Training is big business, with an estimated $136 billion spent in North America every year, but not all training is created equal. It takes deliberate planning to ensure that these resources are being leveraged to their maximum potential. There are three critical issues that determine whether or not a training program will be successful: awareness, accountability, and action. Awareness has to do with the idea that employee training, regardless of the employee’s position or generation, is most effective when the employee understands the reason for the training, and the value it will create. Accountability refers to the fact that leadership can provide employees with learning opportunities; however, each employee is responsible for maximizing the learning experience. It’s necessary to assign this accountability rather than assume it already exists. Action has to do with the training itself, and what immediately follows. After the particular training session is approved and employees are engaged with it, managers should set up a follow-up action plan for how and when the management team will work with individual employees to evaluate the results of the program.