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control over internal trgs
Training & Organizational Development
control over internal trgs
A forum for exchanging ideas about skills training, leadership training, management training, compliance training, e-learning, as well as organizational development and effectiveness.
I'm having trouble getting a grip on different managers and departments organizing internal training programs and not thinking about involving the training department in this. Sure, it's a credibility
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Forums » Topic Forums » Training & Organizational Development » control over internal trgs
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control over internal trgs
posted at 2/22/2007 8:59 PM EST
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Posts: 11
First: 12/20/2006 Last: 10/15/2009 |
I'm having trouble getting a grip on different managers and departments organizing internal training programs and not thinking about involving the training department in this. Sure, it's a credibility issue, but as that takes time, is there anything that can be done to get more control over these in the meantime? |
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control over internal trgs
posted at 2/25/2007 9:37 AM EST
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Posts: 221
First: 11/20/2005 Last: 4/4/2007 |
Im not sure what you mean. By internal training programs, do you mean sourced from internal to your organization (such as from your training department), or are they sourced from an external vendor?
Vicki Heath Director Business Performance Pty Ltd http://www.businessperform.com |
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control over internal trgs
posted at 2/26/2007 1:18 AM EST
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Posts: 23
First: 11/28/2006 Last: 11/26/2010 |
Let me give you the vendor's side of your problem. We conduct seminars and classes for engineers, scientists, technical support personnel(IT) and other people who need to read and process a lot of information. Our experience over the past 30 years leads us to try to go directly to the operating manager (they understand the need for and value of our program)and stay as far away as possible from training and development departments. My suggestion to you is to try to estblish a better relationship with your internal clients relative to the training needs of their staff. Where are the opportunities for productivity improvement? What does the staff do during an average day and can we do some training to improve that performance? Just remember, the vendors are out there trying to reach your clients with the next great training idea. You should get there first and show your management that you are doing something. As long as you stay focused on mandatory training (orientation, sexual harazement, etc) you will remain out of the loop with upper management. |
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control over internal trgs
posted at 2/26/2007 5:55 AM EST
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Posts: 11
First: 12/20/2006 Last: 10/15/2009 |
Thanks for your answers, I understand why you would want to avoid the Training/HR department, we do tend to complicate things. I'm sure you're right that I need to get close to management and close to the business issues, and help them solve problems, but that's what takes time, and I do work on this on an ongoing basis. We now are actually at a point where 95% of external trainings are organized through us, (training dept.) but it's the internal ones, where people just think: hey, let's do a 'training' for these 5 people, Joe, you can just spend the next 4 hours "telling" them everything they need to know about xyz. So they end up with a presentation of 4 hours putting everyone to sleep. I was hoping to get some advice about how to get them to come to us first. |
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control over internal trgs
posted at 2/26/2007 9:57 AM EST
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Posts: 221
First: 11/20/2005 Last: 4/4/2007 |
I dont know your exact context, including the history of your relationship with your organization and your client managers, and what you have done so far to engender credibility. Speaking in general terms, there are two aspects that you could look at:
1. Structural/process What polices and procedures are in place that obligate your client managers to defer training work to your department? 2. Interpersonal What is the nature of your (and your trainers) personal relationship with your client managers that make them want to confide in you? On the interpersonal level, gauging by the language that you use in your post, it may be that you are talking down to your client managers, telling them everything that is wrong with their own training efforts. You may need to put a more positive slant on your marketing, telling them whats in it for them. Benefits to them could include saving time and resources, for example. At the same time, you may need to reinforce the importance of on-the-job training and how they can still play a big part in this. How can you do this? I would suggest a series of one-on-one, face to face meetings with each client manager in turn. Start to develop a personal but professional relationship with each manager. Find out what makes each of them tick, what fires them up, what is important to each of them. I have not seen you operate in your working environment, so these comments are only a taster. I hope you get some progress. Vicki Heath Director Business Performance Pty Ltd http://www.businessperform.com |
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control over internal trgs
posted at 3/1/2007 6:19 AM EST
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Posts: 11
First: 12/20/2006 Last: 10/15/2009 |
Vicki, thank very much for your reply, your comments were very interesting. I'm still in denial about my interpersonal communication, but I'll definitely keep your words in mind.
As for my status, I'm very new in this position, so I don't have any relationship with the managers at this point, I'm about to make my first round of face to face meetings with them. As for policies and procedures, we are beginning to put them in place and trying to make sure they're not leaving us out. Of course not just so we can keep out jobs, but there are some sound reasons for this. Thanks again for your input, Thomas |
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control over internal trgs
posted at 3/13/2007 5:10 AM EDT
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Posts: 7
First: 3/13/2007 Last: 3/21/2007 |
To begin, good luck in this new position.
It sounds as if you've encountered a fair amount of informal training and aren't quite sure what to do about it. There will always be informal learning going on in the workplace so what matters, it seems to me, is for you to help ensure that the informal training is done well and effectively. As you proceed through your face-to-face meetings with department heads, you might want to offer some help in this area. Offer to work with the department gurus who are often called upon to do informal training sessions to help them organize and facilitate their training. Make yourself available to develop templates and standard outlines for on-the-job training practices. You want the operations managers to use you as a resource, so start by giving them a chance to see you in that role. Emphasize that you can help them save time and increase the learning retention from the informal learning that happens in their departments. Everybody gets it when it comes to saving time and increasing productivity. John Labbe JEM Performance Consulting http://www.jemperformance.com |
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