Expertise
As I ponder how to deliver better training, I am struggling this week with the concept of expertise.
Expertise:
How do we judge expertise? In the land of computer applications, certifications sometimes have more bearing than experience in determining who will be the best provider of training. What we end up with is someone who has a very narrow approach to the computer application and can’t really connect the dots between the functionality of the application and how it functions in a particular workplace. In order to make the paradigm shift from learning how to use an application to learning how to use it as a workplace tool, we need to be solutions oriented when making our training decisions.
Keys to successful training in the workplace:
- Get expertise from trainers who understand your business model and your industry
- Make sure your training is provided by a subject matter expert and not by someone who simply passed a test
- How ready are you for training? Do you know what the expected results will be after the training? How will you apply the training in the workplace. What is the purpose of your training?
- Training is tied into empowerment. Empowerment comes in several flavors:
- Your ability to recognize your limitations and to know when a consultant should be brought in.
- Self reliance based on technical knowledge of a computer application you have just learned and can now successfully deploy.
- Ability to recognize organizational weaknesses and to bring team members up to the skill levels necessary to use the software applications as good productivity tools
