Stickability of Training?

Frequently when in a proposal stage of a new engagement the stickability question comes up, “how do you make sure your training lives on in our organisation after you’re gone?” The answer is, we design it so that after the course has finished, there are feedback loops and consequences in the work environment for people in the days, weeks and months following the training. Another answer could be, well we can’t really. In fact, the structural, process-based attempts made to affect the use of the principles and methods we provide pales in significance in comparison to the boss, the same person asking the stickability question, simply asking people how the new techniques are going on a regular basis. As trainers, we are a temporary anomaly in an otherwise relatively established institutional repertoire, whereas the local boss is a major influencer within the daily work environment. Just by asking, “how is your improvement plan going?” powerfully shows staff that this is important, and as such, you should do something with it.