Saturday, April 14, 2007

Training Conversation

Them: We want you to conduct some harassment prevention training for our workforce.


Trainer: Well, my basic class is 3 1/2 hours long and uses case examples to....


Them: Hold on. That's way too long for our group. Our people have very tight schedules. We need a shorter version.


Trainer: How much time do you have in mind?


Them: Oh, say 30 to 40 minutes.


Trainer: I really can't do justice to the subject in that time period. Aside from the legal danger zones, there are communication issues to cover and it's important to have case discussions so people can see different perspectives.


Them: We can appreciate that but our CEO wants our employees to get harassment prevention training and he specified that it be no longer than 30 to 40 minutes.


Trainer: Has your CEO ever taught this class?


Them: No.


Trainer: Is your CEO going to attend the class?


Them: He plans on saying a few words at the beginning about how important it is, then he'll leave. He figures he's already picked up the lessons over the years.


Trainer: Will the rest of the executive team be in any of the sessions?


Them: They're all really busy. A few might stop by but don't count on it.


Trainer: Do you have any concerns that shortening the class may harm its effectiveness?


Them: We do, but it is important to be able to say that we had it.


Trainer: Is it more important to be able to say that people have been trained than to have a class that they will remember?


Them: We hate to say so, but it probably is.


Trainer: I think you may have a bigger problem than the length of harassment prevention training.

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