OK, so training is done. The days of working with one another on growing and developing your team and discussing how to drive your business as store managers has ended…officially as an event.
What now? The answer, the one we all want to say out loud is, “Well, now we implement all these ideas.” You know…all those notes. All the great information shared by my table mates. The forms I can get in soft copy. The thing I heard in that one role-play about how to speak to someone about poor personal hygiene. Don’t forget the manual I got, the book I bought and the card I exchanged with the facilitator. Now I have grown into a new, better, faster, cooler, more effective manager. Training is over and now I will hit all of my goals and my team will be perfect.
No.
I walk a very fine line here. Am I being a cynic or a pragmatist or just a realist? Life hits you after the session is over and then you walk into the store you have not been in for two days. And usually it is 117 mph. Then it is one month later or 6 months later and what has happened? What has stuck?
I believe in my learners. I believe they have the best of intentions, even if they are somewhat skeptical. No one wants their job or business to fail or to be a pain in the tushie. There are different levels or degrees of both the ability to understand and implement in any given training session. Some excel, some work for a while to get it and others will do nothing. Nothing…either due to a fear of change or fear of not being able to live up to an expectation. Status quo is better, right? We are making money. Why fix what is not ‘really’ broken?
I get it.
So when you leave a session, consider some of the following thoughts:
Pick your battles.
Less is more and much easier to implement.
Always start with a strength, not something you have to fix first.
Life is unscripted.
Give yourself a break. Nothing happens right away…this will take some time.
Communicate often,
Surround your self with positivity, with positive people.
If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it (or lead it).
Believe in it, make it and stick with it.
And all journeys begin with a first step.
Cheers