InteSoul Leadership by Yvette C. Owens

Episode Overview

InterSoul Leadership host Yvette welcomes training strategist Dr. Carrie Graham to discuss the critical mistake many leaders make when they cut training budgets during tough times. The conversation reveals how eliminating training and development sends a clear message to employees that they're not worth investing in, creating trust issues and disengagement. Dr. Graham emphasizes the importance of developing comprehensive training strategies that focus on the audience first, not just content delivery. The discussion covers how to leverage existing talent, create mentorship programs, and build leadership pipelines that empower employees at all levels. They explore practical approaches to professional development plans that don't break the budget, including using senior employees as knowledge sharers and creating cross-generational learning opportunities. The episode highlights how strategic training and development directly impacts organizational change management, employee retention, and long-term business success.

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Listen Here > https://intesoulleadership.podbean.com/e/the-cost-of-cutting-training-budgets/​

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10 Key Points:

1. Cutting training budgets sends a message that employees aren't worth investing in
2. Strategic training should start with understanding your audience, not just content
3. Successful change management requires comprehensive training and communication strategies
4. Organizations often invest in technology and systems but neglect the human element
5. Training strategy should focus on behavior changes, not just knowledge transfer
6. Senior employees are valuable resources for knowledge sharing and mentoring
7. Leadership skills training should begin when employees first join, not when promoted
8. Cross-generational learning creates innovation through diverse perspectives
9. Training audits help identify gaps and opportunities for strategic improvement
10. Sustainable training programs can be cost-effective through internal resource utilization

10 Takeaways/Action Items:

1. Conduct a training alignment audit to identify current gaps and opportunities
2. Develop a comprehensive training strategy that includes audience analysis
3. Create knowledge capture programs for senior employees before they retire
4. Establish mentorship programs connecting experienced and newer employees
5. Build leadership development pipelines starting from employee onboarding
6. Design training programs that encourage peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing
7. Integrate training strategy with change management initiatives
8. Focus training on desired behavior changes, not just information delivery
9. Use internal expertise alongside external trainers for cost-effective solutions
10. Regularly assess and adjust training programs based on organizational needs and feedback

Key Insights:

‍Dr. Graham emphasizes that effective training strategy must prioritize understanding the learner's background, experience, and perspective rather than focusing solely on content delivery. She advocates for leveraging internal talent and creating cross-generational learning opportunities that not only reduce costs but also build stronger organizational culture and knowledge retention.

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Resources‍

Listen Here > https://intesoulleadership.podbean.com/e/the-cost-of-cutting-training-budgets/​

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