Ask Questions First, Train the Team Later (and not the other way around) 

It’s been said that many training efforts begin without a reason, continue without a purpose, and end with no results. What a tragic waste of time and resources training can be!  

Training is not the culprit, however; it is merely a tool in the hands of mostly well-meaning managers. On the surface, training can be billed as the cure for all – able to solve even the most stubbornly rooted problems. However, training is not a quick medicine that cures all ills. It is much more like a healthy diet that helps to maintain the one who follows it. Resorting to training when all hope is lost is an act of desperation that produces very little results.  

The best place for training to begin is with questions and their answers. Just like the healthy diet, its composition is different based on who is consuming it. What works for one organization may not work for another. To best understand what works for your unique organization, incorporate ongoing needs assessment instruments and strategies.  

How often do you ask, “What are the interests?” How often do you ask, “What are the needs?” and to whom do you ask these questions? Consider all the potential beneficiaries: managers, line staff, customers, vendors, social and civic partners, etc. Training should better equip team members to serve the organization, so why not look at the organization with a wide-angle lens? If you are only getting answers from the executive level, you have incomplete information, and the same is true when all your answers are coming from any other single area. Invest the time in asking the right questions of all the right people, and you will have the answers you need to make the best training decisions.

Latasha Strachan is a speaker, facilitator, and coach. You can reach her at ceibalearning@gmail.com