Training’s PARTNERship model

Douglas Conant, President and CEO of the Campbell Soup Company,  said, “you can’t win in the marketplace unless you are first winning in the workplace,” (2007). And that means doing the right things, right. And when it comes to training programs, doing things right means using a model to ensure that what needs to get done, gets done.

So what will a model do for you? First, and most important, it will set you up for success. By providing you with a checklist that you follow, a model helps to ensure that all the time and effort put into building your training program results in a positive return on investment. Now be aware that a positive return on investment can be measured many different ways, but knowing how you are going to measure your results before you begin developing you program will help to ensure that as you build, you always know what your objectives are, both for learners and for the organization. There’s nothing more unfortunate that having to justify training programs after they have been delivered by searching to find any redeeming outcomes.

This is of course where I want to introduce the PARTNER model; a plan to be used when developing training programs that deliver results because the results to be delivered are known before the program begins. PARTNER is an acronym that breaks down as follows:

“P”icture

Look at the big picture; the context; the overarching objectives; the who’s who in the company, trainer, learner triumvirate

“A”nalysis

Just what are the needs and wants of the different stakeholders? Identify the gaps and prepare to address them

“R”eady

Define your objectives and write them down; design your program(s); prepare for an effective delivery through facilitator preparation (e.g. train-the-trainer initiatives)

“T”rain

Deliver the training; know the context and required delivery method (classroom, e-learning, experiential, on-the-job, mentorship, coaching, etc.); always consider the needs of the learner

“N”urture

Coach the application of learning; have a before, during, and after training learner plan; use different tools as applicable and appropriate (e.g. learner contracts)

“E”valuate

Know you objectives before you begin; understand what ROI is and why it is the cornerstone of your entire training program; use a proven evaluation model and work it to fit your needs (e.g. Kirkpatrick, Phillips)

“R”evisit

It’s not over until it’s over; measuring success means using all of the feedback generated from all the stakeholders to further refine and modify your program as required; engrain the concept of learning as vital to the work culture

Future posts will look at each component of the PARTNERship model in more detail.