Getting the most from your training dollar means developing effective training sessions that not only give employees the knowledge they need to be motivated in developing new behaviours, but which set the scene for a long time to come by introducing structures and systems that provide continuous monitoring and feedback at all levels.
Get your managers and supervisors to attend training
Leaders are your best tool for obtaining feedback, monitoring performance and developing long-term positive behaviours in their teams. Leaders must be in on training efforts, from the beginning.
Don’t try to squeeze too much in to one session
Work with manageable session lengths and discuss with your trainer the amount of content that should be introduced in each session.
Cover the ‘why’ as well as the ‘how’
If employees understand what your big-picture business goals are, and how their individual efforts impact the business, they will be more motivated and will take personal ownership of their goals.
Consider the training environment
Make the training environment fit the message. If your push is for improved presentation and service levels, make sure the situation is both professional and inspirational.
Finish training with a commitment to action
Set targets. Have your managers and supervisors, as well as their teams, involved,
Focus on the KASH to create change
KASH
- Knowledge
- Attitude
- Skills
- Habits
is a proven technique for targeting performance improvements and developing effective training programmes. To train effectively you must ensure you develop all the KASH areas of the people or teams you work with.
Example: You want a person to ask searching questions with customers. Be sure they have all the KASH they need to be able to perform this task consistently and effectively.
Knowledge – do they have the knowledge of what questions to ask, how to ask these questions and when to ask them? Do they even know why they need to ask questions?
Attitude – do they have a positive attitude towards asking searching questions, do they care, do they want to question their customers, are they willing to apply their knowledge?
Skills – do they have the skills to ask good questions, have they practised, drilled and rehearsed these, do they ask questions skilfully, elegantly, masterfully?
Habits – is asking questions becoming a habit, do they perform this task naturally without thinking and do they do it consistently with every single customer?
If you focus on only one area of KASH then you are risking the person not making the changes you require. Even if one area of KASH is missing then performance is hindered. Can you imagine having the knowledge, attitude and skills to ask good customer questions but not making this a habit? This scenario would be a waste of human potential because there weren’t systems in place to create a habit. The same applies if you leave out any of the KASH elements.
