Identifying the “right” training and trainer goes beyond looking at topic and budget. Take time to consider how well they F.I.T what you need to help ensure success.

This is Part 3 of a series to help improve the success of staff training. If you want to catch up with previous posts, Part 1 explains why training alone is seldom enough to affect meaningful improvement in interpersonal skills for areas such as customer service, sales, business development, or supervisory skills. Part 2 outlines three questions to consider before you decide on training, which will give you a good basis for finding the training and trainer that F.I.T.

F.I.T. is short hand for flexible, insightful, and tactical; characteristics that will help you identify  three things you should factor in when you’re deciding on the best training and trainer for your needs.

F = Flexible: Does the trainer have the flexibility to adapt the program format and content to fit the needs of your business or organization?

• Can the content and / or format be customized if needed? 
• Is the trainer able to adapt her style and approach, if needed, for various segments of your staff? 

I = Insightful: Does the trainer have skills and experience that provide insight and credibility on the topic?

• What special insight and experiences does the trainer have in regard to the topic?
• How will she apply those skills to help improve the outcomes of training?

T = Tactical: Is the trainer able to offer a tactical approach to training?

• How will training content and approach help to manage the challenges and opportunities related to desired outcomes?
• Is the trainer able to recommend other components (before and after training) to help achieve  the desired changes? 

Whether or not you find a perfect match, taking a closer look at the F.I.T. is another important step in maximizing the outcomes of staff training. The 4th and final post in this series will provide an overview of some other components, before and after training, that can help ensure results.