“Decision-making is not a quest for validation, it’s a quest for evaluation.”

This week, Mallory and Shawn are joined by Adam Lovill, VP of Customer Experience at Trainual, who dives into decision-making as a key part of driving success.

Adam pushes back on the strong, quick, aggressive decision-maker stereotype. Instead, he advocates dropping ego from the process, collaboration, and being supportive when things don’t work out as the key to making better decisions and accelerating progress.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategic decision-making is just as much about deciding what NOT to do as it is about picking a course of action. But getting there requires deep curiosity and asking the right questions.
• Employees can only make the right decisions and get results when they have clarity on the company's direction. How do we all pull in the same direction and achieve the same goals? By making sure these goals are clearly communicated and frequently revisited.
• Decision-making is a process of continuous learning. Practice, experience and collaboration, when embraced company-wide, help improve decision quality over time.

Chapter Markers

[2:37] The importance of decision-making at various levels within a company, and insights on becoming a better decision-maker.

[6:37] Creating a non-aggressive, collaborative environment to make well-thought-through decisions for the company.

[10:47] Different roles may require different advice for decision-making, with the main difference being the scale of the decisions and their impact.

[13:20] Understanding where you sit in three spheres of influence – awareness, influence, and control – and how this impacts your decision-making role.

[19:38] The power of good top-down strategy and focusing on single clear objectives that align with the company mission.

[24:21] Clear communication and transparency in decision-making ensure that all members of the team are aligned and empowered to question and challenge authority.

[27:25] Patience is crucial for making tough decisions, and the need for discipline and assessing the situation before making a quick call.

[34:19] Involve the right stakeholders in the decision-making process to get the team on board.

[40:11] Create a positive decision-making culture that brings the team together and accepts failure to make progress.

[45:15] Showcase the impact of good decision-making by choosing and telling the most important stories.

Resources

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process and resource we covered right here: https://trainual.com/podcast-series/inside-the-process

And don’t forget to hit subscribe to get a notification when the next episode drops!

This is one of a few podcasts from Trainual, a software platform that helps businesses build playbooks to train and grow their team. You can check out the rest of our shows here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

About Trainual

Inside The Process is the real-time podcast that is a practical antidote to process headaches. In each monthly episode, we share thousands of dollars worth of free, actionable frameworks to help you take action and grow your business.

If you’re a team leader who is wasting time, energy, and money trying to solve a business problem and isn’t sure where to start, this is the show for you.

"Hire for attitude, train for skill."

In this episode, Mallory and Shawn chat with Marlowe Duran, Senior Talent Business Partner at Trainual, about finding the right folks to join your team and make a real difference.

Marlowe talked about how to put together job descriptions that catch the eye, come up with interview questions that really dig deep, and streamline the recruitment process so it's not a headache. Plus, she shares some awesome advice on how smaller, leaner businesses can nail the hiring game without needing to break the bank.

Key Takeaways:

• Hiring should align with the company's values and culture, ensuring that candidates fit well within the organizational environment.
• Reference checks and realistic job previews help assess candidates' fit and give them a taste of the role, ensuring mutual understanding and expectations.
• Effective candidate screening is crucial for efficient hiring, focusing on values and skills rather than just interview performance. Objective evaluation and consistency in the hiring process are important.
• Proper onboarding and setting clear expectations are key to new hires' success. Leaders should be prepared to invest time in training and supporting new employees.

Chapter Markers

[02:59] The importance of hiring based on company values rather than culture fit.

[04:57] Incorporating competency-based hiring and values in the hiring process.

[06:41] Using project-based hiring to evaluate candidates.

[10:14] The interview process and the benefits of showing practical skills during the interview process.

[13:49] The importance of having a mix of evaluation methods in the hiring process.

[16:16] Creating a positive and supportive interview experience for candidates.

[17:13] Being authentic and transparent during the interview process.

[21:41] Strategies for evaluating and improving hiring processes based on feedback.

[24:54] How to create job descriptions that accurately reflect the company culture and role expectations.

[36:58] How smaller companies can compete for top talent against larger enterprises.

[41:32] Supporting high performers.

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://share.trainual.com/subject/e836da97-b7dd-400a-88ed-6d7cf6daa1bf/topic/4173874/step/17327333

Trainual

Inside The Process provides solutions for every aspect of the business — from process headaches and system improvement to self-management and leveling up as a leader.

Mallory Glessner and Shawn Jensen sit down with some of the brightest business minds and unpack their specialized insights to help you improve and level up the work you’re doing.

But Inside The Process isn't your typical business podcast — it's your go-to consultant (without the thousands of dollars in fees). Covering business best-practices, company culture, leadership and more — helping YOU take action and grow your business.

So, whether you’re a team leader who isn’t sure where to start or an experienced manager who wants to explore new business processes that save time, energy, and money — this is the show for you.

And don’t forget to hit subscribe to get a notification when the next episode drops!

This is one of a few podcasts from Trainual, a software platform that helps businesses build playbooks to train and grow their team. You can check out the rest of our shows here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

"To really make content that actually resonates with someone, you have to know the ins and outs of their days... the wow factor with content that's relatable and goes viral within niches. You want the audience to be like, 'Holy crap, do they have a camera in my room?'"

In this episode of Inside the Process, Mallory and Shawn chat with Aidan Brannigan, the Head of Social and all around wizard behind the curtain at Marketing Millennials. He shares his secrets on turning people into huge fans of your business through social media, and some tips on handling those pesky trolls.

Aidan reveals his journey from college intern to viral content creator and shares his secrets to creating engaging content that resonates with massive audiences, highlighting the importance of deep audience research, organic growth, and the power of differentiation in a crowded digital space. Aiden emphasizes the human touch in social media interactions, offering tips on how to make customers feel valued and appreciated.

They also discuss the significance of consistency in delivering excellent customer experiences and building long-term loyalty. Tune in for practical advice, humorous anecdotes, and actionable strategies to transform your content and create raving fans.

Key Takeaways:

• You can focus on organic growth, achieved without ad spend, by creating unique and differentiated content. Look outside your industry for inspiration to stand out in a crowded content landscape.
• Personalizing interactions and showing the human side behind a brand are crucial for building loyalty. Simple actions like liking or commenting on followers' posts can make customers feel valued and appreciated, enhancing their connection to the brand.
• Consistency in delivering great experiences is more important than sporadic bursts of excellence. Building long-term loyalty requires consistently exceeding customer expectations, ensuring they feel delighted and wowed by their interactions with the brand.

Chapter Markers:

[02:41] Creating relatable content.

[03:15] The importance of research and understanding your audience, alongside differentiation and fresh perspectives.

[08:29] Organic growth vs. paid ads.

[13:08] The power of humor and personality in content while building your brand voice and persona.

Brand Voice and Persona - 15:13

[16:13] The importance of audience-centric content.

[20:52] Humanizing content and writing tips.

[24:39] Using AI tools for content creation.

[27:57] Prioritizing feedback and handling criticism.

[31:19] Balancing creative vision and client expectations.

[34:27] Consistency vs. quantity in content creation.

[37:06] Dealing with trolls and negativity.

[41:45] Avoiding burnout and staying motivated.

[45:38] Building community and customer engagement.

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

"Onboarding is an art; each new employee brings with them a potential to achieve and succeed. To lose the energy of a new hire through poor onboarding is an opportunity lost."

In this episode, Mallory and Shawn sit down with Trainual’s people ops manager Tara Montoya about how to create an amazing and fun onboarding experience for new employees that is infused with your company culture.

Tara emphasizes the importance of connections, presentations, training content, and checklists in onboarding. She explains Trainual's unique four-week process, which gradually introduces company culture and role-specific content to avoid overwhelming new employees. Tara also highlights the significance of leadership involvement and the value of personalized onboarding experiences, including pre-onboarding surveys and the Cheerios buddy system.

Listeners will learn about the benefits of regular check-ins, feedback mechanisms, and project-based hiring assessments. Tara discusses how to handle potential cultural mismatches and the necessity of continuous improvement in onboarding practices. Additionally, the episode addresses remote onboarding strategies, ensuring remote employees receive the same level of care and connection as those in-office.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s crucial to have a a structured and engaging onboarding process — one that uses checklists, interactive presentations, and staggered content delivery over four weeks to avoid overwhelming new hires.
• Leaders play a crucial role in onboarding by ensuring clarity of expectations, creating a supportive environment, and maintaining regular check-ins with new employees. The process should reflect company culture and core values from day one.
• For remote employees, the onboarding process should be adjusted to ensure they feel equally valued and integrated. This includes scheduling meetings and interactions that fit their time zones and work schedules.
• Continually update and refine your onboarding process based on feedback and changing needs. Each new onboarding experience is slightly different to adapt to the evolving work environment and specific roles.
• Rely on feedback and metrics, such as engagement surveys and regular check-ins, to assess the effectiveness of the onboarding process. This helps identify areas for improvement and ensure new hires feel supported and aligned with the company's goals.

Chapter Markers:

[1:38] Tara's career history and coming to Trainual.

[04:14] The significance of onboarding in setting up employees for success.

[05:33] Using consistent and customizable onboarding processes and pre-onboarding surveys to personalize the experience.

[09:18] The four main components of onboarding: connections, presentations, training content, and checklists.

[10:39] A breakdown of weekly onboarding focus areas and why it’s important to avoid overwhelming new hires with too much content.

[13:04] Supporting busy leaders in onboarding by assigning tasks and providing tools.

[14:49] Creating a strong onboarding culture.

[16:29] Strategies for remote onboarding.

[18:10] Handling cultural fit and core values.

[21:46] Project-based hiring and 30-60-90 day plans.

[25:07] Addressing performance issues (25:07 - 29:15)

[29:15] Customizing onboarding schedules and meetings for various roles.

[31:06] Feedback and continuous improvement.

[33:59] Measuring success with regular pulse checks, sentiment analysis, leader feedback, and employee engagement metrics.

[40:40] Checklist importance and creating process documentation.

[45:09] Core values and culture reinforcement.

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

"There's got to be a better way to train people because this did not hit the mark for me as a learner."

In this week's episode of Inside the Process, Mallory chats with co-host Shawn Jensen (AKA Trainual’s very own Learning & Dev geek) as he shares the tips, tricks, secrets, and strategies for creating and delivering super engaging online training (the kind people actually remember).

Whether you’re building face-to-face or self-paced training content, or a combo of both, you’ll learn proven ways to help your people learn what they need to learn and actually have a really good time doing it.

Shawn talks about the key topics for designing effective training, such as knowing your audience, being authentic, and having a proven framework. He also discusses the importance of interaction, gamification, and incorporating graphics and visuals to cater to different learning preferences. In this episode, the co-hosts chat about everything from overcoming training resistance and engaging employees to the role of management in supporting training.

Key Takeaways:

• Emphasize making training engaging and fun to enhance retention. Use authentic, personalized content and include interactive elements such as gamification, badges, and certificates.
• Tailor training to the specific needs and preferences of the audience. Collect feedback from supervisors and participants to understand what works best and to ensure the training is relevant.
• Focus on clear, measurable outcomes. Ensure trainees can apply what they've learned through practical exercises, role-playing, and real-world scenarios.
• Training should be an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Regularly solicit feedback and assess the effectiveness of the training to make continuous improvements.
• Incorporate various tools and technologies to make training more interactive and engaging. Platforms like Quizlet and Kahoot can add fun elements to quizzes and assessments.

Chapter Markers:

[01:30] Boring & ineffective training.

[06:19] Designing effective training.

[11:26] Four elements of effective training.

[12:44]Knowing your audience.

[14:25] Interaction.

[16:06] Gamification.

[17:23] Breaks during training.

[19:15] Graphics and visuals.

[20:34] Surveys to gather feedback.

[37:22] Training resistance.

[44:26] Training for personal goals & growth.

[34:46] Focusing on employee benefits.

[44:46] Demonstrations and practice.

[50:22] Dialogue and feedback.

[50:49] Measuring training success.

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://share.trainual.com/subject/e836da97-b7dd-400a-88ed-6d7cf6daa1bf/topic/3982365/step/16670130

Trainual

Inside The Process provides solutions for every aspect of the business — from process headaches and system improvement to self-management and leveling up as a leader.

Mallory Glessner and Shawn Jensen sit down with some of the brightest business minds and unpack their specialized insights to help you improve and level up the work you’re doing.

But Inside The Process isn't your typical business podcast — it's your go-to consultant (without the thousands of dollars in fees). Covering business best-practices, company culture, leadership and more — helping YOU take action and grow your business.

So, whether you’re a team leader who isn’t sure where to start or an experienced manager who wants to explore new business processes that save time, energy, and money — this is the show for you.

And don’t forget to hit subscribe to get a notification when the next episode drops!

This is one of a few podcasts from Trainual, a software platform that helps businesses build playbooks to train and grow their team. You can check out the rest of our shows here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

"Core values, your mission, your vision — these are things that you're telling your employees when they come to work for you. They want to feel that same kind of energy and share that same purpose."

In this episode of Inside The Process, Mallory and Shawn bring on Jonathan Ronzio, CMO of Trainual, to discuss the importance of creating an authentic company story and mission.

Jonathan shares insights on building a unique company culture, emphasizing the role of vision and mission statements in defining a company's purpose and target audience. He suggests that deriving core values from the stories and experiences of the founding team and top performers can be memorable and impactful for employees. Overall, Jonathan highlights the power of storytelling in shaping a company's culture and encourages organizations to create a culture where core values are truly lived and celebrated.

Key Takeaways:

• Crafting your company's story, mission, and values should be rooted in authenticity. Avoid using cliches and buzzwords; instead, focus on genuine, relatable stories that reflect the company’s true identity and culture.
• Emphasizing the alignment of core values in the hiring process ensures that new hires resonate with the company culture. This alignment is crucial for long-term employee retention and maintaining a cohesive work environment.
• Trainual celebrates employee achievements through initiatives like the Wooly Award, which recognizes individuals who exemplify the company’s core values. Such practices foster a strong, values-driven organizational culture.

Chapter Markers:

[03:03] Jonathan's journey to Trainual.

[11:08] Balancing core values with authenticity.

[15:41] Fun & authenticity.

[35:21] Employees who don't align with core values.

[47:44] Sourcing core values from the team.

[50:08] Creating a culture where core values are lived and celebrated.

[51:42] Customer wins reflect core values.

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://share.trainual.com/subject/e836da97-b7dd-400a-88ed-6d7cf6daa1bf/topic/3917337/step/16450268

Trainual

Inside The Process provides solutions for every aspect of the business — from process headaches and system improvement to self-management and leveling up as a leader.

Mallory Glessner and Shawn Jensen sit down with some of the brightest business minds and unpack their specialized insights to help you improve and level up the work you’re doing.

But Inside The Process isn't your typical business podcast — it's your go-to consultant (without the thousands of dollars in fees). Covering business best-practices, company culture, leadership and more — helping YOU take action and grow your business.

So, whether you’re a team leader who isn’t sure where to start or an experienced manager who wants to explore new business processes that save time, energy, and money — this is the show for you.

And don’t forget to hit subscribe to get a notification when the next episode drops!

This is one of a few podcasts from Trainual, a software platform that helps businesses build playbooks to train and grow their team. You can check out the rest of our shows here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

"We are not grateful because we're happy; we are happy because we're grateful."

In this episode of Inside The Process, Mallory and Shawn chat with Kelly Loudermilk, People Ops & Talent Innovator at BuildHR. Together, they explore building a culture of gratitude and discuss the intention and meaning behind gratitude

Kelly emphasizes the need for genuine support and going beyond surface-level gestures, and brings up the concept of the five appreciation languages and provides practical examples of showing gratitude.

Throughout the video, Kelly and the hosts share personal anecdotes and address audience questions, providing practical insights and resources. By the end, you'll have a deeper understanding of gratitude and strategies for implementing it in your life and business.

Key Takeaways:

• Building a culture of gratitude involves significant effort to create meaningful and effortless-looking appreciation strategies. The "effort paradox" highlights that although showing gratitude may seem effortless, it requires thoughtful planning and execution to ensure it resonates with employees.
• Effective gratitude in the workplace means meeting people where they are and understanding their preferences for recognition. Public acknowledgments may work for some, while others might prefer private, specific, and personalized notes of appreciation.
• For gratitude to be impactful, leaders must be physically, mentally, and emotionally present during interactions. This full presence helps in creating a meaningful connection and fosters an environment where employees feel genuinely appreciated.
• Leaders should engage in acts of service as a standard practice. These actions, whether small or significant, demonstrate genuine care and support for employees, reinforcing a culture of gratitude.
• Signs that employees might not feel appreciated include missed deadlines, withdrawal from meetings, and overall disengagement. Regular, specific, and genuine feedback can help address these issues and show employees that their efforts are recognized and valued.

Chapter Markers:

[02:28] Talent innovation.

[03:07] Importance of gratitude.

[06:03] Structure & culture of gratitude.

[14:37] Meet people where they're at.

[17:21] Five appreciation languages.

[30:11] Gifts and rewards.

[37:33] Physical touch.

[41:34] Gratitude and happiness.

[44:04] Signs of little appreciation.

[48:44] Culture of appreciation.

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://share.trainual.com/subject/e836da97-b7dd-400a-88ed-6d7cf6daa1bf/topic/3880810/step/16326877

Trainual

Inside The Process provides solutions for every aspect of the business — from process headaches and system improvement to self-management and leveling up as a leader.

Mallory Glessner and Shawn Jensen sit down with some of the brightest business minds and unpack their specialized insights to help you improve and level up the work you’re doing.

But Inside The Process isn't your typical business podcast — it's your go-to consultant (without the thousands of dollars in fees). Covering business best-practices, company culture, leadership and more — helping YOU take action and grow your business.

So, whether you’re a team leader who isn’t sure where to start or an experienced manager who wants to explore new business processes that save time, energy, and money — this is the show for you.

And don’t forget to hit subscribe to get a notification when the next episode drops!

This is one of a few podcasts from Trainual, a software platform that helps businesses build playbooks to train and grow their team. You can check out the rest of our shows here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

"Documenting processes ensures that critical information is not just in employees' heads but accessible to all, leading to consistent execution and better customer service."

In this episode, Mallory and Shawn discuss the absolute importance of documenting processes and strategies for creating captivating training content.

They go beyond crisis situations to explain why having clear and documented processes is essential, exploring key considerations for choosing which processes to document and how to map out processes and define their steps.

To make training engaging, they also emphasize the significance of providing context and clearly stating the outcomes for learners. Additionally, they highlight the importance of incorporating application activities and assessments within the training. They also talk about bridging the gap between subject matter experts and learners and suggest ways to involve learners in the training development process.

Key Takeaways:

• Documenting processes is crucial for consistency and optimal performance.
• The creation of training materials involves clear, logically ordered steps that are easy to follow. Breaking up text with visual elements and including application activities helps make the content more engaging and easier to digest.
• Assigning ownership of training subjects ensures accountability and customization. Utilizing pre-designed templates can save time and provide a structured approach to documenting and training on processes.

Chapter Markers:

[05:40] Document process beyond crisis situations.

[07:32] Criteria for which processes to document.

[12:19] Context in the training content.

[29:49] Evaluate learner progress.

[34:04] Learner-SME gap.

[40:22] Practice and application.

[42:48] Application activities & assessments.

[49:13] Learner-centered.

[52:04] Brand styles and design.

[53:06] Engagement through graphic content.

[54:38] Strategic training content.

[57:05] Ownership of training content.

[58:16] Templates and resources.

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://share.trainual.com/subject/e836da97-b7dd-400a-88ed-6d7cf6daa1bf/topic/3880811/step/16326883

Trainual

Inside The Process provides solutions for every aspect of the business — from process headaches and system improvement to self-management and leveling up as a leader.

Mallory Glessner and Shawn Jensen sit down with some of the brightest business minds and unpack their specialized insights to help you improve and level up the work you’re doing.

But Inside The Process isn't your typical business podcast — it's your go-to consultant (without the thousands of dollars in fees). Covering business best-practices, company culture, leadership and more — helping YOU take action and grow your business.

So, whether you’re a team leader who isn’t sure where to start or an experienced manager who wants to explore new business processes that save time, energy, and money — this is the show for you.

And don’t forget to hit subscribe to get a notification when the next episode drops!

This is one of a few podcasts from Trainual, a software platform that helps businesses build playbooks to train and grow their team. You can check out the rest of our shows here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess