For several years, I was mildly obsessed with HGTV, particularly the Property Brothers and other “fixer-upper” shows. As a long-time apartment dweller, I couldn’t directly apply any of the lessons learned from the shows, but I still wanted to gain that eye- the one that sees the beauty in 1970’s era carpeting and 1950’s pink bathrooms. While I still don’t always agree with the furniture choices, I have developed an appreciation for the bones of an home being more important than the paint color or the fixtures.
What does this have to do with training? Quite a bit, actually. Think about it, not many trainers come into a job with a totally blank slate. Often, we inherit a clunky system, an archaic organisational structure, or an odd or outdated LMS. It is our job to see the beautiful bones we are given, and look past the “paint” of the structure we are saddled with to the beautiful “open-concept great room” that will happen (if we take the time and care).
Another lesson to be learned is that no matter what timeline you estimate, you will be wrong. Projects that should take two days will take seven, and then, halfway through a module, it turns out that the project manager wants something completely different.
Much like the Property Brothers, it is our job to smile, nod, and get the job done right and quickly. While we may not get to be a talking head on a Canadian TV show, we can still improve the culture and abilities of those we train.
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