Design an effective training program and most of your employee issues are over!

I learned along time ago that training is one very important key to success.

Here is the basic concept: Train your employees, representatives, anyone associated with your business to do their job the way you want it done…and chances are dramatically improved that you will get what you want…success!

When my son was 7 years old and wanted to play baseball, like any dad I took him outside and began throwing easy slow underhand pitches to him encouraging him to hit the ball. Then I would toss the ball to him and further encouraged him to catch it and throw it back. We all have experienced this in one way or another. It is typically stressful, unsatisfying as there s far more failure then success, but it is a right of passage so we do it , endure it, and somehow over time the kids figure it out and get better.

However in my instance, it became very clear very quickly that my son was not born with the innate ability to hit, catch or throw.

Then the light went on as I realized I had two choices,:

1. Let him learn by trial and error over time confronting more failure then success until he put it together.

2. Teach him, demonstrate, then train him to do it correctly, effectively, and consistently the right way. More fun, more success quicker, better skills.

I did this, breaking down the components, demonstrating he correct technique and helping him learn by reviewing and practicing with him  and correcting him when he did it incorrectly until he got it right and only then could he practice how to do it and ge  better, the right way.

My son and daughter became excellent hitters, fielders and throwers.

From that moment on, I realized that everything had to be trained, nothing was natural, and learning how ‘to do it’  was a process that could be delivered effectively.

I have never forgotten that lesson, thus when I recently decided to expand my business with  regional representation, and personal service, I of course designed a training program to make certain my reps could deliver the program as I deemed it necessary, transferring my experience, skill and expertise to them in a way that they could absorb it and become experts quickly and effectively.

So I designed a training program that included the delivery of much content and necessary information. Then I put them on the telephone to make the pitch to interested callers, all the while listening and then critiquing after the call, as they got better and better. Then I flew in a prospective client and they observed my  pitch and saw me close the deal. More calls, more review of the content, more live pitches….until over three intensive days of training they became competent in ‘the way’ and I was confident they could deliver the program effectively, confidently and successfully.

How else? The alternative and most common practise would be  to throw them into the deep water and let them swim or sink.

How silly, the swim or sink program will be filled with failure as they search for the best way, re-inventing what I know works and discovering what I know does not work through trial and error, reinventing the wheel again. Yet this is the most common approach, learn by doing on your own.

My reps learned by being trained and then became immediately successful.

That is what training is all about, take the time, demonstrate, critique, practice, practice and practice,  learn and then do it correctly sooner with far more success for every one, the company the rep and the client.

Hallelujah, there is a way and it works!!!!

If only you would do it…train, train, train. The path to successful growth and development. It can be done…but you have to follow the plan and train.