Training that Inspires.

Most requests begin as “a training on XYZ,” but there is more to uncover. What do you want participants to be able to do after the training? How do you want their relationship with the team and leadership to grow?

So the first step is to identify what the project is and what the desired outcome is. We start with the minimum target and then set a plan to go beyond it. We name constraints early: timeline, budget, people, and content. Clarity is good, and it is also useful to note what is not yet clear so we can make smart choices. I work well with ambiguity as long as we agree on what is known and unknown.

I talk with sponsors and the audience to understand needs, barriers, and preferences. Every group is different, so I ask what would make the time worthwhile.

For example, a workplace culture series on feedback, growth goals, and trust, the team asked for more icebreakers that were unrelated to work to get to know their colleagues outside of work (yet not cheesy games!). That may seem counterintuitive, but in the end, those activities helped people connect, which made the tougher conversations easier.

This is where creative thinking meets the agreed framework. I apply adult learning strategies and shape a fresh experience that motivates, delights, and builds community. Core adult learning strategies are incorporated, such as immediate application, space to share experiences, and intentional community-building moments.

I then share a pitch to confirm what I heard from step 2 and if the design is appropriate.

With the main concept approved, I think of all the different contexts and circumstances it may be used in. If a training is built too tightly, it only works once. I refine the design for flexibility so it scales across locations, technology setups, group sizes, and content variations. I plan for unexpected changes - from a new location to new timelines, so facilitators are ready for anything.

For instance, I favor modular one-hour segments that stand on their own. A three-hour workshop becomes three complete arcs that can be mixed and matched to create new sequences or be used in different formats.

I translate the idea into concrete pieces. A slide deck is not enough. The package can include reminder emails, surveys, timelines, a host-site checklist and questions, logistics, and more. I figure out where and when it happens, who is involved, and what success looks like to measure it.

With drafts in place, I review the entire experience from the participant’s point of view. Where might someone get lost, and where are they hooked?

I keep what moves the learning forward and reshape or cut what does not. The goal is cohesion and a consistent level of quality.

Strong strategy deserves strong design. Visual quality sets expectations at first glance. Branding ties materials together, and anywhere content feels like an information dump, I replace it with well-crafted media.

Materials only help if they are easy to find and use. I streamline content so it works across formats, automate where it saves time, and create systems where updates happen in one place. This makes the training scalable and transferable.

At Great Hearts, I organized several large, multi-day trainings and onboarding events. I created a core document for each, one being “New Faculty Orientation in a Box,” that wove resources together for quick navigation. That structure led to a training sequence with a 97% approval rating and was still in use years later because it could evolve without starting from scratch.

Feedback checks begin with the concept and continue through build and delivery. Regular checks with SMEs, stakeholders, and the audience keep the work grounded and relevant.

Finally - deliver the training! When the prep is solid, this becomes the best part. It is a celebration of the work and a chance to be fully present with the people I am serving. We focus on the experience together.

My love of training comes across to my participants. At my last training series on a technical topic, one survey said, “Thank you for being the "hostess with the mostest"! Good energy, this is not an easy thing to bring alive. Good pacing.”

Did the training work? While everything is fresh, assess outcomes, review surveys, capture improvements, prioritize quick updates, and implement them so the next cohort benefits. Capture the larger items with owners and dates so they do not drift.

During the Tour It and Place-Based Learning Training series, I closed each day with a short survey. Before the next session, I reviewed feedback and adjusted. If a topic raised many questions, I folded it in. If a group asked for more breakouts, I customized the agenda. Participants noticed.

Before archiving, make the planned updates or record clear next steps with owners and dates. Trainings produce new files and comments. This is the moment to bring everything back into the structure so it is ready for the next run.

Also, I take time to celebrate! Share quick wins, thank collaborators, and name the next step. Recognition builds momentum for the next cycle.