What do you usually expect when attending training courses or seminars? Do you expect to learn something or improve your skills? Or do you attend for the sake of obtaining a certification?
I am not discounting the benefit of obtaining a certificate because it has various purposes – mostly to the career growth of the person who obtained it. However, there are times when the participant neglects the main purpose of the training course or seminar. The main purpose is to educate or provide further learning and skills. I have encountered many professionals who just join a training course or workshop because it is mandatory or can give them additional credentials.
More than the benefit of obtaining a certification, our end goal when attending training or seminar should be learning and improving our skills. After all, such programs are created to help people grow.
Besides viewing training courses and seminars as tools that can help us improve or acquire new knowledge and skills than just a means to obtain a certification, we should also know how to make the most out of it. To use it fully to our advantage, we should consider the following before joining any training course:
- Make sure you do not have the I-already-know-that syndrome. One of the reasons why some people do not take training programs or seminars seriously is that they think that they already know about the topics covered in those events. However, hearing or encountering such concepts or information in the past is not enough, especially if you have not applied those to make yourself and your work better. For example, knowing the information that exercising daily is best for your body does not lead you to have a healthy body unless you do it. Having this kind of mindset hinders you from getting the most out of a learning opportunity. My advice is to have an open mind, empty your cup, and develop a growth mindset before joining a training course.
- Identify your challenges in your business, career, or life. Seminar hopping for me is really not advisable, especially if you are investing money in it. Ensure that you know what you need or what you want to improve on before investing time and resources into it. Therefore, before attending any training course or seminar, assess yourself and identify your current challenges or the areas you need to improve.
- Know the topics or lessons you will learn. After identifying your challenges or the areas you want improvement on, choose the training courses that will help you meet those needs by identifying the training topic. Take time to do enough research about the training program and ask questions for more clarifications for your peace of mind.
- Make sure you are trainable/coachable. You have to know that a trainer or teacher can only provide you with the necessary knowledge needed to improve your skills. If there is no willingness on your part to learn, there will be no change no matter how hard the trainer or coach tries. Be ready to learn, relearn, unlearn, and be pushed. Learn to trust the process.
Being a trainer for a few years now, I have met many people who have a misplaced view of training courses or seminars. I put this out there in the hopes of helping others to have a changed mindset. Use training courses or seminars as a tool to grow wholly.
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