1.
The Training
Plan Playbook

2.
Create a training plan…GO!

3.
That’s what it feels like, right?

4.
That’s what it feels like, right?
And you’re there thinking,
“Where do I start? What should
be included? What should I
leave out? HELP!”

5.
Our approach to reduce this
anxiety is to ask questions.

6.
Step 1: Who are you training?
Step 2: What are the goals of the training?
Step 3: What actions will achieve this goal?
Step 4: What knowledge is required for those actions?
Step 5: When should each lesson be learned?
Step 6: How will each lesson be delivered?
Each of the following steps will teach you which questions to ask, in order:

7.
At the end, your training plan will at least be in a draft
stage and hopefully your stress will be greatly reduced.

8.
Before we start going
through the steps…

9.
We encourage you to download the
Training Plan Playbook Worksheet
(.xlsx file), which gives you a blank
template to easily fill out as we go
through the steps.
Training Plan
Playbook
Worksheet

10.
Now let’s get started on
the steps to a killer
training program!

11.
Who are you training?
Step 1

12.
What specific roles are you training?
The first and most important question to ask
when preparing your training plan is this:
Step 1: Who are you training?

13.
Step 1: Who are you training?
For example:
“All new employees”
“Customer Service
Representatives”
“Inside Sales Team”
“Outside Sales Team”
“Employees with a
tenure greater than one
year”

14.
Step 1: Who are you training?
Record these roles in the first column of
the Training Plan Worksheet:

15.
What are the goals of the training?
Step 2

16.
Now that you have defined who you’re going to
train, the next piece of the puzzle is to define
WHY you’re training them.
Step 2: What are the goals of the training?

17.
THIS CAN BE LITERALLY ANYTHING!
But…

18.
We find the most successful training is tied as
closely as possible to the role’s key
performance indicators (KPIs). Further, the
more objective the goal is, the better.
Step 2: What are the goals of the training?

19.
For example, if you’re looking at the role of
Customer Service Representatives…
Step 2: What are the goals of the training?
“Be able to handle 10 support requests
per day while maintaining a support
survey rating of 8 or above.”
“Handle support requests without the
regular assistance of their managers.”

20.
Record these goals in the second column of
the Training Plan Worksheet:
Step 2: What are the goals of the training?

21.
What actions will achieve this goal?
Step 3

22.
The question to ask here is:
What actions are required to perform well
enough to achieve the goals you have set
for your trainees?
Step 3: What actions will achieve this goal?

23.
“Receive notifications of
new support requests”
“Respond to a support
request using ZenDesk”
“Handle angry
customers”
“Manage time
appropriately”
“Log relevant info in
SalesForce”
“Create delight in
support”
To build off the ongoing example, let’s look at potential actions for
the training goal of “handling 10 support requests per day while
maintaining support survey rating of 8 or above”:
Step 3: What actions will achieve this goal?

24.
Record these actions in the third column of
the Training Plan Worksheet:
Step 3: What actions will achieve this goal?

25.
What knowledge is required for those actions?
Step 4:

26.
Step 4: What knowledge is required for those actions?
What do they need to
know? Specifically,
for the actions they
need to complete.
What are all of the
things someone in
the role could know?
What this question is NOT
What this question is

27.
“Common issues and
their solutions”
“How to communicate
effectively”
“How to login to
ZenDesk”
“How to communicate
in ZenDesk”
“How to close out the
issue in ZenDesk”
Here’s are examples for the action of “Respond to a support request
using ZenDesk.”:
Step 4: What knowledge is required for those actions?

28.
Record the requirements in the fourth column of
the Training Plan Worksheet:
Step 4: What knowledge is required for those actions?

29.
When should each lesson be learned?
Step 5

30.
Now that you’ve outlined each piece of
knowledge that should be communicated, it’s
time to give each piece a deadline.
Step 5: When should each lesson be learned?

31.
We find that relative deadlines work really
well, like one day after they begin work or
two months after they attend an introductory
session to a complex topic.
Step 5: When should each lesson be learned?

32.
Common issues and their
solutions – “Day 1”
How to communicate
effectively – “Day 1”
How to login to ZenDesk
– “Day 2”
How to communicate
in ZenDesk – “Day 2”
“How to close out an
issue in ZenDesk” –
“Day 2”
Here’s are time frame examples based on the previous requirements
that we laid out:
Step 5: When should each lesson be learned?

33.
Record these roles in the fifth column of
the Training Plan Worksheet:
Step 5: When should each lesson be learned?

34.
How will each lesson be delivered?
Step 6

35.
As with most things, the
medium in which you
communicate training will
affect the way it is perceived
and remembered.
Step 6: How will each lesson be delivered?

36.
For each of the lessons in
your training plan, describe
the medium in which will be
delivered.
Step 6: How will each lesson be delivered?

37.
“Lesson.ly Lesson”
“Classroom-style”
“One-on-one shadowing”
“Ongoing mentoring”
“Role Play”
“Activity”
“Document Review”
Here are a few of the most common mediums to use:
Step 6: How will each lesson be delivered?

38.
Record the medium you’ll use in the sixth column of
the Training Plan Worksheet:
Step 6: How will each lesson be delivered?

39.
Record the medium you’ll use in the sixth column of
the Training Plan Worksheet:
Step 6: How will each lesson be delivered?

40.
And that’s it!
You’ve made it to
the finish line of the
Training Plan Playbook!

41.
Your training plan will never be perfect. Over
time, you’ll change things, test better ideas, and
even fail a few times along the way. That’s okay.
The most important action is to just start. Simply
get something out there and grow from there.
The last thing to keep in mind.

42.
Want to measure what you’ve implemented?
Download FREE
Definitive Guide to
Measuring Learning