How to set your Workshop Training Objectives
Have you ever implemented a project or initiative, only to find it missed the mark in doing what you set out to do in the first place?
It happens to the best of us, and upon reflection, I am willing to bet that part of the reason it didn’t work out was due to not taking the time to thoughtfully consider your actions before you dove in.
Part of that is setting your objectives. It means asking yourself what specifically you are setting out to do by going forward with what you are pursuing. Along with that, it means making choices specifically based on meeting that objective.
This can all apply to your corporate training.
When you don’t have clear objectives of your training workshops, you run the risk of not having your trainees learn or understand what they actually need to implement into their role/organization. It wastes time and money for you and your clients, which we don’t want.
So how do you even set training objectives? It’s not as intimidating as it sounds, and saves you so much time in the long run. With a little bit of research, thought, and preparation, you can ensure that you are always putting on impactful training workshops that bring tangible improvements to your trainees and their organizations.
Here are our tips for setting your workshop training objectives.
Understand the problem – inside and out
You can’t fix a problem that you don’t understand to begin with. As a trainer, it is important to be able to learn the basics of countless different industries so that you can comprehend the challenges they are facing.
When a client comes to you looking for training, they may have a very specific training topic they want you to cover. It is important that you ask your clients questions to learn more about what they want to come out of the training, to make sure that what they are asking for is exactly what they want.
For example, consider a client who comes to you saying they need you to give their team sales training, as they aren’t happy with their current numbers. However, upon asking questions, you may realize that their sales strategy is sound, but the sales team is busy dealing with issues coming up from having an unorganized filing system. In reality, they don’t need sales training, they need training on organizational skills so they can keep track of their files more efficiently, giving them more time to interact with prospective customers. As a trainer, it is your job to provide your expertise and make these types of recommendations.
Understanding the problem your client is facing allows you to come up with the most optimal solution. This means doing your research, asking questions, and ensuring you have the full scope of the circumstances.
Define success to help you develop an objective
An objective is a statement that tells you and your trainees what you are collectively setting out to do. This statement should influence every decision you make in regards to how you conduct your training. Below is an example of a template you could use to write out your training objective:
Conduct ________ training to improve ________ and increase ________ by __% by _______.
Building on the example discussed earlier, here is how someone may fill it out:
Conduct Organizational Skills training to improve our filing system and increase the number of sales calls made by 5% by 6 months from now.
The most important part of your objective statement is clearly stating quantitative and qualitative goals.
Quantitative goals are simply goals you can quantify with a number. Increasing the number of calls by 5% is a quantitative goal because it provides a specific number that needs to be reached for the training to be considered successful. Qualitative goals are ones that can’t necessarily be measured with numbers, but are still important and are part of demonstrating successful training. Improving the filing system is a qualitative goal.
It can also be helpful to set a clear deadline for when you want to see these goals reached, as shown in the example. This helps you establish an expected timeline for tangible results
A great question to ask yourself is “What does success look like for me after conducting this training?” If you can answer this question in detail, you can develop an objective statement.
Ensure that your objective is challenging, but also attainable. It should require change and growth, but not have such a significant reach that it is practically impossible to get to. Start small, and if your trainees exceed that, then set a new goal. Setting smaller, reachable goals improves motivation and prevents your trainees from facing disappointment by not being able to reach goals that were unrealistic in the first place. This is another scenario where you must use your expertise as a trainer and be really honest with your clients about setting realistic expectations. Your clients may come to you with really high hopes and sometimes you may have to lay out more attainable objectives. This isn’t always an easy conversation, but your client will ultimately appreciate your transparency. This doesn’t mean they can never reach these higher goals, they should just be broken down a little bit more.
Conclusion
We hope this blog post helps you put more thought and consideration into setting your training objectives. With this preparation, you will build a strong reputation as a trainer who delivers tangible results for your clients.
What are your tips for setting workshop training objectives? Let us know in the comments below!
Posted by Zachary Myers on