Setting up an ideal training environment and process is critical to
enhance
the effectiveness of knowledge transfer. An organisation needs to invest
in its
staff to prepare them to face the challenges of future and market
demands. This
requires soft skills and technical training which comes at a cost.
Imagine after
all the consultation, setting up training programs and delivery, the
organisation discovers that not much knowledge was transferred to their
staff
and they had gone back to their old habits. This would be a great waste
of time
and resources.
Setting up an ideal training environment and process is critical to enhance
the effectiveness of knowledge transfer. An organisation needs to invest in its
staff to prepare them to face the challenges of future and market demands. This
requires soft skills and technical training which comes at a cost. Imagine after
all the consultation, setting up training programs and delivery, the
organisation discovers that not much knowledge was transferred to their staff
and they had gone back to their old habits. This would be a great waste of time
and resources.
Because of this, it is important to focus on how to improve training delivery
and maximise the transfer of knowledge for a given time. Fortunately, many new
techniques have been studied and researched which have significantly improve the
quality of training design and delivery and if followed can have a marked
improvement. These techniques are collectively known as accelerated
learning. Here are a number of common guidelines recommended within this
area:
Build self-esteem in the leaner so that he or she wants to learn
Provide a suitable environment. Include lots of drawing surfaces and drawing
materials. Use colour, props and creative content in the environment to increase
inspiration.
Increase physical interaction. This helps memorisation of events as learner
can better recall what was discussed in the course and are more likely to use
the content back at work.
Encourage delegates to move. This helps them to become more creative. A
static body leads to a static mind.
Use training in line with VAK sensory (Visual, Auditory, Kinaesthetic) to
increase learning by appealing to all senses.
Use mind mapping to help categorisation of content and help learners to
remember the content well.
Use music to enrich the training environment, let learners relax become more
energetic.
Be aware of the different forms of intelligence as you plan the course.
People have strengths in different areas. Spot areas they need to work on more
and deliver a tailored training.
Focus on emotional intelligence to increase the efficiency of interaction
among learners.
Use a motivation system to encourage learning. For example, you can use RAP
which stands for Recognition, Affirmation and Praise.
Use relaxation technique to make your learners feel comfortable in the
environment.
Explore the field of metacognitive learning. If learners understand how
learning works, they can learn better.
Set SMART goals for the learner and teach them the importance of setting
appropriate goals. SMART goals are Simple, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and
Timely
Sustained concentration is usually quite short. A simple formula is to use
age plus 1 in minutes. For example, a 5 year old has 6 minutes before getting
distracted while a 10 year old has 11 minutes. Adults may last longer, but they
still have a finite amount of time before they lose concentrate. The training
course must have frequent “brain breaks” to allow the brain to regain
concentration. This simple rule alone can significantly increase the
effectiveness of your training.
These guidelines can notably help training courses to become more effective
and hence useful. To accelerate the process of course design and to teach
trainers in these concepts, organisations can use train the trainer training
materials to prepare their staff to become better at transferring knowledge to
others. The training materials use accelerated learning principles discussed
here and teach these to trainers who want to become better at training delivery.
The soft skills course itself relies on accelerated learning, so learners can
easily see how the principles work in practice.
Paul Anderson provides training consultancy in areas of soft skills, business
training, human resources, communicating skills and management. He is based in a
UK company that provides downloadable soft skills training material for trainers,
businesses and training houses. You can also use free training exercises on soft skills, management and productivity.
