Simple Ways to Measure Training Outcomes

Every enablement team has the same problem: - Reps say they want more training. - You give them a beautiful deck. - They ghost it like someone who matched with Keith on Tinder. These folks don't have a content problem as much as they have a consumption problem. Think of it thusly: if no one’s using the enablement you built, it might as well not exist. Here’s the really scary part: The average org spends $2,000 - $5,000 per rep per year on enablement tools, programs, and L&D support. But fewer than 40% (!!!) of reps consistently complete assigned content OR apply it in live deals. So what happens? - You build more content. - You launch new certifications. - You roll out another LMS. And your top reps ignore it all because they’re already performing, while your bottom reps binge it and still miss quota. 🕺 We partner with some of the best enablement leaders in the game here at Sales Assembly. Here’s how they measure what matters: 1. Time-to-application > Time-to-completion. Completion tells you who checked a box. Application tells you who changed behavior. Track: - Time from training to first recorded usage in a live deal. - % of reps applying new language in Gong clips. - Manager feedback within 2 weeks of rollout. If you can’t prove behavior shift, you didn’t ship enablement. You shipped content. 2. Manager reinforcement rate. Enablement that doesn’t get reinforced dies fast. Track: - % of managers who coach on new concepts within 2 weeks. - # of coaching conversations referencing new frameworks. - Alignment between manager deal inspection and enablement themes. If managers aren’t echoing it, reps won’t remember it. Simple as that. 3. Consumption by role, segment, and performance tier. Your top reps may skip live sessions. Fine. But are your mid-performers leaning in? Slice the data: - By tenure: Is ramp content actually shortening ramp time? - By segment: Are enterprise reps consuming the right frameworks? - By performance: Who’s overconsuming vs. underperforming? Enablement is an efficiency engine...IF you track who’s using the gas. 4. Business impact > Feedback scores. “Helpful” isn’t the goal. “Impactful” is. Track: - Pre/post win rates by topic. - Objection handling improvement over time. - Change in average deal velocity post-rollout. Enablement should move pipeline...not just hearts. 🥹 tl;dr = if you’re not measuring consumption, you’re not doing enablement. You’re just producing marketing collateral for your own team. The best programs aren’t bigger. They’re measured, inspected, and aligned to revenue behavior.

Ever been asked to show ROI for a learning program with no clear objectives? You're not alone. Here's something that will help! Many L&D professionals face this dilemma: We're expected to demonstrate value without knowing what problem we're solving. Whether your stakeholders are afraid to "air dirty laundry," don't actually know the problem, or simply don't understand how L&D drives business outcomes, there's hope. Instead of giving up, try Goal-Free Evaluation: --> Interview 50%+ of participants (not surveys!) --> Ask what challenges they faced before training --> Explore how the program helped address those challenges --> Identify what became possible because of the training The key is approaching measurement differently. Rather than trying to align with non-existent goals, focus on uncovering what actually changed for participants. Three questions that will reveal real impact: "What were your greatest challenges at work before this program?" "How did our program help you navigate these challenges?" "What became possible for you because you incorporated concepts from our program?" Look for patterns in responses—anything mentioned 3+ times signals meaningful impact. The more frequently mentioned, the stronger the theme. Get the full methodology and see a complete question protocol for measuring impact without clear objectives: https://lnkd.in/g7sq4P3K #LearningAndDevelopment #ROI #TrainingImpact #LeadershipDevelopment

Your training budget is bleeding money. Here's why: You're measuring the wrong thing. Most manufacturers track: → Hours in training sessions → Certificates earned   → Courses completed → Knowledge tests passed But here's the brutal truth: Training is a COST until it's applied. I've seen teams ace Six Sigma exams, then go back to the same wasteful processes. I've watched operators get certified in TPM, then ignore equipment maintenance schedules. I've met managers who can recite lean principles but can't eliminate a single bottleneck. The problem isn't the training. The problem is the gap between learning and doing. The Real ROI Formula: Training Cost ÷ Measurable Floor Improvement = Actual ROI If the denominator is zero, your ROI is zero. No matter how much you spent. No matter how good the training was. Here's the system that actually works: STEP 1: Identify Your Losses First ↳ What's costing you money right now? ↳ Downtime? Defects? Delays? Waste? ↳ Quantify the pain before you buy the solution STEP 2: Map Skills to Losses ↳ Which skills would directly impact these losses? ↳ Root cause analysis for quality issues? ↳ Preventive maintenance for downtime? ↳ Value stream mapping for delays? STEP 3: Assess Current Capabilities ↳ Who has these skills already? ↳ Where are the gaps in your workforce? ↳ Don't train everyone in everything STEP 4: Train with a Target ↳ Before any training: "We will apply this to solve X problem" ↳ Set a specific improvement goal ↳ Timeline for implementation STEP 5: Apply Immediately ↳ The window between learning and doing should be days, not months ↳ Start with a pilot project ↳ Measure the impact STEP 6: Scale What Works ↳ If it worked on one line, expand it ↳ If it didn't work, understand why ↳ Refine and try again The shocking reality: Most training fails not because of poor content. It fails because of poor application. Your operators know what to do. They just don't do what they know. The question isn't: "What should we learn next?" The question is: "What have we learned that we're not using yet?" That podcast on lean you listened to last week? Apply one concept today. That Six Sigma training from last month? Start a small improvement project tomorrow. Because untapped knowledge isn't potential. It's waste. What's one thing your team learned recently that they haven't applied yet?