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The Professional Trainer
Book

The Professional Trainer

A Comprehensive Guide to Planning, Delivering, and Evaluating Training Programs

Berrett-Koehler, 2005 more...

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

Training has become increasingly sophisticated over the past couple of decades. The bored instructor standing in front of a classroom lecturing 25 equally bored adults is nearly extinct. These days, innovation is zooming up the information highway and companies are trying to keep their people ahead of the curve. Consequently, training programs have become more important, finding competent trainers is crucial, and evaluating the learning experience and its results is a business imperative. Moreover, corporate leaders expect their training programs to deliver solid returns, paid in the form of measurable results. Just because employees complete a training program and come back to work doesn’t mean they can meet their jobs’ new challenges. Robert H. Vaughn may not transform you into a perfect trainer – that takes years of experience. But you’ll be lots wiser after reading this book, which getAbstract recommends to all kinds of trainers, from seasoned veterans to bright-eyed newcomers.

Summary

Training for the Future

The rapid evolution of technology in the business world has caused dramatic change in many areas, including training. Depending upon the organization or the need, companies use a wide range of individuals with varying degrees of expertise as trainers. Managers at many companies routinely expect their in-house computer experts to conduct classes on programming or to instruct employees who want to broaden their computer skills. Bosses frequently require midlevel managers, regardless of their lack of indoctrination as teachers, to train new employees, or to introduce and explain new developments and sales strategies to their colleagues. Customer service staffers spend most of their time helping customers – or co-workers – solve problems.

Before computers revolutionized commerce, training was not as crucial. Typically, experienced employees showed their co-workers the ropes and no one gave the process much thought. But today training is integral to business. Properly educating trainers and setting up high-quality training programs is vital. Modern trainers need skills in several areas, such as coaching, creating dynamic curricula and assessing the...

About the Author

Dr. Robert H. Vaughn, founder and president of a management services firm, has consulted or conducted training programs for nearly 100 organizations. He is the former dean of business at Lakeland Community College in Ohio.


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