TRC Free Training Tips

Take a closer look at your True/False questions

All too often, tests are only used as a measurement or evaluation. Tests will become a better dynamic tool when they are used to help your Tellers understand how and what they learned.

Don't wait until the end of the day or a major section to provide tests, BUT...make them self-assessments! Let your Teller determine what he/she has learned. It:

Increases retention of material
Reiterates and reinforces important points
Provides feedback on progress
Gives objective evidence of achievement
Encourages and motivates continuing effort

Regardless of whether you use tests as self-assessments or measurements, you should follow a few straightforward instructional design guidelines.

For example, if you use True/False questions, here is a checklist. Get out one of your tests and "grade yourself!"

1. Is your question short, direct, and clear? Yes or No

Example:

The portrait on a $20 bill is Alexander Hamilton.
NOT
The off-center portrait on the new $20 bill is Alexander Hamilton.

2. Does the question contain only one main thought? Yes or No

Example:

After entering a deposit, the slip must be validated on the back
NOT
After entering a deposit; the slip must be validated on the back then placed in the bin that will be sent to Proof.

3. Is the statement unquestionably True or False? Yes or No

Example:
The system we use for transactions is known as Easy Teller
NOT
While the Bank has both a Host and entry software, both can be considered our transaction system.

4. Do you use double negatives? Yes or No

Example:
You should NOT enter an official check in the log without verifying the number.
NOT
As a Vault Teller, don’t not include register tapes with verification forms.

In addition, there are variations on the standard True/False question. For example, you can use "Agree/Disagree."

Example:

In your vault, $20s will be strapped totaling $2,000.

[ ] Agree [ ] Disagree

Another interesting variation is having the Teller indicate True or False, then answer why.

Example:

When entering a driver's license number, the state abbreviation must be entered first.

[ ] True [ ] False

Why_________________________________________________

Multiple Choice Questions

Just as True/False and Agree/Disagree questions can help enhance the scope of your Teller’s knowledge and retention during training, a well-designed multiple choice test is just as important. There's a lot of benefit to the learning process by using objective evaluations:

Let's review some of the objectives that well-designed multiple choice tests provide:

They provide objective feedback to both the student and the Trainer.
They give the student increased incentive to study and learn.
They help to reinforce the retention of key concepts and ideas.
They provide an assessment of teaching effectiveness and training techniques.

1. Take time and review your multiple choice questions. Similar to True/False questions, there are ground rules that experienced test designers follow. Typically, multiple choice questions are questions with four or five optional answers.

Example
Whose portrait is on the $20 bill?

Alexander Hamilton
Benjamin Franklin
George Washington
Ulysses S. Grant

2. Use most of the words in the questions, not in the options.

Example
An electronic fund transfer can be initiated through a:

Financial center
Telephone
Drive-up window
Investment portfolio

NOT:
An electronic fund transfer:

Can be transacted through a financial center
Someone can call the bank on the telephone
A customer can drive up to a branch
Financial center clients can initiate a transfer from their investment portfolio

3. The question should be clear and concise, but not overly revealing.

Example
How many quarters are wrapped in a roll?

NOT:
How many quarters make up a $10.00 roll?

4. Do the questions and options grammatically match?

Example
Our Premier account:

Requires a $100 deposit
Offers overdraft protection
Requires an existing account
Is a money market product

NOT:
Our Debit Cards:

Customer preferred
Have limited distribution
Same as cash
Available at no extra charge

5. When possible, make sure your questions are positive.

Example
We exchange mutilated money when the customer presents what percentage of a bill:

NOT:
We don't accept mutilated money if the customer presents a bill less than:

6. Are your questions giving the Teller clues as to which option is correct?

Example
Which regulation specifies action for "Suspicious Activity?"

NOT:
Which regulation discussed in class covers "Suspicious Activity?"

7. Vary the length of your options so that there is not a pattern that gives clues as to the correct response.

8. Do not use "All of the above" as an option, and use "None of the above" sparingly.

9. Make sure you randomly position the correct answer.

Questioning Technique: Ask Tellers to Rank Themselves

Asking Tellers to quantify their skills can be a powerful interview technique. Ask... "On a scale of one to ten with one being very low and ten very high, what are your math skills?"

Throughout the interview you can then use the same quantifying technique, "Using the same scale as before, how organized are you?" Regardless of what the applicant says, follow up their rating with, "Give me examples of that." Or "Tell me about some of your successes." If the applicant scores low say, "Why so low?" Or, "What would you do differently to rate higher?"

Online Training...Watch the Quicksand!

There's simply nothing more highly touted in the training business than that magic word "online." But, why is it so much more ubiquitous than its many predecessors including classroom, film, videotape and a legion of other training methodologies? The reason is simple. For the first time, a training technology has management support.

Why?

Online training can be delivered "just in time" and at the learner's location.
It's highly measurable with a central collection of records and details through Learning Management Systems. In other words, online training is faster, less expensive and measurable. This is "music to management's ears."

However, this path has quicksand. None of these things have anything to do with the learner!

Trainers worldwide are scurrying to adopt a technology without regard to whether it's actually good training. It can be, but it can also be next to useless. An online program that is simply text on one fancy page after another, concluded by an exam, is no more effective than a pamphlet.

Look past the technology and review the TRAINING. Even with bandwidth limitations, there are encouraging uses of online training that bode well for the future. Here are a few of the features you should look for in online training:

It should be:

Interactive - The learner must be part of the process. They should make choices, select paths, decide approaches, choose how many examples, decide what to look into further, and what actions to take, etc.

Engaging - Does it capture the learner's attention and interest? Does it "paint a picture," not just talk about it? Is it written for interest, or is it dull and academic?

Consistent With Learning Objectives - Does it state specific objectives, help the learner reach them, and measure them?

Easy to Use - Are the navigation features intuitive and grouped logically and located where the user is likely to be looking? Can learners move backward as well as forward and see all without scrolling up or down?

Practical in Content - Is it really necessary to know that Reg DD was implemented by Congress in 1994? Or, is it more important to understand about APY?

Positively Reinforced - Do the learners receive rewards for correct approaches and answers? Even a simple "good" is a positive reinforcement. Do responses continue by reinforcing an answer and even putting it in context?

In later articles, we will outline further techniques that you should look for in your online programs. You need to be the ombudsman for the learner. Don't accept "electronic page turning" and lifeless content. Create a win/win situation for your financial organization. Turn the quicksand into a paved highway that not only meets management's needs of measurement, improved cost, and easy distribution, but also focuses on the learner's need for dynamic, interactive learning.

Branch Mentors: Resources Well Spent

Many financial institutions consider a combination of classroom and on-the-job training as the most efficient and effective way to develop new Tellers. As a result, these institutions rely on centralized training to introduce Trainees to basic Teller concepts and transaction processing, and experienced branch Tellers to help fill in the gaps and polish performance.

Branch Trainers are often referred to as "Mentors," since they are expected to be a guide, counselor and coach, as well as a tutor. They also agree that it is best if on-the-job training takes place in the branch where the new Teller will be assigned.

Branch Mentors not only help protect the investment in centralized classroom training, but in fact, help reduce costs by allowing classroom time to be minimized. They do this by:

reinforcing all aspects of classroom training
strengthening skills by practicing them in real, rather than simulated, situations
providing instruction on a number of specialized concepts, procedures, and transactions that are infrequently encountered or unique to certain branches
building confidence

In order to help guarantee results, Mentors should be carefully selected and trained. The best Mentor programs involve a formal Mentor Training Program, Mentor Certification, a Mentor evaluation process, and ideally, Mentor compensation incentives.

TellerSolution has proven to be very effective in lowering classroom training time and expense and producing high performance levels when combined with a well designed and executed Mentor program.

It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over

The end of any training program should not be the end of the educational experience. All too many programs have notebooks and manuals collecting dust on shelves. You can help by following through with the participants. Whether it’s an online course, a live seminar, a webinar, or a Teller Training program, reminders of key learning points refresh learning, and improve retention. In addition, it accelerates the transfer of learning from training to the branch or office.

After a course, try:

Sending reminders to take action on what was taught (in live classes, have them fill out their own reminders, and send them later)
Having them keep in touch with others who trained at the same time to encourage and help each other achieve goals
Putting key concepts on novelty items, and send them to participants
Creating emails with graphic reminders similar to “e-cards”
Having them complete periodic surveys that measure their post training achievement

Learning Contracts

Whether you train online, in a classroom, or by multimedia, you can use a “contract” with your Tellers to help manage mutual expectations. You “negotiate” the results with the learner.

Items that can be included are:

When I’m finished with this course I expect to gain…
I expect the online course, multimedia program, or instructor to…
The financial institution expects me to…
I will be measured or graded by…
At the end of the program I will be considered outstanding if I am able to…
I am expected to complete this program by…

One of the advantages of the contract is that it establishes what the responsibility is of the financial institution, the program, and of the Teller. Thus it reinforces the Teller’s own responsibility for his or her own learning.

The Importance of Continuous Training

The primary goal of Trainers is preparing workers to be successful. Every Trainer is aware of their own institution’s unique training methods and needs. But, what specifically can you teach that will allow your staff to succeed professionally? Here are some ideas about training that can help you, your institution, and your staff to excel:

Always remember that training is a continuous process, not a program to be completed. Learning valuable job skills takes place over time. The old saying “practice makes perfect” rings true.
Remember too, that each person has a unique learning style. Some may excel in class but have difficulty at the branch. Others may struggle in class and succeed on the job.
Successful training helps the organization. By increasing Tellers’ skills or building upon existing skills, training should focus to meet the overall continuing needs of the institution.
Training contributes to the development of workers. It increases the Teller’s job skills, job performance, and evaluations, and prepares them for advancement. One of the primary objectives in training is to help individual workers become more effective and efficient in what they do. That in turn benefits everyone.
Training also helps enhance and transform a Teller’s current job. As new forms of technology have been introduced into financial institutions, the Teller’s role has also been transformed. This has made training not only necessary but also continual.
Training should always be conducted to maximize learning within available time and resource limits. Although this has primarily meant “formal” training, this area is increasingly becoming open to eLearning, Intranet, and/or CD-ROM based learning.

As we have mentioned, one of the more exciting, recent developments has been the evolution of eLearning. eLearning is training offered through the Internet that can be accessed through a variety of ways. Although not a substitute for all aspects of Teller training, eLearning offers a wide range of affordable training options to many institutions. In combination with traditional training, eLearning can greatly reduce training time and costs.

All in all, it is important to remember the significance of an ongoing training program for the continued success of any financial institution.

Rating Your Teller Training (Practice What You Preach)

We inform Tellers that they must meet both the technical and the human needs of their customers. Technical needs could be defined as efficient and accurate processing of their transactions. Human needs could be defined as responding appropriately to each customer as a unique individual.

As Trainers, we must do the same for our customers, our Trainees.

Undoubtedly we have lots of personal savvy and lots of help on the technical side of Teller training. We may not have equal insights, and little or no help, in responding appropriately to each Trainee as a unique individual.

The following rating list may help you determine if you have included techniques in your program that will help maximize Trainee learning and skill building.

Use a piece of scrap paper to jot down your responses to the five comments below: Y for Yes, NS for Not Sufficiently or Not Sure, and N for No.

Prior to starting training, participants spend a few hours observing a working Teller in a branch.
At the start of training, the entire curriculum content, objectives, and mutual expectations are thoroughly reviewed.
Various social and learning needs of Trainees are addressed using minimum lecture, maximum group and self-instruction application exercises, and individual assessments and testing.
Familiarity and experience with PCs is determined before use and Trainee expectations are thoroughly reviewed.
Human, as well as technical, feedback and evaluations are received from all involved parties during the training, a month after, and six months later.

One or more N or NS indicates you may want to scrutinize parts of your current Teller training program.

Top 10 Ways to Help Tellers Succeed

1. Make sure the Teller has what he/she needs to perform, such as a quiet learning environment.
2. Give the Teller a second opportunity to cover difficult material.
3. Identify specific areas that gave the Teller trouble. Provide multiple learning scenarios and review features of the material.
4. Arrange extra practice sessions on or off the job to review the material.
5. Improve the feedback the Teller receives about his/her performance.
6. Change the order in which the material is presented.
7. Prepare job aids, such as checklists, to use on the job.
8. Reinforce the importance of accuracy, customer interaction and expectations.
9. Provide on-the-job training using established mentors and coaches.
10. Establish a reasonable timetable to reach acceptable standards/goals.

By giving the Teller Trainee a wide variety of learning scenarios, you can make the learning process as easy and enjoyable as possible. In addition, you can help lower training and turnover costs by providing focused training to those who may be having difficulty in some areas, but show promise overall.

Give Feedback to Your Tellers... with CARE!

Whether in the classroom or mentoring at the Teller station, you give feedback to Tellers to help improve their performance. It’s a delicate time because they are learning and trying to impress. How you give feedback can affect the Teller’s attitude and results.

Use the CARE method:

C oncentrate on action

Give feedback on what you observe, not speculation or judgment. For example, say “When you were entering the transaction, you were watching the next Teller,” instead of “You weren’t paying attention when you were entering that transaction.”

A sk if you can provide feedback

Tellers are more receptive if you ask to be invited. You might consider saying, “May I show you how you might count that?”, “May I give you some feedback about…?”, “Would you like me to help you?”

R espond now

The closer to the event, the more impact your feedback will have. Other than when a customer is at the window, try to give Tellers feedback immediately, rather than wait and accumulate several issues.

E asy does it!

Don’t overload the Teller with information. Resist saying, “Remember when I showed you…?”, or “Remember, one of the reasons we do it this way is because…?” Instead, try to give simple straightforward feedback so the Teller can process it.

Dealing with Difficult Participants

As Trainers, everyone has at least had one situation in which they had to deal with a difficult “participant”. Because a participant that is difficult can disrupt the entire session, it is important to first identify and then minimize their impact on the group as quickly as possible.

Perhaps the easiest way to get a difficult participant to become part of the group is to make them a part of the group. One way is to acknowledge the individual and ask them if they would like to assist in the presentation. If they agree, give them a function with some responsibility, such as being your “assistant” for handouts, or writing thoughts on the board.

Another approach is to break the groups down into small groups of six or so. This is small enough that each individual will have some room to participate and large enough for the group to moderate a difficult individual. Make sure your teaching content does not exceed 20 minutes because most learners will loose attention after that time. You should also seek to involve the participants every 10 minutes with an experiential exercise, game, role play, or small group activity. This can diffuse a difficult individual by making them actively participate in a peer group.

By choosing and rotating group leaders you can also minimize the impact of a difficult individual. You can do this a number of ways: by age (oldest to youngest or youngest to oldest), seniority (most years with company to lowest or vice versa) or alphabetical. Either way, by having everyone take their turn as leader and rotating, the potential for disruptions can be minimized.

Of course there are some other, more severe options, but getting the difficult individual to become a part of the process increases the odds of creating a win-win situation for everyone.

Spring Into Action To Improve Your Teller Training

This is the time of year when it may be good to do some “spring cleaning” to your Teller training program. Ask yourself “What elements of our training are weak and need improvement?” and “In what areas do we consistently get high marks from Teller Trainee evaluations?” Part of successful training is being willing to change areas that are weak or are not working by building upon areas that have proven themselves over time.

It may simply be that the presentation of the material itself needs to be delivered in a new way. Multimedia, such as TRC’s TellerSolution™, offers a great way to engage Teller Trainees in a self-paced, state of the art, interactive learning environment. By making the student an active participant in the training process, retention rates increase dramatically over the standard lecture format.

By adding “discussion stimulators” such as Ice Breakers and role-plays to your presentation, you can increase group participation and interaction. Another good way of keeping people’s interest in the subject matter is to have a game or quiz show (Teller Jeopardy) at the end of a segment. These games allow students to test their knowledge of the subject matter in an open, friendly environment.

Letting Teller Trainees learn through a variety of approaches not only makes the learning process more enjoyable, it also helps to reinforce the training material. In the process, it allows the instructor the chance to try different approaches to teaching the material. Of course, the final goal is to have Tellers retain the material and become productive long-term employees. That is why it is so important to not only listen to your Trainees’ feedback, but to be willing to make modifications that will take your organization’s training to the next level.

That Extra Little Something

Why do you always go to a certain favorite restaurant time and again? Is it the food, price, service or menu selection? Since deregulation in the late 1980’s, many financial institutions are now able to offer virtually the same products and services.

Many people never really think of their local financial institution unless they are making a loan payment, deposit, or cashing a check. But did you ever go to a financial institution that made you feel good?

Here are some Teller Tips from an old veteran:

When asking for identification always say “please” and repeat the customer’s name when you identify him or her. Try to remember the name and face as you look at the identification.
Always be respectful of the customer. Remember it is their money in the bank that pays your paycheck.
If you are unable to help the customer, excuse yourself to the next customer and walk with your current customer to the appropriate area (branch manager, customer service, loans, investments, etc.).
Take each customer one at a time, big, medium, or small. Remember some great fortunes started with dime passbooks.
Remember to make friends with your co-workers. They can really help out if they see you getting “bogged down” with a customer.
Remember to enjoy what you do. Nobody likes to go to a bank where smiles don’t exist and everyone is unhappy.
Be optimistic. Every day is a new day. Your customers can teach you some wonderful things if you are receptive.
Always keep learning. Your computer system will change, so will your procedures on things. It’s all a part of life and growth.
Try to become an “expert” by learning all that you can about your job, company, and industry. A one-dimensional Teller is usually only suited for the drive-through.
Enjoy the community you work in. Patronize your customers.

Mature Teller Learning Management

Mature tellers offer many advantages to a financial organization: stability, flexibility, and in many cases good old fashioned common sense. Mature tellers often have different learning needs than younger tellers. Adopting a different learning approach for these tellers can help them adjust and become valuable members to your organization.

Keeping adult learning needs in mind, a training program should:

Be designed to present the material effectively
Create a psychological environment in which trainees can succeed
Enhance trainees’ learning experiences
Maximize value from the training time
Have effective learners help “coach” others and assist in training tasks

In addition there are some additional learning principles that can help facilitate learning. These are:

Creating a supportive environment
Emphasizing the personal benefits of training
Designing exercises for trainees’ active participation
Using a variety of teaching methods and media
Empowering trainees with learning skills
Giving timely feedback on practice exercises
Meeting trainees’ individual learning needs
Teaching course content in relevant, integrated patterns

These principles imply that trainers, in order to maximize training effectiveness, must concentrate on methods that succeed. By focusing on the learning needs of more mature trainees, trainers can change the scope and content of their training program to meet the specific needs of mature learners.

Mature tellers often have a different learning style and value system than younger tellers. To accommodate different learning styles, a trainer may need to experiment with different teaching techniques to find what works best with different groups.

It may be necessary to vary and combine different approaches to accommodate these special learning needs. For example, the older tellers may seem overwhelmed by the information that is presented in the traditional lecture format. However, they may respond well to multimedia computer based training.

Digital Game-Based Learning

Everyone loves to play games. In fact, I know of quite a few personal friends who take on a different personality at night when they retreat to fly a vintage aircraft, become a Roman gladiator, or descend as a powerful wizard into a dark dungeon. I myself have been guilty of preferring the original World War I flight simulation game, Red Baron.

Now imagine going to work and getting paid to play a game that you really enjoy, never realizing that you are learning valuable skills that will help you during your daily job. Games have been used for centuries to teach but only recently have employers begun to realize the potential games offer in motivating and teaching valuable skills in a may that makes their employee happier and more productive.

The emerging world of game simulations offers a unique combination in training, education, and professional development options. The focus on this new learning is clearly on the learner, mixing the engagement of games along with the content of business education. This new learner based training and education will:

Reflect training and learning that people will want to do (or will be eager to really succeed in achieving and be relevant). In addition this training should apply to concrete aspects of the learners’ job.
Contain a wide type of different forms and types of learning games (examples, from Sim City to Myst and Civilization). From action based to more complex role playing.
Combine the appropriate learning methods for each type of content. Matching and offering players a wide variety of game choices will help game based learning appeal to a broad variety of learners.
Increase employees’ skills, productivity and value to the organization. Game learning has also been called “stealth learning.” This generally means that players should generally enjoy themselves while playing and only realize after finishing a game that they have learned something valuable.
Provide a total learning experience that combined with reflection and other types of learning will produce a positive, holistic result. For game learning to ultimately be successful, there must be a link from the learner to the concrete work environment.

Detailed games often have a sophisticated level that players often do not recognize. To return to my Red Baron game as an example: when your German pilot progresses and you become an ace, you receive a higher quality aircraft. Likewise, when you fly for the Allies and rise in rank or become an ace, a better aircraft awaits. The original Red Baron game was a DOS based game. Even though it is a dinosaur by today’s standards, it had a historical element that was in many ways educational and instructive. It was informative in that it contained accurate historical information about vintage aircraft, missions, airfields, major aces, medals and key war dates. Not to mention the fun I had flying a Sopwith Camel against a Zeppelin.

Excerpt from Digital Game-Based Learning by Marc Prensky

Fall Training Review

As Fall settles in, it may be a good time to review your financial institution’s overall training program. Are you satisfied with the success of your training? Could it be time for a change? In what areas can you improve your overall employee training and performance? How accurately do you assess an employee’s strengths and weaknesses?

TRC’s TellerSolution ~ Multimedia Teller Training Program™ is a comprehensive, state-of-the-art training program. Not only does TellerSolution™ monitor each teller’s performance on a complete list of meaningful subject areas, it also reinforces fundamental teller concepts. And TellerSolution™ can save you money, by less time spent in training, but will increase retention rates.
BankTrainingOnline™ and CreditUnionTrainingOnline™ are a complete online library of training courses uniquely customized to incorporate your terminology and logo so that they have the look and feel of your very own training programs. Loaded with enhanced graphics, animation and special effects, these online courses engage and involve trainees to increase retention and performance.
Not only are the BankTrainingOnline™ and CreditUnionTrainingOnline™ courses the most engaging courses you can find, they are also the most inexpensive on the market! Save Hundreds of training dollars by purchasing an annual subscription with unlimited access for all your employees. Included with your annual subscription, you will receive customizable study guides for EACH of the courses on your course menu!

Courses are updated regularly to reflect changes in the financial world as well as new and improved training techniques and they can be blended with your current training program or used as stand-alone products.

TellerSolution™, BankTrainingOnline™, and CreditUnionTrainingOnline™ can be customized to fit any financial institution’s unique needs...and at affordable rates. Call TRC Interactive at 1.800.222.9909 for a free demo.

It may surprise you to find out what a pleasant change some things can be.

Blend Your Training Until the Lumps Come Out!

by J. B. Bowden

I’ve been in training longer than current training media. . . even video tape! I’m beginning to see a problem resurface that I thought was resolved long ago.

In the old days, we had self-study booklets some of which were well-crafted training programs. The problem was that they were not administered properly or reinforced for greater understanding and performance. It was just too easy to distribute the booklets, and eliminate that expensive class. Well, if you read the training history books, you’ll see that the approach failed. More and more self-study booklets were replaced by live classes, and the cost of training soared.

Fast forward to today, and all of a sudden, the self-study book has a slick new look and a convenient delivery system, and well. . .here we go again!

This time let’s learn from our mistakes. The online technology offers training opportunities barely dreamed of a decade ago. Here’s how to keep history from repeating itself:

Recognize the differences and strengths as well as the weaknesses of the technology based self-instruction, such as computer-based training (CBT), multimedia training on CD-Rom, web-based training (WBT), and others. They provide great potential for learning when they are properly designed. The key is that they must be captivating. Flash animation, full motion video, and engaging interactivity all “captivate” the learner, and improve retention by accommodating different learning styles. A screen of text with a picture and a “next” button is an electronic pamphlet, and will surely suffer the fate of its self-instruction ancestor.
Where possible, blend facilitator-led training with technology-based training, but do it right! Use both methods’ strengths. Self-paced learning helps acquire and assess knowledge and certain skills. Facilitator led programs can reinforce and experience that knowledge, and apply to work situations. Blended properly, the resulting program is smooth, but use one or the other improperly, and it’s lumpy!
Finally, administer both phases of the training, and make your learner understand the value of each. Self-instruction is not something to rush just before coming to class, and the class is not the forum to repeat all the knowledge for those who didn’t complete the self-instruction.

We have opportunity today to create a learning environment superior to any other time period. Let’s not make the mistakes of the past. Make your facilitation-led training experiential, and your self-instruction captivating. Blend the two smoothly. . . and take out the lumps!

Happy Trails

Nearly every training program in America starts with an “ice breaker,” a common implement standard in a Trainer’s toolkit. It both sets the tone for participation, and allows the group to become comfortable with each other and the Facilitator. By that same logic, shouldn’t we end the training program in a similar fashion? In the late 40's, singing cowboy Roy Rogers ended his episodes with the song, "Happy Trails," signaling the conclusion, and almost admonishing the viewer to "go forth and do good!" After all, that's what the episode was about.

If your session was truly participative and experiential, then end it the same way. You need to provide closure, and help the participants validate their learning. Depending upon your course, your endings can be fun, thought-provoking, challenging, bonding, or any combination. What’s important, however, is to create an exercise that helps participants recognize all they have learned, and challenge them to apply it. Here is a simple closing exercise to illustrate:

Picture This!

Distribute 3 x 5 cards to the group, and describe what you would like them to write by paraphrasing as follows:

On the card, I would like you to draw a symbol, a drawing, a picture or anything that represents the major change you will make as a result of this course.

While some people will struggle with creativity, try not to suggest possible graphics, or you will find the participants using them. Give the group a few minutes to draw, and then ask for volunteers to share their drawings.

Encourage people to elaborate as they explain to the group what their graphics mean. Try to tie their explanations to course objectives or other learning points throughout the program. Encourage everyone to share, but respect those who feel uncomfortable with sharing.

So, conclude your programs with an experiential exercise. Tell your group... "Happy Trails."

Conducting Multiple Group Role Plays

Done properly, role plays can be one of the most powerful learning tools because they can closely simulate the actual customer interaction. Role plays allow participants to incorporate techniques into their own styles, and make them “fit” their own approaches. With structured feedback, your participants can easily see ways to apply techniques and get positive results.

Some of your participants and perhaps you as well, may have had a negative experience in the past with role plays. Maybe you were required to perform before a group, or the set up made the role play impractical or awkward. Negative experiences are totally unnecessary… and you make the difference!

First, always use multiple group role plays. In other words, divide the participants into sub-groups and conduct the exercise simultaneously. The "hubbub" created minimizes any intimidation. Never ask a participant to "perform" in front of the group.

While there can be many different purposes, a common situation is when there is a banker, customer, and an Observer. Begin each role play by distributing copies of the various roles to the participants. Allow each person a few minutes to study. If the group has not experienced role plays, you may want to call the participants into a hallway or a corner of the room to quickly review and reinforce their roles. This allows you to set the stage for the role plays and to make sure all participants understand how to proceed.

The Observer should be given a checklist or series of things to observe during the interaction. The Observer feedback can be the most helpful of all because Observers are peers, and are specifically tasked to point out key items.

Challenge the group by encouraging participants to use their newly learned skills and techniques. Urge them to play their roles as though they were the person in the case, not as they think that person would act. Ask participants not to refer to papers or handouts during the actual role play (this encourages them to act more naturally).

When all the groups are ready, signal for the role play to begin. During the exercise, circulate among the groups to answer questions, and to assist a group that may be “stymied.”

After all have completed their role plays, rely on the Observers to discuss what happened in each role play. In addition, ask the participants what they learned, how they felt, how easy or difficult it was, thus comparing and contrasting experiences. This synergy enhances the learning.

Summarize the group’s experience and conclude by leading a discussion on how they can apply their experiences to practical situations. Once involved, most people find role plays “easier than they thought,” and a true replication of what “happens on the job.”

New Year’s Resolutions

As we start a New Year, it is customary to make New Year’s resolutions to improve our lives. Oh… I know we don’t always keep them, but it does permit some introspection.

Well, today I’d like to suggest that we include not only personal resolutions, but training ones as well. Why not? We’re professionals and I don’t know about you, but I can certainly use some improvement in 2008.

I thought the idea was interesting enough to call some of my colleagues and clients, and ask if they were going to make any training New Year’s resolutions and if so, what would they be. Some of the responses were interesting so I thought I’d pass them along to you as a thought stimulator for your own resolutions.

All of these are from financial institution training executives:

More blending; I think we went too far in trying to make everything online, and some things we didn’t even consider doing outside of the classroom. That will be my biggy for the year.
Try to kill all the straight text programs within the University. They aren’t effective anyway; they’re boring and we might as well send CSRs a book.
I really want to spend more time grooming some of our Trainers for development and even management responsibilities. I really need to make time for that.
I have a problem (area) and I’m determined to fix it.
We need to promote ourselves better, especially in the regions.

Give you any ideas? Create your own New Year’s resolution. Let’s make 2008 the best training year ever for your organization, your learner, and yourself!

Jay Bowden
President
TRC Interactive, Inc.