Michigan

A Business Case for Training

Congratulations! You've taken the initiative, done the research and discovered the right training opportunity for yourself or your team. Now you have to convince your director, VP or owner to approve the funding. Here are some tips for creating a strong business case that establishes the return on investment needed to approve the expenditure.

1. Strategic Alignment - do you know your company's initiatives, your department goals, or your own individual targets? If not, this is the first conversation that should take place. Discover how you and your team fit into the big picture.

2. Needs Assessment - do you or does your team have the skills and tools necessary to contribute fully to the tasks at hand. This point holds many people back from obtaining the training they require. Do I admit to my boss that I don't know how to communicate effectively? I don't think so. However, saying that you believe that a higher level of communication is required to effectively lead your project team and gain cooperation from suppliers shows an understanding of the complexity of your objectives.

3. Qualifications and Prerequisites - have you prepared effectively for the training? Have you taken the in-house courses, spoken with experts within your company and read up on the topic so that you are fully prepared for the training you propose?

4. Time is Money - do you have an understanding of the time investment required? Will the training take place during working hours? Will it require your team to work extra hours? Will they be compensated for the time they spend in training? Is the training scheduled during the busy season or a typically slow time in your business year?

5. Create Synergy - Is the effect of training a team together greater than if you trained the same number of people separately? Consider the team building opportunities as well as the individual skill development.

6. Understanding Value - Have you determined the total cost of the training? Is there additional travel and meal cost involved? Do you get additional value from the training such as individual coaching from the instructor, before, during and after the training? Do you get any books, subscriptions or e-learning tools that reinforce the concepts that are taught in the course?

7. Results - Can the training organization prove their results? Does the training have a track record of success over time? A nice web-site may not be the best indication of their effectiveness. Are they accredited, endorsed and recommended by your trusted advisors? Have they provided high quality training to your company in the past? Is there a guarantee associated with the training program?

8. Accountability - does the training hold the participants accountable for applying what they have learned? Is there an evaluation process that measures the effectiveness of the training? Will there be follow up with the management team, individuals that evaluate progress and provide recommendations?

In summary, show your management team that you are conscientious about getting the most from your training budget. Your Dale Carnegie professional can help you understand the answers to all of the above questions with respect to any of our training programs.