Currie Gauvreau
Contributing Writer
Success Academy Trainer

During a site visit, I was talking with a Manager who was complaining that he could not keep his technicians engaged during their twice weekly training sessions.  No matter what he tried, regardless of content or presentation, the guys were bored.  I explained that this was normal human behavior, regardless of the quality of content or the entertainment value of the presentation, the audience gets bored after a while.  Same person, repeating things over and over.  No wonder training is not always as effective as we would like!  I suggested he implement a “Team Training” strategy.

“Team Training” is exactly what it sounds like…every member of the team participates in the training of the group.  Typically, a different individual leads a particular training topic each training session.  Implementation is simple; establish an agenda that dictates each week, which employee presents which topic.  It could be industry related or maybe related to personal development.  There is nothing wrong with a presentation on Communication, Attitude, and Leadership etc.

Business revolves around some key concepts including effective communication, customer service, service issues, or technical.  Assign simple topics to each employee and have them present to the entire group for your training session.  Pulling employees out of their comfort zones helps them grow and become more productive.  Every employee is a trainer in waiting, they just don’t know it!

You have more trainers available to you than you thought! The best way to develop a deep knowledge of a topic is to teach it.  When delegated to teach, people tend to delve deeper into that subject in order to have a better understanding.  In doing this, they are able to recall it more accurately and apply it more effectively.  The proof that you know something is that you are able to teach it. – Aristotle

Training does not have to be an hour in order to be effective.  A good trainer can have an impact in 15 minutes.  A training session should be planned based on the allotted time.  If your training slot is only 30 minutes, design the information to have the most impact in that amount of time.

The service industry is about “educating” the customer.  Your technicians are acting as trainers every day on every call.  Every time they are in front of a customer, they are training.  They are imparting knowledge to that customer.  Cross train employees, let call takers ride with technicians, let technicians spend time with dispatchers.  Integrate your office!

Develop the trainer in everyone on your staff.  Doing this improves communication and presentation skills of everyone as well as increases employees’ knowledge of your business.  Change things up and watch your people excel!

 

Success Academy Trainer Currie Gauvreau has 17 years of experience as both a trainer and instructor, during which he taught courses at the American Military University Online, University of Phoenix, and Strayer University among other schools and universities. He received his Master of Arts in Criminology with a concentration in Public Administration from the University of South Florida and prior to joining Direct Energy Home Services, he was a Sergeant with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, from which he retired.