If you look for niche market reports, one great place to shop is Research and Markets, a ‘One-Stop-Shop’ for market research reports and industry newsletters. They recently published a report entitled CEO Benchmarks For Success: Leading CEOs On Setting Goals, Updating Your Leadership Plan, And Maintaining An Edge In The Marketplace.

In this report, the CEO of the Automobile Club of Southern California, Thomas V. McKernan, wrote a chapter entitled The Importance of Analytics in Today’s Complex Organizations.

Thank God! With so many individualist execs operating with a seat-of-your-pants philosophy, it’s refreshing to see a CEO acknowledging the importance of having well-researched and well-analyzed data.

What about training?

Unfortunately, a “wing-it” mindset haunts the training world, too. I get a lot of calls from people who’ve been training for years with no formal “Train the Trainer” education. Admirably, they’re reaching out and saying “show me how this works!” But how many are still out there piecing training together like a patchwork quilt?

It must be acknowledged that this is usually not their fault. Many in-house trainers were promoted out of the ranks, and suddenly proclaimed a trainer. Nobody thought to send these people to learn HOW to be trainer.

(okay — the 8-hour presentation skills class is a start, but training involves SO much more . . . )

Training, like business, needs a solid foundation

Analysis of what’s needed is the first step in the creation of any training, and as such, the analysis must be good. Why? The analysis is the foundation for the rest of the building!! If I can continue with that analogy, a weak foundation often results in weakened training program that’s not as effective as it could be.

I guess what I’m saying here addresses anyone in senior management, and anyone involved in training: Be sure to conduct a thorough analysis.

In the words of Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous American architect, “Get the habit of analysis - analysis will in time enable synthesis to become your habit of mind.”

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Filed in Training, Management, Leadership, Workplace, Train the Trainer, Corporate Culture