Chapter 16Investing In Training
Knowledge is the single most important factor in going home alive and well, putting training front and center in managing safety. Sixty years ago, McGehee and Thayer summed up the potential return on investment in training, “The effectiveness of achieving an organization's goals will depend, in a significant way, on the nature and efficiency of the training employees receive for their assignments.” What's changed in the years since? Only the breadth and depth of what people need to know to be able to meet those goals, starting with knowing what they need to know to be able to work safely. Every change creates the need for new knowledge. The need for understanding has never been greater.
Knowledge is no guarantee that anyone will work safely. But it falls to the leader to ensure that every follower knows what they need to know to be able to work safely. If they don't, it's not the training department's problem…it's your problem.
Put what your people know to the test. If you're not satisfied that they understand what they need to know, it's time to train. And, if training is what's needed, keep the Three T's in mind: timing, technique, and teacher. Properly combine all three, the result can be memorable training; the kind of training that creates understanding, and will help you achieve your goal to send every follower home alive and well, every day.
Analysis Questions
- What are the key things your followers need to know to be able to do their ...