Last week I spoke at and attended the Training 2013 Conference in Orlando, FL. These are always wonderful times for me because for 3 solid days I just think about the training business which is my passion. I look for ways to be better. I and think of how the training function could be better. I observe and spend time thinking about how I can contribute to this wonderful profession that I am blessed to part of. Late one afternoon I wrote in my notes: “So many times we make decisions about training based too much on emotions”.

Think of a time where you were preparing a training plan for a senior executive., where due to your needs analysis you had bulletproof facts, reason, and logic on your side, and believed there was absolutely no way the executive could say no to your perfectly constructed training proposal. To do so would be impossible, you figured, because there was no other logical solution or answer.

The executive listened politely and then alternatively told you exactly what to train and how. She dug in her heels on denying your proposal and refused to budge. She wasn’t swayed by your logic or needs analysis. Were you flabbergasted? I am embarrassed to say that this has happened to me way too many times. Because my approach to this is usually as a set of facts, I are was doomed to fail because decision-making isn’t just logical – according to the latest findings in neuroscience, it’s EMOTIONAL . So at the point of decision, remember that emotions are very important for choosing. In fact, even with what we believe are logical decisions, the very point of choice is arguably always based on emotion.

This finding has enormous implications for training professionals. Bringing emotions into business decisions used to be considered taboo, but times have changed dramatically. People who believe they can build a case for their training program using only reason and numbers are in trouble because they don’t understand the real factors that are driving the other party to come to a final decision. Those who base their training strategy on logic end up relying on assumptions, guesses, and opinions. I’ve always thought that if my analysis is logical, then leaders can’t argue with it and are bound to come around to my way of thinking. The problem is, you can’t assume that the other party will see things your way.

I’m a business guy in a trainer’s body. I love metrics – my books tell that story. Forecast, measure, and improve. Period. For me numbers and charts are the core to understanding the success of training. Until now. While I still believe that metrics are essential, I have now added emotional decision- making to my proposals.

Imagine if. A good friend, Elizabeth Doty, and I are members of the the Berrett-Koehler Authors Cooperative board of directors. Recently, Elizabeth and a group of authors were attempting to get a new program started with the Co-op but the leadership team was not listening. Then on for a board conference call, she put together a scenario which she titled, “Imagine If”. She took walked the leadership team through a scenario that showed the future and the benefits of program – the beauty in the this approach was that she touched on their emotions while incorporating costs and return on investments. It worked! They listened and unanimously approved the program.

I now use this approach with all my proposals and I find that I am closing more deals and getting stronger buy-in than ever before. Try it and see how it works for you.

Thank you for reading and as always, I invite your comments and thoughts.