I want to devote this particular article to training. This is a subject that is critically important in virtually any endeavor that you are involved in. The types and kind of training that you might get will vary greatly. Hope that you get quality training. Unfortunately, most businesses don’t put a premium on training or the quality of the training. Many times you learn by being present and try to pick up what you can. Most companies don’t spend huge amounts of money on training and it doesn’t get the kind of attention that I think it deserves.
I want to relate to the kind of training you get in the Military. In the Air Force there is a group called the Air Training Command (ATC). These people are charged with all of the formal training in the Air Force. That is their job and they take it very seriously. Most of the trainers are exemplary individuals. They are hand picked for their presentation skills, speaking ability and sharp mind, their bearing and how they wear their uniform. These trainers are the best of the best in my opinion. One of the things I remember about this kind of training is that they give you a binder. All of the information you need to know is in that binder. They systematically take you through the binder, line by line, page by page. They give you tests all the time. You need to get every question right. No excuses. They teach you everything associated with the subject you are being trained on. You are constantly tested and retested. You will get 100% on all tests. Basically, no one is left behind. At the end of the day they are teaching you the material but also the test at the end. Again, there are no excuses for not passing. If there is something you are not getting they know it and they will make sure you learn it so that you won’t be left behind. When you attend one of these classes you cannot go through whatever it is and not become an expert on what they are training you on. I was so impressed with the way all things were done. The training was extremely effective and when you returned from that training you knew everything you needed to know about that subject. It was absolutely amazing. Then as a follow up you would be involved in OJT (On the Job Training) There was again a binder. An extensive checklist to enter and verify everything that you needed to know in your particular job. Between the ATC training and the OJT training you knew everything about your job.
In most businesses it is a little more catch as catch can. You definitely learn on the job, you try to shadow someone and learn about the job that way. There may or may not be a training manual, and those are important. I always felt that I needed something to refer to help me along. When you are in sales a lot of the learning is by observing a more seasoned person and seeing how they do things. There are so many variables that no amount of role playing or practicing will answer all your questions or give you the solution to many of the issues. Unfortunately, it is largely up to you to learn what you can to become proficient. Having said that I would encourage you to take advantage of any “training” that is being offered. You never know what you might pick up. Most training will fall short of the Military model, that is a pretty high bar, but by making training a personal priority you will become more proficient and better at your job. Remember that once you are seen as experienced you will immediately be put into situations where you are conducting the training.
I always wanted to make the training experience as real world as possible. I always wanted to make it relatable and enjoyable. The biggest negative to the Military model was that it was so serious. Maybe it had to be because it was war time and lives were in the balance if you didn’t learn things. For me and talking about Paper and how to sell it the outcomes were not life threatening. I believed that your trainees would be more engaged if the training was fun. Getting them involved was essential, learning how to load dispensers, knowing what different products looked like, what the folds were, how paper was made, how to do cost in use analyses, how to present the products to customers, all of these things needed to be presented in ways that made them interesting to the trainees. I tried to put myself in their shoes and think about how I would like to be trained. What I would find interesting. The answers provided ideas for the actual training. Sales people by nature tend to be competitive, so if I could include situations that allowed the trainees to be in competitive situations they were more engaged and enjoyed the experience much more. Learning was a bonus, but one that would naturally follow because they were involved in the exercise. Training to me was anything but a chore. Training was the essential way to hone my skills, to learn everything about our products and the competitor’s products. The features and benefits, how everything worked and eventually how to present the products to others. This meant learning enough to train other sales people and my customers. Frankly, every situation was an opportunity to impart knowledge, to share facts and ideas related to paper and the paper business. I never passed up an opportunity to share some of the things I had learned or knew already. This sharing certainly cannot come off as being arrogant… it has to be simple sharing of information for the greater good. You never know the impact of the sharing of knowledge. I always felt that when I worked with someone if they took one new thing from our time together, I had done my job. I always prepared materials for the trainee to take with them. If I could put them in a binder all the better. I wanted them to be able to hold on to the materials and refer back to them. Training is part of every job or endeavor, it is essential and it develops confidence in whatever you are doing. In some ways I can relate training to studying for tests. I remember when I was in college I would prepare for tests. If I did a good job then my attitude when I went to sit for the test was….I dare you to ask me anything…because I know the answer. I actually took tests where I got 100%. That was unheard of for me when I was going to school through my senior year. Once I went to college I became more focused and the results seemed much more important. I watched a movie the other day…Van Wilder and he had to cram for a bunch of classes in a short period of time to graduate. He went into serious study mode and in one of his classes he ask for a second booklet to write his answers in for the exam. I could relate to that kind of an attitude because there were times in college when I felt just like that. I felt sometimes like I was overly prepared. If that’s a thing. Bottom line it is a great feeling and an amazing high. Trust me the other end of that kind of feeling is not so good. Always be prepared…whether it is a test, a presentation, a sales call, or even just participating in some kind of training. Being prepared is not just knowing things it is being willing to listen and learn. Acting like a sponge and absorbing as much as you can is a great way to approach things. Good luck with any future training experiences whether you are the trainee or the trainer. There will be more on this subject later.
