Translate Training Into Improvement

You invest a lot of money in training employees. Protect your investment by asking them to take these steps to make the most of the sessions they attend:

• Come with a plan. Encourage your employees to spend time thinking about what they want to take away from the training session. Developing a list of three to six overall goals will help them focus on the training's potential value.
• Get to the session early. Employees should try to meet the trainer and communicate their interest in the program.
• Sit near the front. They will get more involved. And they will hear better.
• Question and comment. The direction in which the leader takes the session will reflect employees' interests more fully.
• Leave employee responsibilities in good hands. Members should make advance arrangements with teammates so they're free to concentrate on the training and not their day-to-day duties.