I'm required to conduct weekly training but I'm burning out - Your ideas?

[shadowjack]

Hello from Oregon. Don't know if this is going to work or not but thought I'd give it a go.
Short bio: I'm a lead for a pretty good sized co. manufacturing parts for the trucking industry. Currently using QS9000 ( I know thats going to change) and I'm required to conduct weekly training. I'v been at it for a year now, but I'm starting to really burn out on this. ANY ideas on how I can keep this stuff from getting any duller than it alredy is?

 

[Marc]

Duller for you or for the folks you're training?

What different training classes do you do?

 

[shadowjack]

Admited already, I'm burned out. And everyone has picked up on that, and it just goes downhill from there. This is important for my co. and for everyone involved. But the same problems keep popping up, FAI not done, in-process inspections not done, bad parts processed to completion, etc. So I'm not getting the message across. This isn't just a personal issue, it is across the board, on both shifts. I'm looking for some way to emphasize just how important this is, managment is expecting positive results and I'm trying to comply.
Training BTW is 30 min. once a week, usually fri at 11pm. I keep track of trends that I've noticed during the week, and then try to address issues according to what QS9000 says about proper procedure. But as alredy stated, we seem to go over the same issues.
Thanks for responding, I appreciate it. Gotta go to work now, I'll check back in tomorrow am.

 

[Steve Prevette]

Some good training topics on inspection:

1. Red Bead Experiment (takes at least 45 minutes though)

2. The Visual Perception Video (this one is really good and a very short exercise)
http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/grafs/demos/15.html BEFORE you watch the Demo, you need to be aware that the task is to count the number of times the players in the white shirts pass the basketball from one person to another.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE BASKETBALL! Then, after you think you have the count, go back and watch the video a second time. See description at http://www.viscog.com/ We bought a copy of the DVD here at Fluor and have gotten a lot of mileage from it.

 

[Marc]

...the same problems keep popping up, FAI not done, in-process inspections not done, bad parts processed to completion, etc. So I'm not getting the message across. This isn't just a personal issue, it is across the board, on both shifts.

I think this is the main aspect of this thread and it's a hard one to address. It sounds like it's less the training than people simply not doing what they are supposed to do. I've seen it and it's typically a 'company personality' issue. I've seen some companies where it was next to impossible to get people to complete shift forms, for example. It wasn't a matter of their not knowing what their responsibilities were, it was an 'attitude' issue.

Is this what you're experiencing?

 

[Sambasi]

I think this concerns OJTand the training is imparted on the basis of work instructions.I had included the following at every step:-

The consequences of not doing a step in WI correctly to(1) process.
(2)product and (3) internal /external customer. The operators are taken to next process (internal customer) and are shown the problems.

This helped.The training is repeated after occurence of non-conformance and corrective action in the process.

 

[harry]

Hi Jack,

If you are the trainer and you felt like burning-out, its usually a sign that the trainer himself needs training or retraining.

Adult training is a very different ball game. The lower down the rung the trainees are, the less is their attention span and other abilities and it can be a nightmare for trainers.

Having said that, are you sure you are prescribing a correct solution to your problem? FAI not done, in-process inspections not done ...........etc, etc. These are disciplinary and attitute problems. Can training help to over come them?

To me its a big NO. Maybe others would like to share their views.

 

[Jen Kirley]

Welcome to The Cove!

At this point, to continue flaying at subjects as though people don't know them well enough may do damage in a variety of ways:

1. Sends the message they are not well enough trained after all this time--perhaps a lack of confidence in their competence, ability to learn or caring.

2. Hints that perhaps the trainer is not performing well enough--why else wouldn't they "get it" yet?

3. Maybe they are feeling they are being preached to.

4. You are possibly feeling the training effort is futile and resent having to keep after it. It is very difficult to train effectively when one feels this way!

May I be so bold as to recommend you stop training now?

I suspect you've hit a wall and there is something else afoot here. It may be time for some heart-to-heart talks with these production people, and learn what they really think. But be ready if they are brave enough, or angry enough to tell you what you don't especially want to hear!

The problem might be complex and festering like a deep wound that never got treated adequately, like an adversarial feeling in a patriarchal organization.

Or the problem might simply be untidiness in work procedures (written or not). You may need to do some 5-S and 5-W to solve some conflicts and reveal need for changes that actually address the problem and not its symptoms.

I have placed a paper about this in The Reading Room: When Employees Don't Follow Procedures. You might want to look at it before planning your next move.

I hope this helps!

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Energize it - Training with impact

From time to time, I am also an instructor. What I find most useful in order to get and keep people's attention is to relate REAL WORLD problems to the issue at hand.
Since you are doing internal training and the problems keep popping up continually, at every single session, you tell them the data of the previous week. remind them of the potential consequences of mistakes, both for themselves, the organization they work for, their customers and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, the end users. Don't forget to use financial figure$ to show your point.

You have to remind yourself that there is a purpose for the training. You HAVE TO BELIEVE in it. When you stop believing what you are trying to convey is meaningful, you can not energize the crowd.

Another suggestion. If you are conducting your training, class-room style only, mix it with some time on the floor. Take the people to their working stations and SHOW them the problems. Just being in their own environment seeing first hand the consequences of their mistakes can help.

If your company has a quality policy, remind them what that means and how they have to support it.

Good luck!

 

[Wes Bucey]

A couple of points which strike me as I read this thread:

• Is there a large turnover in personnel? Otherwise, continual training is not the norm in most industries.
• Do you have an opportunity to have some "gurus" review the work instructions to see if they may be off the mark? (Gurus could be some folks at local ASQ section, regardless whether you are an ASQ member. If you are a member, most other members will help out as a "professional courtesy." If not a member, expect to pay a few bucks, but be sure to get recommendations from Section Chairman as to who to ask.)
• The time (Friday, 11 pm) is horrid! Even I never paid attention to anything at school on Friday before a weekend - I was too busy daydreaming about the coming events.
• As some have said (and more will chime in as time goes by) - training adults requires some special skills along with good curriculum materials. Even the best of us get stale and can benefit from a refresher in "how to train."
• I do not agree with folks who say repeated nonconformance is a discipline problem. As even casual Cove visitors know, I am a confirmed Demingite and can tell you truthfully the only times I have seen direct sabotage by more than one individual (when said individual was angry, crazy, or both) is when there is a major situation involving employee/management relations and sabotage is usually an open secret among ALL the employees.
• A little smart "root cause investigation" will soon uncover the truth if the sabotage is purposeful.

You wrote

But the same problems keep popping up, FAI not done, in-process inspections not done, bad parts processed to completion, etc. So I'm not getting the message across. This isn't just a personal issue, it is across the board, on both shifts. I'm looking for some way to emphasize just how important this is, managment is expecting positive results and I'm trying to comply.

There are "mistake proofing" methods to help eliminate or at least drastically reduce such lapses. This sometimes requires a fresh set of eyes to see opportunities for process changes which will alleviate some of these.

All in all, I suggest the major problem is burnout from not having some fellow professionals on hand to work through some of the problems you are encountering. Most consultants who specialize in mistake proofing can usually find opportunities for worthwhile changes in almost EVERY organization. It does not mean the organization's staff and management are stupid or incompetent, merely that they have not been exposed to intensive training in mistake proofing.

My further guess is that with a rewording (maybe pictures?) of the work instructions and some added mistake proofing to the processes, the nonconformances will dwindle, as will the need for weekly "training."