At the beginning of each training day I ask participants what they want to walk away with at the end of the training – Their objectives. Often I get responses such as: "Key phrases on what to say in such a situation …", "Tips on what to do when these circumstances occurs…", or “Tricks to resolve a certain event …". They want a playbook of incantations and magic tricks.
The problem with key phrases, tricks and tips is that if you repeat them long enough, they will lose their meaning. They become robotic, preset responses on auto-pilot and not a genuine expression of how you actually feel. Key phrases, tricks and tips don’t ask you to think - They are only words – and words rarely change things.
Effective trainings provide Tools – Tools are powerful because they require thinking, to be focused on what you do, and why you do it. Tools ask the hard questions, they ask you to use your best judgment and to care about the impact. They ask you to take responsibility for your actions and are more effective in the long run, because they lead to the results we want.