Monthly Archives: December 2013

Resolve to Train in 2014: Three Reasons

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Put employee training and development at the top of your 2014 to-do list.

Put employee training and development at the top of your 2014 to-do list.

We might be a week or so early with our New Year’s resolution thoughts, but it’s not too soon to think about how to compete better in 2014. It seems that the economic horizon is brightening. Congress passed a budget, so the federal lights will stay on and the national parks open. Unemployment is declining and companies are more optimistic. Different challenges are likely for every organization in this environment.

Your Best Employees Will be Looking

Surveys say that 75% of the US workforce will be looking for a new position in 2014. Are some of your best and brightest among them? No matter what you think, the answer is likely, “Yes!” A robust and progressive training culture can fight that trend.

There Will be Turnover

If your organization has been fortunate to experience low employee turnover in the last few years, your onboarding training may be stale. Is it ready to go if you need to hire to replace exiting employees and to fuel growth?

Corporate Cash is Building Strength

A November/December survey in Training magazine indicates that 80% or organizations will be doing at least as much or more training in 2014 (it’s about evenly split at 40% same/more). Increased investments enabled by better corporate results will make your competitors stronger, not weaker.

Training and development have become necessities, not luxuries only for the companies that can afford the investment. Employees know that their time with your organization will not be measured in decades, but in years (single digits) or even months. They are looking to see what they get and what they will learn. If training and development are not on the menu, they will look somewhere else for their next opportunity.

The challenges are good ones. Managing growth and competing in a revitalized economy are exciting. Be ready with a team that is prepared. Resolve to invest in your people.

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Learning Dynamics is a leader in customized training solutions for organizations of all sizes and missions. Talk to us to discuss how training and development can spur growth and success at your company in the New Year.

Three Critical Motivators

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Do you know what motivates your people? It has often been said that the key to managing and motivating others is to know the person you are working to motivate. Knowing each person’s experience and skills is the first step. Step two is more important: Know what drives and motivates your people to succeed.

In the literature, there are three critical motivators every manager needs to understand. Most people fall into one of these three, or some combination, to varying degrees:

Affiliation: Some people seek out others for validation. They are happiest working in teams and belonging to a group.  They thrive on and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with being associated with others. The socialization and interaction with team members feeds them well and becomes the prime reason for their success.

Achievement: These individuals are driven to succeed and be rewarded based on their own contributions and ideas. Recognition and goal attainment are critical to their success. They are propelled by a desire to be better, succeed and make a difference.

Power:  This category states that having influence and control over others is critical to their internal drive. They thrive on being in the spotlight and climbing the ladder of success to the top. They are usually self-involved and driven to succeed.

Do you know your direct reports? Are they motivated by Affiliation, Achievement or Power? These are not difficult to understand but they do make a difference when trying to motivate or encourage them. Apply your tactics and approach to fit the needs of the individual. This will go a long way in getting better results for you, the team and the company.

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Written by Barbara Phillips, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Learning Dynamics. Barbara, like all Learning Dynamics team members, offers extensive professional leadership experience to benefit our clients.

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Do you supervisors and managers know this? Could it help your organization if managers knew how to understand and inspire their teams? Contact Learning Dynamics to learn how we can help your organization grow by Investing in People™.