Use These Techniques To Be A Better Trainer

How long does it take you to train a new service associate? A new sales associate? We often ask new clients this very question and hear an array of answers, but the common thread is that it takes a long time to learn enough about this industry to be efficient in their job.

And on the one hand we understand. The industry’s regulations, complex products, terminology, and evolving landscape can make training a new hire a daunting challenge.

We’re big advocates of using systems and processes to help systemize your training. Too often in this industry training is swim or sink, leaving new hires to figure it out on their own. And sometimes this works, but often it fails. The question becomes, are you willing to take the chance?

If not, it’s time to take a serious look at your onboarding and training process. Here are three insights to help you become a better trainer. If you haven’t hired anyone recently, you can still apply some of these Insights with your current team as training never really ends.

• Adapt a “Show Me the Math” mindset. If you’re already busy, it’s easy to rush training. To hear a wrong answer and correct it without stopping to ensure the trainee understands why they got something wrong. Your mindset should be to slow down and focus on teaching the trainee, not just getting the task done. This even applies when the trainee gets the answer correct. Think back to your math classes in school. The teacher always asks you to show your math, because they wanted to ensure that you truly understood. This is a great mindset to adapt when training. Ask powerful open-ended questions such as, “Tell me how you got to that answer.” You’ll soon discover any gaps in the approach.
   
• Focus on systems! As humans, our memories are never as great as we think they are. Don’t expect your trainee to have great memories. You can’t show them how to do something once and expect them to understand. Instead, encourage them to create systems that will not only train them, but become the tools that cut down on your interruptions. When possible, record when you train your trainee how to do something. After showing them once or twice, ask them to turn the recording into a step-by-step guide. Once that rough draft is done, test it! Have your trainee use the system with you watching. Make immediate feedback to the system. Not only will they learn, but your Agency will have that system for future trainees.
   
• Use less shadowing and more role playing. In this industry shadowing is a go-to for trainers. And while it can work, there are many downsides to shadowing. Most importantly, when having a trainee shadow you, you can’t pause and discuss fundamentals or answer their questions. You are relying on their ability to read into what they see you do. The problem is you have YEARS of experience. It’s hard for a newbie to pick up everything. They end up taking shortcuts because they simply don’t know what they don’t know. When you role play it’s easy to stop and explain in the moment why you use a certain tone, or why you recommend a certain limit, etc. It’s far more effective. After role playing, then use shadowing.