Developing Training Programs for Clients

I was just 23 and lacked experience. So how did I create a training program worth $1 million? My secret was working backward. I was the training supervisor for a call center. My task was to create a sales training program to help our customer service reps increase upselling. Most trainers work forward on projects like this: 1. Create content 2. Hope it gets used 3. Imagine it will lead to some result It's all very squishy. Working backward is more concrete. It focuses on the business goal and analyzes what it will take to get there. 1. Identify the business goal 2. Analyze what it takes to achieve it 3. Design specific training to close the gap Here's what that looked like for my upsell project: The business goal was a sales target. From there, I had to analyze what our customer service reps were doing (or not doing) that prevented us from selling more. I poured over the performance data. Then, I spent time with our top reps, our low-performing reps, and a few reps in the middle. This analysis allowed me to design a simple training program that targeted the reps' specific needs. It was just 30 minutes long, and was supported with tools and job aids that made it easier for reps to make sales. The customer service team did great! Our upsell program generated over $1 million in annual revenue. My training program wasn't cutting-edge. It didn't incorporate the latest learning theories or technology. It was actually pretty basic. It got results because I designed it by working backward.

Interesting paper to stick your teeth into if you're an L&D, concerned with learning transfer. 💡 The authors reviewed 71 studies to build the so-called COMPASS model, which combines two well-established models: The COM-B model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation = Behaviour) And Baldwin & Ford's training transfer framework. In a nutshell: The COMPASS model focuses on three key components that influence soft skills transfer: 1️⃣ Trainee characteristics (e.g. prior experience, motivation, and self-efficacy) 2️⃣ Training features (e.g. content relevance, design, delivery, and support) 3️⃣ Work environment (e.g. manager support, team norms, and org culture) The research identified 69 factors influencing behaviour transfer. 🟢 The ones with favourable evidence of impact: On-the-job training Relevance of training Time-spaced training Micro-learning Pre-training materials Training assessment Trainer effectiveness/credibility Multiple instructional methods Use of technology Workshops Goal-setting Mentoring/coaching/supervision 🔵 The ones with emerging evidence of impact: Community of practice Personalization Variability and increasing complexity Facilitation or assistance Feedback Group assignment Observation of others Reflection Role play Lots to chew on, and Sejaal Tilwani made a little overview, including some practice recommendations, in the latest Learning Brief Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eMrniWs6

Your sales managers are drowning in data—but starving for clarity. I was on a call last week with a VP of Sales who showed me his dashboard. 47 different metrics. I asked him : "Which number, if it moved 20% this month, would change everything?" Silence. Here's what I see happening: Leaders know *something* is off. Pipeline isn't converting. Reps are busy but not productive. Deals are slipping. But they can't pinpoint the actual behavior or skill gap that's causing it. Here's how to actually diagnose what's broken (and fix it fast): —— Step 1: Pick ONE North-Star Metric Not 10. Not 5. One. What's the single number that, if improved, would cascade into revenue growth this quarter? Could be: → Connect rate → Discovery-to-demo conversion → Demo-to-proposal rate → Close rate Pick the constraint. Ignore the rest for now. —— Step 2: Work Backward to the Behaviors Metrics don't move themselves. Behaviors move metrics. Ask: What are the 3–5 specific actions that directly influence this number? Example—if your North-Star is close rate: • Multi-threading (are reps building champion + EB relationships?) • Next-step clarity (is every call ending with a concrete commitment?) • Objection handling (are reps folding on pricing or timeline pushback?) Now you have a target. You know exactly what behaviors to inspect and improve. —— Step 3: Inspect the Work, Not Just the Outcome Most managers live in lagging indicators. They see the deal lost, the pipeline gap, the missed forecast—after it's too late. Top leaders inspect leading behaviors weekly: → Listen to 2–3 discovery calls per rep. Score them on your behavior checklist. → Review pipeline hygiene: Are next steps clear? Are close dates realistic? → Check activity quality: Are reps reaching the right people, or just burning through volume? You'll spot the gap in week one. You can course-correct in week two. —— Step 4: Use BIPSY to Diagnose the Root Cause When a behavior isn't happening, most managers assume it's a skill problem and throw training at it. But the issue might be: B – Behavior: They don't know they should be doing it. I – Issue Diagnosis: We don't know the CAUSE of the problem. P – Process: There's no clear standard or it's not reinforced. S – Skill: They know what to do but can't execute it well. Y – You (Impact): YOU as the leader aren't doing the right things. Diagnose correctly, and your fix is 10x faster. Don't guess. Diagnose. —— Step 5: Coach the Behavior Until It Sticks One conversation won't change anything. Great managers build a weekly rhythm: Monday: Inspect the work (calls, pipeline, activity). Tuesday–Thursday: Coach the gap in 1:1s with real examples. Friday: Measure early proof (did the behavior improve?). Rinse and repeat. This is system force, not brute force. The Bottom Line: Your team doesn't need more dashboards, more meetings, or more motivation. They need clarity and specific actions.

Im facilitating a “Building Trust” Workshop for an Executive Team this week. Here’s how I prepare: 📌I am using my proprietary framework, but customizing for the company Leadership development material is either too custom or too generic. This hybrid model provides a foundation that clients can trust with the nuance needed for their specific situation. (And as the company delivering, it allows you to NOT reinvent the wheel + scale) 📌Provide prep work Giving a little bit of work for the team to do prior to the workshop provides more context and gets every participant excited/thinking about the topic at hand. 📌Include activities that keep all learning styles engaged I include exercises that help: - auditory learners - visual learners - kinesthetic learners - strengthen team bonds - make it fun and not like a boring lecture 📌Create lots of space for discussion. The best workshops are those where you can - you guessed it - WORKSHOP through real examples. 📌Have deliverables and practical next steps Too many L&D providers give open ended/one-way content. Instead, we want every team member to come away with one practical thing they can do tomorrow. 📌 Ask, “What was your biggest takeaway” Not only is this good market research for our company, it’s helpful for participants to reflect on WHY XYZ thing was their biggest takeaway. Which one of these is most interesting? —- P. S. In addition to our outplacement, we provide customizable, actionable leadership development training for teams of all sizes. 😉

Leading change isn't just about having a compelling vision or a well-crafted strategy. Through my years as a transformation leader, I've discovered that the most challenging aspect lies in understanding and addressing the human elements that often go unnoticed. The fundamental mistake many leaders make is assuming people resist change itself. People don't resist change - they resist loss. Research shows that the pain of losing something is twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining something new. This insight completely transforms how we should approach change management. When implementing change, we must recognize five core types of loss that drive resistance. * First, there's the loss of safety and security - our basic need for predictability and stability. * Second, we face the potential loss of freedom and autonomy - our ability to control our circumstances.  * Third, there's the fear of losing status and recognition - particularly relevant in organizational hierarchies.  * Fourth, we confront the possible loss of belonging and connection - our vital social bonds. * Finally, there's the concern about fairness and justice - our fundamental need for equitable treatment. What makes these losses particularly challenging is their connection to identity.  When change threatens these aspects of our work life, it doesn't just challenge our routines and who we think we are. This is why seemingly simple changes can trigger such profound resistance. As leaders, our role must evolve. We need to be both champions of change and anchors of stability.  Research shows that people are four times more likely to accept change when they clearly understand what will remain constant. This insight should fundamentally shift our approach to change communication. The path forward requires a more nuanced approach. We must acknowledge losses openly, create space for processing transition and highlight what remains stable. Most importantly, we need to help our teams maintain their sense of identity while embracing new possibilities. In my experience, the most successful transformations occur when leaders understand these hidden dynamics. We must also honour the present and past. This means creating an environment where both loss and possibility can coexist. The key is to approach resistance with curiosity rather than frustration. When we encounter pushback, it's often signaling important concerns that need addressing. By listening to this wisdom and addressing the underlying losses, we can build stronger foundations for change. These insights become even more crucial as we navigate an increasingly dynamic business environment. The future belongs to leaders who can balance the drive for transformation with the human need for stability and meaning. True transformation isn't just about changing what we do - it's about evolving who we are while honouring who we've been. #leadership #leadwithrajeev

Not all soft skills training is created equal. A few months ago, I was working with a group of managers from a large manufacturing company. They had been through plenty of training programs before- the kind where you take notes and then go right back to doing things the old way. When I walked into the room, I could see it in their faces: Let’s see if this is any different. So instead of starting with slides or theory, I took them straight into a live simulation: - A crisis scenario that could actually happen in their business. - Conflicting priorities, tough personalities, and limited time to decide. - Every move they made in real time had visible consequences. To begin with, I saw a lot of resistance in experimentation, voices which were not too loud and over powering were ignored leading to loss of critical information- the room was tense. People hesitated. Some stuck to their usual patterns. But as it got deeper, they started communicating much more effectively, this led to them collaborating, noticing blind spots, and eventually testing new ways to lead. By the end, they weren’t asking- Will this work? They said that they wanted to cascade it to their teams. Weeks later, I got an email from one of the managers. He told me he used the exact process from our simulation to navigate a real customer crisis and not only avoided a major fallout, but actually strengthened the client relationship through this crisis. That’s the difference between training that’s forgotten by the time you’re back at your desk, and training that rewires how you think, act, and lead. The secret? Immersion. When participants practice real scenarios, solve actual challenges, and see the impact of their decisions in the room, learning sticks. Priya Arora #immersivelearning #trainingdesign #employeeengagement #learningthatsticks #corporatelearning #leadershipdevelopment #upskilling #skillbuilding #workplacetraining #experientiallearning #Learningdeisgn #corporatetrainer #softskillstrainer #simulation #experintialtraining

They were hemorrhaging money on digital tools their managers refused to use. The situation: A retail giant in the diamond industry with post-COVID digital sales tools sitting unused. Store managers resisting change. Market volatility crushing performance. Here's what every other company does: More training on features. Explaining benefits harder. Pushing adoption metrics. Here's what my client did instead: They ignored the technology completely. Instead, they trained 200+ managers on something nobody else was teaching; how to fall in love with change itself. For 8 months, we didn't focus on the digital tools once. We taught them Change Enthusiasm®, how to see disruption as opportunity, resistance as data, and overwhelm as information. We certified managers in emotional processing, not technical skills. The results were staggering: → 30% increase in digital adoption (without a single tech training session) →  2X ROI boost for those who embraced the mindset →  25% sales uplift in stores with certified managers →  96% of participants improved business outcomes Here's the breakthrough insight: People don't resist technology. They resist change. Fix the relationship with change, and adoption becomes automatic. While competitors were fighting symptoms, this company cured the disease. The secret wasn't better technology training, it was better humans. When managers learned to thrive through change, they stopped seeing digital tools as threats and started seeing them as allies. Most companies are solving the wrong problem. They're trying to make people adopt technology. We help people embrace transformation. The results speak for themselves. What would happen if you stopped training on tools and started training on change? ♻️ Share if you believe the future belongs to change-ready organizations 🔔 Follow for insights on making transformation inevitable, not optional

Be it private or government sector, capacity building is a decisive factor in increasing efficiency. Believe me, it's less about knowledge and more about accuracy, clarity, and strategy. The general struggle is - How to decide what works? So, I am sharing a tested and tried framework for you: 1. Confirm your content with Policies and Law Officials work within strict policies and the law. Ensure your training aligns with relevant laws, policies, and administrative guidelines to make the content factually correct and actionable. But don't hesitate to raise deep critical questions on the framework, if possible. 2. Use Real-Life Scenarios Employees face at-the-work challenges. Incorporate real-life case studies and scenarios to provide context and practical application of the content, enhancing attention retention. And make sure it covers the darker side of their working condition too. 3. Keep it Outcome-Oriented Focus on the desired outcomes and how the training will help them achieve their official goals. Be clear about the key takeaways and how it ties to their performance metrics or departmental objectives. Must conduct a quantitative survey at the end of the day or whenever deemed fit. 4. Simplify Complex Information Work procedures and policies can be complex. Simplify jargon-heavy content and legal terminologies with clear explanations, visuals, and examples to enhance understanding. Humans LOVE to understand things without having to memorise something. 5. Engage with Interactive Learning Use interactive methods such as group discussions, role-playing, and scenario-based simulations to encourage active participation. This keeps functionaries engaged and improves learning outcomes. This adds a lot of fun and increases the reflection speed. People get the opportunity to reflect while living their daily life situation. 6. Provide Actionable Tools and Templates Give participants ready-to-use tools like templates, checklists, and guidelines that they can immediately apply to their daily work, ensuring the practical utility of the training. This is a must. This becomes the real takeaway and can be transformative. 7. Make Space for Local Context Customize content to the regional and local realities that employees work within. Address specific challenges like local resource constraints, governance issues, or community dynamics. Allowing space for contradictions is a critical success factor here. 8. Build Awareness Around Change Management Humans are often slow to change. Train participants on how to handle resistance to new processes, systems, or policies. Emphasize how they can influence change within their system. Tables get turned and they change faster. 9. Inspire confidence in participants Officials are not classroom children and you can't control their thoughts. You can just influence them or maintain the decorum. But primarily, they must feel welcomed and have confidence in you! #CapacityBuilding #Effeciency #Governance

Why Reflection Matters: Transforming Training Into Real Impact. A fast-growing IT services firm, Once rolled out a shiny new upskilling program on cloud computing. The modules were world-class videos, simulations, even gamified labs. The leadership team was excited. The L&D dashboards looked promising. But after the first month… the numbers told a different story. Only 27% of employees had completed even the first module. Engagement was dropping fast. It wasn’t the content. It wasn’t the tech. It was the missing mirror. 🪞 Employees were quietly wondering: 👉 “How will this help me in my current client project?” 👉 “Does this certification make me more billable, or is it just another checkbox?” 👉 “Is this skill really tied to my career growth?” Without those answers, even the best-designed modules felt like hats in a store beautiful, but untouched, because no one could see themselves wearing them. So we added mirrors into the experience: ✅ Reflection prompts inside each module: “Where could you apply this in your current project?” ✅ Career pathways that mapped cloud skills to internal role growth. ✅ Success stories from employees who had already leveraged the training to move into bigger client opportunities. And suddenly, the numbers shifted. 📈 Within the next quarter, completion rates doubled, and project managers began requesting cloud-certified talent for client-facing roles. Learners didn’t just “consume content.” They saw themselves in the learning. They saw career growth. They saw opportunities. They saw a future. Don’t design learning without mirrors. Because in corporate learning, just like in a hat shop, no one picks something up until they can see themselves in it. #learningwithhiral #learningexperiencedesign #learningmatters #microlearning #learningeveryady

Most training programs create excitement. Very few create measurable business impact. A few months ago, I worked with an organization that had a very specific challenge. Their frontline teams were attending workshops, feeling motivated, taking notes but when it came to actual performance on the field, their sales conversion was very low. Great energy. Poor execution. Something was missing. So before designing the learning intervention, I asked one simple question: “What’s the real context in which your people operate daily?” Not the role. Not the job description. Not the competencies. The context. What pressures do they face? What conversations are toughest? Where do deals collapse? Who influences decisions? What behaviours matter most on the ground? The organization opened up. We mapped real scenarios. We shadowed calls. We watched interactions. We decoded customer psychology. We understood the reality behind the numbers. Only then did we build the training journey. Not generic content. Not textbook concepts. Not motivational theory. But a program designed exactly around their on-ground realities. The impact. Over the next eight weeks, something changed. Sales conversations became sharper. Objections were handled with more confidence. Teams spoke value, not price. Managers reinforced learning consistently. The conversion saw a huge jump and this was created not by more training, but by the right training. The lesson is simple: Content informs. Context transforms. Workshops don’t create results. Relevance does. When learning mirrors the real world, people don’t just listen they apply. When they apply, organizations grow. What’s one area in your team where you feel content is high but context is missing? If your organization wants training that delivers real, measurable outcomes let’s talk.