Quality leadership training for your front-line employees should align to your talent strategy which in turn should align to the overall corporate strategy. You may have determined the needs of your employees through a formal ‘Learning Needs Analysis’ or by informal data gathering on the current and future skills required. Either way, selecting a training solution should have clear and defined expectations from YOU and also include the ‘what’s in it for me’ factor for YOUR employees. You and your employees are the “Y” in QLTY.
So, what else should you look for to define ‘quality’? Here is the QLTY way to get Quality Leadership Training:
- Quantitative – the “Q”: Sound learning objectives begin with verbs that are measurable. Avoid courses with learning objectives that begin with the word ‘understand’ as this is very hard to measure.
- Learning – the “L”: Learning should be multi-modular. In today’s world of dispersed work forces, make sure any training company you choose can modify and extend delivery from instructor-led training to elearning, Virtual Learning (vLearning) to Mobile Learning (mLearning). Quality Learning in multiple modalities can really extend what you teach on-site, on-line, and in the cloud.
- Time – the “T”: Sustainment strategies over time to ensure that learning sticks. This can include follow-up tips, questionnaires or coaching, but the goal of any training is to increase a skill, attitude, or behavior; participants need more than one course to do this!
Too often we’re sending employees on training without understanding or explaining to them ‘why this training was selected’ and ‘here are my expectations of you at the end of the day.’ The best discussions go on to say: ‘here’s how these new skills fit in with the corporate strategy;’ ‘this is how and why we chose to focus on these skills;’ and ‘here is what is on offer to help you apply what you have learned.’ Knowing and acting with QLTY when selecting Quality Leadership Training is the secret to building great learning in your company.
Dr. Celia Richardson is Vice President, Strategic Learning Solutions at Knightsbridge. Knightsbridge is a North American human capital solutions firm that truly integrates the expertise of finding, developing, and optimizing an organization’s people to deliver more effective solutions and better performance.