We all know that training is a very important process to create consistency, follow procedures, provide service and maintain safety in our businesses and organizations. Training is an investment of time and money but in the long run, if done effectively, will produce positive results.
However, how many times in our business does training take a back seat, reduced or often eliminated due to costs or not enough time? How does that affect the customer experience?
Walt Disney often stated, “It all starts with a Dream.” In other words, it begins with the end in mind. What is your purpose? What is your “why”? One of the most important objectives when training begins is to relay your purpose message of what you want your people and team to follow. Not just what they need to do or how to do it but why do it? Many times this is forgotten or never addressed in the training process.
It all starts with orientation and the employee’s first impression of your organization. While coaching many of my clients and helping them create a Disney-like culture, I often find that their orientation programs are a rushed “get it over quickly” process, an overload of policies and procedures in a handbook or just non-existent. What a lost opportunity to “build the dream”, state your “why” or purpose and engage the hearts and minds of a new hire’s first day on the job. It guides them to what is most important in their role as an employee.
Here are some questions you need to ask your business or organization:
- What is our purpose?
- Is it communicated to new hires?
- How often is it communicated and by whom?
- Does everyone know it?
- How can we be more effective in conveying our purpose to our people?
Your orientation program or the beginning of training isn’t a car wash where employees can be sent in and just prepared to work. Training cannot be limited to “here is what you need to do, now go and do it!” Training needs to instill a spirit, a feeling, an emotional connection. Training is about creating an environment of thinking, feeling and dreaming what you want your businesses to become.
Make sure everyone in your organization fully understands your purpose and why it is so important in achieving success. If you don’t have a purpose, create one. If you lost sight of your purpose, go back and review it with your team to reignite the emotion and spirit to achieve your organization’s purpose. Need help creating a purpose statement, facilitating and re-energizing an existing one? Feel free to contact me. Investing a little time in “Building the Dream” and communicating it to your people from the very start, will have a positive, rewarding and lasting successful impact on your business or organization. Now that is Magical!