We have ahead of us a year that is going to be challenging to say the least. The focus for 2009 must be on making our businesses and organisations successful, cost effective and sustainable.
Success comes in different forms for different organisations - for some it may be profit, for others it may be service levels or it may be an altruistic outcome.
Cost effectiveness in any organisation - from the independent consultant to the multi-national - is always important. In these days of escalating utilities bills alone, managing costs is crucial to end results.
Making a business or organisation sustainable is a wide ranging challenge - from ensuring you have a succession plan for your skill base to making sure you are in a market that will survive.
Organisations face these challenges on a daily basis. Why am I listing them? Because 'training' is a key ingredient to each aspect.
Success. Train your sales people, train your managers, train your new employees. Reduce mistakes, improve efficiency and productivity!
Cost-effectiveness. Training is a proven motivator and reduces staff turnover. This reduces your cost of hiring and retraining.
Sustainability. By training your people to be better at their jobs, better thinkers and to be more proactive as members of your team they will help you identify sustainability opportunities in a whole host of areas.
When finances are tight training, like marketing, are often shunted down the priority list yet they are both crucial to organisational development during a time of economic pressure.
So make 2009 the year you don't just look at the figures, but look at the outcomes. The challenge for us all is to think beyond the current situation and to see where we will be in 12 months time and even 12 years time.
Will what we offer still be needed? They say that 60% of the children in school today will be performing jobs that don't even exist yet. Can we look ahead too and find out what new businesses and services will be needed as well?
It is hard when the pressure is on financially, but those with courage will survive and prosper. (Oh yes, and those with huge financial resources too!)
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Monday, 22 December 2008
12 Learning Days of Christmas
From Peter Mayes, of Trainerbase:
THE TWELVE DAYS OF LEARNING
On the first day of learning my trainer said to me:
There is always One thing more that you could know.
On the second day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the third day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the forth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the fifth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the sixth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the seventh day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
One the eighth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the ninth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Nine Team Roles.
Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the tenth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Ten Aspects of Culture.
Nine Team Roles.
Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the eleventh day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Eleven Steps to Success.
Ten Aspects of Culture.
Nine Team Roles.
Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the twelfth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Twelve Performance Measures.
Eleven Steps to Success.
Ten Aspects of Culture.
Nine Team Roles.
Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And (as you know by now) always One thing more that you could know.
Thank you Peter! Season's Greetings to you all
THE TWELVE DAYS OF LEARNING
On the first day of learning my trainer said to me:
There is always One thing more that you could know.
On the second day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the third day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the forth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the fifth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the sixth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the seventh day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
One the eighth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the ninth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Nine Team Roles.
Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the tenth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Ten Aspects of Culture.
Nine Team Roles.
Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the eleventh day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Eleven Steps to Success.
Ten Aspects of Culture.
Nine Team Roles.
Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Seven McKinsey S’s.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And always One thing more that you could know.
On the twelfth day of learning my trainer said to me:
There are Twelve Performance Measures.
Eleven Steps to Success.
Ten Aspects of Culture.
Nine Team Roles.
Eight Multiple Intelligences.
Six Thinking Hats.
Five Leadership Levels.
Four Learning Styles.
Three Ego States.
Two McGregor Types.
And (as you know by now) always One thing more that you could know.
Thank you Peter! Season's Greetings to you all
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Christmas in the office
One of my first jobs in the early 80s was with an FMCG company and every Christmas each member of staff would get a Christmas hamper full of goodies including wine, spirits and the ubiquitous jar of pickled walnuts.
We had an annual Christmas Ball - one year at the Inn on the Park (and someone from our party stole the doorhandles which had to be found and returned!). The budget spent, all in all, must have been in the hundreds per employee even in those days.
We probably had a few drinks back in the office too, with more than one colleague getting rather 'well oiled' and a little emotional.
Looking at articles on the internet about 'The Christmas Party' they are now nicely Politically Correct, Health and Safety conscious and all about responsible behaviour. As they should be, of course!
I don't recommend going back to the days of the backside on the photocopier, illicit snogging in the stationery cupboard or even the huge budgets spent per employee, but what I fear we do miss these days is the feeling that Christmas was a time of celebration. Not religious celebration even, but a culmination of everyone working hard for a year, of people joining and leaving, personal and business achievements. It was a time when we let ourselves appreciate that we had worked hard and got some recognition for it.
So here are my top tips for Christmas in the office:
Say thank you. Acknowledge and appreciate the help you have had from colleagues.
Say thank you again. Say thank you to your clients and suppliers as well.
Work. If you have to work over Christmas try and keep a positive attitude. You will have some quality time without the usual interruptions!
Stop. Stop working, go outside and look at your world. Whether it's the view of the factory next door, the buildings of your town, rolling fields, the neighbour's curtain or an endless sea of offices. Don't have any preconceived ideas of what to think about during this time. Just look.
Be social to the level that you are comfortable. Show up at the office party, but if you hate office parties, then don't sit there looking resentful, make it known that parties aren't your thing and leave after a couple of mince pies with a smile on your face. If you love parties, then go for it! But remember the good sense rules of not doing anything you wouldn't be completely happy doing on any normal working day.
Use the quiet time. If your business is quieter during holiday periods, put that time to good use and catch up with those jobs that you like to defer, delegate or simply not do.
Things to avoid:
Phoning clients up when you are drunk
Sitting on the mince pies
Spilling any kind of drink on the laptop
Getting locked in the office over the holiday
Giving someone 'knickers in a tin' for Secret Santa
We'd love more Christmas tips from our readers, so please contact us if you have ideas/stories/advice to contribute.
Wishing you the best for the festive season.
We had an annual Christmas Ball - one year at the Inn on the Park (and someone from our party stole the doorhandles which had to be found and returned!). The budget spent, all in all, must have been in the hundreds per employee even in those days.
We probably had a few drinks back in the office too, with more than one colleague getting rather 'well oiled' and a little emotional.
Looking at articles on the internet about 'The Christmas Party' they are now nicely Politically Correct, Health and Safety conscious and all about responsible behaviour. As they should be, of course!
I don't recommend going back to the days of the backside on the photocopier, illicit snogging in the stationery cupboard or even the huge budgets spent per employee, but what I fear we do miss these days is the feeling that Christmas was a time of celebration. Not religious celebration even, but a culmination of everyone working hard for a year, of people joining and leaving, personal and business achievements. It was a time when we let ourselves appreciate that we had worked hard and got some recognition for it.
So here are my top tips for Christmas in the office:
Say thank you. Acknowledge and appreciate the help you have had from colleagues.
Say thank you again. Say thank you to your clients and suppliers as well.
Work. If you have to work over Christmas try and keep a positive attitude. You will have some quality time without the usual interruptions!
Stop. Stop working, go outside and look at your world. Whether it's the view of the factory next door, the buildings of your town, rolling fields, the neighbour's curtain or an endless sea of offices. Don't have any preconceived ideas of what to think about during this time. Just look.
Be social to the level that you are comfortable. Show up at the office party, but if you hate office parties, then don't sit there looking resentful, make it known that parties aren't your thing and leave after a couple of mince pies with a smile on your face. If you love parties, then go for it! But remember the good sense rules of not doing anything you wouldn't be completely happy doing on any normal working day.
Use the quiet time. If your business is quieter during holiday periods, put that time to good use and catch up with those jobs that you like to defer, delegate or simply not do.
Things to avoid:
Phoning clients up when you are drunk
Sitting on the mince pies
Spilling any kind of drink on the laptop
Getting locked in the office over the holiday
Giving someone 'knickers in a tin' for Secret Santa
We'd love more Christmas tips from our readers, so please contact us if you have ideas/stories/advice to contribute.
Wishing you the best for the festive season.
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
'Tis the Season to be 'JOLLIE' - six sales tips for Xmas
Yes it is that time of year again, and as salespeople you will have a lot of things to do before the end of the calendar year. However it is also the time to start thinking about the year ahead and my acronym may help you to allocate some time in getting some of the things that are often forgotten about until well into the New Year.
January is just around the corner; traditionally this is a quiet month for many sales people and customers may not be keen to see you. But have you thought about what sales you are likely to bring in during January? Have you factored that into the following months? More importantly have you thought about how best you can use you time? You can be highly productive in January, using this ‘quiet’ time as a launchpad for the rest of the year. Are there any areas of improvement you need to address? Are there any gaps in your product knowledge or your competitor’s product knowledge? Do you have any specific training requirements or other development needs? Get it done in January when it won’t impact your sales as much.
Objectives – Have you set your objectives for the coming year? It amazes me how many people fail to hit their sales target in one year and then think that by doing exactly the same thing next year they will have a better chance! Remember to use SMART objectives and to make sure you include some degree of stretch; you do want to be a better salesperson next year don’t you?
Look closely at your customer base, have you got appropriate plans in place with you major accounts? Have you compared sales results with last year at account level? Are you losing business to competition? How much business is at risk? What are you doing to ensure to retain that business? Are you growing your business in the accounts where you forecasted some uplift in the business? Do you have sufficient prospects being developed to ensure you exceed next year’s targets?
Look at your total operation, are you penetrating your territory as well as you could? Are you maximising the sales potential within your area? What can you do this year that will enhance your performance over last year?
Invest your time in the areas and activities that will give you the best return. Remember, time is like money, you can save it, invest it, waste it and spend it, but remember, you can’t get a refund on your time!
Enjoy what you do – as opposed to, do what you enjoy! Most salespeople will customise their operation around what they enjoy, and consequently spend most of their time in their ‘Comfort Zone’. Star performers tend to establish exactly what needs to be done in order to achieve the results they insist upon and stretch themselves to work outside of their comfort zone and end up enjoying more of what they have to do.
Article by Tony Dimech, Appleton Associates and provider of Telesales Prompt Software.
January is just around the corner; traditionally this is a quiet month for many sales people and customers may not be keen to see you. But have you thought about what sales you are likely to bring in during January? Have you factored that into the following months? More importantly have you thought about how best you can use you time? You can be highly productive in January, using this ‘quiet’ time as a launchpad for the rest of the year. Are there any areas of improvement you need to address? Are there any gaps in your product knowledge or your competitor’s product knowledge? Do you have any specific training requirements or other development needs? Get it done in January when it won’t impact your sales as much.
Objectives – Have you set your objectives for the coming year? It amazes me how many people fail to hit their sales target in one year and then think that by doing exactly the same thing next year they will have a better chance! Remember to use SMART objectives and to make sure you include some degree of stretch; you do want to be a better salesperson next year don’t you?
Look closely at your customer base, have you got appropriate plans in place with you major accounts? Have you compared sales results with last year at account level? Are you losing business to competition? How much business is at risk? What are you doing to ensure to retain that business? Are you growing your business in the accounts where you forecasted some uplift in the business? Do you have sufficient prospects being developed to ensure you exceed next year’s targets?
Look at your total operation, are you penetrating your territory as well as you could? Are you maximising the sales potential within your area? What can you do this year that will enhance your performance over last year?
Invest your time in the areas and activities that will give you the best return. Remember, time is like money, you can save it, invest it, waste it and spend it, but remember, you can’t get a refund on your time!
Enjoy what you do – as opposed to, do what you enjoy! Most salespeople will customise their operation around what they enjoy, and consequently spend most of their time in their ‘Comfort Zone’. Star performers tend to establish exactly what needs to be done in order to achieve the results they insist upon and stretch themselves to work outside of their comfort zone and end up enjoying more of what they have to do.
Article by Tony Dimech, Appleton Associates and provider of Telesales Prompt Software.
Friday, 12 December 2008
Managing Training Costs
I've recently agreed to sell a new software programme via the Complete Trainer, called Course Manager. It's a comprehensive system for running your training courses. Which although I have never used such a system, I can certainly see the benefits.
When I worked within a training provider, they ran many open programmes but frequently found that tracking the real ROI (for promotional events) and the profit on pay programmes was a challenge.
Yes, there are great tools out there like Course Manager (which cost money and the ROI on such systems should be calculated too), but I think really understanding the true costs of running a training programme is crucial, even more so during these cash-strapped times.
If you are offering funded training that costs your delegates nothing, you still have to examine the cost of sale for your organisation. This will include the marketing, delivery costs, administrative support and - as in some funded training - ensuring that your client fills in all the forms, talks to relevant brokers, that all your paperwork is submitted and that you get paid.
Understanding the hidden costs is important; whether you are a sole-trader trainer or part of an in-house training team. Venue costs, equipment hire, cancellation fees (for venues and trainers), materials, no-shows - all of these must be considered.
A software programme is a great way of tracking your costs (and a good spreadsheet can be too), but managing your ROI may be more of a challenge simply because of the time scale involved.
On a simple '£ per delegate' programme you can calculate a 'recruitment/delivery' cost and look at your profit at the end of delivery, but if you are running a promotional event to demonstrate a training product or service, then your ROI may not occur for months, or even years, after the event.
I know of an NLP company and a coaching company that run free two-day workshops as introductory programmes in expectation that they will convert delegates to full practitioner/accreditation courses which, of course, are high value to them. But it may take one or two years for their initial delegates to convert to fully-paying clients. In between times they maintain contact, offer other events and support delegates in their learning and development. This is a long-term investment and it builds loyalty and a goodwill network (getting more contacts). And, of course, it must convert a sufficient percentage of delegates to be profitable.
Likewise with business clients, you may well be talking about relationships that last years (according to your product). And decision making may be a far more convoluted process, involving others who are in charge of budget, but who do not necessarily understand the service/benefits offered. Keeping that relationship with the client may be frustrating when business is repeatedly stalled, postponed or redesigned, but (and you must still manage your cost of sale) by maintaining the relationship, you will increase your chances of being the provider of choice when decisions are actually made.
Some tough decision making must come into play when you've worked with a client for a long time but, by the time they've changed the delegate list six times, asked for different modules from what they specified, asked for a different venue and changed the dates three times (yes, it has been known), you have to make sure the price you charge this client still makes a profit.
Selling training is not, on the whole, a 'shifting units' game. There are some business models which operate on that basis (such as Croner and Reed who have national coverage and large marketing budgets), but mostly it's about managing your operation effectively and taking on the long-term commitment to your client. Crucial to this is managing your costs, whether you use bespoke software, off the shelf databases, spreadsheets or good old pen and paper. Make sure you really know what a programme costs you to run.
When I worked within a training provider, they ran many open programmes but frequently found that tracking the real ROI (for promotional events) and the profit on pay programmes was a challenge.
Yes, there are great tools out there like Course Manager (which cost money and the ROI on such systems should be calculated too), but I think really understanding the true costs of running a training programme is crucial, even more so during these cash-strapped times.
If you are offering funded training that costs your delegates nothing, you still have to examine the cost of sale for your organisation. This will include the marketing, delivery costs, administrative support and - as in some funded training - ensuring that your client fills in all the forms, talks to relevant brokers, that all your paperwork is submitted and that you get paid.
Understanding the hidden costs is important; whether you are a sole-trader trainer or part of an in-house training team. Venue costs, equipment hire, cancellation fees (for venues and trainers), materials, no-shows - all of these must be considered.
A software programme is a great way of tracking your costs (and a good spreadsheet can be too), but managing your ROI may be more of a challenge simply because of the time scale involved.
On a simple '£ per delegate' programme you can calculate a 'recruitment/delivery' cost and look at your profit at the end of delivery, but if you are running a promotional event to demonstrate a training product or service, then your ROI may not occur for months, or even years, after the event.
I know of an NLP company and a coaching company that run free two-day workshops as introductory programmes in expectation that they will convert delegates to full practitioner/accreditation courses which, of course, are high value to them. But it may take one or two years for their initial delegates to convert to fully-paying clients. In between times they maintain contact, offer other events and support delegates in their learning and development. This is a long-term investment and it builds loyalty and a goodwill network (getting more contacts). And, of course, it must convert a sufficient percentage of delegates to be profitable.
Likewise with business clients, you may well be talking about relationships that last years (according to your product). And decision making may be a far more convoluted process, involving others who are in charge of budget, but who do not necessarily understand the service/benefits offered. Keeping that relationship with the client may be frustrating when business is repeatedly stalled, postponed or redesigned, but (and you must still manage your cost of sale) by maintaining the relationship, you will increase your chances of being the provider of choice when decisions are actually made.
Some tough decision making must come into play when you've worked with a client for a long time but, by the time they've changed the delegate list six times, asked for different modules from what they specified, asked for a different venue and changed the dates three times (yes, it has been known), you have to make sure the price you charge this client still makes a profit.
Selling training is not, on the whole, a 'shifting units' game. There are some business models which operate on that basis (such as Croner and Reed who have national coverage and large marketing budgets), but mostly it's about managing your operation effectively and taking on the long-term commitment to your client. Crucial to this is managing your costs, whether you use bespoke software, off the shelf databases, spreadsheets or good old pen and paper. Make sure you really know what a programme costs you to run.
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Values at work
I’ve been reading about Value Theory. There’s an excellent article in People Management* , by Julian Bazley, which has provided much enlightenment, but also prompted me to ask more questions about values as a business concept.
If I had been asked what my core work values are, I would say immediately honesty, integrity and respect. But as an individual I hold creativity, sociability and family closest to my heart. Some of these transcend into a work of course, and indeed I would say that honesty, integrity and respect are personal values too. So there is no strict differentiation, but perhaps a difference in priority. I had a little trouble defining the difference between values as beliefs, behaviours and attitudes. But a simple explanation was forthcoming from some values research in the book Line Therapy and the Basis of Personality (Tad James and Wyatt Woodsmall).
If you look at behaviour as the ‘output’, all actions are processed by the brain which operates on emotional response filtered by values, beliefs and attitudes. And, with recourse to the accepted wisdom that we delete, distort and generalise information we process, then our behaviour is influenced by many layers before the output – our behaviour – manifests.
In a leadership training session a few years back the trainer mentioned personal values and how easily they can be challenged. She said “If I say that respecting all life as sacred is a value of mine, and I believe it passionately, you accept that, and I believe it. But if you threatened my children, for example, and my only way to protect them was to kill, I would kill. So – is respecting life really one of my core values?”
She challenged whether our values would remain intact under extreme pressure. Now, on the whole we won’t experience life-threatening behaviours in our daily work environment (though there are many who do in professions such as the military or police force), but we may well experience pressures that challenge our work, and personal, values.
If your employer decides that it wishes to sell widgets to the oppressive regime in some far away land that has fundamentally different political, religious or social ethics to your own, by challenging your values as an individual, does it not also ask you to challenge your employer’s values? This is where values start to wander into the territory of ethics.
The difference between ethics and values is another conceptual challenge for me. Wikipedia talks of Values Theory in the following terms:
“Value theory encompasses a range of approaches to understanding how, why, and to what degree humans should or do value things, whether the thing is a person, idea, object, or anything else. This investigation began in ancient philosophy, where it is called axiology or ethics. Early philosophical investigations sought to understand good and evil, and the concept of "the good". Today much of value theory is scientifically empirical, recording what people do value and attempting to understand why they value it in the context of psychology, sociology, and economics.”
So the line between ethics and values is a blurred one: I may adhere to an employer’s stated values, but I could disagree with their ethics. For example, a corporate value may be client related which is hard to argue with, yet the Board of Directors may have no qualms whatsoever with investing profit in an arms company, which may clash with my personal values.
The article by Julian Bazely focuses on the communication of corporate values, of cascading those values through the organisation into belief and behaviour (broadly speaking) and the benefit this can bring the employer and the employees.
One thing that is clear from the article and from the light research and reading I have done, the important issue with corporate values is to communicate them and to understand how values can work as motivators – and demotivators.
Recently I facilitated the ‘Life Lines’ game with a team including a trainer and two coaches. The group do not work as a team except in general terms within the company. The game gives you a huge range of values to choose from so it was not surprising that only one value was shared by any of the delegates (passion, as it happens). What was interesting is that, knowing the delegates, I could easily map their values to the individual’s character. There were some surprises, but on the whole the team demonstrated ‘authenticity’ – they behave as they believe. However, this doesn’t mean that everything is perfect in the garden. One of the teaser questions in the game asked whether you might peek into a private diary or not? This provided interesting additional insights to the personalities around the table. The outcome of the game was, in my experience, a reinforcement of their integrity. This is only in my opinion as facilitator; the outcome was also boredom for one and a happy distraction from work for another.
The value of the values game? It provided some useful insights and helped explore some interesting areas of the company’s values – ones which are communicated regularly (through team meetings) and, mostly, demonstrated in behaviour. I do think, however, that this is possibly a more typical outcome from a group who work in L&D than perhaps in other sectors.
Of Julian’s summary of key points, the most important in my opinion was quite simply ‘Reinforce your values through consistent action and communication’. An employer could have the most effective set of values in theory, but unless the employees know, understand and demonstrate those values, they are not even worth the paper they written on.
* Article originally published in February 2008. Please note that People Management require registration on their site to access archived materials.
The Complete Trainer Ltd also sell the Values-based team game ‘Life Lines’ from Chilli Training. This game is ideal for understanding individual and team values and for cascading corporate values. Please visit the website for more information.
If I had been asked what my core work values are, I would say immediately honesty, integrity and respect. But as an individual I hold creativity, sociability and family closest to my heart. Some of these transcend into a work of course, and indeed I would say that honesty, integrity and respect are personal values too. So there is no strict differentiation, but perhaps a difference in priority. I had a little trouble defining the difference between values as beliefs, behaviours and attitudes. But a simple explanation was forthcoming from some values research in the book Line Therapy and the Basis of Personality (Tad James and Wyatt Woodsmall).
If you look at behaviour as the ‘output’, all actions are processed by the brain which operates on emotional response filtered by values, beliefs and attitudes. And, with recourse to the accepted wisdom that we delete, distort and generalise information we process, then our behaviour is influenced by many layers before the output – our behaviour – manifests.
In a leadership training session a few years back the trainer mentioned personal values and how easily they can be challenged. She said “If I say that respecting all life as sacred is a value of mine, and I believe it passionately, you accept that, and I believe it. But if you threatened my children, for example, and my only way to protect them was to kill, I would kill. So – is respecting life really one of my core values?”
She challenged whether our values would remain intact under extreme pressure. Now, on the whole we won’t experience life-threatening behaviours in our daily work environment (though there are many who do in professions such as the military or police force), but we may well experience pressures that challenge our work, and personal, values.
If your employer decides that it wishes to sell widgets to the oppressive regime in some far away land that has fundamentally different political, religious or social ethics to your own, by challenging your values as an individual, does it not also ask you to challenge your employer’s values? This is where values start to wander into the territory of ethics.
The difference between ethics and values is another conceptual challenge for me. Wikipedia talks of Values Theory in the following terms:
“Value theory encompasses a range of approaches to understanding how, why, and to what degree humans should or do value things, whether the thing is a person, idea, object, or anything else. This investigation began in ancient philosophy, where it is called axiology or ethics. Early philosophical investigations sought to understand good and evil, and the concept of "the good". Today much of value theory is scientifically empirical, recording what people do value and attempting to understand why they value it in the context of psychology, sociology, and economics.”
So the line between ethics and values is a blurred one: I may adhere to an employer’s stated values, but I could disagree with their ethics. For example, a corporate value may be client related which is hard to argue with, yet the Board of Directors may have no qualms whatsoever with investing profit in an arms company, which may clash with my personal values.
The article by Julian Bazely focuses on the communication of corporate values, of cascading those values through the organisation into belief and behaviour (broadly speaking) and the benefit this can bring the employer and the employees.
One thing that is clear from the article and from the light research and reading I have done, the important issue with corporate values is to communicate them and to understand how values can work as motivators – and demotivators.
Recently I facilitated the ‘Life Lines’ game with a team including a trainer and two coaches. The group do not work as a team except in general terms within the company. The game gives you a huge range of values to choose from so it was not surprising that only one value was shared by any of the delegates (passion, as it happens). What was interesting is that, knowing the delegates, I could easily map their values to the individual’s character. There were some surprises, but on the whole the team demonstrated ‘authenticity’ – they behave as they believe. However, this doesn’t mean that everything is perfect in the garden. One of the teaser questions in the game asked whether you might peek into a private diary or not? This provided interesting additional insights to the personalities around the table. The outcome of the game was, in my experience, a reinforcement of their integrity. This is only in my opinion as facilitator; the outcome was also boredom for one and a happy distraction from work for another.
The value of the values game? It provided some useful insights and helped explore some interesting areas of the company’s values – ones which are communicated regularly (through team meetings) and, mostly, demonstrated in behaviour. I do think, however, that this is possibly a more typical outcome from a group who work in L&D than perhaps in other sectors.
Of Julian’s summary of key points, the most important in my opinion was quite simply ‘Reinforce your values through consistent action and communication’. An employer could have the most effective set of values in theory, but unless the employees know, understand and demonstrate those values, they are not even worth the paper they written on.
* Article originally published in February 2008. Please note that People Management require registration on their site to access archived materials.
The Complete Trainer Ltd also sell the Values-based team game ‘Life Lines’ from Chilli Training. This game is ideal for understanding individual and team values and for cascading corporate values. Please visit the website for more information.
Monday, 1 December 2008
Effective Role play in Learning and Development
By Edward Harbour
Creative Director, AIM Associates
Role play has been around as a learning tool for a long time. Without defining it as such, many of us use role play as a basic tool of life. Whenever we project into the future in a kind of ‘what if’ scenario, we are indulging in a role play; we are projecting ourselves into an imaginary situation where we can ‘rehearse’ our performance in order to influence the outcome.
In a learning environment, role play can be a very flexible and effective tool. The tenet ‘I hear and forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand’ is very applicable here. Role play is often used as a way of making sense of the theory, of gathering together concepts into a practical experience. And yet, it often goes wrong. Why? Because like so many things which are simple in concept, it can become complicated in reality. If used badly in a training environment the role play tool can be ineffective and some times even damaging. One of the main complicating factors surrounding role play is the attitude or emotional state of the people taking part. Quite frankly, many people are nervous - even terrified - at the prospect of participating in a role play.
For the purpose of this piece I am defining a role play as an experience around a specific situation which contains two or more different viewpoints or perspectives. The situation is usually written as a prepared brief and the different perspectives on the same situation are handed out to the participants. Each person will have a particular objective/objectives they want to fulfill which may well be in conflict with their fellow role player or role players. It is how each role player or role players. It is how each role player handles the situation that forms the basis of skills’ practices, assessment and development. The situations will be realistic and relevant to the role players and the most successful ones will be focused on developing a particular skill set.
So how can we take the fear out of the role play experience?
Here are some guidelines that you might like to think about when planning your next session.
Objective
Briefing
Observing and feedback
Basically the rules are simple, role plays must be focused, the objectives must be clear, instructions must be clear, feedback needs to be specific, relevant, achievable and given immediately. Crucial to learning and developing options of behaviour- knowing what works, what doesn’t work, the range of behaviour available to an individual is the opportunity to go back and have another go (or several goes) at bits of the role play and/or the whole role play.
This article has been directed principally to the use of role play by non-professionals, i.e. those without an acting background. The best professions use their expertise in role play in the ways described above and bring their knowledge and expertise to bear on the design of the use of role play, as well as the writing and delivery.
For a more detailed version of this article please visit: http://www.blogger.com/www.aimass.com or email drama@aimass.com
Friday, 28 November 2008
Do you have what it takes?
Do you have what it takes to become a freelance trainer?
Here's an article submitted by Sharon Gaskin of The Trainers Training Company.
One of the consequences of the current economic downturn is that many companies are making staff redundant. When times are tough, training is often one of the first things that organisations cut back on (even though we know this is misguided). However, this may be a blessing in disguise for corporate trainers who have been toying with the idea of going freelance for years, but have never quite got round to it. Being made redundant and forced to step out of your comfort zone could be the kick-start needed to take your first serious steps towards self employment.
As a freelance trainer of 5 years I can testify to the many advantages of this way of life.
- Better work/life balance. You can choose the hours you want to work, making your work life revolve around the family rather than the other way round. I set up as a freelance trainer to enable me to work around my family commitments, particularly school holidays.
- You can work from home. No daily commute saving both time and money.
- You can choose the work you want to do. Work that you really enjoy.
- You are in control. If you have a great idea, there’s no-one stopping you from making it happen. The only ‘stopper’ in your life is you
- No office politics. No need to get dragged in to office bickering
- Freedom and independence. You choose when you work and where you work
- Variety. Every day is different
- Huge satisfaction in your own personal achievements
- It’s great fun!!
Running your own training business can be truly fantastic, for all the reasons outlined above and more. A lot of training consultants never go back into a ‘regular’ job again.
There are also many that do go back to the corporate world for a variety of reasons. Being a freelancer can be tough. It’s not for everyone. So, before you take the plunge with your precious redundancy money, it’s important to think about the downsides too.
- Lack of a ‘regular’ income. There’s no monthly standing order in to your bank account and you may have to juggle your cash flow from month to month
- Feast and famine syndrome. The balance of work is never even, you will have weeks when there are not enough hours in the day and others where you have no work at all
- Constant pressure to fill your pipeline. You have to balance delivery against sales time – you are under constant pressure to create your own future
- Feeling you have to do everything yourself. Marketing, selling, finance, admin, web design, IT, as well as research, programme design and delivery
- Money needed to set up as well as sustain the business. Balancing cash flow, marketing, paying out for all those things you used to take for granted in corporate life like self-development and professional subscriptions
Poorer work life balance. If you’re not careful, you end up working more hours not less
- Distractions of working from home. The friendly neighbour stopping by for a cup of tea through to the dishwasher or those soulful eyes of the dog asking you to take him out for a walk
- Slow payers. Not all clients will pay you according to your terms – just have a think how your old company may have paid their invoices
- Undervaluing yourself. Not charging what you are worth
- Loneliness and isolation. No team colleagues to share ideas with or just have a chat to
- Lack of self-motivation. Without a boss giving you deadlines to meet, you have to be disciplined to make those goals yourself
It’s not my intention to put you off completely, just to give you a realistic perspective on what your new life could be like.
Try working through this exercise to help you decide:
First write a list of your strengths. (If you find this difficult to do, ask your partner, friend or colleague for some feedback). Once you have made a list, think through how each of the strengths you have listed will specifically help you to run your business.
Now consider your weaknesses and challenges. What are the things that could, potentially, hold you back? What can you do to overcome them? Make a positive commitment to change.
Write down any conclusions you have reached about yourself. Make a proper business plan, look at the financial, social and further implications. Then, ask yourself this simple question: Do you have what it takes to be a freelance trainer?
Sharon Gaskin is Co-Founder – The Trainers Training Company
www.thetrainerstrainingcompany.co.uk
For more information about their 30 day home study programme "How to Launch a Training Business in Just 30 Days" please visit
Here's an article submitted by Sharon Gaskin of The Trainers Training Company.
One of the consequences of the current economic downturn is that many companies are making staff redundant. When times are tough, training is often one of the first things that organisations cut back on (even though we know this is misguided). However, this may be a blessing in disguise for corporate trainers who have been toying with the idea of going freelance for years, but have never quite got round to it. Being made redundant and forced to step out of your comfort zone could be the kick-start needed to take your first serious steps towards self employment.
As a freelance trainer of 5 years I can testify to the many advantages of this way of life.
- Better work/life balance. You can choose the hours you want to work, making your work life revolve around the family rather than the other way round. I set up as a freelance trainer to enable me to work around my family commitments, particularly school holidays.
- You can work from home. No daily commute saving both time and money.
- You can choose the work you want to do. Work that you really enjoy.
- You are in control. If you have a great idea, there’s no-one stopping you from making it happen. The only ‘stopper’ in your life is you
- No office politics. No need to get dragged in to office bickering
- Freedom and independence. You choose when you work and where you work
- Variety. Every day is different
- Huge satisfaction in your own personal achievements
- It’s great fun!!
Running your own training business can be truly fantastic, for all the reasons outlined above and more. A lot of training consultants never go back into a ‘regular’ job again.
There are also many that do go back to the corporate world for a variety of reasons. Being a freelancer can be tough. It’s not for everyone. So, before you take the plunge with your precious redundancy money, it’s important to think about the downsides too.
- Lack of a ‘regular’ income. There’s no monthly standing order in to your bank account and you may have to juggle your cash flow from month to month
- Feast and famine syndrome. The balance of work is never even, you will have weeks when there are not enough hours in the day and others where you have no work at all
- Constant pressure to fill your pipeline. You have to balance delivery against sales time – you are under constant pressure to create your own future
- Feeling you have to do everything yourself. Marketing, selling, finance, admin, web design, IT, as well as research, programme design and delivery
- Money needed to set up as well as sustain the business. Balancing cash flow, marketing, paying out for all those things you used to take for granted in corporate life like self-development and professional subscriptions
Poorer work life balance. If you’re not careful, you end up working more hours not less
- Distractions of working from home. The friendly neighbour stopping by for a cup of tea through to the dishwasher or those soulful eyes of the dog asking you to take him out for a walk
- Slow payers. Not all clients will pay you according to your terms – just have a think how your old company may have paid their invoices
- Undervaluing yourself. Not charging what you are worth
- Loneliness and isolation. No team colleagues to share ideas with or just have a chat to
- Lack of self-motivation. Without a boss giving you deadlines to meet, you have to be disciplined to make those goals yourself
It’s not my intention to put you off completely, just to give you a realistic perspective on what your new life could be like.
Try working through this exercise to help you decide:
First write a list of your strengths. (If you find this difficult to do, ask your partner, friend or colleague for some feedback). Once you have made a list, think through how each of the strengths you have listed will specifically help you to run your business.
Now consider your weaknesses and challenges. What are the things that could, potentially, hold you back? What can you do to overcome them? Make a positive commitment to change.
Write down any conclusions you have reached about yourself. Make a proper business plan, look at the financial, social and further implications. Then, ask yourself this simple question: Do you have what it takes to be a freelance trainer?
Sharon Gaskin is Co-Founder – The Trainers Training Company
www.thetrainerstrainingcompany.co.uk
For more information about their 30 day home study programme "How to Launch a Training Business in Just 30 Days" please visit
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
Affiliate Marketing
I've been looking in to how to improve my Google Adwords results, and finding pay per click gurus everywhere!
There seems to be this incredible amount of software programmes for improving your results, for making '$30,000 a month using this incredible system' and the like. My favourite so far has been the site that has the following client endorsement:
'just two words for this programme: simple and incredibly powerful'.
Darn, I hope he can market better than he can count! I have now looked at quite a few of these 'get rich quick' programmes and their promises of instant top ranking on Google, of improved click through (but what about conversion?) and the fortune to be had by letting that left mouse button take decisive action over that attractive and much repeated 'Buy Now!' graphic.
I think I have worked out how it does make money. You sign up, and realise that the main product you can actually sell and make money on is the one you just bought. 'Hell, I just paid $40 dollars for this heap of... if I bought it, there must be lots of others out there just the same.'
Now that isn't to say there aren't some really powerful and helpful tools out there, but how do you choose the right one?
I don't trust the testimonials, nine times out of ten you click through and find they are an affiliate marketer too - it's not as if you end up on an ecommerce site which sells consumer goods or business services. Hence my extreme suspicion.
I've looked at affiliate marketing for other programmes too - not just internet based tools. One that I have actually signed up to sells a range of self-help and self-improvement tools and, having purchased some myself, I have to say they are pretty good.
That was where I first came across the 'affiliate format'. The letter-like layout, the little box that appears offering you a free sample or course and the use of mixed text sizes, unlikely graphics (such as one Google genius having a photo of himself which was a rather hunky young blond chap without his shirt on!) and customer voice overs and videos, letters of commendation and reporting 'fantastic results', 'I don't have to do a full time job any more'...
The internet is an incredible place. But I can't help but feel wary of the affiliate marketing world - it's almost like some weird cult that, once it has drawn you in, compels you to draw others in too. Yes yes... I know that's what 'affiliate marketing' is about - but I've yet to see any proof of the cash benefits that these Google-related* programmes promise.
The only person I know who does seem to have reaped the benefits of an effective affiliate marketing platform is Karl Moore. I will ask him for his comment on this post and see what he says.
Am I cynical? Perhaps, but there's only so many emails/websites/banner ads that you can read that promise you 'life changing results' before the natural caution gene converts to cynicism.
* None of the affiliate marketing programmes I have looked at are from Google themselves. Google and Adwords are Trademarks of Google.
There seems to be this incredible amount of software programmes for improving your results, for making '$30,000 a month using this incredible system' and the like. My favourite so far has been the site that has the following client endorsement:
'just two words for this programme: simple and incredibly powerful'.
Darn, I hope he can market better than he can count! I have now looked at quite a few of these 'get rich quick' programmes and their promises of instant top ranking on Google, of improved click through (but what about conversion?) and the fortune to be had by letting that left mouse button take decisive action over that attractive and much repeated 'Buy Now!' graphic.
I think I have worked out how it does make money. You sign up, and realise that the main product you can actually sell and make money on is the one you just bought. 'Hell, I just paid $40 dollars for this heap of... if I bought it, there must be lots of others out there just the same.'
Now that isn't to say there aren't some really powerful and helpful tools out there, but how do you choose the right one?
I don't trust the testimonials, nine times out of ten you click through and find they are an affiliate marketer too - it's not as if you end up on an ecommerce site which sells consumer goods or business services. Hence my extreme suspicion.
I've looked at affiliate marketing for other programmes too - not just internet based tools. One that I have actually signed up to sells a range of self-help and self-improvement tools and, having purchased some myself, I have to say they are pretty good.
That was where I first came across the 'affiliate format'. The letter-like layout, the little box that appears offering you a free sample or course and the use of mixed text sizes, unlikely graphics (such as one Google genius having a photo of himself which was a rather hunky young blond chap without his shirt on!) and customer voice overs and videos, letters of commendation and reporting 'fantastic results', 'I don't have to do a full time job any more'...
The internet is an incredible place. But I can't help but feel wary of the affiliate marketing world - it's almost like some weird cult that, once it has drawn you in, compels you to draw others in too. Yes yes... I know that's what 'affiliate marketing' is about - but I've yet to see any proof of the cash benefits that these Google-related* programmes promise.
The only person I know who does seem to have reaped the benefits of an effective affiliate marketing platform is Karl Moore. I will ask him for his comment on this post and see what he says.
Am I cynical? Perhaps, but there's only so many emails/websites/banner ads that you can read that promise you 'life changing results' before the natural caution gene converts to cynicism.
* None of the affiliate marketing programmes I have looked at are from Google themselves. Google and Adwords are Trademarks of Google.
Friday, 21 November 2008
The Danger of Forums
OK, perhaps the plural is fora, but for the sake of ease of use I am going to refer to them as forums. But what is the danger of forums? I am not going to write about problems with misrepresentation or real risk to individuals (that's a whole other topic) but about what makes a really good, worthwhile forum for business.
For example, I recently signed up to a training forum that was associated to a provider of training services and I am one of a whole 29 members! Today I received two emails with 'You have been greeted by VISISTOR' on your profile.
It was, I am sure, just a device by the forum owner to get me to revisit the forum. VISITOR was, I am guessing, a member of the company who owns the forum and went on as a visitor to create some activity on the site. The site is extremely quiet! The last two posts are mine, from last week.
So, the value of forums? Where they are associated to a provider I fear they run the risk of being seen as nothing more than a trap to capture your details and create a proprietary sales environment. It's certainly one reason why we haven't put a forum on the Complete Trainer website as yet.
Independent forums that are associated to an industry support body such as an institute or even a publication have far more validity, in my opinion. To get people active and participating in a meaningful way on a forum you need to ensure that what happens on the forum is relevant and interesting to the visitors, then they will convert to members.
I am highly active on some forums, for example:
ukbusinessforums.co.uk where I find lots of useful business advice, and:
www.mywriterscircle.com which has both a personal and business relevance to me. These forums both give me something, so in return I contribute and give back.
Forums take management, you can't just host one on your site and expect it to magically populate and become active and productive (whatever your goal for productive may be!). They require a lot of work, effort and dedication - most especially from select users (not just the site owners) who are prepared to be forum moderators.
The danger of forums? They seem like such a good idea - create a community of your clients and prospects! The danger of forums is that you run the risk of catching someone's interest and then disillusion them with inactivity or just being seen as a plain sales opportunity. Very, very few users I'm sure join a forum just so they can be sold to!
For example, I recently signed up to a training forum that was associated to a provider of training services and I am one of a whole 29 members! Today I received two emails with 'You have been greeted by VISISTOR' on your profile.
It was, I am sure, just a device by the forum owner to get me to revisit the forum. VISITOR was, I am guessing, a member of the company who owns the forum and went on as a visitor to create some activity on the site. The site is extremely quiet! The last two posts are mine, from last week.
So, the value of forums? Where they are associated to a provider I fear they run the risk of being seen as nothing more than a trap to capture your details and create a proprietary sales environment. It's certainly one reason why we haven't put a forum on the Complete Trainer website as yet.
Independent forums that are associated to an industry support body such as an institute or even a publication have far more validity, in my opinion. To get people active and participating in a meaningful way on a forum you need to ensure that what happens on the forum is relevant and interesting to the visitors, then they will convert to members.
I am highly active on some forums, for example:
ukbusinessforums.co.uk where I find lots of useful business advice, and:
www.mywriterscircle.com which has both a personal and business relevance to me. These forums both give me something, so in return I contribute and give back.
Forums take management, you can't just host one on your site and expect it to magically populate and become active and productive (whatever your goal for productive may be!). They require a lot of work, effort and dedication - most especially from select users (not just the site owners) who are prepared to be forum moderators.
The danger of forums? They seem like such a good idea - create a community of your clients and prospects! The danger of forums is that you run the risk of catching someone's interest and then disillusion them with inactivity or just being seen as a plain sales opportunity. Very, very few users I'm sure join a forum just so they can be sold to!
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
The success of talented women leaders
I read an article on McKinsey's site (you need to register to read their articles) about women leaders. It talks about a new leadership model, 'Centered Leadership' and about the importance of happiness and not about work-life balance, but:
"We’ve found that work–life balance is a myth—so the only hope women have is to balance their energy flows."
McKinsey getting all ethereal? Not exactly:
“flow”—a sense of being so engaged by activities that you don’t notice the passage of time—were more productive and derived greater satisfaction from their work than those who did not. Further, it energized rather than drained them.
The more I read the article, the more it made sense. They have developed their leadership model with an understanding that Women Are Different. It takes into account emotional and physical differences and applies the models of success from their research.
Why should leadership be different for women? In a thread on the UK Business Forum, they question Are women-specific business initiatives necessary?. At last look, the poll was 84% 'no'. But McKinsey pointed out that:
"Many women come home from work only to sign onto a second shift - 92% of them still manage all household tasks such as meal preparation and child care."
In my mind that puts a different perspective on things. No matter how fair we want the system to be, statistics prove that top level management has a significantly lower proportion of women than men. Maybe because doing two jobs really is a lot to ask of one person, be they male or female?
There are many leadership programmes and development schemes for women; this is the first time I've seen a leadership model specifically designed around women and developed in response to looking at why, and which, women are successful.
"We’ve found that work–life balance is a myth—so the only hope women have is to balance their energy flows."
McKinsey getting all ethereal? Not exactly:
“flow”—a sense of being so engaged by activities that you don’t notice the passage of time—were more productive and derived greater satisfaction from their work than those who did not. Further, it energized rather than drained them.
The more I read the article, the more it made sense. They have developed their leadership model with an understanding that Women Are Different. It takes into account emotional and physical differences and applies the models of success from their research.
Why should leadership be different for women? In a thread on the UK Business Forum, they question Are women-specific business initiatives necessary?. At last look, the poll was 84% 'no'. But McKinsey pointed out that:
"Many women come home from work only to sign onto a second shift - 92% of them still manage all household tasks such as meal preparation and child care."
In my mind that puts a different perspective on things. No matter how fair we want the system to be, statistics prove that top level management has a significantly lower proportion of women than men. Maybe because doing two jobs really is a lot to ask of one person, be they male or female?
There are many leadership programmes and development schemes for women; this is the first time I've seen a leadership model specifically designed around women and developed in response to looking at why, and which, women are successful.
Friday, 14 November 2008
Irritating words!
I read an article on an AOL site called Lemondrop today - about words that irritate. I couldn't help but smile at the first phrase to appear under office jargon:
Office Jargon: team-building, value-added, grassroots, reach out, multitasking, no-brainer, low-hanging fruit, monetize, ping.
My additions would be: outside the box, pick a window, and 'strategically' (when it's used in totally the wrong context).
There were also top hated unnecessary conjunctions and transitions:
Unnecessary Conjunctions and Transitions: no offense but ..., all of the sudden, basically, ironically, actually, honestly, totally, hopefully, as to whether, I swear to God, you know.
My additions would be: actually (yes, I know they mentioned it already, I feel that strongly about it!), one (as in one should, or one must ... it's you or me mate, not this amorphous 'one'!) and, of course, the word that my kids seem to use as the most prolific transition - like. Well, like, you know, like, what, like, yeah? Of course! I understand perfectly.
And, bearing in mind this is from a US site:
Misused/Mispronounced Phrases: irregardless (for "regardless"), aggravate (for "irritate"), anyways/towards (anyway, toward), for all intensive purposes (for "for all intents and purposes"), suppose to (for "supposed to"), could of (for "could have"), analyzing/analyzation (for "analysis"), literally (when meant figuratively).
Isn't language fun? I can't help but notice wrong uses of words in conversation or writing and sometimes it's amazing where you find them. The internet seems to proliferate misuse even further. You have to get creative with search engine terms and think of not just UK/US spellings, but also mis-spellings and mis-typing.
My pet hate of all, however, is:
TXT SPK.
I have noticed an increase in its use not just in texting, but in emails, on forums and even on websites. George Orwell may have been a bit out with his date for 'Newspeak' (1984), but he's been scarily right about so many things...
Office Jargon: team-building, value-added, grassroots, reach out, multitasking, no-brainer, low-hanging fruit, monetize, ping.
My additions would be: outside the box, pick a window, and 'strategically' (when it's used in totally the wrong context).
There were also top hated unnecessary conjunctions and transitions:
Unnecessary Conjunctions and Transitions: no offense but ..., all of the sudden, basically, ironically, actually, honestly, totally, hopefully, as to whether, I swear to God, you know.
My additions would be: actually (yes, I know they mentioned it already, I feel that strongly about it!), one (as in one should, or one must ... it's you or me mate, not this amorphous 'one'!) and, of course, the word that my kids seem to use as the most prolific transition - like. Well, like, you know, like, what, like, yeah? Of course! I understand perfectly.
And, bearing in mind this is from a US site:
Misused/Mispronounced Phrases: irregardless (for "regardless"), aggravate (for "irritate"), anyways/towards (anyway, toward), for all intensive purposes (for "for all intents and purposes"), suppose to (for "supposed to"), could of (for "could have"), analyzing/analyzation (for "analysis"), literally (when meant figuratively).
Isn't language fun? I can't help but notice wrong uses of words in conversation or writing and sometimes it's amazing where you find them. The internet seems to proliferate misuse even further. You have to get creative with search engine terms and think of not just UK/US spellings, but also mis-spellings and mis-typing.
My pet hate of all, however, is:
TXT SPK.
I have noticed an increase in its use not just in texting, but in emails, on forums and even on websites. George Orwell may have been a bit out with his date for 'Newspeak' (1984), but he's been scarily right about so many things...
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Work / Life Balance
On a training programme some months ago I met a life coach called Amanda Joseph. She kindly wrote me a short article on work life balance:
Be a Better Professional by Finding the Right Work/Life Balance
Creating a successful work/life balance can be difficult, but most people would agree—today's global economy has increased the pressure to succeed! Thanks to the internet and the global market, clients can be located anywhere on the planet, and therefore in many time zones too. This lure of potentially untapped profits can cause many professionals to let their personal lives slide under the guise of "earn now, spend later." Unfortunately, this only creates more stress which can lead to burn out- both at home and at work.
The pressure to be perfect in the roles you have at home is another reason so many people have trouble establishing a successful work/life balance. Many people feel guilty about the number of hours they work. Most people have been taught that home life should come first and that work should come second. In today's economy however, with the financial pressures on everyone increasing almost daily, this cannot always be the case. This might be understood intellectually - but not emotionally.
Many articles talk about the need to find a good work/life balance so that personal relationships (family, friends, etc) don't suffer. What these articles often fail to mention is that finding a proper work/life balance is also important for their professional life as well. When work and home life are unbalanced, people tend to burn out more quickly which damages their careers. When the career suffers, home life suffers and this self perpetuating spiral can quickly get out of control.
So how do you, the average Joe/Joanne, create the perfect work/life balance? One of the first ways is to reduce stress.
Here are a few tips to help you reduce your stress so that you can be a productive member of your professional team:
1. Figuring out which aspects of your life are the most important as well as which things are the most enjoyable will help ease the guilt you might feel when you take time away from one activity to complete another. Be honest with yourself and devote the majority of your time to the things that are most important to you.
2. "You time" is not the same as "Down time." It is important that everyone takes some time for themselves each day, whether it be going for a walk or scheduling a meeting later in the afternoon so that you can relax at lunch. Taking care of yourself will reduce stress, which makes it easier to focus on your work.
3. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not of weakness. Asking for help shows that you are willing to learn and to work as part of a team. This will build esteem with your colleagues as well as with
your friends and family.
In addition to reducing stress, it’s a good idea to ‘take stock’ and see where you are spending your time and energy.
Write a list of things you like to do, a list of things you have to do, and then see how you can balance them.
Maintaining the perfect work/life balance is difficult, but should not be neglected. In short, good balance between home and work will actually make you more productive, successful and happy in all areas of your life.
Ends
You can visit Amanda's website at: www.AJCoaching.com. Amanda works mostly in London and the South East.
Be a Better Professional by Finding the Right Work/Life Balance
Creating a successful work/life balance can be difficult, but most people would agree—today's global economy has increased the pressure to succeed! Thanks to the internet and the global market, clients can be located anywhere on the planet, and therefore in many time zones too. This lure of potentially untapped profits can cause many professionals to let their personal lives slide under the guise of "earn now, spend later." Unfortunately, this only creates more stress which can lead to burn out- both at home and at work.
The pressure to be perfect in the roles you have at home is another reason so many people have trouble establishing a successful work/life balance. Many people feel guilty about the number of hours they work. Most people have been taught that home life should come first and that work should come second. In today's economy however, with the financial pressures on everyone increasing almost daily, this cannot always be the case. This might be understood intellectually - but not emotionally.
Many articles talk about the need to find a good work/life balance so that personal relationships (family, friends, etc) don't suffer. What these articles often fail to mention is that finding a proper work/life balance is also important for their professional life as well. When work and home life are unbalanced, people tend to burn out more quickly which damages their careers. When the career suffers, home life suffers and this self perpetuating spiral can quickly get out of control.
So how do you, the average Joe/Joanne, create the perfect work/life balance? One of the first ways is to reduce stress.
Here are a few tips to help you reduce your stress so that you can be a productive member of your professional team:
1. Figuring out which aspects of your life are the most important as well as which things are the most enjoyable will help ease the guilt you might feel when you take time away from one activity to complete another. Be honest with yourself and devote the majority of your time to the things that are most important to you.
2. "You time" is not the same as "Down time." It is important that everyone takes some time for themselves each day, whether it be going for a walk or scheduling a meeting later in the afternoon so that you can relax at lunch. Taking care of yourself will reduce stress, which makes it easier to focus on your work.
3. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not of weakness. Asking for help shows that you are willing to learn and to work as part of a team. This will build esteem with your colleagues as well as with
your friends and family.
In addition to reducing stress, it’s a good idea to ‘take stock’ and see where you are spending your time and energy.
Write a list of things you like to do, a list of things you have to do, and then see how you can balance them.
Maintaining the perfect work/life balance is difficult, but should not be neglected. In short, good balance between home and work will actually make you more productive, successful and happy in all areas of your life.
Ends
You can visit Amanda's website at: www.AJCoaching.com. Amanda works mostly in London and the South East.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Second life?
In Training Zone today they talk about how the virtual world experience is being used for training and development. It's an interesting article and shows how using what was developed as a gaming concept has been turned to effective use.
Imagine! You could turn up to a virtual training session as an avatar and be the loud, noisy one who questions and challenges and joins in all the activities - even if in live situations you are the type to sit quietly at the back and hope you are not noticed.
But would you feel just as self-conscious in a virtual world as a real one, if your colleagues could identify you? And if they couldn't, well, how would they know you actually came to the training and derived the espoused benefit? Only time will tell.
TZ mention the use of these virtual worlds in Japan for mentoring and how IBM are investing a lot in the technology and creating a valid application for it in the workplace. It will be very interesting over the next few decades to see how technology continues to influence our behaviour.
And finally... I heard a little anecdote the other day: an old man and a young man were talking. The young man said 'You can't connect with our generation, how could you? We have the internet, jet planes, HD TV, mobile phones, none of that stuff was around when you were young...' and as the younger man pauses to catch his breath the older one says 'No, we never had those things when we were young - so we invented them.'
Imagine! You could turn up to a virtual training session as an avatar and be the loud, noisy one who questions and challenges and joins in all the activities - even if in live situations you are the type to sit quietly at the back and hope you are not noticed.
But would you feel just as self-conscious in a virtual world as a real one, if your colleagues could identify you? And if they couldn't, well, how would they know you actually came to the training and derived the espoused benefit? Only time will tell.
TZ mention the use of these virtual worlds in Japan for mentoring and how IBM are investing a lot in the technology and creating a valid application for it in the workplace. It will be very interesting over the next few decades to see how technology continues to influence our behaviour.
And finally... I heard a little anecdote the other day: an old man and a young man were talking. The young man said 'You can't connect with our generation, how could you? We have the internet, jet planes, HD TV, mobile phones, none of that stuff was around when you were young...' and as the younger man pauses to catch his breath the older one says 'No, we never had those things when we were young - so we invented them.'
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
ROI - what we want is proof!
Return on investment in training isn't as easy to measure as, say, an advertising campaign. A well managed ad campaign can show you how many enquiries, conversion to sales, and resulting revenue versus investment. But how do you do that with training?
We know, almost instinctively, that training has a payoff: we see improved motivation, productivity, higher retention rates and skills improvement, but how can you nail it down to what the folks at the very top really want to hear, how much money is it making/saving?
The guru of training evaluation is Donald Kirkpatrick, and there's a great interview with him on Training Zone this month. Kirkpatrick's model for evaluation is a five stage approach - and what struck me particularly about what he said was his comment:
"If your jury (those who hold the budget) is not asking for more evidence now, they will be and you better be ready with some evidence from levels three and four."
In other words, the good old 'happy sheets' are not enough - and nor should they be in times when training budgets are severely pressed! We have a couple of books on our site about evaluation - the Evaluation Pocketbook, a brief but thorough guide to basic evaluation, and the Return on Investment in Training and Performance Improvement Programs. That's quite a detailed look at HR and training evaluation - not just about what you do after the course, but also techniques for converting both hard and soft data to monetary values. And of course Donald has his own book too.
Now is probably a good time to really investigate how you can show Return on Investment in training - as Donald says, if they aren't asking the questions now - then the budget holders very soon will be. And, if like many, they are cutting the training budget, it's a great way of showing that it really does affect the bottom line.
We know, almost instinctively, that training has a payoff: we see improved motivation, productivity, higher retention rates and skills improvement, but how can you nail it down to what the folks at the very top really want to hear, how much money is it making/saving?
The guru of training evaluation is Donald Kirkpatrick, and there's a great interview with him on Training Zone this month. Kirkpatrick's model for evaluation is a five stage approach - and what struck me particularly about what he said was his comment:
"If your jury (those who hold the budget) is not asking for more evidence now, they will be and you better be ready with some evidence from levels three and four."
In other words, the good old 'happy sheets' are not enough - and nor should they be in times when training budgets are severely pressed! We have a couple of books on our site about evaluation - the Evaluation Pocketbook, a brief but thorough guide to basic evaluation, and the Return on Investment in Training and Performance Improvement Programs. That's quite a detailed look at HR and training evaluation - not just about what you do after the course, but also techniques for converting both hard and soft data to monetary values. And of course Donald has his own book too.
Now is probably a good time to really investigate how you can show Return on Investment in training - as Donald says, if they aren't asking the questions now - then the budget holders very soon will be. And, if like many, they are cutting the training budget, it's a great way of showing that it really does affect the bottom line.
Conflict!
The CIPD say:
"Poorly managed conflicts in the workplace are crippling British business. The average UK employee spends over two hours a week dealing with conflict, which means in total more than 370 million working days were lost last year at a cost to British employers of more than £24 billion.
The statistics are from a new global report Fight, Flight or Face It, jointly authored by business psychology firm OPP and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)." *
Now those are eye opening figures! But what do we mean by conflict management? Isn't managing conflict a "state too late"? Shouldn't it be conflict resolution we are all interested in?
Conflict management as a solution is destined for failure, because conflict resolution demands leadership, not management. Management provides compromises on issues under debate, but does not deal with the root causes of the conflicts. Leadership deals with the fundamental roots of conflict, not just the topic on the table, so what should leaders do?
For a start, leaders need to recognise that few conflicts are really about the issues people are disputing. Conflicts often arise from the different ways in which people view issues. We look to leaders not to get rid of conflict once and for all, but to channel the energies created by conflict into something constructive and creative. Not all conflict is necessarily bad; without conflict as the grit in the oyster, organisations can stagnate and die. When conflict presents a new view on a subject or a procedure, it can result in solutions not previously explored.
But can you teach people how to cope with conflict? The OPP/CIPD report says 'yes'!
"Where training does exist, it adds value: over 95% of people receiving training as part of leadership development or on formal external courses say that it helped them in some way. A quarter (27%) say it made them more comfortable and confident in managing disputes and 58% of those who have been trained say they now look for win–win outcomes from conflict."
But does that mean any old training will do? I would hesitate to say yes, you need to ensure that the training delivered has a real focus on the issues that face the organisation and aren't just 'off the shelf'. The Thomas-Killman conflict instrument (which is managed in the UK by OPP!) is perhaps the best known and, of course, highly successful conflict management tool, but what else is out there?
Using tools is one way of addressing a problem, whether it's a leadership model, communications model or conflict tool. Using them in the right context and with the right knowledge and understanding of the whole issue though is crucial to the learning having a real effect in the workplace.**
Keith Patching, previously a Director at Cranfield School of Management, says:
"In the area of conflict, for example, so many of the underlying assumptions have been that there is such as thing as a 'conflict' to manage. By objectifying (or 'reifying', as we philosophers say) 'conflict' it becomes in people's minds the thing that has to be dealt with. But, in reality, 'conflict' is not a thing to be managed or dealt with. The reality of conflict is the people, and their different views, attitudes, and perceptions."
Keith comments on the lack of tools out there for training leaders in good conflict resolution:
"There are many conflict management tools around these days, but the problem is as big today as it has ever been. Why don't the tools do their job? The answer is that most of them forget that conflicts do not exist on their own. Conflict resolution needs leadership, because conflicts are about people. You can't manage conflict if you can't lead the people involved in that conflict."
This is why Keith has partnered with the Complete Trainer to create a great one day leadreship programme that specifically addresses the areas that are lacking in many 'conflict management' training programmes. The LCS leadership and conflict programme helps leaders understand and deal with the causes of conflict, not just try and treat the symptoms.
* If you want to find out more about that report, either visit the OPP website or contact:
Gavin Collins / Orva Smith
Mandate Communications
E: gavin.collins@yourmandate.com or orva.smith@yourmandate.com
** For further information on the leadership and conflict training programme, developed using the Leadership, Character and Strategy model, then visit: http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/LCS_Leadership/Leadership_Conflict
"Poorly managed conflicts in the workplace are crippling British business. The average UK employee spends over two hours a week dealing with conflict, which means in total more than 370 million working days were lost last year at a cost to British employers of more than £24 billion.
The statistics are from a new global report Fight, Flight or Face It, jointly authored by business psychology firm OPP and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)." *
Now those are eye opening figures! But what do we mean by conflict management? Isn't managing conflict a "state too late"? Shouldn't it be conflict resolution we are all interested in?
Conflict management as a solution is destined for failure, because conflict resolution demands leadership, not management. Management provides compromises on issues under debate, but does not deal with the root causes of the conflicts. Leadership deals with the fundamental roots of conflict, not just the topic on the table, so what should leaders do?
For a start, leaders need to recognise that few conflicts are really about the issues people are disputing. Conflicts often arise from the different ways in which people view issues. We look to leaders not to get rid of conflict once and for all, but to channel the energies created by conflict into something constructive and creative. Not all conflict is necessarily bad; without conflict as the grit in the oyster, organisations can stagnate and die. When conflict presents a new view on a subject or a procedure, it can result in solutions not previously explored.
But can you teach people how to cope with conflict? The OPP/CIPD report says 'yes'!
"Where training does exist, it adds value: over 95% of people receiving training as part of leadership development or on formal external courses say that it helped them in some way. A quarter (27%) say it made them more comfortable and confident in managing disputes and 58% of those who have been trained say they now look for win–win outcomes from conflict."
But does that mean any old training will do? I would hesitate to say yes, you need to ensure that the training delivered has a real focus on the issues that face the organisation and aren't just 'off the shelf'. The Thomas-Killman conflict instrument (which is managed in the UK by OPP!) is perhaps the best known and, of course, highly successful conflict management tool, but what else is out there?
Using tools is one way of addressing a problem, whether it's a leadership model, communications model or conflict tool. Using them in the right context and with the right knowledge and understanding of the whole issue though is crucial to the learning having a real effect in the workplace.**
Keith Patching, previously a Director at Cranfield School of Management, says:
"In the area of conflict, for example, so many of the underlying assumptions have been that there is such as thing as a 'conflict' to manage. By objectifying (or 'reifying', as we philosophers say) 'conflict' it becomes in people's minds the thing that has to be dealt with. But, in reality, 'conflict' is not a thing to be managed or dealt with. The reality of conflict is the people, and their different views, attitudes, and perceptions."
Keith comments on the lack of tools out there for training leaders in good conflict resolution:
"There are many conflict management tools around these days, but the problem is as big today as it has ever been. Why don't the tools do their job? The answer is that most of them forget that conflicts do not exist on their own. Conflict resolution needs leadership, because conflicts are about people. You can't manage conflict if you can't lead the people involved in that conflict."
This is why Keith has partnered with the Complete Trainer to create a great one day leadreship programme that specifically addresses the areas that are lacking in many 'conflict management' training programmes. The LCS leadership and conflict programme helps leaders understand and deal with the causes of conflict, not just try and treat the symptoms.
* If you want to find out more about that report, either visit the OPP website or contact:
Gavin Collins / Orva Smith
Mandate Communications
E: gavin.collins@yourmandate.com or orva.smith@yourmandate.com
** For further information on the leadership and conflict training programme, developed using the Leadership, Character and Strategy model, then visit: http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/LCS_Leadership/Leadership_Conflict
Friday, 31 October 2008
Going Ape! Experiential team activities
I just finished a call with one of my suppliers; he wasn't in his office yesterday because he and the team had 'Gone Ape'. They'd been for a team day at the local Go Ape' activity centre.Even though he is unhappy at heights (and he went up to 40 foot at one point), he'd spent a day up in the trees with his colleagues. And he enjoyed it! Trainer brain in gear, I asked if they'd rounded off the day with any learning outcomes or summary? "Oh no, we didn't do any of that stuff. People would only say what was wanted anyway." Cynical? Realistic?
Makes me wonder about experiential team development. I have done paintballing (shooting the sales team in a former life with a computer company), and laser shooting (with a training company) but I've never had to build a bridge or roast rats over an open fire... well, not for work, anyway.
This is what he said once I'd told him I was blogging this subject:
"I would say that having traversed these heights with colleagues I do not have that much contact with that this did help us to bond. Sharing fear can really drop barriers quickly. I enjoyed it immensely, not least because it was genuinely something I thought I would not manage."
I personally found the laser shooting demotivating, not just because I was on the losing team either. I am not motivated by other's failing through my actions (which is basically what the objective of this exercise was), I am motivated by helping others to succeed and in creating my own success. I think I would quite like to do the tree thing though.
These outdoor, experiential training days are still highly popular. Are they, in fact, a motivational 'gift' disguised as training so we don't have to declare them on the P11D?
I'd be interested to hear more views on these outdoor training activities. Do they put people outside their comfort zone? Are they actually destructive to teams or individuals any way? Do the benefits outweigh any negatives?
Of course a good trainer will know their delegates' comfort zones and just how far outside to put them. But how can an external trainer know the limits and abilities of everyone in a group?
I'd welcome an article from someone on this - someone who either delivers, or has experienced, or has studied how experiential learning activities like these really affect delegates and whether they add to learning.
Being Positive
Training Pages send out a newsletter and the latest edition features a little piece on being positive by their editor, Liggy Webb. Reproduced by kind permission:
Top Ten Tips for Positivity
1. Refuse the Snooze – Get up as soon as your alarm goes off as a positive kick start to the day
2. Wake up with an Attitude of Gratitude – Focus on 3 things
3. Smile at your reflection in the bathroom mirror
4. Tell yourself that you are going to have a great day
5. Challenge any negative thoughts you have and turn them into a positive
6. S.U.M.O – Don’t dwell on negatives so Shut Up and Move On!
7. If someone asks you ‘how you are you?’ tell them that you are very well
8. Smile – It promotes endorphins
9. Send a positive text or email to someone you care about
10. Write down something to do, something to love and something to hope for
You can find out more about Training Pages on their website: www.trainingpages.co.uk.
I like the idea of sending out a positive message, we seem to be so bogged down by the credit crunch and world financial crises that it has to affect our own mental positivity. Now, if you are someone who has lost their job or is suffering because of it I'm not saying 'forget about it and smile', but I do believe that a more positive attitude all round is a good thing.
So, start today with a smile if you can, and if you have five minutes, visit http://www.karlblog.com/. There's a man who knows what being positive is all about!
Top Ten Tips for Positivity
1. Refuse the Snooze – Get up as soon as your alarm goes off as a positive kick start to the day
2. Wake up with an Attitude of Gratitude – Focus on 3 things
3. Smile at your reflection in the bathroom mirror
4. Tell yourself that you are going to have a great day
5. Challenge any negative thoughts you have and turn them into a positive
6. S.U.M.O – Don’t dwell on negatives so Shut Up and Move On!
7. If someone asks you ‘how you are you?’ tell them that you are very well
8. Smile – It promotes endorphins
9. Send a positive text or email to someone you care about
10. Write down something to do, something to love and something to hope for
You can find out more about Training Pages on their website: www.trainingpages.co.uk.
I like the idea of sending out a positive message, we seem to be so bogged down by the credit crunch and world financial crises that it has to affect our own mental positivity. Now, if you are someone who has lost their job or is suffering because of it I'm not saying 'forget about it and smile', but I do believe that a more positive attitude all round is a good thing.
So, start today with a smile if you can, and if you have five minutes, visit http://www.karlblog.com/. There's a man who knows what being positive is all about!
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Divided by common learning?
The CIPD annual survey report on Learning and Development, says on e-learning:
However, the expected use of e-learning has possibly been overanticipated, with less than half (47%) using more e-learning and a quarter (26%) saying they don’t use or no longer use e-learning. This is possibly because few feel it is the most effective learning and development practice (7%).
If you read the latest report from ASTD (US based organisation who say they are the 'leading association for workforce learning professionals') the results are very different:
"One of the significant findings from the 2008 State of the Industry report is the consistent upward trend of technology-based delivery methods. E-learning now accounts for nearly one-third of learning content made available."
What is the reason for this difference? That could warrant some research all of its own. ASTD say that "ASTD estimates that U.S. organizations spent $134.39 billion on employee learning and development in 2007." Going on today's rate, that's around £84 billion. So they obviously engage in L&D.
According to the LSC's National Employer Skills Survey:
"Employer training spend for 2007 was £38.6bn"
The CIPD also say:
"The smallest companies tend to have smaller budgets but spend more per employee (£375), while the larger companies (those employing more than 5,000 employees) spend the smallest amount per employee (£108)."
Whilst ASTD in the US say, for one major sector, "average direct expenditure per employee was $1,609 in 2007."
Maybe I'm comparing apples with pears and the comparison isn't fair, but is it their tech-savvy culture that has meant the easier adoption of e-learning? I found this little bon mot:
"75 percent of Americans use the Internet and spend an average three hours a day online."
Brad Stone, "Hi-Tech's New Day", Newsweek, April 11, 2005, p. 62
That was a few years back too. I wonder what the UK equivalent is? I could probably find it somewhere, but to be honest, I'm not sure that is the issue. Yes, the UK (home and business) have more than adequate access to the internet and to computers, so why is e-learning not 'working' in the UK like it purportedly does in the US?
Having tried blended, e-learning and face to face, my personal preferences lie with the latter. Learning styles notwithstanding (I think you'll find 'activist' pretty much covers my preferences), is it just that we are not as good at it as those in the US?
It's a cultural conundrum, one which could make a big difference to e-learning providers in the UK.
e-learning elearning e learning
However, the expected use of e-learning has possibly been overanticipated, with less than half (47%) using more e-learning and a quarter (26%) saying they don’t use or no longer use e-learning. This is possibly because few feel it is the most effective learning and development practice (7%).
If you read the latest report from ASTD (US based organisation who say they are the 'leading association for workforce learning professionals') the results are very different:
"One of the significant findings from the 2008 State of the Industry report is the consistent upward trend of technology-based delivery methods. E-learning now accounts for nearly one-third of learning content made available."
What is the reason for this difference? That could warrant some research all of its own. ASTD say that "ASTD estimates that U.S. organizations spent $134.39 billion on employee learning and development in 2007." Going on today's rate, that's around £84 billion. So they obviously engage in L&D.
According to the LSC's National Employer Skills Survey:
"Employer training spend for 2007 was £38.6bn"
The CIPD also say:
"The smallest companies tend to have smaller budgets but spend more per employee (£375), while the larger companies (those employing more than 5,000 employees) spend the smallest amount per employee (£108)."
Whilst ASTD in the US say, for one major sector, "average direct expenditure per employee was $1,609 in 2007."
Maybe I'm comparing apples with pears and the comparison isn't fair, but is it their tech-savvy culture that has meant the easier adoption of e-learning? I found this little bon mot:
"75 percent of Americans use the Internet and spend an average three hours a day online."
Brad Stone, "Hi-Tech's New Day", Newsweek, April 11, 2005, p. 62
That was a few years back too. I wonder what the UK equivalent is? I could probably find it somewhere, but to be honest, I'm not sure that is the issue. Yes, the UK (home and business) have more than adequate access to the internet and to computers, so why is e-learning not 'working' in the UK like it purportedly does in the US?
Having tried blended, e-learning and face to face, my personal preferences lie with the latter. Learning styles notwithstanding (I think you'll find 'activist' pretty much covers my preferences), is it just that we are not as good at it as those in the US?
It's a cultural conundrum, one which could make a big difference to e-learning providers in the UK.
e-learning elearning e learning
Monday, 27 October 2008
Stress!!
It's coming up to Christmas again - and it's pretty high on the old 'stress register'. So what can we do to reduce stress? Well, lots of things, and the rules that apply for stress at work pretty much apply for stress at home too. Here's a few tips on reducing stress:
Healthy eating
There is a close link between mental and physical health. Eat sensibly, at regular periods.
Physical exercise
Set aside some time to exercise in the way you want, excercise has many benefits including the release of those wonderful positive endorphins.
Time management
Manage your time - delegate, think about your peak performance times and when you get tired. Manage your time more effectively.
Relaxation
Whatever it is that relaxes you, make sure you schedule some time for it - TV, birdwatching, blogging even! Make time.
Controlled breathing
It's worth learning some simple breathing exercises, a great way to refresh yourself.
Deskercise
Do some simple sitting down exercises at your desk - there's lots of ideas on the web (here's some from Birkbeck University and Web MD)
Self-analysis
Take the time to identify your stress triggers and work on changing the situation, not just treating the symptoms
Having friends
Friends are a great therapy - and you can help them at the same time. Don't be shy on asking for help.
Professional guidance
You may find it hard to talk to friends, colleagues and family about some issues. If these issues are causing you distress, then you should seek professional help.
Anonymous helplines
Prolonged or extreme stress can cause ‘burnout’. Anonymous helplines such as the Samaritans are invaluable if you get to that situation.
Assertiveness training
Saying no can be very difficult for many people. But saying yes all the time can increase stress and increase workload and responsibility to an unmanageable level. Assertiveness isn’t just about saying no – it’s about listening and answering appropriately and ensuring that you are listened to as well.
Improved communications systems
Much of the stress we experience at work is due to the imperfections of the communication systems in most organisations. Try and improve communications at work.
There's a far more detailed version of this available on our website as a free download, but if you think about stress, and actually face up to the fact that you need to manage it, then it has to be beneficial.
Many of us work well under pressure, but when pressure transforms into stress, performance is affected.
Be good to yourself! Don't let your stress be the last on your list to get sorted. Your family will thank you too, if you do.
PS: I just found this article on a 'Relaxation room' from the University of Hertfordshire.
Healthy eating
There is a close link between mental and physical health. Eat sensibly, at regular periods.
Physical exercise
Set aside some time to exercise in the way you want, excercise has many benefits including the release of those wonderful positive endorphins.
Time management
Manage your time - delegate, think about your peak performance times and when you get tired. Manage your time more effectively.
Relaxation
Whatever it is that relaxes you, make sure you schedule some time for it - TV, birdwatching, blogging even! Make time.
Controlled breathing
It's worth learning some simple breathing exercises, a great way to refresh yourself.
Deskercise
Do some simple sitting down exercises at your desk - there's lots of ideas on the web (here's some from Birkbeck University and Web MD)
Self-analysis
Take the time to identify your stress triggers and work on changing the situation, not just treating the symptoms
Having friends
Friends are a great therapy - and you can help them at the same time. Don't be shy on asking for help.
Professional guidance
You may find it hard to talk to friends, colleagues and family about some issues. If these issues are causing you distress, then you should seek professional help.
Anonymous helplines
Prolonged or extreme stress can cause ‘burnout’. Anonymous helplines such as the Samaritans are invaluable if you get to that situation.
Assertiveness training
Saying no can be very difficult for many people. But saying yes all the time can increase stress and increase workload and responsibility to an unmanageable level. Assertiveness isn’t just about saying no – it’s about listening and answering appropriately and ensuring that you are listened to as well.
Improved communications systems
Much of the stress we experience at work is due to the imperfections of the communication systems in most organisations. Try and improve communications at work.
There's a far more detailed version of this available on our website as a free download, but if you think about stress, and actually face up to the fact that you need to manage it, then it has to be beneficial.
Many of us work well under pressure, but when pressure transforms into stress, performance is affected.
Be good to yourself! Don't let your stress be the last on your list to get sorted. Your family will thank you too, if you do.
PS: I just found this article on a 'Relaxation room' from the University of Hertfordshire.
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
Driving down the cost of training
Staff motivation during difficult times is more important than ever – you need to keep your costs down and increase productivity – not an easy challenge.
Although the benefits of staff training for improved motivation and increased productivity are undeniable, when you need to cut costs it’s usually the marketing and training budgets that get hit first. Patricia Peter, head of corporate governance and employment at the Institute of Directors, said: " If you want to survive, then you have to keep your best people."*
That's the start of a press Press Release that you can view on the Complete Trainer Site. I won't paste a press release into this blog verbatim, but I will quote from it. The article talks about using non-trainers for delivery. And when challenged on this myself I said: "I’m a performer, not a trainer, but I can facilitate. I know where my strengths lie. It’s important to choose the right person for the right job, define your objectives and set desired outcomes and – of course – to use the right materials and tools."
I have to say that I have seen trainers who don't step up to the plate, and non-trainers who do - which brings me back to my poll (see right hand side) - do trainers need to be qualified?
I do know that our downloadable training material side of the business is growing. I'd love to be a fly on the wall and see how our materials are being used and see if companies really are using their own managers and execs as well as in-house trainers.
* Personnel Today “Human resources input is key to managing recession risk” January 2008
Although the benefits of staff training for improved motivation and increased productivity are undeniable, when you need to cut costs it’s usually the marketing and training budgets that get hit first. Patricia Peter, head of corporate governance and employment at the Institute of Directors, said: " If you want to survive, then you have to keep your best people."*
That's the start of a press Press Release that you can view on the Complete Trainer Site. I won't paste a press release into this blog verbatim, but I will quote from it. The article talks about using non-trainers for delivery. And when challenged on this myself I said: "I’m a performer, not a trainer, but I can facilitate. I know where my strengths lie. It’s important to choose the right person for the right job, define your objectives and set desired outcomes and – of course – to use the right materials and tools."
I have to say that I have seen trainers who don't step up to the plate, and non-trainers who do - which brings me back to my poll (see right hand side) - do trainers need to be qualified?
I do know that our downloadable training material side of the business is growing. I'd love to be a fly on the wall and see how our materials are being used and see if companies really are using their own managers and execs as well as in-house trainers.
* Personnel Today “Human resources input is key to managing recession risk” January 2008
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Team building or team fixing?
I have issues with 'team building' programmes. Surely the term 'team building' means creating the team - getting the people you need into the team and ... or is that team creating?
Team creating, well .. I guess you could run some training on how to identify personality types and see what kind of a mix would be good for a team (I'm thinking psychometric and behavioural profiling here). But, by the time the word training comes into play and the consultant has been called in, the team is usually already in place and you are stuck with your personality types (all neatly given their own box to sit in with an appropriate description and preferred learning/communication/etc style).
Team development. Sure! Let's develop those people in the team - we can teach them how to work well together, how to consider others ... loads of great stuff (and we won't forget Bruce Wayne Tuckman's superb forming, norming, storming, performing model). Sometimes you can develop them all the way out of the team! But...
Team fixing. Is what most companies want when they call in the management development expert actually a 'team fixer'? And by the time the real dynamics of the team are dissected and the difficult issues identified do the team care? Was it all a 'management' problem anyway? Are the team all pointing fingers at leadership? Well, that could mean the team itself is actually fine.
Team communication. That's probably key to all successful teams. Understanding not only their role in the team, but how to communicate their role and what is expected of them and what they expect of others. Oh, and understanding (with those useful psychometric and behavioural analysis) how people like to be communicated with.
So - innovative trainers out there - who's going to be brave and present a 'Team Fixing - for those awkward beggars who aren't performing' programme?
No takers? Ah well, this is just me thinking out loud having read yet another 'team building' article and letting it rub me up the wrong way.
What do you think?
Team creating, well .. I guess you could run some training on how to identify personality types and see what kind of a mix would be good for a team (I'm thinking psychometric and behavioural profiling here). But, by the time the word training comes into play and the consultant has been called in, the team is usually already in place and you are stuck with your personality types (all neatly given their own box to sit in with an appropriate description and preferred learning/communication/etc style).
Team development. Sure! Let's develop those people in the team - we can teach them how to work well together, how to consider others ... loads of great stuff (and we won't forget Bruce Wayne Tuckman's superb forming, norming, storming, performing model). Sometimes you can develop them all the way out of the team! But...
Team fixing. Is what most companies want when they call in the management development expert actually a 'team fixer'? And by the time the real dynamics of the team are dissected and the difficult issues identified do the team care? Was it all a 'management' problem anyway? Are the team all pointing fingers at leadership? Well, that could mean the team itself is actually fine.
Team communication. That's probably key to all successful teams. Understanding not only their role in the team, but how to communicate their role and what is expected of them and what they expect of others. Oh, and understanding (with those useful psychometric and behavioural analysis) how people like to be communicated with.
So - innovative trainers out there - who's going to be brave and present a 'Team Fixing - for those awkward beggars who aren't performing' programme?
No takers? Ah well, this is just me thinking out loud having read yet another 'team building' article and letting it rub me up the wrong way.
What do you think?
Monday, 13 October 2008
People Make the Difference
PEOPLE make the difference!
Increasing your profits - the aim of every business!
In an age of ever-improving technology in which the worldwide web is king the need to get the best from your people is probably more important than it has ever been.
Why? I hear you ask:
Well, as running a business and the market place you can reach evens out due to technology and the power of the Internet YOUR PEOPLE and the SERVICE they give your customers truly is the point of difference.
HOW DO YOU DO IT?
Recruitment
Whatever the role you are recruiting for remember in some way it will impact on your customers. Therefore recruit the BEST that you can. Set your standards and stick to these rigidly as once you let them slip the impact will affect your customers and thus your PROFIT. Recruiting the right people is crucial so give it the time and focus it
deserves.
Make your recruitment process:
• Different (Do it at a football stadium!)
• Enjoyable (great welcome, refreshments, fun)
• Memorable (the difference factor, a gift to take away)
This will ensure your new employees feel good and that they are joining a different company where it’s important to make people feel special and unique.
Exactly the way you want your customers to feel. Even the unsuccessful will have had a good experience and the word will get around. Good PR!
Ensure the whole process runs well, professionally and to time. This will really give your new people a feel and will say loud and clearly what your company stands for and is all about.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting this right. If you do - and you can -it will pay massive dividends.
A CLEAR COMPANY DEVELOPMENT/ CAREER STRUCTURE:
- THE KEY TO MOTIVATING & REWARDING SUCCESS
It is imperative you have a clear company career structure with how to progress linked to it and a transparent development process in place.
This covers two key areas:
1. It shows the avenues to progress in your company and what you need to do to achieve this.
2. It shows how can you can develop and enhance your skills (there is nothing worse than keeping this a mystery)
The number of times I have seen negative responses in employee surveys on promotions, training and development because the opposite is being done to points 1 & 2…...
It is essential for your people to know and trust in this process - and it really does increase performance and satisfaction of your people.
As with all the elements I will cover it addresses the highly important WIIFM factor (What’s in it for me?)
EMPOWERMENT
Create a culture where your PEOPLE have freedom to express themselves and have the space to make decisions about how they work and the environment they work in.
Examples of this are work times, rotas, holiday picks etc. Also décor, furniture, dress code. It is worth working up some type of code of practice so each person and each team know the parameters they work in and where their boundaries are.
It is also about creating a culture where there is always the opportunity for your people to give constructive feedback and where everyone is equal and approachable. The best way to do this in my view is No Demarcation! Examples of this are: make dress code the same for Managers and Colleagues; no grade perks what-so-ever e.g.
preferential parking; all staff take equal breaks……. the list is endless.
INVOLVEMENT
Set up working groups with representatives from all areas. The sole purpose of the groups should be to improve the areas they cover. Examples could be: Quality, Productivity, and Health & Safety.
Also it’s important that one group covers social activities and FUN! These forums must produce results so they can be seen as worthwhile and that they do make a difference.
Encourage participation and always recognise those involved. Publicise any great ideas and actions and improvements that are forthcoming and link these to performance service and profit.
COMMUNICATION
In every poor performing workplace that I have gone into over the years without exception communication has been either dire or completely missing.
In my experience people are crying out for good communication and need it to perform their roles. Think about it … If you don’t communicate to your PEOPLE how do you think they will act with your CUSTOMERS?
It is imperative that people know what is happening and to achieve this you need a structured communication process.
This is a formal agreement on how information is communicated within your company and should be clear and easy to follow.
It should be developed in consultation with your people to find the model that works best for your workplace.
And to show you mean business monitor the process, encourage robust feedback, and make improvements where needed.
Communication can take many forms but in my view the most important is Face to Face briefings.
These should be:
• Regular (at least monthly)
• Should cover all your people
• Given by the Leader of the workplace (shows how important it is)
• Must happen religiously.
• For those who can't attend (holidays etc) a version should be available on their return.
• For any of your people on long term absence a version should be sent to them. (Keeps them involved and up to date with key events and shows you care)
And briefings should cover the following:
• How you’re doing - with results against the key performance indicators.
• Customer service / News
• Success stories .... Good results, celebrate team / individual performance
• People News.... Training information, long service , promotions
• Rewards....... Bonus information, benefits, opportunities
• Areas to concentrate on......Actions that need to happen.
• Feedback session ....... Questions and answers (chance for all to hear from the horses mouth)
Make these sessions entertaining and something your people look forward to. Be creative and most importantly get feedback on what is good in the sessions and what is not good, then act on this feedback.
Don’t underestimate the power of great communication and how important it is to people. How do you feel if you think you’re being kept in the dark and no one is telling you anything?
Always use the 3 C’s:
COMMUNICATE * COMMUNICATE * COMMUNICATE
COMMUNICATE - Tell everyone everything!
COMMUNICATE - Tell everyone again!
COMMUNICATE - Once everyone knows everything tell them again!
COMMUNICATION - part 2
Communication is another area in which process can be as valuable to your business as end result. Not only WHAT we do but the STYLE in which we do it says a lot about our company and presents a message to our people and our customers.
Let’s make sure that message is one of quality, consistency and professionalism!
• Develop a house style - fonts, colours, logos, layout designs.
• Use what’s effective for your people (ask them) and your work environment.
• Get your people involved in the design process - seek ideas and offer them a choice between styles developed by professional designers.
• Develop style templates for all formats of written communication - stationery, reports, posters, slides and presentations - any and all media you use.
COMMUNICATION - part 3
Be aware of just how many ways there are to communicate effectively - and be imaginative in finding ways to do this.
Newsletters (written or electronic) * Letters * Briefing documents
Emails * Posters * Communication areas for displays
Suggestion box * Leaflets * DVD’s
Supervision * Team events * Team meetings
Feedback session * Training events…….
now add your own!
FUN
How long in time do we spend at work? A LONG TIME! Six times as long as time spent with a partner over any given period (Frightening isn’t it?)
So if we are spending that much time at work let me ask you the question. Why wouldn’t you want to make your workplace fun? Think about how you can make the work experience for your PEOPLE different and FUN!
Some ideas and things that I have seen work:
• Fun days for all your People and their families.
• Competitions. Eating. . Arm wrestling….. Table football etc.
• Teach your People how to juggle.
• Theme days
• Fancy Dress days
As with everything I’ve covered it’s worth finding out what your PEOPLE consider fun and adapt to whatever that is. This is where your FUN forum will come into it’s own.
REWARD
It is important to remember that MONEY is important and it enables all of us to live to a certain standard. With this in mind always aim to pay your PEOPLE in the top quartile for the jobs they’re doing. This along with all the other areas I cover should ensure a stable workforce.
Look to be different -what else can you offer that your competitors can’t? Examples could be free transport, flexible work patterns, use of company car / vehicles available, subsidised canteen.
Take time to work up a reward scheme outside of pay and benefits: to reward suggestions, for helping others, work in the community. This is a big subject but if you get it right it will make a massive difference.
RECOGNITION
How do you feel when your boss say’s thanks for what you’ve done? Or “well done you did a great job”? If you’re the same as me your answer will be “Great”! It makes you feel worthwhile, valued and that you are appreciated. “Thanks” and “well done” go a really long way and in most of the employee surveys I have seen PEOPLE report that they don’t get thanked and their contribution is not recognised.
How many times have you “caught someone doing something wrong”?
Try this next time you’re out and about - “catch one of your people doing something right” ………. Take the time to tell them and watch for their reaction and how they perform in the future. We are all the same: we like being valued and by recognising someone it will enthuse that person.
The Common Sense Factor - CSF!
These ideas, along with everything I’ve written are what I call the CSF (The common sense factor). It is just common sense to treat your PEOPLE the way you would want to be treated!
SUMMARY
I have taken you through proven areas that when consistently followed will enthuse your PEOPLE and transform your business. You will be rewarded with PEOPLE giving their best and results that speak for themselves. This is not pie in the sky for every company that has got this right has immensely improved its results and profits.
It works and you will know it’s working when your key performance indicators improve in every area, your retention of employees is above industry standard, people are asking to work with you, your customers are delighted and keep coming back.
Best of all -PROFITS ARE UP!
Darren Beaven DBH Consultancy
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
Qualified to train?
I saw an interesting article on TrainingZone today - about qualifications in training.
http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=188747
I wonder though - do employers check if their trainer has a qualification? To become a teacher you can't even do the PGCE unless you have a degree, but you can end up in a school (and end up teaching!) with no qualification if you start as a classroom assistant.
So is the qualification thing purely related to what they will pay you, or your ability to teach? Now you might be wondering how this relates to training - but surely they are the same?
OK, your employees may not be as malleable as the youth of our nation (and some of them are not malleable, I have to say), but surely you need to consider the qualifications and experience of who you are putting up in front of your people as an example?
Well, qualifications is one way of 'identifying' someone who is - well - qualified! But what about experience? What about knowledge? When you buy management development training are you buying an expert or a great salesperson?
If you go the academic route and get your training from a College (from Ashridge to Cranfield, from your local College to University), you would automatically expect the trainers - those delivering - to be qualified. But if you hire a management development consultancy or independent trainer, do you expect them to be qualified?
Is qualification important, or quality of delivery and the actual outcomes from the training? If you get accredited training (say and ILM or CMI programme), then whoever delivers it you would expect to have been quality audited. But accredited training is only a percentage of management development training delivered in the UK.
In my experience I note good trainers for:
Inspiration (I listened)
Results (I learned something)
Knowledge (I respected and trusted them)
I don't think, personally, I ever asked a trainer if they were qualified to teach me whatever I was with them for.
Do you think qualified trainers make a difference? Answer the poll on the right - I'd be interested to know what you think.
http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=188747
I wonder though - do employers check if their trainer has a qualification? To become a teacher you can't even do the PGCE unless you have a degree, but you can end up in a school (and end up teaching!) with no qualification if you start as a classroom assistant.
So is the qualification thing purely related to what they will pay you, or your ability to teach? Now you might be wondering how this relates to training - but surely they are the same?
OK, your employees may not be as malleable as the youth of our nation (and some of them are not malleable, I have to say), but surely you need to consider the qualifications and experience of who you are putting up in front of your people as an example?
Well, qualifications is one way of 'identifying' someone who is - well - qualified! But what about experience? What about knowledge? When you buy management development training are you buying an expert or a great salesperson?
If you go the academic route and get your training from a College (from Ashridge to Cranfield, from your local College to University), you would automatically expect the trainers - those delivering - to be qualified. But if you hire a management development consultancy or independent trainer, do you expect them to be qualified?
Is qualification important, or quality of delivery and the actual outcomes from the training? If you get accredited training (say and ILM or CMI programme), then whoever delivers it you would expect to have been quality audited. But accredited training is only a percentage of management development training delivered in the UK.
In my experience I note good trainers for:
Inspiration (I listened)
Results (I learned something)
Knowledge (I respected and trusted them)
I don't think, personally, I ever asked a trainer if they were qualified to teach me whatever I was with them for.
Do you think qualified trainers make a difference? Answer the poll on the right - I'd be interested to know what you think.
Friday, 3 October 2008
Leadership and Politics
Well meaning but misguided people often advise aspirant leaders not to ‘get involved in the politics’ of organisations. They infer that there are different kinds of people: the bad guys who, ‘play politics’, and the good guys who don’t.
‘Playing politics’ means a number of things to different people, such as:
Power games
Empire-building
Stabbing people in the back
Seeking personal gain above corporate gain
Manipulating others
Not many people would recognise their own behaviours here. In most organisations, people are accused of involving themselves in this kind of negative politics. It is rarely you, however, who does this kind of thing. It is almost always ‘the other guys’.
In leadership, everything has a political dimension. Whenever a leader wins an argument, he or she has used influence of some kind to do so. This is politics. It is not inherently bad. But if you are the one over whom the leader has succeeded, it feels bad from your point of view, and it helps soothe the wounds to describe the other person’s success as ‘playing politics’.
When, on the other hand, you win the day, you do not feel that you have ‘played politics’, simply that good sense has prevailed, and that you have done the right thing for the organisation.
So, are you a political player, or a leader who understands organisational politics?
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Playing about with Value Theory
Value theory encompasses a range of approaches to understanding how, why, and to what degree people should or do value things, whether the thing is a person, idea, object, or anything else.
The Stamford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy describes it as follows:
The term “value theory” is used in at least three different ways in philosophy. In its broadest sense, “value theory” is a catch-all label used to encompass all branches of moral philosophy, social and political philosophy, aesthetics, and sometimes feminist philosophy and the philosophy of religion. ...But in a more useful sense, “value theory” designates the area of moral philosophy that is concerned with theoretical questions about value and goodness of all varieties — the theory of value.
We refer to values often in training – corporate values, leadership values, and individual values. But what do they mean, how do they vary from individual and how do you approach the sometimes sensitive issue of personal values in a business context? Well, when I saw ‘Life Lines’ by Chilli Training, I realised how effective using values as the ‘leverage’ in training could be.
Each player journeys across a game board, visiting their personal set of pre-selected values. When a player lands on a value, they must explain their choice of value to the other players before moving on – a communication and ‘sharing’ opportunity in a safe context.
However, just as in life, tasks are never simple when external factors come in to play. Re-routing, discussions, dilemmas and other issues are all interspersed before the game concludes. Then, the team as a whole must prove that they can apply the learning to the workplace by carrying out a number of selected activities. The facilitator has the option to choose which activity they want to gain a specifically focused outcome, whether it is change, communication, conflict, creativity, diversity, leadership or project management.
Though there is a competitive element, the key to the success of the game, in my opinion, is that it gets the participants to talk and share their feelings and thoughts on values – from cascaded corporate values to their own most personal, and perhaps unrecognised, values.
A good facilitator will know what ‘turns on’ their learners – no doubt they will have a mix of preferred learning styles in their group, but using accelerated learning techniques such as board games, music and art – keeping the training interactive – has been proven to increase learning retention.
I really liked this game, and the way it literally plays with value theories. A great tool for trainers and facilitators. I'd like to learn more about value theory too, but I will need my dictionary to hand I think!
Further information:
Life Lines Training Game: http://www.completetrainer.co.uk/Training_Games/Life_Lines
International Alliance for Learning: www.ialearn.org/research.php
Institute for Accelerated Learning: www.mindbodyheart.com/
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: plato.stanford.edu/entries/value-theory/
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
Trade descriptions act violated?
Over the past few years, a great deal of management development has been improperly branded as ‘leadership development’; mostly because it sounds better, not because it really is about developing leaders.
This could be construed as fraudulent! However, trainers and developers get away with it because so many providers, clients and managers have bought into it.
It’s time to stop the hype and sort out the tangles. ‘Leadership’ is not just a sexy name for management. It is fundamentally different from management, and one day, someone is going to call the bluff on everyone who is peddling management training under the banner of ‘leadership’.
Take a look at your own training programmes. Are they management, are they leadership, or are they, like so many offerings around today, a bit of this and a bit of that?
Why is This Important?
With the rapid increase in flatter organisations, matrix structures and the demands placed on good employers to meet the changing needs of Generation Y-ers, there is now a greater need for effective leadership.
Trainers and developers recognise this, and have risen to the challenge. However, even in some of the most prestigious institutions, I have seen old management development programmes simply rebranded as ‘leadership development’, with little or no substantial alteration to the content or style with which they are being delivered.
This kind of misbranding turns off real leaders, sends mixed messages to organisations, and dilutes the potential value of both management and leadership development.
So What is the Difference?
When you think of the phrase “manager of people”, what comes to mind? What is that person doing? What do you expect your manager to do when he or she manages you? Consider your responses to these questions.
When you think of the phrase “leader of people”, what comes to mind? What are your thoughts? How is this different from “manager of people”?
Even a simple set of questions like these tells us that management is different from leadership, but I think we ought to be more thorough.
In short, management is an institution; the exercise of authority of one person over another; a set of organising processes that ensure stability, control and continuity. It is embedded within the concept of organisation. Leadership is a relationship; the way one individual influences another; preparedness by one person to follow and rely upon the guidance of the person who leads. Good leaders may not be good managers, and vice versa. It follows that management development should be very different from leadership development.
To be well managed, you need good processes; to be well led, you need good people. Systems need to be managed; people need to be led.
The Difference is in the Detail
MANAGEMENT
LEADERSHIP
Defined by rank
Not a function of rank
Doing things prescriptively
Implies discretion
Systematic
Personal
Depends upon authority
Depends upon relationships
Relies on technique, which can be taught
Grows out of character, which can be developed, but not taught
Demands process capability
Demands emotional maturity
Let us look more closely at some of these differences.
Rank
One of the reasons why people confuse management with leadership is that it has become commonplace to use the word ‘leader’ to define anyone in a senior role within an institution, be it organisational or political. People refer to senior managers as ‘the leadership’, simply because they happen to be near or at the top of a hierarchy.
I have come across better leadership at the lowest ranks of many organisations that I have found at the top. Being senior does not make someone a leader; it simply means this individual has potential for leadership. Whether they exercise this potential is another matter.
Discretion
One of the defining features of being in a leadership role is the amount of discretion an individual has: how he or she actually decides what to do, why, and how to do it.
But how much discretion does anyone actually have? This is as much a matter of attitude and character as it is of rank. Budding leaders within almost any organisational context are often those who feel they can take discretionary action, and do so. Leaders often differentiate themselves from others, not by what they do, but by how they do it; how much they take the initiative and create the space to put their own stamp on even the most menial and trivial roles.
Leaders seize discretion; managers, as such, do not and should not.
Individuality and Character
No two leaders will lead in exactly the same way. To succeed in leadership, lacking the formal authority of management, demands that people are willing to follow. They will not do so unless they believe in you.
So much of the research into successful leaders shows that what people buy into is not your ideas, your policies or your arguments, but you. It also shows that the essence of the ‘you’ that people buy into is your character.
The research has identified a direct link between leadership and leaders’ characters. It shows that individual leaders are most likely to be effective if their strategies for leading are closely aligned to what they believe in, and how those beliefs manifest themselves through character.
Successful leaders act with the integrity that comes from being true to themselves and what they believe in. Good leadership comes from being good at being who you are.
Managers, as the word implies, manage organisations, systems, processes, as well as people, all of which demand a degree of uniformity across the management population. Good management comes from being good at what you do.
Managers gain much of their authority from their position in a hierarchy. Even poor managers can get people to do things, because they have that authority over them. Leaders rely on influence.
Technique
Managers need to operate within the system; leaders transcend systems. Managers need to acquire knowledge of and skill in the techniques that make an organisation’s systems and processes work smoothly; these are things that can be taught. Leadership grows out of individual character; this cannot be taught, but can be developed.
Emotional Maturity
Managers know when they are getting it right; the systems and measures within an organisation provide confirmation and certainty. Because a leader has discretion, and because leadership is demanded in ambiguous, uncertain and complex situations, leaders need the qualities of emotional maturity – self-belief, emotional resilience, a sense of purpose, empathy for others, and social skills – to be effective.
Developing Leaders
Leadership cannot be taught, but leaders can be helped to develop. This can only be effective when our leadership development programmes and interventions are designed, developed and delivered with leadership, not management, as the focus.
It is in the nature of management development that the focal point of any intervention is the organisation. Management development starts with the systems, processes, competences and behaviours that managers need to learn about and respond to. Implicit in management development is the message, “This is how we want you to do things.” One of they key tasks of management developers is to teach managers how to acquire the skills and capabilities to do those things in the desired ways.
A management development programme is about getting people to behave in certain ways. Managers adapt their behaviour to fit the norms of the organisation.
Because leadership comes from character, leadership development starts with the individual. A leadership development programme is about helping people to acquire insights into themselves, their character and personality, and how they differ from, or share certain similarities with others. This enables each and every leader to discover and develop their own personalised strategy for leadership. Leaders develop behaviour to influence the norms of the organisation.
Management Development is not Dead
We still need good management development programmes. Organisations that are all leadership and no management are likely to collapse in very short order, just as organisations that are all management and no leadership will stagnate.
The trouble is that, unless we in the industry clearly separate these two development streams, we are likely to be delivering neither good management development nor good leadership development, but a confused set of potentially contradictory messages that may confuse even the most enthusiastic participants.
What’s in Your Portfolio?
Here’s a challenge. Look closely at what you are offering and delivering to the market or your internal clients. Is each intervention clear about whether it is true management development or true leadership development? Are you calling your management development activities, ‘leadership development’, just to be trendy? Do your clients really understand the differences between management and leadership? Are you delivering management development, leadership development or both? If it is ‘both’, how clearly do you differentiate between the two?
This could be construed as fraudulent! However, trainers and developers get away with it because so many providers, clients and managers have bought into it.
It’s time to stop the hype and sort out the tangles. ‘Leadership’ is not just a sexy name for management. It is fundamentally different from management, and one day, someone is going to call the bluff on everyone who is peddling management training under the banner of ‘leadership’.
Take a look at your own training programmes. Are they management, are they leadership, or are they, like so many offerings around today, a bit of this and a bit of that?
Why is This Important?
With the rapid increase in flatter organisations, matrix structures and the demands placed on good employers to meet the changing needs of Generation Y-ers, there is now a greater need for effective leadership.
Trainers and developers recognise this, and have risen to the challenge. However, even in some of the most prestigious institutions, I have seen old management development programmes simply rebranded as ‘leadership development’, with little or no substantial alteration to the content or style with which they are being delivered.
This kind of misbranding turns off real leaders, sends mixed messages to organisations, and dilutes the potential value of both management and leadership development.
So What is the Difference?
When you think of the phrase “manager of people”, what comes to mind? What is that person doing? What do you expect your manager to do when he or she manages you? Consider your responses to these questions.
When you think of the phrase “leader of people”, what comes to mind? What are your thoughts? How is this different from “manager of people”?
Even a simple set of questions like these tells us that management is different from leadership, but I think we ought to be more thorough.
In short, management is an institution; the exercise of authority of one person over another; a set of organising processes that ensure stability, control and continuity. It is embedded within the concept of organisation. Leadership is a relationship; the way one individual influences another; preparedness by one person to follow and rely upon the guidance of the person who leads. Good leaders may not be good managers, and vice versa. It follows that management development should be very different from leadership development.
To be well managed, you need good processes; to be well led, you need good people. Systems need to be managed; people need to be led.
The Difference is in the Detail
MANAGEMENT
LEADERSHIP
Defined by rank
Not a function of rank
Doing things prescriptively
Implies discretion
Systematic
Personal
Depends upon authority
Depends upon relationships
Relies on technique, which can be taught
Grows out of character, which can be developed, but not taught
Demands process capability
Demands emotional maturity
Let us look more closely at some of these differences.
Rank
One of the reasons why people confuse management with leadership is that it has become commonplace to use the word ‘leader’ to define anyone in a senior role within an institution, be it organisational or political. People refer to senior managers as ‘the leadership’, simply because they happen to be near or at the top of a hierarchy.
I have come across better leadership at the lowest ranks of many organisations that I have found at the top. Being senior does not make someone a leader; it simply means this individual has potential for leadership. Whether they exercise this potential is another matter.
Discretion
One of the defining features of being in a leadership role is the amount of discretion an individual has: how he or she actually decides what to do, why, and how to do it.
But how much discretion does anyone actually have? This is as much a matter of attitude and character as it is of rank. Budding leaders within almost any organisational context are often those who feel they can take discretionary action, and do so. Leaders often differentiate themselves from others, not by what they do, but by how they do it; how much they take the initiative and create the space to put their own stamp on even the most menial and trivial roles.
Leaders seize discretion; managers, as such, do not and should not.
Individuality and Character
No two leaders will lead in exactly the same way. To succeed in leadership, lacking the formal authority of management, demands that people are willing to follow. They will not do so unless they believe in you.
So much of the research into successful leaders shows that what people buy into is not your ideas, your policies or your arguments, but you. It also shows that the essence of the ‘you’ that people buy into is your character.
The research has identified a direct link between leadership and leaders’ characters. It shows that individual leaders are most likely to be effective if their strategies for leading are closely aligned to what they believe in, and how those beliefs manifest themselves through character.
Successful leaders act with the integrity that comes from being true to themselves and what they believe in. Good leadership comes from being good at being who you are.
Managers, as the word implies, manage organisations, systems, processes, as well as people, all of which demand a degree of uniformity across the management population. Good management comes from being good at what you do.
Managers gain much of their authority from their position in a hierarchy. Even poor managers can get people to do things, because they have that authority over them. Leaders rely on influence.
Technique
Managers need to operate within the system; leaders transcend systems. Managers need to acquire knowledge of and skill in the techniques that make an organisation’s systems and processes work smoothly; these are things that can be taught. Leadership grows out of individual character; this cannot be taught, but can be developed.
Emotional Maturity
Managers know when they are getting it right; the systems and measures within an organisation provide confirmation and certainty. Because a leader has discretion, and because leadership is demanded in ambiguous, uncertain and complex situations, leaders need the qualities of emotional maturity – self-belief, emotional resilience, a sense of purpose, empathy for others, and social skills – to be effective.
Developing Leaders
Leadership cannot be taught, but leaders can be helped to develop. This can only be effective when our leadership development programmes and interventions are designed, developed and delivered with leadership, not management, as the focus.
It is in the nature of management development that the focal point of any intervention is the organisation. Management development starts with the systems, processes, competences and behaviours that managers need to learn about and respond to. Implicit in management development is the message, “This is how we want you to do things.” One of they key tasks of management developers is to teach managers how to acquire the skills and capabilities to do those things in the desired ways.
A management development programme is about getting people to behave in certain ways. Managers adapt their behaviour to fit the norms of the organisation.
Because leadership comes from character, leadership development starts with the individual. A leadership development programme is about helping people to acquire insights into themselves, their character and personality, and how they differ from, or share certain similarities with others. This enables each and every leader to discover and develop their own personalised strategy for leadership. Leaders develop behaviour to influence the norms of the organisation.
Management Development is not Dead
We still need good management development programmes. Organisations that are all leadership and no management are likely to collapse in very short order, just as organisations that are all management and no leadership will stagnate.
The trouble is that, unless we in the industry clearly separate these two development streams, we are likely to be delivering neither good management development nor good leadership development, but a confused set of potentially contradictory messages that may confuse even the most enthusiastic participants.
What’s in Your Portfolio?
Here’s a challenge. Look closely at what you are offering and delivering to the market or your internal clients. Is each intervention clear about whether it is true management development or true leadership development? Are you calling your management development activities, ‘leadership development’, just to be trendy? Do your clients really understand the differences between management and leadership? Are you delivering management development, leadership development or both? If it is ‘both’, how clearly do you differentiate between the two?
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