What's in this template
Five common training areas in a ranked format. Replace with the specific courses you're considering — the more concrete the option, the more reliable the ranking.
Why training budgets get wasted
Interest and attendance are different things
Everyone says yes to leadership training in the abstract. Ranking it against four alternatives tells you whether they'd give up a working day for it.
Managers guess badly on behalf of their teams
The skill a manager thinks their team needs is often the one they wish they'd had, not the one the team is currently blocked on.
The bottom of the ranking saves you money
The consistently last-ranked option is a course you don't need to book, and that's often the most immediately valuable output.
Specifics beat categories
'Public speaking' polls differently from 'a half-day workshop on presenting to executives'. The more concrete the option, the more honest the answer.
Run it in three steps
List concrete options
Actual courses with a rough time commitment, not broad skill areas. People rank specifics more honestly.
Include the time cost
Adding 'half day' or 'six weekly sessions' to each option changes the ranking, and that change is the useful part.
Book the top two
Then run it again next cycle. Rankings shift as teams and projects change.