Category: Human Resources

An article by guest blogger, Carter McNamara:

About Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD ~

Carter, of Authenticity Consulting, LLC, has helped organizations across the nation to design Action Learning programs.

Typically Mentioned Outcomes from Action Learning

The peer-based Action Learning process is known worldwide as a straightforward, yet powerful approach to personal, professional and organization development. Standard outcomes frequently mentioned from the process include skills in listening, consulting, facilitation, reflection, inquiry, problem solving and organization development. Particular outcomes from the process depend on the design of the Action Learning program and members’ selection of projects to work on in their sets.

I have learned over the years that trainers and employers also highly value Action Learning to enhance “one-shot” training sessions. Few other development are as effective in forming local learning communities to deepen and enrich training from these “one-shot” sessions. This article provides guidelines to design and facilitate these local learning communities to complement courses, workshops and seminars.

Increasing Use of Training and Development

Organizations invest in training like never before. There are numerous reasons for this increased priority on training. Recent advances in telecommunications have opened markets for businesses across the world. Key to success is effective recruiting and training of workers, particularly in the areas of marketing, sales and service. Technologies have become more important, yet more complex to understand and operate. One can hardly imagine a role in an organization where employees do not need to understand how to use a computer or have strong skills in customer service. Increased diversity and public consciousness have combined to cause an explosion of rules and regulations under which businesses must operate. Businesses must ensure that employees understand and work according to these rules and regulations.

Market research indicates that today’s adults strongly prefer lifelong learning in the form of workshops and seminars. There is an explosion of training centers geared to provide courses, seminars and workshops on topics ranging from basket-weaving to chaos theory.

Training Conducted as Ineffective “One-Shot” Sessions

Too often, employers, trainers and learners resort to “one-shot”, quick-fix training sessions. These are usually half- or full-day sessions in which an expert conveys information and materials needed to develop certain skills. While these sessions can be effective in conveying “programmed” information, they are not likely to actually develop skills in learners. Development of skills requires ongoing effective application of new information. One-shot training sessions hardly afford the time and ongoing guidance for effective skill development.

One-shot training sessions are difficult to evaluate as well. Trainers are constrained to hand out “reactionnaires” at the end of sessions. While this form of evaluation may be useful to gather learners’ reactions to the sessions, they are invalid means to assess and judge how well learners have mastered application of materials from the sessions.

Breakthroughs in Training Formats Are Slow to Come

Despite these problems with one-shot trainings, they remain the hallmark of development. Businesses leaders often prefer quick-fix workshops and seminars for busy employees. One-shot training sessions are far easier for trainers to schedule and carry out.

Businesses and trainers look in the wrong places to fix the problem with one-shot training sessions. They fine tune design of training materials. They provide more books and binders. They exhort learners to apply training materials after the sessions are over. They remind learners that there is no knowledge without practice. Still, learners books and binders collect dust on their shelves.

Breakthroughs are slow to come also because, too often, we assume developments are powerful only if they seem complex, novel or out of the mouths of our latest gurus. We believe the more expensive the model or training program, the more powerful it must be (this is the fallacy of “executive-level pricing”).

Perhaps the answer to increased effectiveness in training and development is not to be found in producing yet more models or holding more sessions? Perhaps the answer is much closer – and easier to apply – than we think.

Benefits of Action Learning to Enrich Training

There are many benefits to using the Action Learning process to form local learning communities to enrich “one-shot” trainings. For example:

1. Communities are straightforward to integrate with training sessions and are easy to organize.
2. In groups, members hold each other accountable to actually apply new materials from training sessions.
3. Members share learning and other result from the sessions.
4. Members support each other to take risks and learn.
5. Communities are inexpensive to implement. Trainers can charge a nominal fee to members to recover costs of time and materials, or members can facilitate their own groups.
6. Learners develop a network of peers who they can call for support and feedback.

Guidelines to Design Action Learning to Enrich “One-Shot” Trainings

Over the years, I’ve learned the following guidelines to optimize the Action Learning process in order to deepen and enrich learning from one-shot training sessions.

1. All set members should be interested in learning the same topic or skill.
2. Learners should value — or soon learn to value – self-directed learning and skills in reflection and inquiry. (I have my learners read the materials at https://staging.management.org/training/methods/formal-and-informal-methods.htm#directed )
3. Consider providing the sets on a voluntary basis, that is, learners can join the sets if they choose. Obviously, this arrangement cannot be provided if membership is required to earn a course grade or other form of verification of learning. If the sets are not voluntary, be clear that they are mandatory.
4. The number of meetings and location of meetings might be determined by the trainer. However, the sets should meet at least six times.
5. Avoid having the sets scheduled at the end of a long day of lecturing, if possible. Consider starting the day with a short lecture, then a set meeting, then a lunch break, then a short lecture and then a set session.
6. As means of verification of learning from the set (e.g., for grading purposes), consider naturalistic and unfolding means of verification, for example, learning journals, reflective essays and portfolios.
7. I stay away from learning contracts. It’s not unusual to find that learners can gain a great deal from a set without ever having achieved the outcomes they promised in their contracts. Instead, I use Letters of Participation. These follow my belief that if members participate wholeheartedly in their set, then their necessary outcomes will follow.
8. I have rarely found it worth the while to assess each learner’s learning style and design sets accordingly. If each member participates wholeheartedly in their set, they will certainly accomplish at least that 20% of effort that generates 80% of learning for the learner.
9. Ensure that materials and information from the course, seminar, workshop, etc., are integrated with the set process, for example, have the seminar trainer mention the set and how members might use their time slots relative to the materials and information in the seminar. Ensure that the trainer knows about the sets and their use in the overall training program.
10. Provide clear guidelines about what learners are to do in their sets as compared to what they are to do in their courses, seminars, workshops, etc. As to what members specifically do in their sets, read the next section.
11. Conduct the standard opening and check-in for the set meeting. Have each member very briefly describe what they plan to work on in the meeting, how they are feeling today, etc. Then go into each member’s time slot.
    Design the meeting so each member gets at least 15 minutes for their time slot. (Although this time might seem small, learners often report that they learn the most while helping other members and during reflection between meetings.)
12. During their time slots, each presenter should address the following questions:
    a) What were the top two to four learnings for them from the current training session?
    b) How they will apply this new learning before the next set meeting?
    c) What will that application look like? What would someone else see if they watched the learning applying the new learning?
    d) Do they need any help from fellow set members before the next set meeting, and if so, what kind of help?
13. At the end of each session, each member:
    a) Verbally rates (out loud) the quality of the meeting from 1-5 with 1 representing a poor meeting,
    b) Explains why they gave the rating that they did, and
    c) What they could have done in the meeting to help the meeting get a higher rating.

Summary

I have used Action Learning to enrich one-shot trainings for well over a decade now. This application of Action Learning has fast become one of my major consulting services. I firmly believe that the biggest obstacle to the use of local learning communities around one-shot training is the limited mindset of the trainer. I encourage readers to experiment with their own designs and share their learnings with us, as well.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

The Free Management Library is at www.managementhelp.org on the Web. Carter can be reached at carter@authenticityconsulting.com and his business is described at www.authenticityconsulting.com on the Web.

“Continual learning is essential for survival in the workplace-instruction in the form of training is not. For workers who are already able to do what is expected of them, but are not performing to expectations, training is not the answer.” Robert F Mager as quoted in the ASTD Handbook for Workplace Learning Professionals p. 173

How often we suppose that the lack of performance is related to training. It is this very assumption that continues to breed frustration in many organizations and certainly fails to result in improved performance despite the fact that is exactly what most parties involved want. Instead what happens looks something like this:

Manager– “My employees just don’t get it. They need to be trained on how to…..”

HR Pro– “I can set up the training, but if manager doesn’t support it back on the job, it will be a waste of time.”

Employee- “Training on this again. Don’t they know I already know this. I could teach this stuff.”

Trainer/Facilitator-“I don’t know why I am up here wasting my time. This people clearly don’t want to be here.”

So how do you prevent this in your organization? According to the quoted author above, a proper analysis is required to ensure the performance intervention will be successful. That is a simple enough step. So where is the breakdown in the above scenario?

Simple, responsibility. Who’s responsibility is it to conduct the analysis? The manager blames the trainer, the trainer blames the trainees and/the manager, HR blames the manager, and the employee blames everyone! Blame gets you in this scenario.

If this is common in your organization, you can change it. Take responsibility to start the analysis and involve the others in the process.

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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Sheri Mazurek is a training and human resource professional with over 16 years of management experience, and is skilled in all areas of employee management and human resource functions, with a specialty in learning and development. She is available to help you with your Human Resources and Training needs on a contract basis. For more information send an email to smazurek0615@gmail.com or visit www.sherimazurek.com. Follow me on twitter @Sherimaz.

I was approached recently to train medical staff how to give patients and family members bad news. I asked why this consortium of trainers thought I was a good choice for this. The answer: because I was an actor. I knew how to be someone else. Did I leave my body and my feelings behind? I probably would have accepted the training job under other circumstances, but I was under several doctors’ care for a serious matter myself coincidentally at the same time, and how those doctors related to me mattered.

In these types of cases, it’s not a matter of action or inaction. It’s not a matter of saying the right words, nor is it a matter of say words a certain way–like acting… Uh-oh. When training acting takes the place of empathy and more…saying something important or serious the politically correct way isn’t always best. There are serious times when it is imperative to understand the definition of acting is not pretending, not being someone else. It’s more than that.

Acting is about truth, honor, trust and integrity. What it is not about is “faking it” or “pretending;” that does no one any good. From an actor’s perspective, doing those things rarely end up in acting accolades; those that make acting about reality and true feelings do get the accolades, and they get them for honesty of portrayal.

So what has this to do with “empathy?” Empathy is truth–the way we like to hear it. Hear any bad news lately. I have, and I know some others who have. The doctors were straightforward and honest to answer fully whatever question I asked. But what about those questions, I was afraid to ask? You see I appreciate honesty; it get’s it over, but then I am left with burning questions that I’m afraid to ask, which may do more harm than good, and cause more pain in the long run.

The doctors need to see the questions I’m concerned about but not asking. Don’t worry, it’s not a mind reading trick, but a matter of perspective. Knowing your audience. Reading your audience. Look up from the clipboard. Another thing to learn besides acting.

I’m not sure if what I thought was right for me at the time was the right way to go; these doctors have the experience of other patients who may have wanted the same “truth” I did, but they would have to dig a little to find the alternative that was right for me. It’s not always what I want, nor is it what your patient wants. It’s what they need for treatment to be best affected.

We know treatment depends on mental state and the ability to tell our bodies to help even more. What if we can. A genuinely concerned and passionate doctor and an trainer to help achieve those aims, it is possible to achieve miracles.

But we have to be careful: trainers and clients alike.

Training is all the rage these days as the economy inches forward. I have always been a bit unusual in that I strike from a different place with the Cave Man. In an odd way, he is my muse. Inasmuch as I love theatre for various reasons to numerous to go through now, I still think it is essential in a job that conveys, not only information, but other traits that come from ourselves.

I am the guy who thinks “acting” is one way to help people get through to others, and believe it or not, in a most genuine fashion. There are different ways to teach “acting” and different definitions in the layman world, which I have argued. Also, acting has been, for the first time in its history, a sort of buzz word for helping others say the right things at the right time. Imagine, actors being politically correct.

Out of work actors can teach acting to non-actors. Be careful you don’t just get an actor, but someone who knows about real life and psychology. Perhaps there should be a certificate out there at least. I still think acting can be the trainer’s tool. It has it’s places, but it can’t be just about teaching acting or teaching others to act. Although it can be entertaining.

I say it myself and I mean it that it is a great way to find you. I still believe in know your audience, know your subject and know yourself.

This may be such a good thing if you can envision a bunch of insincere people giving you bad news. Think of the worst situation that may occur and a doctor is able to deliver that information with aplomb; he or she makes you feel good despite the bad. I came upon a class of Teaching Lawyers to Act and decided with the help of a colleague who actually sold the idea to to some lawyers and was able to give themselves help in talking with a jury, delivering depositions, negotiating contracts. Her methods are different than some of mine; I still think as a team we’d be terrific, but we’ve had trouble coordinating schedules, etc.

Helping people communicate better, however we do, is a good thing, and these groups that can do it are helping those who can’t for the most part. Nothing is better than saying the truth and saying it with caring. Actors are generally pretty good at portraying that, and believing it. Of sometimes they put on what is expected of them, but if they are good at their trade they are able to reach the actor within–the one that counts.

Theatre can be about games that loosen up the inner you–finding the client’s real you; however, there are different ways to do that. And that depends on the client and personalities of others involved. When I say, audience comes first, I mean it. The people who come into contact with you, who depend on you, are not there to be sold by you. They want the real you.

My way of working with non-actors is different. I don’t want them to change who they are and pretend to be someone else–even for a minute. I don’t want them to act. I work with them in such a way as the best of who they are to come out. We let them be who they are with honesty thrown in, and it works pretty well. Remember, the true cowboy never takes off his hat. Who really cares if he’s wearing the politically correct business suit if he makes you believe in him, in his company and his mission, which is you.

Knowing your subject is always best. Don’t try to fake it either, and remember, honesty in checking facts and getting more of the right information goes a long way toward credibility. As for yourself, discover what makes you passionate. You wouldn’t be where you are if you weren’t that person–and if you are, think about another approach. Convey that passion to others and they will see you for what you are: a caring and compassionate individual.

All that reality is there, along with the positive character traits. You will share your reality with them, and by doing so, will be genuine and real, and their personality with come through as well. They will deal with you as a person, and you will appreciate the honesty and care that is given. It still is all about communication done well. Let’s get it done right as well.

A short blog burning inside. I received a phone call that made me think about training doctors to act or training acting to doctors. As always that sets me to writing. Along with empathy, let’s consider character, personality and we can help professionals achieve more than they dreamed, saying to a patient or a client, not only what they need to hear, but hear it in a way that sets them on the right mental track that cures them or helps them accept the news they didn’t want to hear at all.

Well, that’s my post to help put trainers who wish to do this sort of training on the right track or consider again if it isn’t you. It’s too important to screw up. People’s lives may be at stake.

Unusual also for me to write a blog on a Saturday, but I like to catch ’em while their hot on my mind. Just my usual disclaimer that these ideas are my own, seldom half baked but always in need of your comments and additions either on my website or here. The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development is out, and I am planning a couple more in the series. My novel, Harry’s Reality, is out and available wherever digital books are sold and is also available all downloads through Smashwords. It’s about what happens when we stop talking to each other on our own and let the machines tell us who we should talk to and what’s best for us. Not a totally cheery idea, although the novel is full of action and thought-provoking ideas.

One last thought just in case you wondering. I’m still happy to train actors, but I have become fascinated with the fact that others who don’t act need us, too. Happy Training.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

Tom in The Glass Menagerie wants to know how the magician or anyone can “find a way out of coffin that is nailed shut without removing one nail,” or you could say how to find “a way up the slippery slope.” Work and work relationships can do more harm than good. This is one such tale.

My friend, Phil, is an intelligent, creative and passionate worker as well as an excellent communicator–only problem is: he doesn’t fit his job description. According to his supervisor, he was, to put it kindly, miss-classified when he was with higher headquarters and just doesn’t fit in in the Regional office model.

Some might call it a personality conflict with the boss. Some might say Phil was just incompetent, and did nothing but make everyone else work harder. Either way, no one was happy with the situation, and the system it seemed left everyone paralyzed to do anything about it. Except Phil who was trapped.

Here it is: the story I’ve wanted to tell for a long time. The story of a worker, moved by higher headquarters to a regional office with a different mission, left high and dry after a reorganization with a boss who didn’t think he was qualified. He was a star at headquarters, but the Regional office wanted to show how it was important, too. He went from being a star to being a nobody, a nothing, a loser. Sadly, it wasn’t his fault, but no one will ever claim otherwise.

Unfortunately for Phil, it meant staying on in a position where his talents were unappreciated, professionally ruined and alienated in his own office and the one he left behind in central office. He was completely isolated by those he used to call friends who were not willing to support the once-king creator, now loser. No doubt ego played a huge role, but we don’t even have to go there. The system failed him–plain and simple.

While there may be many options in the system to deal with situations like this, most deal in a negative way for the employee, and work for the supervisor by putting an uncooperative employee “in their place” or making them quit altogether. Safe management, not leadership. The options made for Phil were the ones where he had to initiate and there was, of course, his own admission that he was unable to do the job assigned. Hence, he admits to incompetence when that is not the issue.

There was one attempt intended to make him feel the system was trying to help him, but it left him virtually demoted under the guise of “no way to create a job at the same level,” which he accepted, and with a real loss of self esteem, which left him depressed. With the depression was a trail of times misspent worrying about surviving the job. Lost time and lost opportunities. Fortunately, no loss of life (his own) in these desperate times, although his health was profoundly affected. The body reacts to stress.

There seemed a willingness only to let him fall on his own sword, a willingness to use the system to pressure career decisions he didn’t want to make because he needed the job, an unwillingness to move him to another position, create a position or just change supervisors. Falling on his sword or any of the “forced” decisions on his part would help any supervisor stay unblemished by the association, and the higher-ups not having to make a “leadership” decision that they’d have to live with that involved a breathing human being and not a spread sheet.

There’s always more to it, but I’ll try to stay focused on how to remove oneself from such a position gracefully, and win back in the end the most important loss–self esteem.

What to do? Apply for jobs, but in this economy–not a good option. Many resumes and letters later, Phil begins to wonder if the supervisor who encouraged this move was also not supporting him when the calls for recommendations came in, or if word had already spread among Phil’s professional world he had been black balled–all for the sake of ego.

Sad but true, despite all the conversations that said, “don’t worry about your job, I’ll do all I can,” until such time and every creative decision is derailed because the supervisor wants any efforts made to change the situation made by Phil himself, on behalf of himself. Phil’s reputation prior to the move had been founded on his ability to find creative solutions, but here he was stuck.

Fortunately possibilities for retirement were near–just not a Phil’s timetable. It was still years down the road. He had made the original move for family; his wife had been offered a great job near her not-so-well parents. The commissioner in headquarters, impressed with Phil’s abilities, made the call the Region felt obliged to honor–his request to hire Phil. But commissioners change, and some aren’t always the leaders their predecessors were. Thus, follow-on support was influenced by present conditions…and the viewpoints of others affected–except Phil’s. His story didn’t matter no matter how professional he made it, with no accusations–just a simple request the system couldn’t handle. At some point, one has to think it was the people who didn’t want to be connected to Phil in any way so not doing anything to help ensured their anonymity, although their intervention would have made more sense.

So, Phil stayed, determined to see it through and do whatever he had to do to make it work. He played nice with all his colleagues, maintained everything he did at a professional level, and kept asking how to make things work. The work piled on as the goal it appeared was to never let Phil succeed. He had seen a memo where his supervisor had expressed her doubts that Phil would be able to succeed (in fact she was sure of it) and by not doing so would bring the unit down, the agency down, etc. And, the supervisor was determined not to be wrong in this assessment. It appears the mark of her leadership was always calling it right. It appeared she saw chances and trust laced with risk despite that it would have shown strength of character on her part. The depression and sleeping pills helped Phil gain nominal normalcy of life. At least, he found a way not to obsess about his failure at work, to his family to himself for a time

The way out. Retirement. No burned bridges. Relief. Phil was more busy in retired life, but he smiled everyday. He was not at all proud of his last eight years on the job–a job he once thought important to others, one he once seemed dedicating his life to. It was now the one topic that made him feel dead inside–no feelings whatsoever. No, that was just what he told himself. In reality he even took a few calls and talked with clients about their problems and not his; he listened and gave advice with the caveat he was retired now with no real authority. He couldn’t help himself; he was just that kind of guy.

No time now to be bitter–only time to live and try to do what he loved. It was a little late. Eight years spent with passion would have been better than the stress spent to survive the job. Now that passion was spent writing and doing those things he didn’t have time for. He had incorporated some while still on the job, taking time away from the family, but it save his sanity.

Suddenly, Phil is something of a hit in retirement now being able to say what he thought. His creativity and view of the world are appreciated and even revered by some–something that began as a “mistake” was made whole again. He feels validated for the first time in years. Vindicated, maybe never. However, he blogged and he spoke on things not related to his old job. His view on the world was different, appealing in its difference to an audience who had been there, too. They connected.

And then, it was over. The stress had taken its toll. He died. We all know many people who die six months after retirement. Could this be a reason? A possibility?

There are so many other ways this story could have gone. There were simple solutions that would have left Phil happy or at least relieved–and productive, willing to give back tenfold what took him away from the hellish situation. The moral of the story is to see the tree, not just the forest. The worth of a man is beyond his classification. Instead of looking for weaknesses, look for strengths, train and use those strengths, and the company will gain even more.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

The Cave Man trainer has again tried to put a new face on a training topic. This one, I admit, was a little different. It came from the heart. You can still find more of my writings on my website, and leave comments here or there. You don’t have to agree with me to find favor. I am happy to post opposing views, and even offer guest bloggers a chance to voice their opinion in some detail. Check out my book The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development on sale now with a coupon code to make it irresistible. Thanks for listening.

Happy training.

Here’s your question–just for the fun of it. What will training be like in the future? Have you thought that far out? What will companies look like that far in the future? We know what they were like in the past. We know who they bankrupt and “ages of misery” they spawned. We know how they affected laws, immigration and the world’s economy. How they left us scratching our heads, desperately seeking solutions. We’ve seen corporations and faceless conglomerates turn Third-World countries into booming economies we fear will rival ours–all for the sake of greed–ours.

Since training isn’t perceived to be very important in big business, let’s think small. Training doesn’t need to be a big cog in wheel of business, economy and society…or does it? What do you think.

We’ve seen what small and big thinkers can think. Stick to the topic. Are any of us thinking that far ahead? What if we don’t? Could what’s wrong with our economy today have anything to do with our lack of foresight or just plain greed? You tell me. Does a company or corporation, or especially the non-profit corporation, or any other organization have a responsibility to society besides making money? I’m sure courses are taught on it every day.

And, don’t get me started on ethical business practices…

Now, I leave it in your hands to think about, comment on, and ask other questions. A good place to start the week, wouldn’t you say?

I look forward to your comments and playing along with you. Who knows? We may just save the world.

This post is different, I admit, but what do you expect from the “Cave Man of Training”–a man who looks to the beginning and the future at the same time. I’m not a mentalist, a futurist, prophet–just a person who cares. I hope my ideas prompt other ideas. I wrote a book about the Cave Man. I wrote it deliberately that way “Cave Man” instead of “caveman” because I’m not just talking about the prehistoric man, but a primitive man, a basic man. A man who thinks about his needs with his brains and his heart. He builds his society based on those needs. Shouldn’t we? Maybe corporations and business shouldn’t be about profit (different prophet) but about the “growth of a nation.” I’ve heard that said once or twice. Have you?

I challenge you to give us your best ideas. I’m no genius. Maybe I’m just an idea man–a creative man. Still, I expect to lose if this were a competition (It’s not), but let’s hear from you and the others who know what it takes to run a company, build a vision, build a workforce capable of building a nation. Let’s not spend our time looking for the easy way. Let’s banter some ideas. Let’s argue and stir some visceral responses, and with that some ideas that have merit for a possibly uncertain future. Let’s change some rules and see if they do it for us.

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

My book, The Cave Man Guide to Training and Development, has some interesting ideas you may totally disagree with today but not tomorrow. I’m told it is a different take on the world of training and development. For a piddling investment, you could have a few extra ideas.

My novel, Harry’s Reality–another creative side of me speaks–is available now though Amazon books. You’ve heard of Steve Martin’s film, “The Man with Two Brains?” I may be the man with two right brains…if you agree with that theory. Harry’s Reality is all about what happens when people stop talking to each other and let their devices control what the world becomes based on facts, proven and tested. By the way, the world is doomed. At first a fantasy, then doomed? That’s a “visceral” question if I ever heard one. Better check it out, too, before it is too late.