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Sustaining the impact of training initiatives Three keys to post-meeting success Beth Tench VP, Training & Curriculum Development

Sustaining the Impact of Training

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Sustaining the impact of training

initiatives Three keys to post-meeting success

Beth Tench VP, Training & Curriculum Development

Take a moment to reflect on all of the hard work, time and resources that have been invested into your last product launch or training meeting…

It’s no small undertaking.

And as any business person would expect, you deserve to see a return on your investment.

But more often than not, as the bright lights are packed away and the sales force flies home to their territories, the potential for that return diminishes.

This shortcoming may not lie in the quality of “the Event,” but rather in what comes after… Or, more to the point; what doesn’t.

How do you keep a good thing going? Sales and Training executives are under increasing pressure to demonstrate acceptable ‘returns’ for investments made in sales meetings and training events.

To see a higher yield on your meeting investment, you must plan for it in advance. A product launch or training initiative shouldn’t end with a closing session or wrap up, but rather it needs to be sustained throughout the year. This is when you’ll see the real payoff – not only in dollars, but also in performance.

This presentation will… discuss the importance of planning for after the Event, and outline 3 key steps for sustaining the impact of your training initiatives.

Event execution is

tough business

• Events are comprised

of product launches,

training meetings,

sales meetings,

POAs, etc.

• Events are an

important part of

your learning and

development

curriculum

• Events require time,

resources and

extensive planning

Sustaining impact

is even tougher

• A great event closure

does not guarantee

continued retention

• “Once and done”

approach hinders

reinforcement

• Reconsider the Event

as the beginning of

the training process,

rather than the end

• There should be a

dedicated budget

for the sustainment

phase

Training & Development experts are increasingly recognizing the

need to budget more in the follow-through and sustainment phase.

Ken Blanchard, co-author of the One Minute Manager®,

recently put it this way:

"Organizations should spend ten times more energy

reinforcing the training they have just conducted

instead of looking for the next great learning initiative."

PLAN INVOLVE Plan for after the Event and

implement measures to ensure

application and practice.

Managers should be fully

engaged and accountable to

directly drive the sustainment

process.

BUDGET Allocate no less than 25% of the

total Event budget to post-event

activities.

3 key steps to ensure post-event success

• Identify tools and

resources required to

practice and apply

learnings and

concepts after the

Event

• Implement a process

to monitor and coach

skills learned

• Systematically track

performance to

ensure application

and practice in the

field

PLAN Make post-meeting pull

through part of the plan

from the beginning.

for after “the Event”

• Ensure the entire

budget is not

consumed by the

Event

• Allocate at least 25%

of the total Event’s

budget to post-event

activities

• Plan to effectively

use allocated budget

to ensure

reinforcement

BUDGET Appropriately

Don’t put all your

eggs in the ‘Event’

basket.

• Managers should be

fully engaged in the

post-event phase to

serve as coaches,

mentors and role

models

• Managers must

directly drive the

sustainment process

• Managers should be

accountable for the

growth and

development of the

team

Managers have the

greatest influence on

employee learning. INVOLVE Managers

To further enhance the

fundamentals of this approach,

apply suitable technologies and

other available tools to facilitate

post-meeting communication,

sustainment and monitoring.

The right meeting platform can be

leveraged post-event to:

• Deliver consistent

communications and direction

• Reinforce skills learned

• Keep expectations for

performance top of mind

• Recognize success

• Report results to foster

competition and rewards among

and between regions/districts

www.mc3.com [email protected] 610.430.1900

The Takeaway • To see a higher yield on your

meeting investment, you must plan

for it in advance – post-meeting

pull through should be part of the

plan from the beginning.

• Allocate a percentage of the Event

budget to the follow-through and

sustainment phase.

• Make managers accountable for

directly driving the post-meeting

sustainment process.

• By following this process, you’ll see

the real payoff – not only in dollars,

but also in performance.

We create innovative meeting and training experiences

that leverage technology to engage the senses, educate

your teams and elevate performance.

211 Carter Drive, Suite D

West Chester, PA 19382

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 610.430.1900

Fax: 610.430.0653

www.mc3.com

About The Author:

Beth Tench is an accomplished Learning & Development professional with 20+ years of Healthcare

Industry experience supporting large and mid-size pharmaceutical companies, in addition to a start-up

biotechnology organization. As VP, Training & Curriculum Development, Beth leads MC3’s Training and

Delivery Team.

To capitalize on her extensive experience, you may reach Beth directly at: [email protected]