Every once in a while I pause and wonder, “Is what I’m doing, really worth it?”
“Will there be people who really benefit from this training?”
“Are we all helping or hurting the process, by training?”
Then I step back a little further and get a look at the bigger picture and it hits me, “Yeah, what we are doing really does make a difference.” We can "do" because we know how. We learned how because someone taught us. We have been listening to teachers for a long time.
It may shock us to know that we are the teachers, anytime someone watches us and observes (mentally records) what we are doing. They decide if they want to imitate us and repeat the practices that we have demonstrated. That’s all training is, demonstrating by speech and action the process to correctly and efficiently achieve a goal. When the subject is understood by the participant and the proper methods are adopted, then great things start to happen!
It is very fulfilling to have accomplished a job, after building and executing a solid plan. The preparation to build a plan comes with exposure to proven methods, efficient techniques, proper usage of tools, minimum waste, and maximum energy at specific moments. Most of that preparation comes from good training!
Watching a person gravitate from “apprentice” to “journeyman” is encouraging. During an apprentice’s first days, we notice an unbridled enthusiasm, unwieldy efforts, a lack of coordination and focus. Often, simple tasks take tremendous time and tons of energy to finish at even a marginal level. With “quality” training, the apprentice begins to use the tools effectively, visualize the end product and minimize steps to get there. Production increases for two or three years then plateaus.
Then as the apprentice graduates to journeyman, he has a choice. He can decide that he’s topped out and there’s nothing of any more value to learn or, the journeyman decides to become a master of his profession. He does that by getting more training on even the smallest elements that affect the outcome of his work. He searches for better solutions and is never satisfied with “good enough”. He will hone his professional approach to such a level that he eventually becomes the “living example” for those around him. Dozens of journeymen benefit by his push for excellence. They get trained by picking up tricks of the trade. They see that short cuts can get a person hurt, and destroy a career in a moment of time. The good thing about training is that everyone benefits, fellow employees, the employer, the customers and the family of the person who spends a little extra time going that extra mile. Good training promotes good products and actions. We all benefit. Good training is good for all of us. Get some, and when you think you’re topped out, get more!
All the best to my crane and rigging friends,
Mike Parnell
President – ITI Field Services
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