One of the things that surprised me most when I started my training company was a couple of clients who ‘just wanted some training’
They were both large organisations and called me to organise some training but they didn’t really care what I did.
I found this a bit odd, because for many smaller companies the outcomes from the investment that they make in management training is the key thing.
After digging a bit it turned out that one of the organisations had to use up their budget or they wouldn’t get the money next year and the other had made a commitment to provide x hours a year Continuing Professional Development (CPPD) for their staff and were behind on their numbers.
But most of my clients are smaller companies and to them, the important thing is seeing a real return on their investment.
The question is then, how can you make sure you get the best bang for your buck from management training?
Tip 1 – Identify what issues you want to solve
Just organising some training in the hope that it will mke things better is fine but it’s a bit like trying to hit a bullseye with a shotgun, you might get oe pellet on target but the vast ,majority will go all over the place!
Tip 2 – organise your year’s CPD all at once
You could even do this over say a three-year cycle.
But deciding the topics you need to deliver and then planning out the sessions in advance means that you can spend a day working on it and then forget about it for the rest of the year.
Also you’ll find that your programme becomes much more focused and feels like a process rather than a series of unconnected events.
Tip 3 – ask your people
You may be surprised at what turns up.
I did this once for a company as they thought all the engineers would want technical training but actually the most requested training was finance for non-finance managers.
You see the business had made people accountable for their budgets in the past year but the managers had no idea how to read the reams of information that was landing on their desk.
So do a bit of a survey and ask people what they feel would be most valuable to them, get them involved right from the start and you’ll see uptake and engagement increase also.
Tip 4 – Think about the company strategic plan.
This is a really useful tip, especially for growing companies or businesses that are undergoing change.
Don’t look at where the business is now, look at where it is going to be in the future.
What skills will managers need and consequently what do you need to include in your management training?
Businesses that train people to manage change or growth tend to make the transition much quicker and more effectively and naturally, this translates to a better bottom line.
Tip 5 – choose a specialist management training company
I was once sent on a training course delivered by an accountancy practice because they were the company accountants and they could do it cheaper.
Frankly it was money wasted because the skills and knowledge that the practice staff had were applicable to accountants in practice rather than a business.
They also weren’t massively engaging so people started to drop off and talk amongst themselves.
My feeling is that it’s worth spending a little more and getting a specialist in rather than doing something on the cheap.
If you want to talk over your options and see how I can help you develop a world-class management team then why not give me a call?