How to Get the Boss to Say “Yes” to Training

As the Assistant in the office, you probably have the task of opening the daily snail mail and your own emails. Occasionally you may see a brochure or email from one of the large training companies like SkillPath Seminars or Fred Pryor offering all-day seminars for Administrative Assistants in communications, Excel, Microsoft Word or other topics that could boost your effectiveness and resume. With tight budgets and lean staff, getting the boss to agree to spend the money and give you the time off to attend may seem impossible.

When I was an administrative assistant in the Human Resources Department of an insurance company, we received lots of these brochures. Since I had recently re-entered the workforce, I needed to catch up on the latest trends and skills. I also wanted to build my resume so I could apply for other positions in the company.

Not long after I started, I was tasked with rewriting the HR manual. About a week later, I received a brochure for an all-day seminar on HR policies and procedures. Since I was also part-time, I thought there was no way that my boss would approve such an expense. I really wanted to attend, so I approached my boss, who surprisingly was supportive. However, she had to get her Director’s approval. Then she let me in on a process she used when she needed to convince her boss to say “yes.”

1. Think about how the seminar or training will benefit you, the company, department or work team. The fact that others will benefit makes the return on their investment (ROI) .
2. Be specific. Will it make you more productive, cut costs, eliminate waste or shorten delivery time? Will you be able to come back and train others? Write down two or three specific benefits.
3. On a sticky note or memo paper, write a note to the person who has the power to say “yes.” Be friendly but professional in tone. Reference the brochure and briefly state that you would like to attend and how your attendance will benefit you and the company.
4. End with, “What do you think?” This phrase is golden, because it invites a dialogue instead of a purely “yes” or “no” answer.
5. Attaching the note to the hard copy brochure and delivering it yourself makes your request stand out. If that’s not possible, send an email with the seminar notice as an attachment. Don’t flag it as urgent, but put the word “opportunity for increased productivity” or something related to the benefits in the subject line.
6. After attending the seminar, write a brief memo or email to the approver thanking him for the opportunity and listing three things you learned that are of value to you and the company. This feedback lets him know you made the most of the opportunity.

My boss said that she had never been refused a request using this method. I tried it myself, and it worked! I attended that seminar and many over the years using the same process. Try it yourself, and you may start getting the training and information you need to work your way up the ladder.

Mary Nestor-Harper, SPHR, is a freelance writer, blogger, and consultant. Based in Savannah, GA, her work has appeared in "Training" magazine, "Training & Development" magazine, "Supervision," "Pulse" and "The Savannah Morning News." You can read her blogs at www.skirt.com/savannahchick, www.workingsmartworks.blogspot.com/ and on the web at www.mjnhconsulting.com.