The Case for Training and Development NOW!!

It is sure easy to delay, defer and cancel training programs in this economy. As a lot of training professionals will tell you, it is one of the first line items to be axed from any budget.

Unfortunately, reductions in training also carry a significant penalty. It will prolong the length of time needed to recover from a downturn. It will limit the ability to capitalize on the faltering of competitors (in fact, they may prey on you). It will reduce your ability your ability to perform at the high levels required when staffing is cut. It will harm your ability to attract and retain good talent when the economy recovers.

Below is a brief synopsis of some types of training that are most necessary in an economic downturn:

1. Leadership, Supervision and Management
More is asked from the leadership team and they must rally troops in time of difficulty. Innovation is needed. Fresh outlooks and a critical view is required. This takes skills and competencies obtained in training.

2. Customer Service
The one proven factor to retaining market share in a down economy is service quality. Doing it right requires a training commitment.

3. Sales and Marketing
To capitalize on competitors when they fail, your sales team must be poised with axes sharpened. This honing can only be accomplished through learning and growth.

4. Teamwork
Never has the ability to work together been more important. The synergies needed to produce more with less is critical in difficult times.

Lean Times Require Great Leadership

Lean times require leaders to step up and lead. Manage the process. Dig out and recover. Some tips to make sure your recovery in difficult times is successful include:

1. Avoid any type of panic. Stay away from words like crisis and avoid emergency meetings. These things reinforce how bad things are becoming.

2. Keep routines. Maintain as many regular events as possible. This sends the message that all is going to be alright.

3. Improve visibility. During tough times it is absolutely critical that leaders increase their visibility and approachability. Again, this will have a calming affect.

4. Increase communication. Leaders must use the impetus of a slow down as a chance to increase communication and insure that all team members are hearing the same message from the same source.

5. Think lean and not slash. Look at opportunities for improved efficiency and not just cost cutting for cost-cutting's-sake. Aggressively attack vanity tasks. Better processes and leaner methods will last even when tough times subside.

6. Manage both sides of the income statement. The approach of looking only at the expense side is short-sighted. Look also at options in enhancing revenue. Is there income or income potential being ignored?

7. Use issue as a rally point. A challenge can be a great organizational rally point. When times are tough, use it as a single focus charge cry for all team members.

8. Refer to history. History (and old age) tells us that all downturns are cyclical. They come, they cause pain, and they go. Tough times don't last. Tough people do.

9. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Unfortunately, tough times often bring out the worst in people. Some will become territorial. Some will throw others under the bus. Some will paint unclear pictures about their value. The only way to debunk these is to keep them close.

10. Return to basics and core values. Slow downs and down turns are great times to return to core organizational values and the basics of service delivery. Remember the reason that you are there.