Trainers don’t matter
(and other surprising facts about training)

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Here are three misconceptions and other surprising facts about training.

By Françoise Tourniaire, Founder and Owner of FT Works and Member of the ASP Executive Advisory Board

Misconception #1: The trainer/facilitator is the most important factor for successful training

Maybe not. It turns out that the most critical actor for success is the learner’s manager. Why? Because the manager provides:

• motivation (by positioning the training as an important component of the overall job performance)
• protected learning time (by making sure that the learner can attend without having to worry about their regular duties)
• mentoring (to help the learner apply the training on the job)

Misconception #2: All the learning occurs during the training event itself

Again, no. Of course the training event provides the knowledge and skills you would like to develop–but what matters most is integrating the learning into the job, something that occurs mostly after the training event itself. The event is the spark, and the practice only starts there.

Misconception #3: A great presenter makes or breaks the success of the training

No, again. Of course you do want an entertaining, knowledgable, and lively facilitator! But most of the impact of the trainer comes from a solid preparation: tailoring the event to the learners, making sure that the training addresses the learner’s concern, and briefing the managers so they, in turn, can position the event appropriately.

So what should you do?

• View learning as a process, not an event. Booking a great trainer is a wonderful idea, but taking the time to prepare the event and consider how best to organize the mentoring afterwards matters more.
• Have learners and managers integrate the learning into their mentoring efforts.
• Choose a facilitator who will take the time to listen to the managers ahead of time to tailor the training and plan for the post-training mentoring.

About the Author

Françoise Tourniaire is the founder and owner of FT Works, a consultancy firm that helps technology companies create and improve their support operations. She has over 20 years’ experience as a Support and Services executive.

This post was originally published on ftworks.com