By Helen Callier, President of Bradlink, LLC
Have you ever attended a small business workshop and noticed people just sitting passively like a spectator? And even worse, after spending hours and sometimes days away from their office, this same small business person then leaves the training event without getting what they paid for. Gone are the days a small business leader can throw dollars out the window and not gain maximum return on their training investment.
In January of this year, I was selected to be a scholar in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. At this time, I decided to step-up my game and raise my level of participation during this training program in order to create the optimal learning experience for me. And with this mind shift, I would be able to develop a growth plan to propel my small business to the next stage.
For those small business leaders that plan on attending training conferences, workshops, or become a scholar of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program this year, here are the first five out of the top ten ways to maximize your experience during a training event:
- Be Open to New Ideas and Different Perspectives
Being open to new ideas and different perspectives is the ideal way to learn and grow as a person and in your small business. Creative ideas that spark a new product innovation or provide a glimpse on a new market can come from anywhere and anytime while you are in a training event. These added bonuses are only possible when you keep your eyes, ears, and mind open to receiving and subsequently exploring newfound ideas from other scholars.
- Punt the Words “Can’t, Won’t, and No” in the Rear
Negative energy drains. It also undermines your objective of gaining new insights and information to help your small business grow. “No”, “Can’t”, “Won’t”, etc. are contagious and when one scholar says, “No, that want work”, “That doesn’t make sense”, or “We can’t do that in our business,” then automatically, like a moving river, other scholars begin to hop on board the negative train. Say, “Yes!” and think about new angles and possibilities that can be applied in your small business. When you use this approach, often times you see a way to apply the new information in your small business.
- Be Fully Engaged
It is a proven fact, that for the majority of people, learning occurs from active involvement. This is especially true for small business leaders attending training events. Some ways to be fully engaged are to respond to the Instructor’s questions, mention different viewpoints, and participate in team exercises that are designed to boost your understanding. Also, playing full-out allows the subject matter to crystallize in your mind, and in turn, enables you to quickly apply what you have learned in your small business.
- Listen
Treat the material you are receiving as though you are hearing and reading it for the first time. When you do so, where you were once blind in your small business, you will see an unfolding of the reality and can view your business from a different perspective. Listen and you will be moved at what you discover.
- Help Other Scholars
Assisting other small business leaders to learn helps you increase your knowledge, and this places you in a warm light where the world will return good to you and your small business. As the late Zig Ziglar said, “If you help enough people get want they want out of life then you can get want you want.”
Make sure to pick up your copy of next month’s Small Business Today Magazine or visit online at www.sbtmagazine.net to read Part 2 of the “Top Ten Ways to Maximize Your Experience at Small Business Training Events”.
Helen Callier, President of Bradlink LLC, a Technical Services Firm, best-selling author of
“Your Money is in the Follow-up”, radio show host, and public speaker.
For more information, call her at 281-312-9981 or visit her website at www.yourmoneyisinthefollowup.com.
