D Foster Associates

As I promised, I wanted to continue to talk about Training goals. I was working on a current project talking to an associate about her experience with a large law firm. The firm actively promoted their professional development goals within the firm, and used those goals as tools on their website as both a marketing point as well as a recruiting tool. When my associate was onsite for a meeting, she walked by a large room, that had a number of computers as well as shelves of books and videos. She asked about the room, and was told, “It’s the training library.” She was impressed by the investment in the equipment, but when she asked for a bit more information about it she was told, “Oh, nobody goes in there.”

The reason? If an associate or attorney was seen in the room by a partner, it would be assumed that they were not busy enough, and would be given more work, or even be publicly berated for “wasting their time” and be told to get back to work.

While the firm, and the professional development group, made a big deal about how important training and development was, the culture of the partners completely undermined any goals that the firm could set.

When creating training goals it is important to also review the corporate culture and other influences that have the ability to undermine those goals.