Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2016 - 9

THE OUTCOME
OF ENGAGEMENT

Within companies across the globe, sales
departments are looking at activations,
marketing teams are tracking Net
Promoter Scores, IT is measuring the
number of tickets closed and human
resources is measuring employee
turnover, but being focused on final results
greatly limits how we get to those results.
In the aforementioned cases, or in any
department or role, the outcome cannot
be achieved without the engagement of
the audience you are targeting.

BEING FOCUSED ON
FINAL RESULTS GREATLY
LIMITS HOW WE GET TO
THOSE RESULTS.
Take sales for example; if you intend
to sell a new widget adaptor, you first
need to understand the process that
has created or modified the steps that
have maximized the opportunities
to sell the product. To do this, you
gather intelligence from those closest
to the current procedures in place, as
they will give you valuable data about
current customer sentiment about the
widget. You then analyze the available
data to either validate the audience
recommendations or refute them.
Assuming that this sentiment aligns with
earlier findings, you can then build out
or update necessary communications
and training resources.
But you are not done there. The most
common and critical mistake made by

- ADAM KUCERA

GUEST EDITOR

an organization is assuming that simply
providing access to communications
and training, or even mandating
performance
and
adoption,
will
engender a successful campaign. This
assumption will almost always cause the
initiative to fail. However, there are steps
you can take to avoid this outcome, and
it starts with engaging the support staff
of direct agents/customers, consisting
of account representatives, coaches,
managers and trainers. This group
has to be engaged in the process and
must advocate for the changes you
seek. Without this group, the frontline
salespeople or even customers will
retain only portions of the message,
which can lead to apathetic adoption.

* Tell your audience the "why." Why are
we launching this product? Why are we
taking away an incentive opportunity?
Why did we change the promotion?
Every company has multiple reasons
why it does what it does but is rarely
forthright in explaining it to create clear
understanding and buy-in.

The following elements to creating
measurable engagement are key steps
that do not change, whether trying to
get kids to do chores or attempting to
meet quarterly revenue projections for
Wall Street.

While we all may think that making
something mandatory or even providing
a meaningful incentive will drive behavior,
it is simply not the case. The frontline
individual who is working within the new
structure must understand the importance
to themselves, their company and the longterm success of both. They have to want to
participate. They have to be engaged.

* Be honest. If you have an agenda, but
mask that agenda from your audience
behind a ruse or partial story, they will
always sense the misdirection. This
immediately puts them in a defensive
posture and they will "wait and see"
how things pan out. This will cause a
poor launch of a change and a complete
absence of momentum. If you push
harder or add more stick or more carrot,
they will become even more entrenched.
Trust can move mountains.

T R A I N I N G I N DUSTR Y MA GAZ INE - FALL20 1 6 I WWW.TRAININGI NDU S T RY . C OM/ MAGAZ I NE

* Admit defeats. Oftentimes, a change is
necessary because the current method
allows for fraud or loss. Whatever the reason,
and baring a legal reason preventing
disclosure, explaining the process that has
led to the changes will make the audience
feel engaged in the process and part of the
solution. This can create even more trust
and adoption momentum.

Adam Kucera is the director of sales training
and support for DISH, where he is responsible
for leading the strategy and execution of
learning systems and tools; an engagement
and support team, as well as developing
a national team of trainers, instructional
designers and analytics teams. While Adam
has been with DISH for nearly 16 years, he
has been leading the training department
for 6 years. Email Adam.

http://www.trainingindustry.com/ezine.aspx

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Fall 2016