August 2025
2 Keys to Maximize Your Training Budget
By Ron Hewett
What training will best support our strategic plan? That's the question every CEO and HR executive needs to answer as they ponder their training budget. In other words, based on where we are going with our company, how will our training dollars help us get there?
In 2003, I was hired as the GM of Safety and Training for APM Terminals (APMT), North America, one of the largest maritime ports operators in the world. APMT President, Tony Scioscia, had recently taken over the company following a merger and recognized that their safety record was abysmal and would be a major stumbling block that would prevent the company from leading the industry in productivity. In the marine terminal industry, the number of crane lifts per hour determines how much you can charge for your services. If APMT was going to lead the industry in productivity, pier safety and vessel loading efficiency would have to improve dramatically. He knew a world-class training program was paramount.
Tony understood the value of teamwork. He had been a football referee in the college ranks for years and later, as Chairman of Heisman Committee for the Downtown Athletic Club, played a major role in coordinating the activities leading up to the Heisman awards to both Bo Jackson (1985) and Vinny Testaverde (1986). He had seen what made the great teams become "The Best." He utilized that critical knowledge throughout his successful corporate career. No surprise, he wanted APMT to train their leaders and build a cohesive team.
Tony wasn't the first to recognize the connection of team training and success. In 1948, the U.S. Army got together the battlefield leaders from World War II and U.S. corporate principals to discuss why the U.S. was successful in winning the recent war. They agreed on 11 principles, one of which was "Train your people as a team." This has been verified multiple times since by various bodies of study.
At APMT, we designed an in-house team training program from the ground up. Soon we began bringing our mid-level and entry level managers from our 12 port operations to Charlotte for a 2-week, no-nonsense course that addressed the critical pillars of Safety, Economics, Operations, and Leadership. In the classroom, our vice-presidents shared their insights, and during port visits, our attendees were mentored and coached by senior leaders. Union labor leaders also participated to show the students that safety on the dock was truly a team sport. At graduation, Tony handed each graduate their diploma and asked, "How will you make a difference on the ports?" The graduates responded with their actions. By 2008, APMT was sweeping all port safety awards around the country, and our productivity set the global standard. Our revenues soared. More importantly, the retention of the first 200 graduates remained above 95% for that 5-year period. In addition, HR surveys indicated company-wide safety program engagement was an all-time high of 97%. All reflected a true team effort throughout APMT, from entry level to CEO.
The APMT turn-around, and other successful endeavors I have been associated with, relied on two keys that consistently ensure training budgets deliver real return on investment (ROI):
Key 1: Train as a Team to Build Trust and Shared Insight
When members from across your organization participate in a shared training experience, supported by leadership, it builds alignment, trust, and mutual respect. Through practical exercises, open dialogue, and real-world application, teams gain valuable insights not only from the course content, but also from each other.
You don't need to spend two weeks off-site to gain real results. Some of the most effective growth happens when teams come together for just 1–3 focused days of training.
Whether it's sales teams, C-suite executives, manufacturing supervisors, or hospitality managers, organizations across a spectrum of industries benefit when teams learn together in a purposeful, engaging environment.
Key 2: Align Training with Your Strategy and Goals
To be effective, training must be aligned with your organization's vision, values, strategy, and goals. Whether you're building a new plan or refining an existing one, leadership development should reinforce your mission and goals —training programs are not always one-size-fits-all.
Customizing your program based on where you are in the strategic planning process is paramount. For organizations seeking clarity, a Focus and Alignment Workshop helps leadership teams define or refine their vision, values, and core priorities. A tailored Leadership Development Program ensures Core Leadership Principles are directly connected to business objectives.
When training is relevant and strategically focused, it delivers meaningful results and drives long-term impact. At Academy Leadership we call this, "closing the knowing — doing gap."
Put the power of team training to work in your organization today. You're welcome to review our case studies, which highlight how we've helped other teams design and implement impactful in-house training programs—aligned with their mission, values, goals, and objectives.
Ron Hewett is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the facilitator of the Battleship North Carolina Leadership Experience. He enjoys sharing his experiences, spanning a lifetime of challenges as a naval officer, high school teacher, maritime ports executive, and corporate leadership consultant, with leaders at all levels who want to improve their prospects for success.
