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Is management training just a jolly?

Clearly it is not - but occasionally some participants approach and treat it like it is.
It does provide a break in routine and something different from the "day job", and it should have some relationship and link back to the work place, either direct or indirect.
A key question is what are the conditions to establish before, during and after a management training event that ensure that it is not treated as a jolly by the participants?
BEFOREHAND - as a sponsor or provider of management training you should do the following:-
pick the right training/learning event that meets the participant's needs and pick the right paricipants for whom it will be relevant.
Brief the participants and ensure that their manager either does this themselves or at least is involved in this discussion. Help the participants to establish their own objectives for this training event and ensure that they do any necessary preparation. Check out that participants don't have any overwhelming workload or personal clashes with the events timing and that they recognise the investment that the organisation is making for theier development.
Brief the trainer involved about any cultural, business or participant specifics and ensure that you have agreed the course objectives and approach with them.
DURING THE EVENT - be available or keep in touch with the trainers to ensure that things are going OK - empower them to handle any participant issues on the day but give them a contact in case something particularly difficult arises. Provide a relevant Company sponsor to introduce or close the course.
Ensure that the course is relevant to and is linked back to the business.
Give participants feedback forms asking for their views of the course at the end.
AFTERWARDS - hold a de-brief with the trainers.
Review the feedback forms or a summary of them.
Follow up if necessary with any participants who have been or have had difficiculties.
Encourage the line managers to hold a de-brief meeting with each participant to check the business relevance of the course and how well they have achieved their objectives.
Evaluate the effectiveness and value of the event using the 4 stage model - first reactions, validation of the course, met company objectives, had an impact on the business.

In summary management training should be enjoyable and fun - this helps people to learn - but it needs to be much more than this, needs to relate to the business needs and works most effectively when the participants are well chosen and well briefed and de-briefed for it.
If you would like to learn more about how to make your management training valuable and effective then please contact DPL at this address.