Train, train, train (repeat endlessly)

I recently came across a number of shocking bits of information around training:

• 50% of managers believe that employee performance would not change if their company's training program were eliminated (The Corporate Executive Board Company, 2012)
• only about 20% of managers are satisfied with the performance of their company's training function (Accenture survey, 2004)
• 85% of participants in training either never try to apply what they've learned, or try but give up (Mind Gym 2013)

Maybe these are data from other parts of the world, and not applicable in Asia. So what is happening in your organization ?

Has training become one of those "benefits" that the company feels more or less obliged to provide ? Is training seen as a few days "off" once in a while to keep the motivation going ? After all, participants' satisfaction is typically very high after a training session (maybe they're evaluating their satisfaction of not being at work ?). Maybe there is even the belief that training is a form of employee retention.
How are people identified for skill development training ? Is it based on an in-depth competency versus needs analysis ? Or is the selection based on completely meaningless factors like seniority, hierarchy or "we have to send X this time because last time we sent Y" ?
Is the training budget looked at with a zero-based budgetting approach ? Most often, companies increase (or decrease) the budget year on year simply based on evolution in headcount and inflation. Strategy or key development priorities hardly come into consideration when the detailed training budget is established.
Do you track in any shape or form the impact on your organization/department/team performance (in addition to the participants' satisfaction) ?

So does this meaning training is a complete waste of money ? I don't think so, but some serious changes are needed. I will describe in a next blog what I see as the key elements that are necessary to turn training sessions into building blocks of a development program. In the mean time, I would love to hear your opinions or experiences in the subject of training effectiveness ! Leave a comment in this blog, or in the LinkedIn or Facebook posts !

Whose values are these anyway ?

A manufacturing company has a strict rule about no alcohol on the premises. Makes complete sense if only from a safety point of view. The company handbook clearly states that infringement leads to immediate dismissal, without compensation. Yet the foreign technical expert visiting regularly is known to keep a few bottles of alcohol in his office, for after-hours unwinding (at the factory). This is widely known by everyone but (silently) accepted because "he has always done this and cannot change"
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Fuji Xerox values

Less critical but in the same vein, a large "no motorcycle parking" in front of the office aims to ensure there is no clutter of bikes parked in an obstructive way. But this is also where the boss' motorcycle is parked every day.

Do you really think your teams need visions, missions or value statements ? They see (literally in the above examples) what the values or priorities are every single day, in what is being done, and more importantly, in what is being tolerated in the organization. Values are concept that is demonstrated by the company's top team, in interactions with people of all levels, including those external to the company. Values are tested in times of stress, conflict or upheaval.

Vision, mission and value statements can be powerful when they synthesize what already exists. It is a confirmation of what the company is and wants to continue to be. If these statements describe what should be, or worse still, are created because it seems they are the "in" thing, they do more harm than good, and it would be better to just do away with them all together. Don't expect people to be inspired by a poster on the wall while issues and conflicts remain unaddressed.

Writing your values statement is not a priority. The priority is to demonstrate your values by the way you lead your organization. Your people will get it.