Staff Training
What decision(s) can you make to experience lasting success for your business? Is it implementing cost-savings strategies to ensure maximum profit margins? Should you update your policies and procedures to ensure you operate within the legal parameters for your industry? Perhaps you could invest in proven marketing strategies to expand your reach and attract potential customers.
All of these decisions could result in success for your business. While we’re brainstorming, let me add another option to your list. You could train your staff constantly and help them reach their potential.
The truth is, profit margins ebb and flow. Policies and procedures quickly become antiquated. Marketing your business does not guarantee more customers. Your staff, on the other hand, has incredible potential. When your other options fail, your employees can push your business to levels you never imagined. Training them is a decision that cannot be optional. It is a mandate if you truly want lasting success.
Speaking of staff training, that’s what Paul was doing in 1 Timothy 5:1 – 2. He’s instructing Timothy, his protege in the business of preaching, how to conduct himself as one of God’s chosen vessels. Notice what he says, “Never speak harshly to an older man … Talk to younger men as you would your own brothers. Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters” (1 Timothy 5:1 – 2, NLT). He offers wisdom to help Timothy reach his potential quickly.
You can be just as effective as Paul by following these principles as you implement your staff training regimen:
(1) Be Clear. Paul’s message to Timothy was clear. There’s no mistaking what he meant by what he said.
To experience success in your staff training initiatives, make sure that you’re clear. First, be clear about the purpose of the training. Never meet to check off a box on your to-do list. Always have specific intentions in mind when you assemble your staff for training.
Second, be clear in the content you provide. If the content is too far above the understanding of your staff, it will not be effective. Take the time to simplify your content. Try to be so clear that no one leaves with a different interpretation of what you said.
(2) Be Constructive. All of Paul’s words were intended to enhance Timothy. He aimed to provide a bridge for Timothy to cross from his present to his potential.
Your staff training should enhance your employees. If you can’t articulate how they will be better after the training is implemented, you may not need to conduct the training.
One of the easiest ways determine how to enhance your employees is by establishing where they are. You can observe how they perform compared to what you expect. You can ask your customers about their experiences to gauge how well your employees work. You can also ask your employees to assess their performance, focusing on their strengths and areas for improvement. After you gather information about where they are, use it to make them better. Start with any areas for improvement. Later, build on their strengths.
(3) Be Concise. Paul gives four concrete tips to enhance Timothy’s performance in just two verses. He said a lot, though it looks like a little. That’s the heart of being concise.
Technology has greatly reduced our patience. People will zone out quickly if your presentation is much longer than 140 characters, thanks to social media. You have to keep this in mind when preparing your training initiatives. Keep it concise.
I recommend establishing a time limit for your training sessions. You know your employees’ attention span best, so my goal is not to give you a time recommendation. Instead, I suggest sticking to the ideal time parameters at all costs. This will inevitably require you to think strategically through what you will train on. If you can’t fit it into the time limit, break it down into multiple sessions. I guarantee this: your staff will appreciate your efficiency if you establish and remain within a time limit.
If you’re not sure about the ideal time frame, then ask your employees. You can send them a quick survey question like this: what time limit would you recommend for a staff training initiative? You can leave it open-ended or provide some options to expedite the process. Irrespective of the option you choose, your employees will tell you what works best for them.
(4) Be Consistent. If you read the New Testament of the Bible, you will discover that Paul was consistent. He wrote many letters to keep enhancing the people who had received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. He provided these letters at defined increments to ensure steady growth. He did the same thing for Timothy. He wrote two letters to Timothy to continue his growth as a spiritual leader.
Plants grow as a result of consistent water and nutrients. People are a lot like plants. If you want your staff to grow consistently, train them consistently. Provide training opportunities at defined intervals to build momentum and continue their growth.
I recommend developing a calendar of training opportunities and providing it to your staff before the first opportunity. Chose a specific day each month, week, or quarter. By establishing a full schedule before you start your training series, your employees will know what’s coming and be able to plan accordingly.
Staff training is one of the best decisions you can make to experience success in your business. When profits, policies, and exposure fail, your staff can grow and reach levels you never imagined. I believe you can create an incredible training program for your staff. Just remember to be clear, constructive, concise, and consistent and I declare that you will experience incomparable success and satisfaction in your business!