Training: It's Everything I Learned... In Kindergarten
I remember kindergarten as a very scary time because our teacher would make us get up in front of the class and tell a story. How frightening! I hid in the corner never wanting to speak, especially in front of a classroom of people! Every morning outside of class, I hid behind my mother’s leg and clung to it before being pulled off, my fingers turning blue and her leg ending up with red marks from my nails digging in. I did not want to get up in front of the class and speak!
This continued throughout elementary school, junior high and into high school. This fear of speaking in front of people was absolutely terrifying. I would shake, my voice would quiver, my neck would turn all shades of red, my mind would go blank and then I’d forget what I was going to say. It was all over, just sit down Hanson.
I soon realized the most important skill I could learn was public speaking. In my freshman year of college I faced my fear and joined the speech team. Informational speaking, debate, poetry, prose, all in a competitive environment – I was terrible! I wouldn’t sleep the night before a competition and my stomach would churn. But over time it got a little easier, less indigestion, fewer shades of red… I had finally made it through an entire presentation without forgetting what I was going to say! A Miracle!
My first job out of college was working for ACA International, our trade association, installing and training on collection systems for collections agencies. Talk about a tough training job! I learned a lot about people and how they learn, about how you have to try different methods in order to help an adult learner to comprehend and be able to walk away with tools in their tool belt to help them become successful in the collection industry.
We have four different generations in the work force today – the Y generation, Gen-X, Baby Boomers and the Traditionalist. Each has a different learning style and motivations. Figuring out a good training program that encompasses the needs of all four generations is key today. For example, did you know the Y generation prefers to work in teams on projects? They learn by doing and using technology to speed things up. Did you know Gen-X likes to have lots of recognition during the learning process and also prefers hands on learning versus lecture? Baby Boomers like a combination of lecture then hands on follow-up, and Traditionalists like to learn from lecture and one-on-one personal training.
These are general statements, obviously everyone is different, but to understand your students and build a program around them and their needs is an important skill for every trainer. No longer is it one-size-fits-all, or in this case, one training class fits all. A key to developing a good training program is to incorporate all of these different styles so that everyone gets something they like.
As my mother texted me the evening I won ACA’s Instructor of the Year Award, “My shy little girl did it!” If I can do it, anyone can!
About State Collection Service, Inc.
Since 1949, State Collection Service has provided quality collection service to countless healthcare organizations.
Through experience and innovation, State Collection Service has grown to become a tremendously credible and nationally-recognized collection agency offering services from pre-registration to bad debt. It is upon the basis of ethical behavior and a dedication to integrity that each State Collection Service employee works to uphold the company’s vision – Partnerships for a Lifetime.
