I’ve built a stellar team that has degrees and portfolios and awards filling reams of resume pages. I’ve interviewed newbies who come with truckloads of certificates, certifications and diplomas that cover all the letters of the alphabet. I’ve got the skill sets, capabilities and prerequisites to run this tight shop to perfection. Truly I think I’ve arrived.

And then someone from my team, does some navel-gazing and meekly suggests the need for training. Choking over my morning cuppa joe I splutter, “WHAT???!!!”

Haven’t they learnt anything in school? College? Business school? Previous job?

Seriously, I think, is this my responsibility? Do they really need it? Do I really need this? And now?

In my mind, even as a creative person, the timesheet waves menacingly at me like an angry red banner and I see precious productive hours (read that as a proactive idea left undone) spent in a training (draining, I think) room. Clearly this is not what I planned for the organisation’s bottomline. Training is important? It’s expensive, don’t you think? I’d think so. And I did.

Till time proved me wrong. Experience proved me – wronger (there is such a word, fellow writers – I just made it!)

And here’s what seniors need to know.

Experience has proved that training can help pay for itself, if not compound the returns on investment. Specially because it is investment, not just in learning but investment in people. And talking about investment, remember your dividends will come from the topline. Which will in turn look after the bottomline.

Of course, the bonus you get is not just an intellectual benefit but emotionally-vested teams as well.  And that’s quick training in profitability!

Need to talk more about training in communications, cross culture or customer experience? Drop an email on vaishakhi@abacusyellow.com and we can talk.