Improve your technical training (2)

6 Change the presenter
You may be responsible for the training programme, but there is no need to always be the presenter. A fee earner with a deficit in CPD points may be keen to get the points for preparing the session, as will someone who is looking for greater visibility. And the trainees can always gain valuable experience.

7 Mix it up
You needn’t always focus on a single topic in a single session. Try a magazine format of a number of ten minute snippets. This format is useful for getting junior fee earners involved in training.

8 Make the topics relevant
An e-mail asking for suggestions for training will probably be met with silence, so why not start a focus group? Draft in help from a small group of fee earners, who assume responsibility for suggesting topics and asking colleagues for their ideas. This should ensure that your sessions are particularly relevant to day-to-day practice.

9 Keep the audience engaged throughout
Use a variety of techniques (questions, quizzes, multimedia) throughout the session, not just at the end, to keep people engaged. This can be as simple as asking what they think the outcome of a case will be and taking votes by a show of hands before you reveal the judgment.

10 Make the most of the knowledge created
At the end of each session make the most of the knowledge that has emerged. Can your discussions be turned into an article or client seminar? Has one fee earner shown a particular interest or flair and could be persuaded to develop their knowledge further – preparing or reviewing knowledge packs on your intranet or precedents?

For personal advice and help, visit TheKnowledgeBusiness, or if you prefer to DIY, get your own copy of “Knowledge Management Handbook” from Law Society Publishing here.