Training goals are important for you and your participants. There are several reasons to set clear goals and integrate the goal-setting as a task for the participants into the training. With your training goals, you as a trainer or coach can determine what will be addressed in your training. These training goals convey to your participants what is expected of them and they get a clear picture of where the journey in your training is heading.
Superordinate training goals, specific goals, and tasks
Training goals are better implemented when these goals are subdivided into superordinate and specific goals. The superordinate goals describe the training goal in general (for example, the goal: “Improve knowledge management”). Now the question arises for you as to how you want to design your training for your participants so that this goal is achieved after the training ends. Composed of several specific goals, they form the overarching training goal. The tasks for your participants are derived from these specific goals.
With the help of these tasks, you develop the corresponding skills of your participants. When you set these tasks, make sure that they are SMART goals. So specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Clear training goals are a great help for your participants. Participants know your training goal, they understand what tasks will be coming their way during the training and how the skills will be developed.
If the training content and the goal achievement are relevant and valuable, then the participants will be motivated to work on the tasks. Often, clients require an evaluation of the training. These specific training goals are ideal criteria for evaluation. For example, you can report on the results of your quizzes at the learning level and indicate at the behavioral level which tasks your participants have completed.
Engaging participants: Goal setting as a task in training
Goal setting is a crucial component for the transfer of training after the training. To support the transfer, it is helpful to incorporate goal setting as training content. It is ideal if you have your participants formulate their own development goals in development tasks.
Questions of this kind can be content of the development task:
What skills do I want to develop during training and the subsequent application phase?
Do I want to expand my knowledge on a particular topic?
Do I want to regularly apply a skill?
How will I ensure that I implement this goal even after the training?
What action intention statements can I formulate for my tasks?
If you incorporate this task into your training, ensure that these goals are formulated by the participants as SMART goals. Studies on goal setting show that SMART goals are a good way to support the transfer of training. Furthermore, SMART goals should be linked with action intention statements to increase the likelihood of implementation (more information on "Implementation Intentions" by Peter Gollwitzer).
Why it is important to document goal achievement and support it in the long term
The first step is completed when the goals are set. So far, so good, because this step is easy for most people. The challenge lies in consistently implementing the goals. To do this, we need to understand how our brains work:
Our brains love rewards. And they want them now, not later.
Starting is difficult for us because we have to bridge the gap between intention and action (intention-action gap).
If we have little self-control (e.g., after a stressful day), it is harder to turn intentions into actions.
Uncertainty holds us back. We don’t know if our investment (effort, time etc.) will pay off. The current state gives us security. The future lacks vision.
Various tools can be used to support the long-term implementation of the goals. Changes are only noticeable after a longer period. However, since humans are great fans of short-term rewards, a conflict arises. If you can manage to make documentation a rewarding event, you reinforce the documentation behavior. A positive cycle emerges:
The goal for the day is achieved.
One is happy to mark a cross in the calendar.
After a week, one looks at the calendar and is pleased with several crosses.
After the first repetitions, the first effects become noticeable.
Motivation additionally increases.
After many iterations, habits form.
Show your participants simple ways to start documentation. Emphasize that it is better to start with one goal. Even the non-achievement of the goal should be documented. The more regularly documentation is done, the faster it becomes a habit.
In the second part of this article series, I will introduce you to various tools for your participants. These tools will support your participants in implementing their goals. These include, for example, a pencil and a simple notepad, various smartphone apps, and your online support.
