‘How was the training and how was the lunch?’  Anecdotally at least, these remain the most commonly asked questions by managers when their team members return from training.  It’s no surprise that they don’t get much of a response!

Next time you’re faced with this situation, try these simple questions instead and you’ll notice a big difference:

• What did you learn, explore or practice? Challenge them to be as specific as possible.
• How do you plan to apply what you’ve learnt at work? What will the impact of this be?
• What support do you need from me to implement these changes?

Above all, take an interest in your colleagues’ development and check in with them regularly.