When Ari Weinzweig, Paul Saginaw and I founded ZingTrain in 1994, one of the first things we did was to document a vision for training at Zingerman’s. Back then, we didn’t use the term “vision” as frequently — and certainly not with the same clarity of definition — as we do today. But we agreed upon several important things:
• We believed very strongly in the importance of training (it was already a documented value, as Zingerman’s Guiding Principle No. 7 — A Place to Learn);
• As an organization, we were doing some things well when it came to training (in particular, having Ari or Paul teach an orientation class for all new hires and offering a class on customer service);
• There were lots of things we could do much better;
• We didn’t want to create a training bureaucracy.

Eventually, we realized that there were five key benefits we were looking for from training. These benefits form the heart of what we now call our Bottom-Line Training® Vision:
An approach that is simple and quick to implement. Lengthy planning and design can kill a training initiative — and prevent anything from being implemented.
The ability to focus on problem areas as they come up and are identified, rather than having to wait until the next “revision” of the training materials.
An emphasis on information that staff need to know/be able to do in order to be successful in their jobs, which is not always the same as what trainers are most excited about teaching.
Tools that reduce — not increase — leadership’s burden. Our managers have a lot on their plates. A good training program makes their lives easier, not more complicated.
Positive impacts on one or more of our three bottom lines: food quality, service quality and financial results. If our training isn’t having a positive bottom-line impact, then we need to improve the way we’re doing the training — or change what we’re training on. Zingerman’s — unlike the University of Michigan, with whom we share our hometown — doesn’t exist just to educate/train people.

As we teach in our visioning classes (both for internal staff and in ZingTrain’s Leading with Zing! and Small Giants seminars), a vision describes “what” we want to attain but will not explain the “how.” In the years since 1994, ZingTrain has developed the tools and systems to move Zingerman’s down the path toward our vision of Bottom-Line Training®. Although by no means perfect, the training infrastructure that we have in place has played a key role in the success of the ZCoB, which has grown from an organization of four businesses, 130 staff and $7.5 million in annual revenues in 1994 to an organization of seven businesses, 500-plus staff and about $35 million in annual revenue. Oh yes, and our bottom lines have improved as well.

So now I can describe, in a way I could not back in 1994, what Bottom-Line Training® looks like in practice. Bottom-Line Training® has two key components:

Zingerman’s Training Compact, which lays out the roles for both trainers and trainees. In it, we explain that Trainers agree to:
• Document clear training expectations
• Provide the training resources
• Recognize performance
• Reward performance

On the flip side, Trainees have a responsibility as well. They agree to:
• Take responsibility for the effectiveness of their training

The Training Compact is reviewed in every class and on every training shift. If we’re doing our jobs well, we’re talking about it during the interview and encouraging candidates to demonstrate a willingness to take responsibility for the effectiveness of their training by asking lots of questions. At the end of the day, no one can make us learn. We each need to decide to learn what we need to know to be successful in our jobs. And if we’re not clear on what is expected or are not getting the training resources we need, it is our responsibility to ask for help. With the Training Compact, responsibility has increased by 100 percent. The trainer remains 100 percent responsible for the effectiveness of the training, but the trainee is 100 percent responsible as well.

Zingerman’s 4 Training Plan Questions, which identify the information that the organization needs to provide to every staff member to help him/her succeed. These questions add meat to the Trainer’s side of the Training Compact:
• What is expected of the trainee — and by when?
• How will that information be made available (what are the training resources)?
• How will we know the expectations are/are not being met?
• What are the rewards/consequences for meeting/not meeting the expectations?

In Bottom-Line Training®, the answers to those questions are found in a “Training Passport” that documents what every new hire needs to accomplish in order to complete orientation. (For a sample passport, check out the “free samples” on www.zingtrain.com.)

At Zingerman’s, the expectations for Question No. 1 are grouped in the following content areas and include both organizationwide and department-specific expectations:
• Organizational History/Vision
• Product Knowledge
• Customer Service
• Safety/Sanitation
• Business Financials
• Operations/Systems

The training resources (Question No. 2) include both classes and on-shift training. Three classes that I think are essential for most organizations:
1. An orientation class taught, at least in part, by the founders/owners that covers the organization’s mission, some history, a vision of where the company is headed, an explanation of what differentiates us from the competition and some clear expectations for how each individual staff person can contribute to our ongoing success. In addition to the organizationwide orientation class (Welcome to the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses), each business (and some departments) also teaches orientation classes (e.g., Welcome to the Roadhouse, Welcome to the Creamery).
2. A customer service class that lays out the organization’s expectations with regards to customer service and also includes the opportunity to practice (in role plays) how to handle customer complaints.
3. A Train-the-Trainer class for on-shift trainers that provides tools and a safe place to practice. Being good at building displays (or making sandwiches or delivering great customer service) is not the same thing as being good at teaching other people how to build displays (make sandwiches or give great service). Training is itself a skill that can — and should — be taught.

In terms of measuring whether expectations are being met (Question No. 3), I’m a fan of both written and performance tests — along with observation and feedback. At a minimum, I would recommend at least two written or oral product tests (10 to 20 questions each) and at least two hands-on performance tests (ringing up a set of predetermined items on the cash register is a good one; or answering the phone correctly and accurately taking a “customer” order).

When it comes to Rewards and Consequences (Question No. 4), I believe that it makes sense to lead with rewards. In most cases, the rewards for successfully completing training are additional independence, a feeling of accomplishment and the opportunity for advancement in the organization. At Zingerman’s, we tie qualification for pay increases and benefits to the successful completion of orientation training expectations. So, not completing your training means not getting benefits (PTO, employee discount, health insurance, etc.) and not being eligible for a raise.

So, that’s what Bottom-Line Training® looks like in practice: A Training Compact and Training Plan Questions that are actively taught, Passports for each new hire that document agreed-upon expectations, a few key classes, a few tests and tangible rewards for completing the training. Once the basics are in place, the same approach can be used to develop ongoing training (such as our UofZ — University of Zingerman’s) program.

And what do people say about Bottom-Line Training®? Zingerman’s Deli Managing Partner Grace Singleton says, “I use Zingerman’s 4 Training Plan Questions all the time, and they are one of the first things I go over when I am teaching leadership skills to others. Pretty much everything relates to these questions. For example, when I am frustrated with someone’s performance, I’ve found that if we sit down and answer these questions together, the likelihood of overcoming the problem is very high.” Leah Trulik, from our HR staff, recently heard a new hire say that he really liked having a passport because “in previous jobs, I had to chase the manager around to find out what I needed to do/learn next. Passports make it really clear what is expected, and even when my manager is busy, I still know what I need to do next.”

Learn more about Zingerman’s Bottom-Line Training® approach at our two-day Bottom-Line Training® seminar Oct. 26-27, 2009, in Ann Arbor, Mich. See www.zingtrain.com for details.

Maggie Bayless is the managing partner of ZingTrain, which is the consulting arm of Zingerman’s, the specialty food retailer in Ann Arbor, Mich. If you have specific topics you would like to see addressed, please send your suggestions to Maggie at mbayless@zingermans.com.