Drafting Your Fantasy Training Team

Last week was kickoff for the NFL and I know that many are very excited about the upcoming season. Fantasy Football leagues are in full swing and are a great way for fans to be part of the game, in fact – at InterviewStream, we have our own league.

So, in the spirit of football season, have you ever thought about what your Fantasy Training Team would look like? Since U.S. organizations spend over $150 billion per year on training (ASTD 2012 State of the Industry Report), it is vital that you have the best people, content, tools, and resources available for all of your training efforts. In this week’s post we will draft our offensive training team and next week’s post our defensive training team – so stay tuned!

The Fantasy Training Draft

Offensive Line
In the NFL, the offensive line is the life-line of the offense and consists of a center, two guards and two tackles. The offensive linemen are responsible for blocking both running and passing plays, and are often considered the foundation of the offense. In training, the offensive line can be compared to the training environment, the technology used to deliver training, as well as the content and topics covered in training. Without each of these being at the highest level of proficiency in each unique training situation, your learners will not be exposed to a great learning environment and the transfer of knowledge will be limited. In other words, your team will not complete many passes or long running plays from the line of scrimmage.

Running Back
The running back is one of the most versatile players on the team since they not only run the ball, but also block and catch passes. They usually carry the ball for at least one-third of all plays during the game, and need to be tough, dependable and reliable. The running backs on your fantasy training team are all the trainers in your training department. They need to be available, versatile, and willing to carry the load. Remember, without a good running game it is difficult to have a good passing game in football, and in training, without good and knowledgeable trainers establishing a highly efficient learning environment, it is impossible to provide effective and successful training.

Wide Receiver
The wide receiver in football is the key player in most of the passing plays and has a highly skilled position. They are usually the fastest and most agile players in the game and are frequently highlight-reel favorites. In training, the wide receiver is your “all-star” who is likely a seasoned veteran you assign the most critical and important training duties. This trainer is your “go-to person” when you need to guarantee training ROI and ensure that a persistence to properly train new recruits directly transfers to job performance.

Kicker
The kicker in football is a member of the special teams and usually handles kickoffs, extra points and field goal attempts. This position is often called upon in high-pressure situations to win the game by kicking a field goal with little-to-no time left on the clock. The kicker on your training team is one of the high profile positions in your organization such as your CEO, VP of Sales, or other highly-respected subject matter expert (SME). This is the person you call in to leave a lasting impact on a training event and to “blow the socks off” training participants. Think of this player as your “just-in-time” and “just-in-need” training specialist.

Quarterback
The quarterback is the most important position on the team. He touches the ball on almost every offensive play and his successes and failures can have a significant impact on the team’s overall performance. The quarterback is one of the most glorified and scrutinized players in team sports, since every fan wants to be an “armchair quarterback.” He usually receives the play from the coaches on the sidelines and communicates said play to the offense in the huddle. He can hand off the ball, pass it, or scramble depending on the situation and time left in the game, and needs to be able to read the defense, speak audibly at the line, and think quickly. The quarterback is the “general” on the field and must respond correctly to every situation and scenario for the team to be successful.

The quarterback is the use of role-plays to put your team into scenarios and situations that challenge them to think on their feet and respond quickly to achieve success. Your MVP quarterback of training is video role-playing. Video role-playing allows your team to experience a real-life situation in a protected environment. You can use role-playing in any situation for capturing and sharing best practices, knowledge transfer, distributed learning, evaluation and feedback, mentoring and team building, and guaranteed ROI. Your training will only be successful if you let video role-plays be the leader of your training efforts and help your team get that winning season.

Now that your team is drafted, you are ready to begin your training season and use video role-playing to improve your results and guarantee success for each and every training event.

“Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” ~Vince Lombardi

By Dr. Chip Pike, Chief Product Officer of InterviewStream

Dr. Chip Pike has worked in business and education for over 25 years with vast experience in delivering measurable improvements to product development, knowledge management, performance evaluation and technology optimization.

Throughout his career, Chip has served in a variety of leadership roles relating to technology, learning and product development, during which he oversaw day-to-day operations and led significant technological advancements and innovations for the likes of Quality Learning, Community Education Partners (CEP), and Accelerated Learning Solutions (ALS).

In addition to his rich educational background, having received a total of four degrees, including his Ph.D. from The University of Miami, Chip brings a passion for technology and research to his role leading the top product innovations at InterviewStream.