OK, they started. Cool. Now what? This is a big challenge for almost every company on the planet. How do I get Skippy, Todd or Mary up and running right away? And if you are in retail sales, how do I get them selling yesterday (especially if they are new to retail sales)?
Before you freak out or pass out, chill. There is no clear cut answer. I know you want one. It does not exist and here’s why…
One, the employee. You have no immediate clue what they have done in their previous job experience. Not really. Yeah, you interviewed them and saw something in them. Or maybe you needed a heart beat on the floor. You still just don’t know what they really bring to the job. Also, even if they have experience, they may bring baggage. And if they have no clue, the learning curve could be tough. And another thing, what is the best way they learn? I know this may sound weird, but some people learn stuff in completely different ways than you and that could make you scratch your head on how to get them up to speed. People are a huge variable in your training strategy.
Two, the process. This is a never-ending struggle for organizations…which training method works best? Wait for it…it depends. It really does. Is your learning objective tied to an operational task? Well, that may be done in a short period of time and probably with a manual or online. Is it a selling skill? I have to stress, online can only get you so far. This type of complex sales behavior must have a pretty hefty face to face element. People need to speak to one another about the best way to upsell. Seriously. Is the message a new standard? Maybe a meeting is all you need. This also depends. The delivery method needs to match the degree this matters in the job. Some things…a manual. Other things…a really hearty chat.
Three, the behavior. You see, the only reason to train anyone is impact a metric. You want to sell more or increase a customer satisfaction score or you need less error in that operational thing. That is why Skippy needs to have instruction. Have you clearly tied the training to a business need? To a behavioral expectation that will impact, well, “x”. If you are not clear, the learner will not be clear and you will end up just as frustrated with the same issue looking you in the face.
So it seems that all we have targeted has been training or a training awareness. Well, coaching can only happen when training has taken place. You see, training is filling a blackboard with information and coaching is making sure the information on the blackboard is being done. It has to be filled in first. OK, so now Skippy is “trained”. Same three things.
One, the employee. While they may know what they need to know, it doesn’t mean they are doing it. They need a coach. They need instruction on how they are doing. Have you ever been coached only when it was the last hour and you just then figured out you are doing “it” really badly? That sucks. What would happen if you got instruction on a regular and consistent basis and you knew your “scorecard”? Would that impact your performance?
Two, the process. I have been with companies where the employees didn’t even know they were being coached. Either they weren’t or when they were, it was always about bad or what they had to improve. What happens to your listening skills when all you hear is that you are doing badly? How do you coach your team, your greatest asset? If they matter, your coaching should matter. I recently was enlightened. It was powerful. A peer stated that if you rate a rep a 7 out of 10, then 70% percent of what you say should be what? Positive.
Three, the behavior. You never coach attitude, you coach behavior. You do not coach the number, you coach what caused the number (a.k.a. behavior). If I could express anything in my profession with the biggest amount of intention, it would be to coach behavior. Let the team member know how they are behaving. If they are not hitting their numbers, it is because of behavior. If they are not getting their operational tasks done, it is due to a behavior. If they do not have a “good attitude”, there is a behavior causing you to come to that conclusion. Once (not just once) I was given a very nice compliment. I was told that “I get it”. It felt good to hear that in front of all of my peers…until I realized I was not told what I get. How can I replicate that? And conversely, if it were the opposite, how can I change it or avoid it? I have no clue.
Getting your team up to speed is tough for all the reasons I have mentioned. And they still need to be trained and coached. They need to be set up to win. Perhaps the last thought for you to consider, is what does good look like? Do they know that? Regardless of the topic or the skill. Does your team member know what good looks like and why? And how to do it and how much they need to do it to make sure they are successful? Keep training and coaching simple…WHAT, WHY, HOW and TO WHAT EXTENT.
Cheers