Whenever people express doubt about the value of business training I always think back to an incident that happened a few years ago.
I had gone round to see a neighbour who was adding an extension to their house. My then four-year-old son had come with me and was fascinated by the building work, still in its early stages. What caught his eye were the foundations and how deep they had been dug.
When I explained they would soon be covered up and all we would be aware of would be the brickwork above the ground, his little face registered disapproval. “What a waste of bricks,” he said. “No one will see them.”
Childish logic
It’s easy to understand his childish logic and laugh, but sometimes, it seems to me, people have a similar attitude to training. They believe it’s a waste of time and they can get by without it.
To some extent I see their point. To undergo training you have to give up precious hours of your life, maybe a whole day, sometimes even two. With people facing huge workloads and fighting to meet deadlines it can be hard to justify losing so much time.
My response is to tell them the story of my son and point out that a good course can lay the foundations for a more successful career. If you choose the right business training and fully enter into the spirit of the session, you can come away with valuable ideas that will last you the rest of your life.
Become indispensable to your employer
What if the trainer introduces you to techniques that will improve the quality of your work? What if he or she gives you tools that will help you speed up some of your working practices? What if you learn a quick and effective solution to a problem that regularly occurs in your job? And what if, as a result of the course, you gain a new skill that makes you even more indispensable to your employer?
All these are possible when you attend a good training course.
Naturally, you have to choose the right one. After all, you don’t want to spend a whole day being taught stuff you already know, or being shown how to deal with issues that never arise in your workplace. Instead, you want a course that provides practical hints and tips relevant to you in your job. And if the course is also targeted at your industry sector, so much the better.
Bespoke business training
In my experience there is only one way to get courses like this. Choose a supplier who offers bespoke training. Find a training company that takes the trouble to learn about you, the work you do and the everyday challenges you face. Find a company that encourages its trainers to speak to you before the course to discover how much experience you already have and what more you would like to learn.
That’s certainly the way I prefer to work when I’m running courses. Even though it takes longer to prepare bespoke courses, I believe it’s time well spent. My clients get a more tailored experience that addresses their real needs and, in return, I get a happier bunch of people in my training room.
Next time you have the opportunity to attend a business training course, do a few searches on the internet. Check that the trainer will tailor the course to your needs, by speaking to you beforehand rather than by asking you to fill in a form.
Your future career
Incidentally, as someone who has been running business courses for many years, I have to tell you, those forms asking you about your training needs before you attend a course, are a nice idea, but often of limited practical value. There is no substitute for direct, pre-course contact between the trainer and the people being trained.
And remember, if you ever doubt the value of training, just cast your mind back to the mistaken thinking of my four year old. By attending a course you are laying the bricks that will form the foundation of your future career.
Take it from me, good quality, bespoke, business training is most certainly not a waste of bricks.
