Top 7 Keys to Maximize Your Gains From Training Courses

Many of us invest both time and money in some form of self-improvement. These include attending training courses such as seminars and workshops as well as buying books, tapes, CDs, VCDs, DVDs etc. These investments are meant to make us better at what we do, sometimes it even improve and refresh our knowledge.

Training courses are amongst the best opportunities for self-improvement because they are live performances offering timely information provided for what we are doing now.

Many of us attend training courses, workshops to get more knowledge, product information and skills, but few know how to attend for maximum benefits. Here are seven keys to achieve maximum gains from the training courses you attend.

1. Take notes and record them
   
   Take notes on the key points and examples shared during the course. Record them properly in an easy-to-retrieve manner, like a pocket-size booklet. Review your notes regularly after the course to ensure maximum retention of what was covered during the course. Bring this booklet and start review when you are traveling.
   
   
2. Full Participation
   
   Participate 100 percent. Show energy and enthusiasm. This is one sure way to get the most out of the trainer. Be prepared to ask questions to clarify any doubt, write down those questions that occur in your mind and ask them at the first appropriate moment. In addition, be generous with sharing your experiences, ideas and comments when invited to do so. That way, everyone in the course will benefit.
   
   
3. Adapt to your circumstances
   
   While the principles of the knowledge and skills shared may be the same, the circumstances in which they are to be applied may differ. Always ensure that you adapt what you have learnt to suit your own personality, style and circumstances by determining the goal(s) to be achieved as well as the strategies to achieve the goal(s).
   
   
4. Apply your new knowledge and skills
   
   With the goals and strategies in place, you will next need to take massive action to achieve the set goals. By taking massive action, you may or may not succeed. Even if you do not succeed, you would have learnt lessons that will help you revise your strategies and continue taking massive actions to achieve your goals.
   
   
5. Listen with an open mind
   
   Look out for the precious gems of information, rather than focus on the “I know’s”. Withhold judgment, listen to understand rather than to criticize. Constantly self-evaluate to see whether we have been applying the knowledge and shared skills effectively, rather than be satisfied with merely knowing about those knowledge and skills.
   
   
6. Share your new knowledge and skills
   
   After gaining success in achieve your goals, share your strategies, experiences, knowledge, skills, etc, with your friends and colleagues. Remember, not everyone will have the opportunity to attend the training course like you did. Through your sharing, your friends and colleagues can also gain from what you have learnt. That way, the gains from your attendance of the training course will truly be maximized.
   
   
7. Network with others
   
   Avoid the temptation of sitting with the people that you came with. Join the other course participants whom you do not already know, make new friends and widen your network. These people could be your potential customer or contact.

Dennis Kwan is an author, speaker, trainer. He is a Neuro-Linguistics Programming (NLP) Master Practitioner and also a Time-line Practitioner. He graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Commerce in Information Technology from Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia. Dennis is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Certified ISO 9001:2000 Auditor. For more information, visit http://www.dennis-kwan.com