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Cut Through the Noise

The Rules

Never Stop Training...

Investors Business Daily and the famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi have the same advice for individuals and for leaders...never stop learning or training. In A Book of Five Rings, Musashi goes into great detail on the value of training, while Investors Business Daily simply is stating what they have found to be a key element in the successful patterns of the best companies. You will increase your success by following their suggestions. 

Training requires a system of implementation as well as instruction 

Many people wonder why the training class I took or the book I read did not make a change in my results.  For companies the question is did we make a mistake in our choice of the training program or the trainer?  In my work with both companies and individuals what I have seen is that the system for implementation was not in place prior to or immediately after the training.  For many companies the system I am referring to includes a time frame for the implementation and an evaluation system. 

Musashi takes training like I mention above and goes farther.  Here are his ideas on the responsibility of the trainee on three topics; On your stance: he ends his suggestions with..."You must research this well." On the use of the long sword he ends with  "You must train constantly." On timing he suggests, "You must train on this timing to be able to hit in an instant."  It is the responsibility of the trainer to show you what works, but you must train with a plan to put your new knowledge into place. 

Training modifies behavior

It is one thing to learn something from an instructor or a master about a subject, you should want to learn to modify your actions based upon the training.  When IBD or Musashi talk about learning they mean to modify your actions. If you take a training class or read a book recommended to advance your skills, then you should set up a plan for modifying you behavior. If the program is a waste of time or the book is not helpful then you can ignore the advice, but don't tell yourself NO to new useful ideas by leaving a training program on your bookshelf.

The key to success in any training program is giving the training time to take effect. Think about polishing your car, does a car look better and is the finish better protected with a polish that is sprayed on at a car wash? or is it better if it is hand rubbed into the finish? I have done some research at auto body shops and on the net, the general theory of professionals is that a spray polish is as valuable as a fast food meal. Well the rule of spray wax applies to training.  You don't pour it over you in a single application you work it into the finish you have to polish what exists. This polish work takes time and effort. 

The Rules of Implementation  

Implementation of any training program requires that you have a time table and an evaluation system.  Think of this like a diet.  If you reduce your calories and start exercising, then within some period you could expect to see results.  If your training was on your presentation then once you have a new presentation in place you should see results once you have made the presentation to 10 or more people. But there is more to results than just an increase in your sales results. A good implementation program should include small steps so and a support system. 

Lets take for example the concept of using the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.  It might be a good idea for you to plan that you will modify your behavior by using one habit each month for seven months, to do a refresher course during the eighth month and to do an extra month on the top three habits that you feel a need to expand. This would be an ideal way to read the book and prepare to implement it's information. 

If you are a company and you want to change the habits of your sales team; you might choose to use the book Getting Inside Your Customers Head by Kevin Davis. This book states that there are eight secrets to knowing your customer. You might decide that you will work on a secret every week for two months, have a review for two weeks and then evaluate your results to end the twelve week quarter.  You could break your sales team into groups and assign each group one of the secrets to become an expert in and to have a contest at the end of the quarter to show how each team has implemented their topic. 

Your expectations could be your downfall 

Let me give you one thought to close out the topic of learning and mastery of yourself.  You can set very high expectations of a goal and be unhappy with your results even if you have made tremendous improvement. Or you could be like Jared, who became famous by eating Subway sandwiches.  Well he became famous because he lost over 260 pounds while on a diet of Subway sandwiches for lunch and dinner.  Two years after going from 425 lbs to 190 lbs he appears in television commercials, store promos and I think I saw him as a guest at a parade over New Years. He did not plan to become a star by losing weight, he did what he did in order to modify his eating behavior and his weight.  The results that changed his life are replicated day in and day out by many others who just plod along at a goal and modify their behavior.  

The purpose of training is to modify behavior.

If a salesman and business owner on the phone, in Hawaii, can increase his sales by $5,000,000 using my training, what would happen if we worked in person for two days?

Need a speaker or trainer at your next event or sales meeting?  Call Brad Sandy at 800-735-5717  (800-sell-717) 

All of our training programs and books contain a promise that you will get value or you don't pay.