Our observation is that owners and managers no longer want training. They want results! The last thing they want is entertainment posing as training. In fact, we have emails from owners asking about our training and results. They specifically say, “Please. No entertainment!”
During the great recession, I attended a training session at a mid-sized company. The trainer was an incredible entertainer and had the sales associates rolling in the aisles with laughter. They loved it. I watched the owner’s face. He hated it. I visited with him at the break, and he said, “We are in the toughest market of our careers. I’m facing $1 million a month in overhead. The trainer is cracking jokes and playing videos. Right now, my people need skills and results.” In our view, training can be entertaining, but the first priority is results.