Steve Willis is a Master Trainer and Vice President of Professional Services at VitalSmarts.READ MORE
I was recently reviewing a training industry report for 2012. There were all kinds of bar, pie, and other hunger inducing graphs serving up all kinds of information. It highlighted overall spending (≅ $55.8 billion), the average amount spent per employee ($1059), how many hours the average employee spent in learning and development activities (41 hours per employee), the types of training products and services (too many to name here), and even who was receiving training by level in the organization.
Wading through all this data got me thinking about my own 2012 year in review: How many sessions I conducted, the number of organizations I worked with, the different countries I had trained in, and the mix of programs I delivered. And while all these numbers are interesting and useful, the number that caused the most meaningful introspection was the percentage of people who walked away from my sessions having had a meaningful (dare I say life-changing) learning experience.
This last one got me thinking of what it would take to increase that percentage in 2013. What should I improve about the way I prepare for each session? Which delivery skills would be highest leverage to practice? Do I need to do more in order to master the skills from the programs I deliver?
So I want to leave you with the question that’s been on my mind, “What will you do to increase the percentage of people who have a meaningful learning experience?” You have the opportunity to positively impact lives with each session you conduct. Now, go get em!
Steve, thanks for your thought provoking question! My passion is to make a difference so I’m ready to consider how I’ll do this when facilitating Crucial Conversations. I’m a new facilitator, soon to complete my third session to become a full-fledged facilitator.
I’m realizing the power of storytelling. I can see how it connects the skills to real life for participants and helps them see and even feel situations they can relate to; it allow them to deepen their learning. So…for me it will be gathering my own stories of how I or others used Crucial Conversations or could have but didn’t.
I’m looking forward to attending the Vital Smarts Conference and sharpening my skills! And thanks for your part in supporting this life-changing course!
Jeanie
After facilitating several Crucial Conversations classes within the last couple of years, I realize regardless of the meaningful learning experience we set as our goal as trainers, if there is limited follow through by either the participant or their organization, much learning falls by the wayside. I have been very aware the last few years of ROI for all our training initiatives. We have begun to have ‘Crucial Conversations Refreshers’ for past participants. These are just short noon hour reviews on some of the key topics. I have been amazed to hear people say, “Crucial Conversations was a great class, I just don’t remember much though.” Asked if they have reviewed any of their materials and often the answer is no. Our organization has been offering CCs for several years, so we hope as a culture people are trying different approaches with their collegeagues when tackling important conversations. However, people are busy, and though they have good intentions, often they don’t revisit content from earlier ‘meaningful’ training they’ve had. We need to aim high and create the very best learning experience for our participants, and we need to consider how to support continued learning and review after they walk out the training door.