Wasting time & money!!

In times of austerity, such as we are living in now, why do organisations freely throw money away?

In the past two weeks I have known of two training programmes that were planned and run in South Wales where attendees failed to turn up.  In the first instance 10 people, out of 12, failed to show up for a two day in house programme and in the second example, two people didn’t turn up for an open course.

In both cases the trainer still has to be paid, as does the venue, catering etc. and presumably the training need for these people still needs to be addressed.  So the organisation will end up paying twice!!

This has to be a serious matter for both the line managers of these people, the person responsible for the training in the organisation as well as the financial implications for the company.  Training can be expensive and this is why people need to plan more effectively, commit to the dates and understand why the training is so important both to their job and to the company’s ongoing success.  Yes you can understand that sometimes there might be extenuating circumstances but 10 out of 12 sounds like careless to me!

As someone who is self employed I do not have the luxury of an employer who will pay for my training & development, it comes straight out of my pocket! Therefore, when I look at my Continuous Professional Development (CPD) I need to consider the time I will not be earning money, the cost of the development and what training needs will be addressed by me attending.  Does this happen in your business?  Do you consider the cost, both in time & money, of sending people on training programmes?  Does the person understand the investment that the company is making or do they see it as a ‘day out of the workplace’! Do you as a line manager have a conversation with the individual before they attend the course about what they want to achieve and do you talk to them afterwards about what they did achieve from the course.  You want to get a return back on your investment don’t you?

So this is why training companies, both small and large will charge a cancellation fee for non-attendance on courses, or will insist that you pay in full up to a month beforehand.  This should also happen with internal courses.  Ok it may be ‘wooden dollars’ but it might make line managers understand the cost and thus value the training that the person will be receiving.  It will also mean that for trainers like me we get a full complement of attendees on a course which ensures that the exercises & key learning points are maximised in the way that the course was designed….but more on that another day.

Thanks for your time,

Suzanne Unsworth

www.rubusassociates.co.uk

Recently I enjoyed a lovely walk in the Monmouthshire countryside with a professional colleague of mine.  We have taken to going for a decent walk instead of just sitting over coffee then lunch for our quarterly mutual coaching session. This is an informal arrangement that has developed between us over the last few years and recently we decided to use some of the time to get some fresh air. 

Coaching became ‘trendy’ to do back in the nineties and is now an established way of developing yourself and your team.  What is interesting is people’s approach to it as some people insist that you have to meet in a semi-formal setting, make notes and be very structured in your approach.  I believe that coaching works best when both parties are relaxed and able to talk without boundaries or prejudices.  By getting outside in the fresh air and yes, maybe getting wet and muddy, you will build the relationship of trust needed to be able to coach on a personal level as well as a professional level.

I have always advocated John Whitmore’s GROW model for coaching as I believe that models should be simple and effective.  Lets be fair as well, if you are in the middle of a muddy field Goal, Reality, Options & Will is easy to remember.  The model also works whether you are tackling a business issue or a personal development need.

The other advantage of being outside is that the conversation will have natural breaks which can often feel awkward in a meeting room but completely understandable when you cannot get your breath back after walking up hill!!  And of course there are very little distractions which can support the coachee in being much more frank about the situation.

So if you fancy some coaching in the outdoors….get in touch or try it yourself, especially on a fabulous day like today!

Thanks for your time, Suzanne Unsworth

www.rubusassociates.co.uk

How do you measure up as a trainer?

For the first time in eleven years as a freelance trainer I have been assessed against excellent quality criteria by a company that employee me…scary!!

However, this was part of their quality control process and a very useful exercise for me to go through because the feedback was constructive, specific and involved two assessors as well as the group of learners. What it has made me think about is how important quality control and measures are in the training environment.

Consider how organisations, be they training companies or companies that hire trainers, actually measure the standards of the trainer.  If you think about it most measurement is about attendance and ‘happy sheets’ so what does this actually measure?  It measures the fact that 12 people turned up and that 12 people finished the programme and rated the course.

None of these measurements actual enable you to actually determine whether or not the training met the training need that had been identified?  Did the trainer actually deliver a learning event that met the required standards of any of the training qualifications that they possess…that is if they possess a training qualification at all!!

As a professional trainer with over twenty years experience both delivering and procuring training & development programmes I find it very disappointing that once people have achieved their training qualification (CIPD Certificate in Learning & Development or Prepare to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector etc) they may never again be assessed.  What does this say about the training industry?  It is a bit like once you have passed your driving test, that’s it!!

Surely as professional trainers who encourage other professional managers to get their own ‘continuous professional development’ on a regular basis we should be exemplary in getting ours.  Given the current climate and the cost of training to any business I believe it is imperative that all purchases of training services should be questioning the quality management processes to ensure that the programmes delivered by either internal or external trainers meet the needs and do not just tick the box!!

Thanks for your time, kind regards, 

Suzanne Unsworth

www.rubusassociates.co.uk