How Pike's Peak Winner Schrammel Implements Creative Training Techniques

Lorinda Schrammel, training and development manager at Oklahoma State University, was recently recognized by The Bob Pike Group for her intentional and effective implementation of participant-centered training design and execution that increased retention and helped OSU realize efficiencies and cost savings.

Schrammel joined the training staff at OSU in 2012 and brought with her a knowledge and enthusiasm for an interactive form of training called Creative Training Techniques pioneered by Bob Pike. In 2014, she brought CTT on campus to the 16 members of the human resources training staff. Lorinda knew that this was going to change everything about the delivery and the processes of training in human resources at OSU, said Bonnie Hess, OSU's human resources training coordinator.

BPG's Janice Horne introduced them to training methods such as using CORE: closers, openers, revisiters and energizers. These strategic activities would get people participating in their own learning and interacting with content in such a way that people would have a much easier time recalling the content. Structured group discussions were used to cover material and reach objectives. People were asked to stand when they had finished an assignment or share meaningful learning points with a partner. As Horne facilitated the content, she modeled the very methods OSU would adapt to their own content.

"Every second of this training was different than prior training. During the training we were using the training techniques we were going to use [in our own classes]," Hess said. "At first, you don't realize that Janice was doing those participant-centered activities, then you picked up on that. 'This activity is part of the whole picture.' I think that was when we knew it was different, because we were practicing it ourselves. We knew how a participant feels when they are engaged in the training. The golden rule: treat your participants the way you want to be treated. We want our participants to feel as engaged as we did in that training."

The implementation of these new techniques was immediately put into place with on-campus seminars for employees the day after the CTT training was completed. A few modifications were made to the content and then evaluated after that first day. The team then had two weeks to make more modifications before the next training.

The team got to work and modified their training. They added exercises like window paning. The "window pane" was a three-by-three grid or window with nine panes on it. In each pane, they drew a graphic representing one of the factors involved in performance review. Activities were designed to help revisit content in fresh ways to help increase retention. New opening activities were used to help create connections and begin building relationships with new hires in a way that was also relevant to content. Even group discussions became more fruitful by following CTT guidelines such as giving a time frame in which to complete the discussion.

"In the first session I did, I asked a question—how much do you think OSU has saved in energy costs?" Hess said. The question made them think and got learners listening. "Little things like that I didn't know I could do just to make it more engaging."

"One of Lorinda’s responsibilities in her role is overseeing the onboarding of new employees and the New Employee Orientation. She saw a need to improve this area and knew that with the help of BPG, she could make it happen. All of the participants that attended the on-campus seminar with Janice have dramatically improved their presentations and their presentation skills," Hess said. "The energy and the atmosphere is different at the end of a session...participants feel engaged and welcomed is our perception," and we continue to get positive feedback on our improvements from other departments.

As a result of CTT and Horne's guidance, the HR department also modified its training schedule for employee orientation and benefits enrollment. Once a class that took the majority of a day to accomplish, the trainers evaluated the content for what was need-to-know and what was nice to know. They then also moved some content around so now the training is a four-hour block of time in the morning. Now, "it's very department, employer friendly...it's better time management for the departments and us," Hess said.

"Lorinda’s mentality is that it is better to give than to receive and she has proved that time and time again through her service to this organization with her training and facilitation expertise. She sees the value in each employee and sees their potential. I believe that this campus is a better place because of the great training opportunities that we have been able to provide to employees since Lorinda has joined the organization," Hess said.

Schrammel was formally recognized at an awards luncheon at The Bob Pike Group's annual creative training conference in Minneapolis on September 24, 2014.

The Pike’s Peak Performance Award is a formal recognition of trainers or organizations who have transformed their training by implementing participant-centered, results-based techniques championed by Bob Pike. These techniques involve participants in their own learning instead of relying on an instructor-led, lecture-based format. The award recipients have demonstrated improved retention and training transfer in their sessions by implementing these methods as well as an increased tie-in to business objectives.