Must Go

Another list of things that must go. As you know, I've been training new software to employees at the University of Utah Health Care since August. We are all exhausted from the training, constant changes and attitudes of many of those who attend our classes. We go live in one week and we will have trained over 4,500 users since August 13. What a crazy endeavor!
Here are my things that must go as it relates to training:

1. It isn’t uncommon to have someone in class let us know (in a whiny tone): “I don’t know why I’m here, I’ll never use this program in my job,” and then this person sulks and sighs through training and constantly reminds everyone that training isn’t needed for his/her job. Well, here’s the thing, friend: I’m not your guidance counselor and I didn’t make the decision that you should be here, that was your manager, so here’s a phone; call your manager and tell them you think training is unnecessary for your job. In the mean time, we are moving forward with or without you because I don’t care how this applies to your job….it applies to mine.

2. Inconsistent feedback from class participants. One person will say, "the class moved too slowly for me." And someone from the very same class will say, "the class was way too fast. I couldn't keep up." Really? huh....so throw that feedback out.

3. People who give feedback like: "I think you should make the slow people go to another class so the fast people can learn and be done." I appreciate where people are coming from because I catch on pretty fast,too. But here's the thing: how, exactly, would you propose we implement this?
"Uh, yeah, so could the dummies go to classroom B and the smarties stay here?" No matter how fast people think they are, there will always be someone in class slower than you, so buck up and deal with it.

4. People who give feedback to me and a co-trainer regarding a class we didn't teach. Not the class they've just completed, but for a class to they took a couple of days ago. Really!? How is that feedback going to help us!? I don't care that you didn't like that class or that those trainers sucked. Tell us how awesome we did with THIS class!

5. People who ask, "You mean I have to pass a test in order to gain access to the program?" Yup. You sure do.

6. Managers who are convinced that they will be able to demand access to the program without having gone through training. Good try, but take that weight you think you have and throw it around elsewhere.

7. People who don't read and follow directions, even when those directios are very clearly spelled out, step by step. This usually comes from those same people who think they belong to the fast learning group. They read through the directions too quickly and then get lost. "Click here."
"Uh, what do I do? I don't get it." Maybe you need to attend the dummies class, don't you?

8. Clinics and managers with whom I have been communicating via phone and email, who then go to my manager and tell him that I haven't replied to the one question they sent me half an hour ago. Especially when I HAVE replied...It's usually with an answer they didn't want to hear.

OMG...I could go on and on. With all that said, and as tired as we are, I have had so much fun with the trainers. We have had a lot of really fun moments together and we all knew it was just a passing time in our work experience but it has been fun!