A reader comments: “I appreciate your comments about hiring a trainer but how do we evaluate the results to determine if we want to have them continue or get someone else?”

Remember the old slogan that “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” when you try to evaluate the impact a trainer can have on your bottom line. There will usually be a certain amount of subjectivity based on your perception and relation to the trainer. Of course, it helps to determine what your bottom line is first and foremost so that you have some objectivity in your evaluation. Hiring a trainer does not have to be a risky proposition so long as you know the trainer’s strengths and weaknesses.

I have endured trainers who were not very organized or were troubled by other issues that caused them to look for excuses for poor presentations. I have also been to sessions where the trainer more than earned what they were paid by the host due to the quality of the materials and focus on the subject. I have learned that a data dump is not necessarily good or bad training since each individual can be impacted differently.

The best way for you to evaluate the pluses and minuses of a training is to compare it to the prescribed outcomes. Another way is to survey attendees at the end of the session and again after a month or so. It may be interesting to compare their comments and observations after a period of time to consider the true impact.

It might be wise to look for one or two points to have a valid comparison.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net


posted on 10/30/2015