A quick rant.
Just done a quick rough and ready survey of some 200 repeat attendees at some recent events I have had the privilege to work on. The key word is ‘repeat’. They attended and then they returned.
And most had paid to attend!
In 80% of cases the Question/Answer discussion went as follows.
Q1: “Why did you attend?"
A: “To find out how to grow the business/sales/profits, new ideas, time out, networking...”
Q2: “Would you attend again?”
A: “Yes.”
Q3: “Did the material/content give you what you wanted/needed (see Q1: tools to grow the business/sales/profits)?”
A: “Yes.”
Q4: “What had to happen for you to get the desired results (see Q1) after the event?”
A: “I had to make some decisions and get on and do stuff.”
Q5: “Did you take the necessary action to implement the actions to get the desired results?”
A: “Um, er, well, we’re just getting around to it but..."
Some feeble series of excuses is presented at this point.
Only some 20% of the entire sample
1) heard the message and
2) understood what had to be done...
I repeat, only 20% WENT AWAY AND IMPLEMENTED THE ACTIONS and got the desired results.
So my frustration:
The materials work and people understand what needs to be done BUT they don’t take the action.
For most, assuming they do want the desired results (see Q1), attending is not enough... writing action plans is not enough... agreeing to report their results to each other is not enough. No, they need more.
If they are serious about wanting the results then they need help with the actions!
The training and business support industries are short-changing their delegates if they are not helping or challenging attendees to transform intentions into actions.
28 comments:
In my experience many people running a business have at least some ideas of what should be done to improve things. At the same time it's easy to lay back and complain of how bad things are rather than get up and implement what should be done. Leaving an interesting workshop like yours Robert fills your mind with fresh ideas and motivation. At the same time as you get back to the office it's easy to forget about it and go on as usual. That's why having a consultant or a coach that keeps you accountable toward your actions and expected outcome shows amazing results.
Thanks for your kind comments.
Robert
It is all about the action taken, you are so right.
Well at least you are honest. On the one hand this could all reflect badly on YOUR work. On the other hand I suspect you are teling the story about many serial atendees.
What we don't know was what their position or who was paying or whether they were sent. However the point is still relevant and clear
This is a really interesting issue.
I recall Covey writing something abut why resolutions fail. Wasn't it something about the learning, or the will to do something not matching up an internal belief in the merits of doing so.
That in turn then requires more preliminary work to prepare the delegate so that the learning is not only interesting, relevant, even inspirational, but is an absolute fit which then becomes an irresistable call to action.
There may well be something else in the relationship between presenter and delegate, but that is probably for a different post... something about if the presenter is seen as the expert, does that disempower the delegate... something like that.
I also agree with Massimo's point about the benefit of having a coach or consultant to whom you grant permission to hold you accountable.
Robert
We build mentorship and follow up into our courses in order to ensure that the leadership learning returns to the workplace with delegates and the organisation gains a quick return on investment. Obviously not possible on a large scale but extremely effective for us. I'm afraid otherwise in-trays and old habits rule
I have also noticed that many people who attend are sent to learn and find out what to do rather than the decision maker or stakeholders that have the ownership to make it happen...
Geoff Turner - UK
This a really interesting post, Robert. I encourage everyone on this group to read it because it highlights one of the key reasons why Lynne & I set up Inspiration Zone. Inspiration to succeed is essential, but without action to follow up the intention, the inspiration is wasted energy. You'd be better off in a state of bucolic ignorance. No, there are 2 key components to success: inspiration and action.
I'd be interested to hear people's ideas for provoking and sustaining action...
This is true but not surprising...every human [or most anyway] require re-assurance that they are doing the right thing...as regards their future. This is a personal risk assessment and applies especially to people who have no exposure beyond being a member of a corporate body. It is the same as the biblical 'cast the first stone'.
It should be a role of management to constantly question the workforce for views on the way ahead - that way you introduce a competitive element, which paradoxically reduces the personal risk [it can be discussed with peers; it is a blue sky response to a managers question].
Interesting. Unsurprising, perhaps. Definitely worth a rant!
What are you going to do differently?
Happy New Year!
Richard
Thanks for sharing this with us Robert. Here is my view: I don't doubt you have great content and experience to share. But are you taking people from Knowing to Owning the knowledge you share. You are building and some-times (with repeats) reinforcing awareness. But people need to understand the need to focus on behaviours and change attitude. How we act determines how we feel and drives attitudinal and technical strength. I believe that can only be delivered through a process on ongoing, regular reinforcement. Can a kid learn to ride a bike at a seminar. Can a surgeon learn to do a heart bypass at a workshop? Learning works best in a gym membership model. Go every week for a couple of hours with some personal coaching that will know when you are ready for a new machine or routine... you get the picture.
And that's the reason now more consulting agency provide implement service instead of just consulting.
To help people decently implement their action plan could be a good business opportunity. It fit well for the personal health industry -- 24hrs personal service for 3 months!
A subject dear to all trainer's hearts Robert
They need to take a more active part in the pre-training discussions around design and measures of success, around what they want the person to do differently. Then after the workshop they need to follow up with the attendee to discuss their learning and to agree a post workshop plan of action. To send the person on the course is not enough to make any difference, the line has to take some ownership. L&D can't be expected to pull rabbits out of hats all the time.
Thnaks for your comments to date.
From my perspective (in this instance) I only a small part of the "team"... my interest is only in results... and putting in place devices/interventions that will help create the results.
Clearly your/one's style and subject will determine your style/method etc. Also the selection/filtering system for delegates and their motivation for attending will also play major factors...
Robert
I read through the post and the comments made there: frustrating at one level, and a business opportunity at another.
Making people change behaviour is difficult. Doing something new is always harder than carrying on with a familiar behaviour. That's why so many New Year's resolutions get repeated 12 months later. And also, people are busy, so it's easy to rationalise postponement.
People need help with the follow through. Do delegates write down the 1, 2 or 3 next steps they will take? Perhaps a simple plan like that, combined with a commitment for each delegate to call one other a month later to ask if they have taken the first step would be one way to increase the incentive to change.
Another would be for you to follow up with each delegate that opts to pay for the continuing support. If they pay, that will increase their commitment. And there's the business opportunity.
Have a read through 'Yes - 50 scientifically proven ways to be persuasive' by Goldstein, Martin & Cialdini, it's a quick read; or its more academically rigorous companion book 'Influence, the psychology of persuasion' by Cialdini.
Interesting topic this Robert - and this is precisely why we've been developing profiling to increase the value of the the tailored introductions at the enterprise freelance fairs which follow on straight after the workshops.
The reason we use profiling is because real insight is created when people find new ways (or new people) of doing things that they didn't previously know about and profiling allows us to do this.
Training and workshops tee this up - but you then have to have the follow through by doing it - and this works well when interacting with new people using tailored introductions.
It is a really interesting time to be involved in this sort of thing.
Br
Neil
It holds an interesting mirror up to our own motivations as coaches and trainers - that it is not enough just to put on an event or to make money. We want to see action, make a difference to people's lives, or something like that. Yet at the end of the day perhaps we can only say our piece and leave people to change themselves? I wish you well with this challenge!
For me, I usually work with people who are listening to me because they want to (ie they are not sent). They know my beef is about results and action so I expect most to take action. But...
I will stop there as it will get boring if I continue!
Training industry is what it says it is on the tin, an industry. That's all. A money making machine.
I repeat
Can't believe the time people waste on preparing and planning when the only thing that matters is obviously the doing bit. What is it that people don't understand about the need to take action and do what needs to be done? That does not include standing around and waiting!
For me, I usually work with people who are listening to me because they want to (ie they are not sent). They know my beef is about results and action so I expect most to take action. But...
I will stop there as it will get boring if I continue!
It holds an interesting mirror up to our own motivations as coaches and trainers - that it is not enough just to put on an event or to make money. We want to see action, make a difference to people's lives, or something like that. Yet at the end of the day perhaps we can only say our piece and leave people to change themselves? I wish you well with this challenge!
I read through the post and the comments made there: frustrating at one level, and a business opportunity at another.
Making people change behaviour is difficult. Doing something new is always harder than carrying on with a familiar behaviour. That's why so many New Year's resolutions get repeated 12 months later. And also, people are busy, so it's easy to rationalise postponement.
People need help with the follow through. Do delegates write down the 1, 2 or 3 next steps they will take? Perhaps a simple plan like that, combined with a commitment for each delegate to call one other a month later to ask if they have taken the first step would be one way to increase the incentive to change.
Another would be for you to follow up with each delegate that opts to pay for the continuing support. If they pay, that will increase their commitment. And there's the business opportunity.
Have a read through 'Yes - 50 scientifically proven ways to be persuasive' by Goldstein, Martin & Cialdini, it's a quick read; or its more academically rigorous companion book 'Influence, the psychology of persuasion' by Cialdini.
I have also noticed that many people who attend are sent to learn and find out what to do rather than the decision maker or stakeholders that have the ownership to make it happen...
Geoff Turner - UK
This is a really interesting issue.
I recall Covey writing something abut why resolutions fail. Wasn't it something about the learning, or the will to do something not matching up an internal belief in the merits of doing so.
That in turn then requires more preliminary work to prepare the delegate so that the learning is not only interesting, relevant, even inspirational, but is an absolute fit which then becomes an irresistable call to action.
There may well be something else in the relationship between presenter and delegate, but that is probably for a different post... something about if the presenter is seen as the expert, does that disempower the delegate... something like that.
I also agree with Massimo's point about the benefit of having a coach or consultant to whom you grant permission to hold you accountable.
In my experience many people running a business have at least some ideas of what should be done to improve things. At the same time it's easy to lay back and complain of how bad things are rather than get up and implement what should be done. Leaving an interesting workshop like yours Robert fills your mind with fresh ideas and motivation. At the same time as you get back to the office it's easy to forget about it and go on as usual. That's why having a consultant or a coach that keeps you accountable toward your actions and expected outcome shows amazing results.
Yes. we live in interesting times...!
RC
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