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Training is one of the best ways to improve competence, an essential element of team resilience. Resilient teams are innovative, creative, collaborative, and flexible. They thrive despite chronic stress, change, and disruption.
Unfortunately, when resources are tight and pressures to produce are high, one of the first things we sacrifice is time and money for training. While this may result in a few short-term gains, it is counterproductive in the long run.
It is critically important to invest in training even when resources are scarce. Here are some tips on how to do that:
Establish Set Training Times
Structure your work schedules to allow for regular training days or half days, ideally at least once per month. Having regularly scheduled training times highlights that training is a priority and prevents it from being indefinitely delayed because there is no time.
Budget for Professional Development
Set aside at least 5% of your budget for professional development and resist the temptation to dip into these funds for other purposes. If you look at training as investing in future productivity, 5% of a budget is not much to pay now for future benefits.
Use Individual Development Plans
Encourage managers to discuss development goals with all of their direct reports regularly. At the beginning of every year, have each employee map out a training plan for the coming year. A written agreement helps managers communicate effectively with their employees about expectations and commits both individuals to a clear training program.
Train as a Team
Find ways to train together as a team, such as regularly scheduled team off-sites. In addition to building essential skills, you’ll also improve trust, relationships, and communication among team members.
Take Advantage of Free Training
There are lots of webinars and training tools available online that don't require travel or tuition. Explore your options.
Train in Small Doses
Don't limit your training to long courses or webinars that are available only at set times. Training opportunities can be as short as 10-minute sessions in staff meetings. Encourage staff to design short training sessions they can give to colleagues on subjects the team finds relevant.
Training is Not a Reward
Don't treat professional development as a reward for performance or a benefit that you must distribute evenly across a team. Make training decisions, particularly those that include travel, based on the knowledge and skills needed by individuals. There should be a business case for who gets what training.
Extend the Benefits of Formal Training
Ask people who complete a formal training course to later brief their colleagues on what they learned. A briefing extends the benefits of formal training and also ensures that participants are engaged and get what they need from classes.
How do you promote training to build competence in your team?
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To learn more about how you and your team can thrive in adversity, visit my website, and follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. And, check out my online Resilience Leadership course.