Management Information

Training Managers and New Trainers


Training managers use many of the same interpersonal and analytical skills that other types of departments use. In particular, they need to be good communicators, and highly skillful in interpersonal relations. They need to delegate effectively, support their staff emotionally, give accurate and timely feedback, and set departmental goals that are consistent with organizational goals. Barbara L. Thornton, an independent training consultant in the St. Paul area, says that training managers need to exercise leadership skills in guiding their people. "[A good training manager is] a good coach," adds Robert Bertschy.

Outside the department, the training manager plays a role that is part public relations, part strategy. After all, your staffing levels depend on your organization population, their needs and the budget allocated to your department. Your most important goal is to insure the strength and relevance of the department in the larger picture. Once you return to the training department with a mandate from the organization, and, hopefully, the support necessary to implement that mandate, the training manager's focus must change. Inside the training department, getting, keeping and motivating a staff of highly talented individuals is your most important function. Everything the department does, and how it is viewed, is affected by how skillfully you help your people manage themselves.

Sharon Burns offers the following tips for the training managers interviewing prospective trainers. During the interview, look at the applicant's questioning skill, how they get information from you. Does the applicant have a logical thought process? Does the applicant equate training with corporate business? She has personally found that psychology graduates with good interpersonal skills sometimes out-perform former classroom teachers, who have to unlearn old habits when faced with adult learners. Larry Lottier suggests having the applicant do a presentation for the department. Does he or she come across as a performer? Is the presentation boring? Have department members present for the trial training discuss the applicant's classroom style - how well would this person wear with the group as a whole?

New trainers, once on board, need seasoning and supervisory attention. Our interviewees identified some of the common mistakes that new trainers make which a manager can help them to sidestep. Overall, most managers agreed that new trainers usually are too dependent on prepared lectures, and too easily affected by the personal need to be liked. "A new trainer will spend too much time lecturing, clinging to instructor notes," Additionally, most new trainers have not had enough expeosure to different cultures, and will either misread the intentions of their trainees' questions or blame unsatisfactory feedback on a lack of interest in the subject, not their own style or content. New trainers need help with listening skills.

The key to good trainers is a good training manager.

Copyright AE Schwartz & Associates All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: ReadySetPresent and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: TrainingConsortium

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.


MORE RESOURCES:

Los Angeles Times

Risk Management Needed for Energy Loan Guarantees, Report Says
Bloomberg
The US Energy Department's loan programs may end up losing $2.7 billion, less than the agency or Congress projected, according to an independent analysis sought by the White House in response to Republican pressure. The potential long-term loss on 30 ...
Post-Solyndra review urges better energy loan managementThe Hill (blog)

all 203 news articles »


New York Times

Financial Briefing Book
Wall Street Journal
Apollo Global Management LLC's fourth-quarter profit slid 95% from a year earlier as the buyout firm's revenue slid. Apollo reported a profit of $11 million, or five cents a Class A share, down from a year-earlier profit of $206.3 million, ...
Apollo Global Management, LLC Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter ...MarketWatch (press release)
Apollo Fourth-Quarter Profit Falls 66% on Market SwingsBusinessWeek
Apollo earnings fall on mark-downsReuters
Fox Business -New York Times
all 47 news articles »


Business Insider

List Of Pepsi Managers Who Have Left The Company
Business Insider
It's not news that PepsiCo has suffered a lot of management churn in the last few years, and that sales of some brands have been hurt as the company has lost its focus. But it's not until you see the list of senior brand management names who have ...
PepsiCo to Cut 8700 Jobs, Reduce Management Layers in Global Productivity DriveIndustryWeek
PepsiCo Announces Strategic Investments to Drive GrowthMarketWatch (press release)
PepsiCo Cuts Jobs, Plans Culture ChangeFINS

all 599 news articles »


Carrington Capital Management, American Home Mortgage Servicing Announce ...
MarketWatch (press release)
Resolution of Carrington Asset Holding, LLC, ET Al. Plaintiffs, v. American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc., Defendant SANTA ANA, CA, Feb 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Carrington Capital Management, LLC ("Carrington"), a subsidiary of Carrington ...

and more »


Spend Management Experts Wins Supply & Demand Chain Executive Award
MarketWatch (press release)
ATLANTA, GA, Feb 10, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Spend Management Experts today announced that founder and CEO John Haber has received the Supply & Demand Chain Executive's 2012 "Pros to Know" award in the provider category.

and more »


Advanced task managers on iOS
CNET (blog)
by Jason Parker February 10, 2012 12:00 PM PST Follow @jparkerCNET There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of to-do-list management apps in the iTunes App Store, but which one should you choose? I found a couple of new task management apps recently ...

and more »


Waste Management Employee Who Works Tirelessly to Save Dogs Receives Top ...
MarketWatch (press release)
10, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- As part of its annual recognition of community service, Waste Management of Michigan/Ohio has selected Deanna West of Lake Orion, Michigan to receive its most prestigious community award as "Volunteer of the Year" ...

and more »


Schultze Asset Management Founder George Schultze Delivers Key Comments in ...
MarketWatch (press release)
10, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- George Schultze, Founder and Managing Member of Schultze Asset Management, LLC ("SAM"), was a key speaker today in Harvard Business School's Creating Value Through Corporate Restructuring course taught by Professor ...

and more »


MiamiHerald.com

Oracle to Pay $1.9B for Taleo, Extends SAP Rivalry
ABC News
Oracle Corp. is escalating its rivalry with German business-software maker SAP AG with a $1.9 billion purchase of Taleo Corp., a company that helps businesses hire and manage their employees. The proposed purchase announced Thursday extends Oracle's ...
Oracle to pay $1.9 billion for personnel software company, extends rivalry ...Washington Post
News Analysis: The Implications Of Oracle's Acquisition Of TaleoForbes
Oracle Buys Taleo for $1.9 Billion, Adds Human-Resource ToolSan Francisco Chronicle
Data Center Knowledge
all 482 news articles »


Reuters Blogs (blog)

Why Mark Zuckerberg shouldn't listen to management gurus
Reuters Blogs (blog)
Any company, in the wake of an IPO, finds itself growing new and previously-unnecessary layers of management, especially in areas like the general counsel's office, investor relations, and public relations. But for the Welches, that's not enough: extra ...
Resisting the Facebook NationMotley Fool

all 367 news articles »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006