The Shift In Thinking In Training

Introduction:

The evolution of training from a tactical response to an urgent need and then to a strategic initiative designed to give a com­pany a competitive advantage is an example of the dramatic shift in thinking the new management model requires.

Key to effective training:

As the role models, continuous improvement is possible only with the continuous and effective training of all employees at all levels.

The key to effective training is to truly understand your employees' and your company's training needs.

Various companies:

• Companies such as Globe, Eastman, and Northern Trust determine employees' needs through observation, surveys, testing, and listening.

• To find out where their employees and the company need to be, they listen to their customers, study their competi-tors, translate their short- and long-term goals into training needs, and so-licit input from employees and teams.

• Successful companies train all their employees in the fundamentals of quality as defined by their company's goals and objectives.

• They build on the fundamentals by tailoring more specific quality training to the needs of business units, divisions, departments, teams, and individuals.

• Their training programs change constantly to reflect and anticipate changes in customers' needs and expectations, new technologies, new markets, competition. and employees' capabilities.

Effective training at Eastman:

• At Eastman, one of the selling points for creating Eastman University was its role as an agent of change.

• "Our business is changing so much, se-nior leaders decided they wanted to keep an infrastructure in place that would promote employee development and ensure that we⁷re doing this well as a company."

• The evolution of training from a tactical response to an urgent need and then to a strategic initiative designed to give a com­pany a competitive advantage is just one more example of the dramatic shift in thinking the new management model requires.