INTRODUCTION
    Training is a fundamental process for defining and improving work performance. An individual's work performance should be based on and support his or her organization's goals and objectives. The goal of the trainer is to facilitate behavioral change in the worker so organizational goals and objectives can be met.
    We have all attended training courses where the trainer's goal was to present us with new knowledge or skills that we could immediately apply in our job. Unfortunately, many of these training courses fall short of this goal primarily for two reasons. The first setback occurs when the content of the training course is extraneous and/or superfluous to our work performance. This typically happens when the trainer, the organization and the worker fail to adequately communicate and agree to mutual training goals and objectives.
    The second blow comes because of limited training methodology. The trainer is unable to reach us because the trainer may be unfamiliar with the concept of learning styles and how this affects our learning retention and behavior change. The training content may have been right on target for our work performance and organization - but it missed the mark because the trainer did not use a variety of training techniques that grabbed us and held our attention. Reaching and grabbing your audience is the essence of Putting ZIP! in Your Training.

LEARNING STYLES
    "Learning style refers to the unique ways in which a person perceives, interacts, and responds to the various elements in a learning situation." (de Tornyay, 1987, p. 182.) One of the keys to becoming an effective trainer is to understand and apply the concept of learning style when designing a training course. Most learning theorists identify three styles of learning - visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. I will introduce a fourth - emotional - that will enhance many of your training objectives.

Visual Learners
    The majority of individuals are visual learners and they process new information with their eyes. Remember the phrase, "A picture paints 1,000 words"? We live in a colorful world and see moving pictures constantly. There is very little black, white, or text in our everyday lives and yet that is what a lot of training looks like. Colorful and graphical training aids are essential to reach the visual learner!

Auditory Learners
    This is the next largest group of learners. These individuals primarily receive information with their ears - they are specialists in the art of listening. Auditory learners will hear things we did not realize we said! Therefore, special attention must be given to what we say and how we say it. However, our world is more than just spoken words. We hear a variety of sounds, like music, all the time. Speech and sound training aids appeal to the auditory learner.

Kinesthetic Learners
    Humans take in new information with their eyes and ears. However, we also learn by doing. Kinesthetic learners need physical movement or touch to process new knowledge and skills. Actually, most of us would benefit from some action when we attend training. After all, in our daily lives we are on the move and in-action constantly. Action training activities are critical for kinesthetic learners!

Emotional Learners
    It is essential for emotional learners to establish a personal connection with the new information. They may need time to reflect on personal experiences or an event to fully integrate the training. I suggest this is the strongest link to effective training - getting the learner to personally respond to the new knowledge or skill. We experience a variety of emotions everyday - why not incorporate emotions into our training?

ZIP! TRAINING TIPS
    Each of us can identify with all four of these learning styles. In reality, individuals use a combination of these styles, but in general, each person has a dominant learning style. As trainers, we want to pull in all four types of learners during our training. We can do this by applying a variety of training techniques.
    Earlier we read that training is a process to improve work performance. We also know the goal of the trainer is to facilitate behavioral change in the worker that will enhance his or her performance so that organizational goals and objectives can be met.
    In order to do this, we have to learn how to reach and grab our training audience. We can accomplish this by designing training programs that engage and stimulate the four learning styles - visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and emotional. ZIP! Training Tips is a design model we created for our company. Simply, ZIP! means adding energy, enthusiasm, and variety to all aspects of our training programs. This is a dynamic and creative process - we are always trying out new ideas! Here are some suggestions that may work for you.

Colors
Handouts - use a variety of colored papers; color printing on white stock
Transparencies - colored film (blue, green, red, yellow; also clear film with blue, green or red borders); color print on clear (no color) film
Markers, Pens, Highlighters - colors for all writings or drawings by the trainer and the participants

Music
Energizers - use fun or lively music to invigorate participants during openings, closings, and breaks
Thinking Time - softer instrumental music can be helpful during individual or team work exercises

Games and Puzzles
Teamwork - games like "Jeopardy", "Trivial Pursuit" or "Pictionary"; have prizes
Reinforcement - enhance learning with crossword puzzles (software available)

Posters
Teamwork - process assignments by having members write or draw (use colored markers)
Question Board - a safe way to post participants questions (use colored Post-It note pads)

    Each of these ZIP! Training Tips will engage more than one learning style. Perhaps these suggestions have generated some creative ideas of your own. Write or draw them in this workspace:

CLOSING EXERCISE
    Take a moment to reread your list of ZIP! Training Tips. Place a letter (V = visual, A = auditory, K = kinesthetic, E = emotional) next to each technique and look at the variety you have discovered. Circle three that you want to incorporate into your next training course and DO IT!