How Managers Can Help Reinforce Training
Training reinforcement is vital to the success of any coaching session. When employees return from an seminar, they should be met with follow up meetings that focus on what they learned, and it is up to managers to provide these fundamental meetings. There are multiple ways that managers can effectively implement a training reinforcement program:
Group Meetings
Managers can schedule group meetings that encourage each employee to recount their thoughts about the seminar. They can ask questions or explain what topic they thought they gained the most from. These sessions encourage sales reps to talk openly with one another, and they may pick up a tip or two that they missed before.
One-on-one
The manager can also sit down one-on-one with each employee to see what he or she learned in the seminar. Managers can focus on an employee’s problem area and ask the rep how they might apply what they learned to the real world. Or managers could look at how the seminar might work to improve skills that the employee already has. Either way, these meetings should focus on how an improvement can be made.
Self-Directed Learning
With self-directed learning, employees are encouraged to continue learning on their own. Managers should provide sales people or customer service reps with activities to do that encourage learning. For example, have them research an article that relates to the seminar. Then have them explain how that article furthered their learning and what they can take out of it that they can apply to the real world.
Training reinforcement is an important aspect of any seminar delivered. It is important to encourage employees to continue learning and to continue applying any improved techniques to their everyday sales.