Redefining TMF Training

Owl Picture, Owl Winking

Written by Nicole M. Palmer & John R. Nocero

How many times do we just do our homework quickly to get it done, without really learning and understanding it all the way? It’s kind of the same with training in the trial master file.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Where there is smoke, there is fire.”

Well, what’s the burning question? It’s the understanding that just because just because someone DID training, doesn’t mean they are trained.

I can’t tell you how many times I have been in an audit and the auditor is looking at my training documentation and they go, “So, you have such-and-such (not such and such but insert a name here) that completed training. How can you ensure that they are actually trained? This is such a great question. So many times, we use training like a box-checking exercise, but really it is the foundation of the employee’s tenure. Training to me is like driving. You don’t learn to drive safely when you are with your instructor in the parking lot. You learn to drive at night, alone, in a driving snowstorm on back country roads that are poorly lit. Then you know if you are a safe driver or not.

All employees, when they encounter a situation they can’t handle or they are unsure about, revert to the basic level of their training. If they didn’t receive quality onboarding or training, they will get smoked like a gas station cigarillo. Imagine sitting in an audit when the auditor sees that while employees are trained, they can’t perform. Holy smokes – there’s a big difference.

So how do you ensure that employees are trained and perform to their expected performance level?

Here, we are unraveling the roadmap to TMF mastery beyond tick-box training.

1. The Burning Question

The Gap Between Training and Mastery

Surface Training: The prevalence of tick-box training in the industry

The Auditor’s Perspective: Their expectation of demonstrable skills from your employees

2. The Training Landscape

The Current Scenario

A Tick-box Approach: Understanding the limitations

The Reality: Mapping the disconnect between current training protocols and real-world requirements

In-depth Understanding

Real-life Scenarios: Why training needs to mirror on-ground realities

Feedback Loop: Creating a culture of constructive criticism and growth

3. The Driving Analogy

Learning Beyond Controlled Environments

Training ≠ Mastery: Differentiating between surface learning and deep mastery

Adaptive Skills: Encouraging employees to think on their feet

4. Building a Comprehensive Training Ecosystem

Simulative Training

Real-life Scenarios: Incorporating real challenges in training modules

Critical Thinking: Fostering a culture of inquisitive learning

Feedback and Growth

Open Dialogue: Encouraging communication and feedback

Continuous Learning: Promoting a mindset of life-long learning

5. Taking the Leap Towards Mastery

Step-by-step Action Plan

Revaluation: Analyzing and revisiting existing training modules

Implementation: Deploying enhanced training methodologies grounded in reality

A Collaborative Endeavor

Engaging Stakeholders: Involving every stakeholder in the training process

Ongoing Evolution: Understanding that training is a continuous, ever-evolving process

Are you ready to take the TMF training from tick-box to mastery? It’s not just about following a process; it’s about fostering a workforce that can think, adapt, and excel in the ever-evolving landscape of TMF. Remember, a well-trained TMF team doesn’t just meet the standards; it sets new benchmarks, steering the organization towards uncharted territories of success and innovation.

As always if you have any TMF questions, we love to answer them.

 Much love,

Nicole and John

Resource: A Thousand Horses – Smoke lyrics – YouTube

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