A question frequently asked about executive leadership trainings is why trainings? Aren't executives already knowledgeable and skilled? The answer is that of course executives are knowledgeable and skilled. They did not achieve their positions by being dummies! So why more training?
Reason # 1: new information
In today's world everything changes. Yesterday's knowledge does not apply today. This is true in any number of respects. The tax code, safety regulations, financial reporting, industry research, product development, communication/advertising technologies and health care costs would be examples. In the give and take of trainings new information and red alerts are part of the process. Training keeps the pros on their toes!
Reason #2: skills
When you are good, training helps you to keep getting better. Skills development actually accelerates. The good communicator rapidly becomes the outstanding communicator. The person who worked hard to become proficient at planning becomes an exceptionally gifted planner. Why? Because training promotes reflection and focuses on learning from experience: your experience and that of others. Experience is the best teacher.
Reason #3: comparisons and motivation
Trainings allow the participants to measure themselves against their peers. When you are the number one person in your company, division or department you have no peers at work. Trainings provide peers, and peers provide the opportunity to gauge. Trainings are like baseball's batting averages: they allow the participants to estimate how they stack up against others who do what they do. Knowing where you stack up against others helps determine your compensation value, your agenda for further development, and your prospects for promotion and career advancement. Noticing what others have achieved becomes an assurance and encouragement that it can be done!
Reason #4: networking
It is so useful to be able to pick up the phone, call a person and get an answer that otherwise might have taken hours or days to figure out. Contacts make the executive leader's life so much easier! They also make the executive leader so much more valuable! This is such an important factor for companies that many CEO's are recruited because of their contacts. The accumulation of your contacts makes you (and them) valuable!
Reason#5: it's fun and you deserve it!
Enjoyment of what you do is a great burnout preventer! You work hard. The opportunity to become even better at what you do is part of the justly-earned reward. Go for it!
Come join Ted Knight and myself for one of our Executive Leadership Training opportunities!
North Carolina May 5-6 and 8-9 Michigan June 16-17 and 19-20
Tennessee July 17-18 and 21-22 Minnesota Aug. 25-26 and 28-29
Las Vegas Oct. 9-10 Tulsa, Okla. Oct 13-14
Las Vegas Nov. 6-7 Las Vegas Nov. 11-12
del.icio.us · digg this · spurl · reddit · furl this
