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Getting the Most Out of Your Training

Learning requires hard work. It requires focus, concentration, analytical abilities, and a myriad of other skills. Applying what you learn can be even more difficult. Below are some suggestions that may help you apply what you learn after participating in a training course.

Before The Course: Plan Your Course Selections

When meeting with your supervisor or manager to discuss your development needs, feel free to use a chart such as the following to plan your course selections:

Your Goals Courses that will help you reach your goals
   
   
   

Applying What You Learn: Keep Your Goals In Mind

A key to applying what you learn is to keep your focus on what led you to seek the training in the first place — the goals you want to achieve. Here are some suggestions to help you keep your goals in mind even as you're learning how to achieve them:

  1. Write individualized, specific, measurable goals you want to attain. Before class, this might just be your goals for the class itself. Once you've taken the class, you can use a Course Action Plan to help monitor your progress toward achieving your goals.
  2. Whatever your goals, note how you are going to know when you have met each goal successfully.
  3. Discuss your goals with a supervisor, mentor, or friend. Give him/her a copy of your written goals.
  4. Ask this person for other ideas to help you reach your goals.
  5. Set a feedback schedule with this person to look jointly at how you are doing. Stick to this schedule.
  6. Finally, reward yourself for working toward your goals.