High performance and effective teams don’t happen by accident. They’re a result of deliberate, calculated action. Committing time, energy and other resources is not optional. Strategy is necessary. Strategy is about creating a symphony of with the resources. One of the critical components for building the said teams is training. It is one of the most critical bricks in the foundation. Before looking at ways to train tech teams, here’s why structured training is important.
The Same
Most church tech training is hands on. Most learning is through people shadowing other you’ve been performing particular tasks and functions. Structured training is important it can help make sure everyone is trained the same. When people learn mostly through shadowing, for example, it is likely not all trainees get the same experience.
When training experiences and standards vary, inconsistency is likely to thrive.
Frame of Reference
You can’t hold anyone to a standard without a frame of reference. I need to state this: I’ve made an assumption that your structured training includes forms of documentation. Another reason why structured training is important is that a common frame of reference is created.
Expectations from teams and individuals should be in line with input they receive
You can’t expect out of teams what you never invested in them. Your team can’t be held to standards that aren’t clearly recorded and articulated. Training provides opportunity for this to happen.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Training makes standards and all that is acceptable – obvious. – @blessingmpofu” quote=”Training makes standards and all that is acceptable – obvious. “]
The Dots
Structured training (should) connect the dots. A systematic approach to equipping your team should help them understand how everything is connected. This is about doing all you can to make sure you and your team are as informed and equipped as possible.
Repeated / Replicable
When you standardize how you train people you make it something that is easily replicable. In time, it can mean that successful training is not dependent on an individual or select few. Whether you do it to refresh your current teams or induct newbies, you don’t want to plan afresh every time.
One of the reasons why structured training is important is the time it saves you. It is more efficient to embellish existing training material than starting from scratch every time you train.
When you train you teams well then you can have reasonable expectation on them.
Seriously
Volunteers are not always easy to get on board. Structured training emphasises the seriousness and importance of what you’re doing. When you’re (perceived as) disorganised, it is easy to chase away and discourage your recruits.
[clickToTweet tweet=”How you train people is a reflection of how you appreciate your mission. – @blessingmpofu” quote=”How you train people is a reflection of how you appreciate your mission.”]
The Obvious Point
All leaders and teams must be proactive to perform highly. Be deliberate; structure your training. Get your entire team on the same page through consistent training. Document what you do so that it gets easier every time you train.
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