Taking action after training
Being the star of the training course is all very well, but what happens when you return to your desk? Steel yourself – this is where the real work begins...
It seemed so good at the time
There you were, role-playing your heart out and earning brownie points from the trainer. You spent the day wondering why you hadn't thought of any of this yourself and looking forward to putting it all into practice as part of your daily routine. You read all your course notes on the train home and arrived in the office next morning brimming with ideas and enthusiasm. You ignored the cynicism of colleagues and set to work.
So why was it that by lunchtime you were back to your old habits?
Training's about real life
Andrea Pizey, a training consultant, says the situation of people going on courses, then falling at the first hurdle when they return to their desks, is far from uncommon. 'Many trainees – and I don't just mean people with no work experience, it includes those who've been around a while and should know better – see training courses as a bit of a jolly. They think training isn't real life. What the intelligent ones realise, is that training is all about improving real life.'
One of the ways in which trainees can help themselves is to book time with their manager or coach immediately after training sessions to go over the outstanding points of the course and work out how these can be implemented into the working day. But, according to Andrea, 'Often, people forget that, once the course is over, it's really down to them to ensure they put theories into practice.'
'I see the same people coming back on advanced courses, and I can tell immediately which ones have developed, which ones have actually used what they've learned in the workplace. The change can be dramatic – or it can be invisible.'
Steps to take immediately
Trainees can take proactive steps themselves to ensure that they take full advantage of the knowledge they gather on courses. Andrea advises:
- Make a list of four or five key action points from your course
- Book a session with your manager – it needn't be more than half an hour – to go through these action points
- Discuss how you are going to implement these points as part of a development plan with your manager
- Remember that your manager may not be as familiar with the techniques you picked up, as you might think – be prepared to 'train upwards'
- Decide how you are going to measure your progress
- Set a deadline for a marked improvement and book another session with your manager to review your progress
Old habits die hard
'It takes at least three weeks to break an old habit,' warns Andrea, reflecting on trainees who leave courses full of enthusiasm and eager to throw off the shackles of bad practice, 'but it's amazing how fast revolutionary ideas are cast aside once the afterglow of training fades.'
One of the reasons trainees find it hard to make fundamental changes to their working patterns, is that their efforts are thwarted by cynical colleagues. 'You know the type,' says Andrea. 'They've seen it all before. They're too ready to put down anyone who shows initiative or who threatens to change the status quo with new ideas.' The way to deal with this sounds simple. In fact, it can be difficult. Essentially, you have to realise what is important to you – the advancement of your career, your effort to improve yourself, your own personal gain – or on the other hand, the opinion of other people?
'You have to accept it may happen,' says Andrea. 'But ask yourself – if you want to get on in a meritocracy, then the only way is to try new ideas, take risks and be seen to be improving yourself. Learn to pre-empt it. Most importantly, realise that a training course is a time to be selfish. It's your opportunity to develop your own skills and abilities. You are the most important person. It stands to reason that that continues after training. Tune out the negative comments. Ignore the urge to go back to your old ways. Give in and you might as well never go on training courses.'
Involve your manager
Of course, capitalising on excellent training courses isn't something you should have to do on your own. Your manager shouldn't need it pointed out, but you may have to force the point that, by being better at your job, it makes his life easier too. Often, it's only after going on courses that trainees get to see their manager in a new light. Politically, it can be tricky confronting your boss with the notion that what he's been telling you to do is wrong – but a good manager will not shy from learning, whether it's from a junior or senior member of staff.
Why not arrange your post-training session with your manager before you go on the course. If your manager knows you're going to be learning something new on a particular topic, it may well spur him into brushing up his own skills in that area, or making a mental preparation for your meeting, ultimately making it a more productive one-to-one.
Colin Rutherford, a manager in a dotcom, says that when members of his team go on training courses, he feels an impetus to become an 'expert' on whatever it is they're learning, in time for their return from training. 'I encourage my staff to take the initiative,' he says. 'It's their job to book a meeting with me and come back with a list of things they want to put into practice from the training course. To be honest, it keeps me on my toes. It's true that you get into bad habits. If you know one of your team is about to march in and challenge these, you're less likely to get comfortable with the habits in the first place.'
So, talk to your manager before going on the course:
- Find out what he expects you to get out of the course; is there anything specific he has identified that he particularly wants you to focus on?
- Show your boss any pre-course action or notes – this will help him to consider how best to help you when you come back
- Ask for a commitment that you'll be able to test out your new techniques in your day-to-day activities immediately
Following up is key
There's no doubt about it – when you come back off a training course, there's no time like the present for getting stuck into a new regime or putting your newly acquired skills to good use. Andrea Pizey says, 'Be careful not to expect your life to change in one day. Training courses are all about teaching you how to be more self-reliant – it may take a while for you to see tangible results. The important thing is to begin practising as soon as you get back to your desk. Make a big noise, by all means tell your manager you're going to revolutionise the office – but actions speak louder than words. And never forget – when you next go back to your training department, they'll know if you've been using the techniques you've learned. Trainers can spot fakes a mile off!'
