits.
• Look into professional skill development coaching vs. group training for employees who have the skills but not the results. Often times an internal shift will create new levels of productivity and new enthusiasm.

If you have seen the results from this type of training and want to dive in to the next level, look for these key words: acknowledgment training (productivity and retention), belief shifting (productivity, profitability, and leadership), and attraction strategies (profitability). For more information or help in finding new training resources, contact Allison Taylor at Paravox.