Training In Itself Gives You No Significant Value

Surprised?

image: huffingtonpost.ca

Training, even, the best delivered training won't translate to value for you if you don't practice on your own.

Almost every week I facilitate one or two training classes. I always get very positive reviews and feedback. People like the interactive, holding me by the hand style of my training. They like the funny in between stories that make it easy to grab the concept I am explaining. They like the relevant examples we use in class. They always feel confident of their improved skills at the end of the training.

I have been in the training business since 2009 when I used to deliver more technical trainings: CCNA and Linux trainings. It was then I developed my skill of explaining complex concepts in simple and easy to understand ways. And also stumbled on the power of illustrative stories. A lot of people say I am a born teacher. And I used to joke that if I teach you something I know very well and you don't get it, then the only way you will get it is via a surgical transfer of the knowledge into your head. 

Now I teach Microsoft Excel and Business Data Analysis. It is a lot easier to grasp than CCNA or Linux. Yet I am yet to meet anyone who doesn't forget everything he has learned after some weeks of not practicing them. So the way I try to fix this for my trainings is to make them very hands-on. You get to practice throughout the training. Then there are assignment files you can practice on after the class and I include video tutorials of everything we cover so you can easily refresh your knowledge when stuck during practice. But most people are too busy to even take a look at their notes after the training let alone watch the tutorial videos. And for them we introduced refresher courses. We make it free for attendants of our training to come for refresher courses. We keep one or two slots for alumni of our training so they can refresh all the knowledge gained and maybe add to it. Why? Training is never permanently value adding if you don't keep the knowledge afresh and used in practical situations.

To get value out of any training you have to deploy the knowledge gained. You have to put to practice your newly acquired skill before it evaporates.