STEPS TO IMPROVE EVERY TRAINING PROGRAM

MANAGERS AS TRAINERS

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In this eBook you’ll

learn more about:

• The central role managers play in the success

of employee training programs.

• Strategies to encourage manager support.

• Tips and best practices for turning managers

into trainers.

Organizations with great employee development

programs do not treat training as events. Employee

training in these organizations is ingrained in the

culture and is part of each employee’s regular,

everyday work experience.

Now, we are not saying everything that happens in

these organizations is a “learning experience,” but

employees in true learning organizations tend to

experience learning in a wide variety of ways and

in many different situations. Learning in these

organizations is not isolated to formal training

events, like a classroom course or an online training

course.

Learning happens informally and socially, and sometimes with no push from anyone. It just

happens.

What sets learning organizations apart is that this

“organic” or informal and social learning is weaved

into the culture of the organization, and employees

are not just left to fend for themselves.

More importantly, the managers in

learning organizations play a vital

and central role in the success of

employee development.

Power/Impact Use/Frequency Disconnect

PRE

Trainer 2 2 0

Employee 7 8 -1

Manager 1 5 -4

EVENT

Trainer 4 1 3

Employee 5 3 2

Manager 8 6 2

POST

Trainer 9 7 2

Employee 6 4 2

Manager 3 9 -6

1= MOST POWERFUL/IMPACTFUL FOR TRAINING TRANSFER

SOURCE: BARBARA CARNES, MAKING TRAINING STICK

Barbara Carnes, one of the leading authorities on training

transfer published the second edition of her book,

Making Training Stick: A Training Transfer Field Guide,” in

2011.

Barbara talks about research on training transfer that

compare the impact and use of resources such as time,

communications, marketing etc. across two different axis

– the role (manager, trainer and trainee) and time

(before, during and after).

The scale used in the chart is 1 = the most powerful or

most used. The top three MOST POWERFUL combinations

for training transfer are manager/before, trainer before

and manager/after. ONLY trainer/before is used in

proportion to its impact. Manager both before and after

are not used nearly enough!

According to Barbara, the key take-aways from the

research are:

• The factors influencing training transfer are complex

• MOST of the factors that influence training transfer

occur OUTSIDE the training event or classroom

• The manager plays a critical role in training transfer

• Other systems (culture) play an important role and can

help build accountability

The Corporate Executive Board (CEB) found that direct

supervisors who are effective at developing people can increase employee:

• Performance by up to 25 percent

• Engagement by up to 29 percent

• Retention by up to 40 percent

STEPS TO DEVELOP YOUR MANAGERS AS TRAINERS

We are not suggesting that your managers turn into

classroom trainers or that they become instructional designers. The facts tell us that your managers play a

vital role in the success of their employees on many

levels – including the ongoing professional

development of the employees they lead and

supervise. The six steps focus on the places where the

roles of the manager has the greatest potential impact, and where we see the greatest disconnect between

usage and that impact – before training events and in

ongoing training support.

In addition to these six steps, we’ll outline some

important competencies you might consider

developing in your management team that will help

them successfully execute these important steps.

1. Identify critical competencies

necessary for success in the role.

2. Identify the skill gaps.

3. Make the employees stakeholders.

4. Get involved and be a good

example.

5. Incorporating learning into day-to-

day work.

6. Look for results achieved from the

learning and celebrate success.

IDENTIFY CRITICAL COMPETENCIES Competency-based training helps ensure that

training content stays focused on improving skills,

knowledge and behaviors in areas that will actually

improve performance and help both the organization and employee achieve goals.

The first thing to remember about this step is actually

something you need to forget. Don’t worry about what

your current, formal job description says. Most job

descriptions include 10-15 “critical competencies.”

Nobody can work on developing that many

competencies at any given time. In fact, we’d suggest

that most jobs require the direct application of four to

five competencies on a regular basis for success.

So the first step for your managers is to work closely with

the learning and development professionals in your

organization to identify what those core and critical

competencies are for success in each role on a

manager’s team.

It’s helpful to make this process simple by asking two

basic questions:

• What does success in the role look like? • What does the successful performer do to deliver

results?

The answers to these two questions will get you very

close to understanding the key behaviors and key

competencies the manager needs to help the

employee develop and become successful or more

successful in the job role.

Manager Competency – People Development. Defined as

a manager who provides feedback and coaching,

rewards hard work and risk taking, takes a mentoring role,

challenges and develops employees, accepts mistakes,

provides visibility/opportunity.

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PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

Defined as a manager who provides feedback and coaching, rewards hard work

and risk taking, takes a mentoring role, challenges and develops employees,

accepts mistakes, provides visibility/opportunity.

Giving Feedback Uses a variety of approaches to energize and inspire others.

Coaching Skills Clarify the meaning and intent of others' communication when it is unclear.

Mentoring Helps others see the personal benefits of doing their job well.

Vision Helps others translate the vision and mission into day-to-day activities and

behaviors.

A needs analysis does not have to be a heavy, detailed

dive into a ton of data. What is required in this step is

that the manager be able to articulate the difference

between the desired state of performance (which

we’ve determined in step one) and the current state of

performance. This “gap” defines the development or

training need, employee by employee.

It’s also important to isolate the performance gaps into

skill and knowledge deficiencies. For instance, if you

have an employee that transfers from marketing to

human resources, and the employee is performing

below the level you expect in the newly assumed HR

role. You have to be careful not to jump to the conclusion that the gap in performance is simply skill-

based. You may need to build a baseline of HR

knowledge for this employee BEFORE you can make a

good-faith evaluation of skills gaps. It’s very likely there

are skills gaps, but you have to approach skills and

knowledge gaps with different solutions, so make sure

you understand the nature of the gap you see.

Manager Competency – Managing for Performance.

Defined as a manager who applies clear/consistent

performance standards, handles performance problems

decisively and objectively, is direct but tactful, provides

guidance and assistance to improve performance.

CURRENT

PERFORMANCE

DESIRED

PERFORMANCE SKILL GAPS

IDENTIFY SKILL GAPS

One-size-fits-all training programs rarely achieve

great results. So it’s important that managers are

involved in identifying skill gaps for each employee on their team. These gaps then help focus

development activities of the employee, but these

same gaps help focus the coaching and day-to-day

feedback the manager provides to support the development goals for each employee.

MANAGING FOR PERFORMANCE

Defined as a manager who applies clear/consistent performance standards,

handles performance problems decisively and objectively, is direct but tactful,

provides guidance and assistance to improve performance.

Setting Performance Standards Tracks progress on clear, well-defined desired outcomes for work activity.

Problem Solving Proactively identify the root causes of problems.

Achieving Results Sets clear, well-defined desired outcomes for work activity and tracks progress.

Priority Setting Identifies primary goals over minor objectives.

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MAKE THE EMPLOYEES STAKEHOLDERS One of the most important things any manager or

leader can do is engage employees in the mission of

the organization. Some times the “mission” is more

tightly focused, such as the development of an

individual employee.

Motivation generally comes from the employee when

certain conditions are met, and the manager can

certainly play a significant role in helping to create the

right conditions. (Daniel Pink suggests that we are

motivated by three pretty basic things: autonomy,

mastery and purpose ). But engagement – a deeper

emotional dedication to the success of the enterprise –

is different than simply being motivated.

Leaders engage employees by providing the direction

and explaining the core value and meaning behind

what they ask employees to do. Leaders also exhibit

and model the behaviors they expect of their

employees. It’s not really complex, but we’ve made

engagement complicated. Simplify it by meeting

employees on their terms, giving them the tools and

resources to be successful and then get out of their way

and let them do their jobs.

Employees need managers to explain what is needed

and tell them how they are doing. If managers are

good at doing those things, and provide feedback on

a daily basis with an emphasis on positive feedback,

employee engagement generally follows. In other

words, if we make employees believe we value them

and their ability, then let them do their work – we’ve

taken important steps that fuel a sense of engagement.

Manager Competency - Leadership. Defined as a

manager who leads through change and adversity, makes

the tough call when needed, builds consensus when

appropriate, motivates and encourages others.

LEADERSHIP

Defined as a manager who leads through change and adversity, makes the tough

call when needed, builds consensus when appropriate, motivates and

encourages others.

Change Management Envisions and articulates the intended result of the change process.

Decision Making Gathers sufficient information to identify gaps and variances before making a

decision

Teamwork Shares ideas, responsibility and ownership.

Motivating Others Communicates a vision of excellence for others that motivates them to improve ,

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If we expect our employees to learn, we have to

establish an expectation that our managers learn, too.

Our managers have to model continuous learning and

be relentless in their quest to gain new skills and

knowledge and to improve their ability to perform at

ever higher levels of proficiency. It’s hard to go to a

team and tell them, “You must do more!” It’s impossible

to do that and get results when the manager delivering

that message does nothing to improve his or her own

level of performance.

Another important element in this step is to give

employees the room to learn by doing, and that

sometimes means the room to learn by making

mistakes. Mistakes will happen. The important part of

mistakes is not avoidance. If we are always working with

a fear of making a mistake, we will never take risks. That

means we will never be excellent.

Risks – taken at the appropriate level – are where we

stretch our skills and grow our abilities, our teams and

our organizations.

Managers play a key role in providing an environment

where employees have the freedom to learn from

taking appropriate risks and to learn from mistakes.

Manager Competency - Self Development. Defined as a

manager who seeks out and accepts feedback, is a

proactive learner, takes on tough assignments to improve

skills, keeps knowledge and skills up-to-date, turns mistakes

into learning opportunities.

GET INVOLVED AND BE A GOOD

EXAMPLE

In today’s highly competitive market, we see

organizations that place an emphasis on continuous

learning and gaining competitive advantages. It’s

through continuous learning that both organizations,

managers and employees will learn and master new

skills needed to respond to rapidly changing situations, conditions and emerging competitors.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT

Defined as a manager who seeks out and accepts feedback, is a proactive

learner, takes on tough assignments to improve skills, keeps knowledge and skills up-

to-date and turns mistakes into learning opportunities.

Giving and Receiving Feedback Utilizes strong listening skills to formulate direct, responsive answers to questions.

Proactive Learning Consistently seeks out business opportunities that will create growth and

development.

Continuous Development Looks for opportunities to learn from mistakes.

Uses a variety of resources to generate potential ideas for improvement.

Skills and Knowledge Improvement Identifies personal skill areas to be developed.

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As we provide training opportunities for employees, we

have to make sure our managers are fully involved in

the decisions about the content, direction and

objectives of the training efforts. That’s the whole point

of steps one and two. Having the managers involved at

those levels pays huge dividends here, because when

the managers are fully engaged stakeholders in the

whole process and program, and when the managers

have helped target the key competencies and skill

gaps, you can help them find ways to incorporate

learning lessons into day-to-day work routines.

For instance, in team or weekly meetings, managers

can ask questions about learning content or training

videos that have bee assigned to team members.

Managers can use job aids as discussion tools, and

managers can ask employees what they learned each

week and how they applied that new knowledge to a

specific problem.

As these questions are asked and answered, it’s really

helpful to find ways to share this knowledge with as

much of the organization as possible. This way, many

people become a little smarter, not just the employees

being encouraged and helped by a single highly

effective and engaged manager.

Manager Competency - Productivity. Defined as a

manager who manages a fair workload, volunteers for

additional work, prioritizes tasks, develops good work

procedures, manages time well, handles information flow.

INCORPORATE LEARNING INTO DAY-TO-DAY WORK

Getting started with a culture of continuous learning

started requires patience and quite a bit of support,

because a lot of managers don’t know where to begin. So, keep it simple. Provide job aids, guides,

Q&A tips, meeting starters and any other supporting

materials that might help your managers understand how to help employees learn more on the job.

PRODUCTIVITY

Defined as a manager who manages a fair workload, volunteers for additional

work, prioritizes tasks, develops good work procedures, manages time well,

handles information flow.

Prioritization Ensures that resources, time, and attention are allocated in proportion to business

priorities.

Process Management Breaks complex processes into more simple tasks and functions.

Time Management Focuses energy on critical tasks.

Work and Information Flow Measures the right things to evaluate how fast and how well resources are utilized

and results accomplished.

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Nothing brings success like more success! Everyone

loves a great success story, so find them and celebrate

them. Employee development is usually a game of slow,

steady incremental improvements.

So you have to train your managers to know how to

spot these improvements. This will require that your

managers are well attuned to the key performance

indicators that help show how the team and employees

are performing in areas where improvement is sought.

“ Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” Ken Blanchard

As improvement is observed, it’s important that

employees get the encouragement they need to keep

going. Development can be difficult, and for the

employee, progress can seem invisible, because they

are sometimes too close to the day-to-day performance to see it.

It’s crucial that the manager step up and recognize

improvements as they occur and celebrate successes.

Manager Competency - Interpersonal Skills. Defined as a

manager who has good listening skills, builds strong

relationships, is flexible/open-minded, negotiates

effectively, solicits performance feedback and handles

constructive criticism.

Manager Competency - Team Building – Defined as a

Manager who anticipates and resolves conflicts, turns

team diversity into an advantage, uses unique team

talents, defines processes and goals, works for consensus.

CELEBRATE LEARNING

ACHIEVEMENTS AND SUCCESS

Nothing breeds success like success. Make sure your

managers know how important celebrating and

sharing successes can be. Once employees see their peers recognized for learning success, it

becomes easier for them to see themselves

succeeding. It’s an “I can do that, too!” sort of thing,

and people appreciate having their efforts recognized.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Defined as a manager who has good listening skills, builds strong relationships, is

flexible/open-minded, negotiates effectively, solicits performance feedback and

handles constructive criticism.

Flexibility Is open to new ideas, perspectives, structures, strategies, or positions.

Listening Skills Utilizes strong listening skills to formulate direct, responsive answers to questions.

Relationship Building Builds relationships by sharing personal experiences and perspectives.

Performance Management Tracks progress on clear, well-defined desired outcomes for work activity.

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TEAM BUILDING

Defined as a Manager who anticipates and resolves conflicts, turns team diversity

into an advantage, uses unique team talents, defines processes and goals, works

for consensus.

Conflict Resolution Addresses disagreements, conflicts, or upsets in ways that build relationships.

Diversity and Inclusion Helps diverse groups to identify common higher purposes, principles, and values.

Defining Processes and Goals Optimally organizes people and activities to accomplish results.

Teamwork Understands and utilizes group process techniques to maximize participation and

effective group functioning.

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CONCLUSION

• The central role managers play in the success

of employee training programs.

• Strategies to encourage manager support.

• Tips and best practices for turning managers

into trainers.

Every organization that invests in its employees’

development risks that investment if the front-line

managers and supervisors are not ready be

“managers as trainers.”

We have to keep our managers actively involved in

the ongoing development of employees, otherwise

employee development efforts will fail. The problem

most organizations have is not lack of awareness.

Manager support has been linked to effective

training programs for quite some time. The issue is

that organizations typically do not take the time to

take the six steps outlined to help make managers

key parts of their training program.

It’s not enough to tell our managers to be involved or to help. We have to hold them accountable, and

we have to give them the support they need to be

successful. So, we have to take them through these

six steps: identify key competencies, identify skill

gaps, make employees stakeholders, get the

managers involved and help them be good

learning examples, incorporate learning into day-

to-day work and look for results and celebrate

success.

Executing these steps requires us to provide training

and support to our managers, and we’ve identified

a few competencies for each step. So, if your

ultimate goal is to deliver verifiable results from your

training efforts, an investment in training and

supporting your managers makes sense –

starting today!

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