The number of times feedback from a training day or staff development at work has classified the event as ‘a complete waste of time’. I’m sure you must have either heard this yourself or thought it after a day that was supposed to enlighten you, invigorate you, motivate you or provide you with additional skills to perform your job role.

Alas, you return to work in a complete state of confusion and utter bewilderment and wonder what has just happen to you. You’ve had to sit through the most boring tirade of the latest technological change or you feel like you’ve just been dragged into the 21st century at an alarming rate and you’ve barely had the chance to realise what’s happened. As you sit down at your desk to begin your recovery, thoughts begin to drift into your head about what you’ll say to your boss when he asks you for feedback about the training and how are we gong to implement it in the workplace. It’s like waking up with the hangover of all hangovers!

Why do we get into these situations? How can we prevent them from arising? The good news is, yes, they can very easily be prevented. All it takes is a little planning and careful forethought before the event. So let’s just sit back and look at what can be done.

Your Personal Development Training for any twelve month period will be planned, I’m assuming, at your appraisal. If it isn’t or your employer doesn’t do appraisals don’t worry this still applies. The practice identified here can be applied by any individual regardless of whether or not they are working on their own. When I talk about ‘your appraisal’ just think about your own personal development plan. All it takes is a little time and effort before and after the training session. If your working within your appraisal you’ll need to consult with your boss about working with a life coach otherwise you’ll need to identify I good life coach yourself. Life coach directory from a previous blog is a great starting point, read here

Before each of the training days you have planned for the following twelve month period identify time before and after each one to spend time with your life coach. If the training is a number of days over a period of time you might want to identify additional time between each of the days.

Get to know your life coach; build up a good relationship before the first training session, set a few ground rules for your planned sessions. This time should be used for both of you to understand how each other works, use it well and get ready for your ride into the world of success.

At least one day before your training session, certainly not too much before, a week may be too much, meet with your life coach to discuss what you are looking to get out of the up and coming training day. Typical discussion points are:

• What is the training about?
• What will you be able to do after the training that you can’t already do?
• How will the training benefit the organisation?

Your life coach will introduce you to the goal setting process to encourage you to be more forward thinking and plan your impending training with a little more care.

Immediately after the training has finished, no later than the next day, otherwise you lose the impact, meet with your life coach to discuss the value of the training and what you are planning to do with your new learned knowledge and skills. Typical discussion points are:

• How do you intend to apply your new knowledge and skills?
• What else do you need to apply your new knowledge and skills?
• How will what you’ve learnt benefit the organisation?

Your life coach will only work with you for as long as you both feel it is necessary. It is not the intention for you to become dependent on your life coach; your life coach will only help you for as long as you need it. Allow your life coach, who will have specialist skills, the freedom to help you achieve the best out of your training and review sessions.

Using this strategy will give the effectiveness of your personal development a boost in the right direction. As with many other personal development strategies make sure you record your life coaching sessions and training in your journal diary. This will allow you to review your progress and achievements at a later date.

Thank you for reading this post, please let me know what you think and share your experiences.  While you’re here please take the time to sign up for the newsletter or alternatively you may prefer to subscribe for regular updates in your favourite reader or by email.

photo credit: Edgar Zuniga Jr.

Related Posts

• 8 great ways to a new you
• 10 great ways to improve your thinking
• Goal setting tools
• 10 great ways to create an income using your skills
• You are what you think

        
        
        
        
       

Tags: Goal setting, journal diary, Life Coach, life coaching directory, Personal Development, personal development training, staff development, Technorati, training day

This entry was posted on 6 November 2009 at 2:05 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Progress by Paul Worswick View Comments