The Trainer as Business Partner

Why use this programme?

Why is training so often the first thing to be cut when budgets are tight? If an important new change initiative were incepted today in your organisation would "Training" be amongst the first departments to be invited into the process? Does your senior team or board regard "Training" as a strategic ally or as just another internal supplier? Do you want to protect your training team from the possibility of being outsourced?

More and more organisations are looking to their training teams to evolve into internal business partners rather than as the more traditional supplier of a range of training events. To be a business partner requires a far wider skill set than that of the trainer. This workshop establishes the processes and skills used by successful internal business partners and provides the opportunity to practice business partnering skills.

AIMS – an overview of the purpose of the programme

The aims of the training therefore are to:

Ø      Provide an understanding of the role of internal business partner

Ø      Establish a “toolkit” of techniques that effective internal business partners use

Ø      Provide an opportunity to experience an internal business partner role within the safety of the training environment

Ø      Bring the delegates to the point where they feel confident to undertake diagnostic interviews with senior people in the businesses of the client organisation.

Ø      Enable the participants to offer consultancy at all the phases of the training cycle from diagnosis of needs through design, development and delivery, to evaluation

Ø      Identify aspects of the internal business partner role where further, more specialised training might be required

OBJECTIVES – the specific learning outcomes for participants

§         Name the Phases and Stages of the training cycle and explain the role of the Development Team in each phase and stage.

§         In simulated client situations, using diagnostic interviewing and, where necessary, follow-up research, identify from client vision and strategy, the internal client’s “business and training needs” and differentiate those needs from the clients’ articulated “wants”.

§         Using knowledge of the Learning Process and the Three Domains of Learning, liase with internal clients, Designers and Faculty to ensure that solutions are instructionally sound.

§         In simulated client situations, demonstrate to internal clients that the internal business partner adds clear value, by proposing solutions that take into account practical constraints whilst contributing to the achievement of the identified business needs of the client.

§         In simulated business situations, present proposals in a way that maximises influence, interest and credibility

§         Negotiate with internal clients, programmes that meet budgets but which are achievable, by prioritising with them objectives and content against clearly identified business and training needs so as to recognise the essential synergy between time, budget and client expectations.

§         From feedback received during the programme identify the strengths and improvement points in their own performance and produce a personal development plan to be actioned with their own manager.

Whilst this programme is aimed at people who are involved in training it does not address the skills of training delivery. Face to face training delivery is the focus of the Effective Training Skills programme.

Duration: 3 Days