How can you encourage reluctant team members to participate in leadership training?

Having a chat to understand what leadership is and is not for them is key. Then, understanding what kind of leadership skills they already have. So often people avoid training because of some very outdated directive leadership typologies - which less face it, would make most of us want to avoid!

Podemos apoyarnos en una parte del modelo de hábitos de BJ. Fogg. La formación de un nuevo comportamiento tiene 3 elementos: 1) Motivación: ¿Quiere hacer? 2) Señal: ¿Sabe cuando hacer? 3) Habilidad: ¿Puede hacer? En este caso solo comentaré los referente a la habilidad. Imagina que un colaborador se muestra reacio al entrenamiento. En principio podrías pensar que es falta de motivación, puede ser aunque no siempre. Los elementos que componen la habilidad son 5: Tiempo, dinero, energía, física, energía mental y rutina. Con base en esto, hacemos un checklist de las posibles barreras reales. Aquí nos preguntamos si la reticencia es falta de uno o varios de los 5 elementos. Lo referente a motivación y señal tienen sus propios detalles también.

Through out my life I recall looking around first to see if someone else seizing the opportunity and would speak up or answer a question asked by the presenter. I learned later on as I missed many opportunities to give my perspective or to share my knowledge with others. So, I learned in leadership trainings to take the opportunity and jump at the chance to share best practices or what works and what not. Leadership is not about waiting for someone else to take that step. It starts with you.

The initial step in motivating hesitant team members to engage in leadership training is to discern the reasons for their reluctance. Various barriers may exist, including limited time, confidence, motivation, or support. Utilize surveys, interviews, or focus groups to collect feedback from your team, pinpointing common and individual challenges they encounter. By understanding their concerns, you can customize your approach, addressing their needs more effectively and fostering an environment conducive to their professional development.

Use the "Barrier Insight Approach": Gather feedback directly: Conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups to understand the specific reasons behind team members' reluctance toward leadership training. Identify common obstacles: Look for patterns, such as time constraints, lack of confidence, or limited motivation, that may be holding back multiple team members. Address individual concerns: Tailor your strategy to support each person’s unique needs, whether through flexible scheduling, additional resources, or encouragement. This approach helps you tackle hesitation effectively by aligning solutions with the root causes, fostering a more welcoming environment for growth.

Um eine tiefergehende Wirkung zu erzielen, sollten Führungstrainings verstärkt Module zur Selbstkenntnis und Selbstreflexion beinhalten, die Führungskräfte dazu anregen, ihre eigenen Werte und Motivationen zu erkunden.

Identify barriers by discussing concerns with reluctant team members to understand their hesitations. Common barriers might include perceived irrelevance, lack of time, or fear of failure. Address these issues directly to tailor the training and make it more appealing and relevant to their needs.

Antes de comunicar los beneficios primero hay que hablar de los problemas existentes que pueden empeorar sino tomamos acción a través del entrenamiento. Es muy útil apoyarse en la estructura del elevator pitch para comunicar cualquier tipo de iniciativa de cambio. El comenzar hablando de buenas a primeras solo de los beneficios genera confusión. Un abuena forma de estructurar tu mensaje es la siguiente: 1) Habla del problema que estamos teniendo o que podemos tener. 2) Oportunidad: Habla de la oportunidad que tenemos al solucionar el problema (aquí los beneficios) 3) Solución: Aquí hablas del entrenamiento en si, los detalles del cómo. 4) Pedir: Solicitar la participación activa de todos. SI lo haces así, el 4to paso es más fácil.

The first step in the process should be to find out what exactly are the staff members goals and ensure that the training will help them to achieve those goals. Then outline this clearly to the staff member. This is usually enough to motivate people.

I believe that authentically valuing every member as the core premise builds workplace culture that promotes growth and enrichment. How do leaders cultivate such conditions? A few thoughts in brief... 1. Value the unique contributions of each individual through our actions. 2. Create and hold truly inclusive diverse respectful spaces for each member to contribute. 3. Genuinely align messaging with vested action. 4. Live our spoken values that reflect their worth by celebrating their strengths, contributions, and uniqueness. 5. Explore their interests and strengths while guiding them through aspirations bridged to opportunities. 6. Cast vision with enthusiasm and confidence. 7. Embrace mutual learning. 8. Instill hope. 9. Have fun!

Use the "Benefit Alignment Strategy": Showcase real-world examples: Share testimonials, case studies, or success stories that illustrate how leadership training has positively impacted others in similar roles. Highlight personal and team gains: Emphasize how training can boost individual performance, unlock potential, and contribute to overall team success. Connect to personal goals: Relate the training to each team member’s unique interests, career aspirations, and development goals, demonstrating alignment with their growth path. This strategy makes the benefits of leadership training relatable and motivating, encouraging greater buy-in and enthusiasm for participation.

So I focus on leadership in adult working environments. This means most people see badges and certificates (without certifications) as naff. Encouragement is linked to personal insights, enhanced awareness and a deeper sense of confidence to step outside their leadership styles. This means public recognition for those who want (or need) it and confidential positive feedback for those who prefer it that way. But ultimately, affording the opportunity to flex leadership skills and increase personal and financial success is the ultimate reward.

Use the "Motivation and Recognition Boost" approach: Offer tangible rewards: Provide incentives like bonuses, certificates, or badges to recognize completion or milestones in the training journey. Acknowledge achievements publicly: Celebrate participants' progress in newsletters, team meetings, or on social platforms, giving them a sense of accomplishment and visibility. Provide continuous positive feedback: Regularly encourage and commend their efforts, reinforcing the value of their commitment. This approach enhances motivation and engagement, making the training experience more rewarding and satisfying for team members.

Anstatt sich vorwiegend auf externe Anreize zu stützen, sollte der Fokus auf der Entwicklung einer intrinsischen Motivation liegen, die durch die Verknüpfung des Trainings mit persönlichen und beruflichen Zielen der Teilnehmer gefördert wird.

Provide incentives and recognition by offering rewards such as certificates, career development opportunities, or public acknowledgment for participation. Highlight the benefits of the training, such as skill enhancement and career growth, to motivate reluctant team members and demonstrate the value of their involvement.

Use the "Empowered Learning Culture" approach: Foster a culture of growth: Encourage a team environment that values continuous learning, collaboration, and open feedback to make training feel natural and welcomed. Provide resources and mentorship: Ensure access to necessary tools, guidance, and mentoring support, making the training process feel achievable and supported. Involve team members in the process: Engage them in shaping the training experience by contributing to its design and providing feedback, giving them a sense of ownership. This approach builds a safe, motivating environment that empowers team members to actively participate in their development journey.

Make the invitation to participate personal and show that you value their potential contribution. Let them know why you believe they would benefit from the training and how it could enhance their role within the team. Clearly communicate the personal and professional benefits of the training. Explain how it can help them grow as leaders, improve their performance, and advance their careers. Listen to their reasons for reluctance. It could be due to time constraints, skepticism about the effectiveness of the training, or a lack of understanding of what the training entails. Address these concerns directly and offer solutions where possible. It creates a positive and supportive context that encourages participation.

Hay dos factores que pueden facilitar mucho, la cultura de mentalidad de crecimiento de la empresa y experiencias anteriores. En cambio, si las dos cosas no existen, cero cultura de crecimiento y malas experiencias, las cosas se complican. La solución para justamente por la palabra co creación del programa con los lideres de cada unidad. Esto lo he realizado muchas veces, incluso entrevistando a personas de rangos más básicos para conocer a fondo todo lo que nos pueda ayudar a personalizar el entrenamiento. Esto te da mucha seguridad a la hora de la capacitación e incluso les pides que ahonden en más ejemplos. Aparte de la información que obtengas, también ganas muchos aliados generando un ambiente de mucha motivación a la participación.

Los juegos me parecen una gran alternativa para crear una atmósfera que convoque más a las personas resistentes o escépticas. La maravilla de los juegos como recurso didáctico es que se genera un espacio de mucha relajación, de competencia, de risas y todo este ambiente hace que la conexión posterior con la realidad del trabajo sea más fluida. Generalmente les pregunto a los participantes lo siguiente: si este juego fuese un espejo en el cual se miraron ¿qué se dieron cuenta de ustedes mismos en relación a la forma en la que jugaron? Y los insights suelen ser muy profundos y sobre todo muy precisos. Creo que esta mayor auto observación y crítica se da porque se incluye el ámbito de las emociones y ese paso es indispensable.

To motivate team members who are hesitant about leadership training, consider individualizing the approach. Recognize that each person may have unique reservations or learning styles. Offering a variety of training formats, such as one-on-one coaching, peer-led sessions, or self-paced online modules, can provide flexibility and make the training more accessible and appealing to everyone.

To encourage reluctant team members to join leadership training, address their potential challenges preemptively. Provide solutions for technical issues, accommodate schedules, and offer support throughout their learning journey.

Abordar los desafíos suele ser una técnica muy útil en la medida en la que el Senior Management esté buscando sinceramente lograr la solución o la comprensión de un problema. Muchas veces las instancias de capacitación a la que concurren los líderes, si se vuelven verdaderos espacios de trabajo, suelen visibilizar ciertas cosas que no se dicen públicamente. Así que muchas de las personas que se resisten al principio luego se dan cuenta de que ganan si participantes y se quedan afuera de algunas discusiones cuando no. Esto puede ser estimulante. Creo que, cuando mejor resultado he tenido con estas estrategias es cuando la comunicación es clara respecto a que no se los invita a un "curso" sino un espacio donde ser escuchados y construir.

Address challenges by providing support and resources to overcome them. Offer flexible scheduling, additional training sessions, or one-on-one coaching to ease participation. Communicate how the training aligns with their personal goals and the team's objectives, and provide reassurance that their concerns are being taken seriously.

Motivating reluctant team members to join leadership training: Highlight Relevance: Connect training to their roles and responsibilities. Address Concerns: Listen and address any fears or worries. Flexibility: Offer diverse training formats for preferences and schedules. Share Success Stories: Showcase peers' positive experiences. Mentorship: Provide personalized guidance through mentor pairing. Gradual Introduction: Ease team members into training concepts. Foster Inclusiveness: Create a welcoming, collaborative atmosphere. These strategies encourage hesitant team members' participation and optimize leadership training outcomes.

Consider creating a supportive environment by involving team leaders or peers who can champion the training and share positive experiences. Tailor the training to address specific needs and demonstrate immediate, practical benefits. Ensure ongoing feedback mechanisms to adjust the programme based on participant experiences and challenges.