IN
DEPTH GUIDE TO
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
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OUR
APPROACH |
We sit down with you and your key people,
and determine how you really do business.
This interviewing process gives us an opportunity
to identify your real needs and it puts us in a position
to offer appropriate answers to your questions. These
answers will leave you with customised, in-house solutions
and capability at an affordable cost.
Our solutions and implementations are appropriate
now, and in the future.
We take a short-term and long term view of
your business’s growth points. In doing this
we ensure that our solutions can help you through any
change, whether subtle or dramatic.
We design and implement matching solutions
to make you competitive.
Within your Industry or Sector we also take
your size and other unique factors into consideration.
We’ve been around long enough to separate
marketing hype and fads from true capabilities.
We know how to recommend interventions that
can continue to be effective as your business grows.
We can give capability on a short-term
basis while you go through learning and mastering our
intervention. Our goal is to leave you self-sufficient,
not reliant upon the consultant organisation.
We move on
In everything there is a season, and when
our work is done we leave. We’re always available
if you need us again but we won't stay longer than
needed to finish the job.
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ABOUT
FACILITATORS |
Our facilitators are not just sought after practitioners
they are also very successful management consultants. Their deep and extensive business experience is what
makes their input invaluable and relevant at what ever
level they are working in your organisation.
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OUR
PHILOSOPHY |
We believe that designing programmes are both a skill
and an art. For training to be truly effective, we
believe it must be learner centred, rather than facilitator
or presenter centred. For that reason our facilitators
are highly skilled.
Although training is not designed to be entertainment,
we believe that our facilitators are able to keep the
participants involved. We pride ourselves on successfully
getting the participants to want to learn and helping
them see the need for changing their behaviour or acquiring
new behaviour or skills. This is really what training
is about – helping people change their behaviour
to something better, more effective, more successful
and fresh.
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OUR
APPROACH TO THE DESIGN OF PROGRAMMES |
STEP 1: INFORMATION GATHERING
We explore what the desired outcomes are with all appropriate
stakeholders who have requested the training, for
example, information will be gathered from:
A strategic level (Optional if appropriate) - interviews
will be conducted with members of top management in
the organisation with a view to gaining a better understanding
of the strategic organisation transformation vision
which they have over the next 5 to 10 years. This ensures
that programme material equips staff with the necessary
knowledge and skills that will take the organisation
into the future.
Middle management (Optional if appropriate) - views
of middle management will be canvassed in order to
gain a better understanding of what is required in
order to ensure that levels of productivity are enhanced
through the provision of skills which enhance efficiency. We
ensure that they are aware of the risks involved in
the success of the training. Is the organisation prepared
to monitor and reinforce efforts made by learners to
make use of the results of the training sessions? What
bottom line outcomes does the organisation wish to
gain from its investment in this particular training
effort? Are they being realistic?
STEP 2: NEEDS ANALYSIS
We evaluate or re-evaluate the needs of the population
to receive the training. Do they need awareness or
skill building? How do their perceptions of their
needs fit into the organisation as we are aware of
it from other sources? Can their needs or desires
be realistically accomplished through training? Does
goal accomplishment mean short-term programmes or
long-term organisational change?
STEP 3: IDENTIFY POTENTIAL OBSTACLES
Any constraints on the project are surfaced and explored. If possible, hidden agendas or preconceived attitudes
are exposed and dealt with sensitively but appropriately. Real and perceived barriers are brainstormed and
plans are identified to overcome them.
STEP 4: PROGRAMME OUTLINE
A curriculum outline is designed with benchmark objectives
identified at each step of the programme. Each concept
to be covered is identified in three ways:
- How it will be presented didactically.
- How it will be related to the learners real world
of work.
- How will the programmed be specific & contextual
- How it will be experienced by the learners (that
is, what games, role-plays, etc. could be used to
get the learning points and principles across).
- An important component specifically addressed
is the range of learning styles which different people
have. Care is taken to design the training material
so that all the different styles will be stimulated
and satisfied during the different parts of the programmed.
Outcomes are identified for each activity and they
establish the basis for the next step.
STEP 5: DETERMINE METHOD OF MONITORING SUCCESS
A method of measuring the success of the training
is identified based on benchmark and outcome accomplishment. Feedback systems are established with a clear means
of utilising their results.
Monitoring: Again our commitment to the transfer
of learning is underscored by the follow-up work, which
we do after the learning intervention. Again in our
experience the principles of action learning which
require people to practically apply their learning
to real situations further facilitates transfer of
skills. We will create projects which delegates need
to tackle after the learning intervention and which
will result in a follow-up review some time afterwards. This will enable us to not only review the degree to
which knowledge and skills have been assimilated, but
will also enable us to examine the impact on the job.
Feedback: In order to close the loop, we would require
an opportunity of meeting with strategic decision-makers
in the organisation whereby a general progress review
is provided to them regarding the progress made on
the learning intervention. This will be a two way process
for both ourselves as well as the decision-makers to
make any adjustments which arise out of this feedback
process.
STEP 6: PLAN LOGISTICS
Logistical needs are identified. These include all
areas, from who will conduct the training, to what
equipment and / or materials will be needed, to room
location and set-up. These are all carefully thought
out in advance and prepared as necessary.
STEP 7: PILOT TESTING
If appropriate, the learning intervention is piloted
as designed. A detailed account is made of all activities,
interactions, responses, etc. Materials, presentations
and activities are refined as necessary to more closely
meet the desired results as identified in steps 1
and 2.
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