| Management Training workshops | | | | hour sessions. |
| What makes management development effective? | | | | · Off-site residential sessions |
| Read this article to find out more about: | | | | · One on one sessions with managers |
| · What criteria to consider before investing in | | | | · Some own study time between sessions |
| management training workshops in your organisation | | | | · Self-directed group sessions where managers work |
| · What needs to be in place to ensure that | | | | through topics on their own without a facilitator present |
| management training workshops are effective | | | | and then report back to the full group when they |
| · How to evaluate the effectiveness of the | | | | re-convene |
| management training intervention that you develop | | | | · Pre- and post-course reading between facilitated |
| · How to brief external providers to ensure that they | | | | sessions |
| understand the purpose of the program | | | | If the program is in-house you also do not want |
| · What Management Consultancy International can | | | | programs that are standardised and pulled off a shelf. |
| do to assist you in developing and delivering effective | | | | Demand that the programs are tailored for your |
| management training | | | | specific needs - AND do not pay a huge premium for |
| Why is Management Consultancy International in a | | | | this service. |
| strong position to talk to this topic? | | | | 3. Invite managers to the workshops |
| Management Consultancy International consults to | | | | It is far better to create a sense of excitement about |
| global organisations on their learning and development | | | | the management training workshops than instruct |
| strategies and on devising effective workshops to | | | | managers to attend the workshops. |
| improve management capabilities. With over 19 years | | | | Management Consultancy International trainers |
| experience in developing managers internationally who | | | | regularly report on managers who have been obliged |
| bring a higher level of competence to their workplaces, | | | | to attend management workshops and are highly |
| Management | | | | resistant to the training. Not everyone finds training |
| Consultancy International has created the following key | | | | exciting and not all managers see training as a |
| guidelines for better management workshops. | | | | wonderful opportunity to learn more about themselves |
| Management Consultancy International provides a | | | | and about others. |
| range of management training workshops that | | | | It sounds so old and stale, but it is essential to spell out |
| encourage a higher level of management | | | | clearly to managers why the training is taking place |
| effectiveness. Some of these programs are available | | | | and what is in it for them. We all like tuning into the |
| on a public schedule and others are specifically | | | | radio station - WIFM - what is in it for me. It is no use |
| designed to meet the needs of small or large groups | | | | skirting this or leaving out this step. If this step is |
| within organisations. There are also train the trainer | | | | skipped, you are only making a facilitator’s task far |
| options to ensure that the process is more affordable. | | | | more difficult in overcoming the steep resistance |
| What criteria do you need to consider before investing | | | | barriers that are set up. |
| in management training workshops in your organisation. | | | | Give thought to how the management workshops are |
| Management training workshops are generally costly - | | | | launched and what type of communication is sent out |
| both from the perspective of paying a provider to | | | | about them. |
| design and deliver the training and also from the point | | | | Consider: |
| of view of time off work to attend the courses. So - | | | | · There are other alternatives to an email instructing |
| why spend this type of money without any assurance | | | | managers to attend the workshops. Yes - the logistics |
| that the training will make a difference to the level of | | | | can be sent by email but not the motivation |
| management effectiveness. | | | | · Hand-delivered invitations that follow the theme of |
| Management effectiveness is after all not something | | | | the workshops are well received |
| that is readily measurable in a ‘return on | | | | · Phone calls explaining the purpose and outcomes of |
| investment’ type formula. You are not training | | | | the workshops are good or even better an induction |
| tangible skills and it is far more difficult to measure | | | | session where the group hears first hand about why |
| such intangible results. “The managers are dealing | | | | the program has been developed and what the |
| more effectively with conflict in their teams” does | | | | expectations are |
| not sound as wonderful as an ROI type statement | | | | 4. Workshop feedback |
| that runs along the lines of “our sales training | | | | Once the workshops are underway, keep your fingers |
| program for the product launch achieved a 50% | | | | on the pulse. Solicit feedback from the managers but |
| increase in sales as compared with last month’s | | | | be careful of the type of questions you ask! |
| figures.” | | | | The following feedback questions are huge no-no’s: |
| So what criteria need to be considered before making | | | | Did you enjoy the training? How was the facilitator? |
| the investment in running workshops to train managers: | | | | Having fun during the training is certainly an indication of |
| 1. Set a clear purpose | | | | a well-designed session but if the session does not |
| It is simply not good enough to have a gut feel that | | | | stretch the managers and make them feel slightly |
| managers need training or to simply respond to verbal | | | | uncomfortable in some way, the workshops are not |
| requests for management skills. Yes - managers might | | | | going to be achieving their purpose. |
| be asking for training themselves or these needs might | | | | Also, placing the emphasis on the facilitator is simply |
| be revealed in performance appraisal discussions. BUT | | | | not going to achieve what you need to in terms of |
| if there is no clearly defined objective set for the | | | | your purpose. Yes, the facilitator cannot be a boring |
| training, you will not be able to measure the | | | | and dry deliverer of information. However, the |
| effectiveness of the workshops. | | | | facilitator could not possibly know as much as |
| Only once the purpose statement is clearly outlined do | | | | everyone in the room and their combined knowledge. |
| you even begin to think of the pathways that are | | | | Deflect the focus from the facilitator and place it more |
| going to lead you to achieving these goals. | | | | on the message - what you the participants put into |
| This purpose statement needs to be verbally | | | | this training workshop is what you will get out of it. |
| determined and also written down in clear, jargon-free | | | | Focus instead on questions such as: |
| English. | | | | 1. What did you get out of the training and how will you |
| Begin with - the purpose for introducing the | | | | apply these skills? |
| management training workshops is as follows.... | | | | 2. What else do you still need to know more about? |
| The sentence continues with - as a result of the | | | | 3. What will you do more or less of as a result of the |
| management workshops, managers will be able to | | | | workshops? |
| perform the following tasks more effectively or will | | | | 4. What impact do you think the training workshops |
| have the following improved skills.... | | | | have had on your team or on your colleagues? |
| Continue your purpose statement by agreeing how | | | | What needs to be in place to ensure that |
| these outcomes will be measured - the effectiveness | | | | management training workshops are effective? |
| of the program will be measured by follow-up | | | | Preparation and preparation are the key to |
| meetings with co-workers or discussions with team | | | | effectiveness of the workshops. |
| members or any other means that you want to put in | | | | Do all the homework as explained in this article and |
| place to ensure that there has been a change in | | | | select a provider that will truly partner with you. |
| management behaviours and attitudes. | | | | Your provider needs to: |
| Remember - do not bother introducing training | | | | 1. Listen to your requests and customise at a low price |
| workshops unless you are totally clear on what the | | | | 2. Speak directly to potential attendees on the |
| required changes are as a result of the workshop. IF | | | | program and possibly their team members or their |
| TRAINING DOES NOT LEAD TO CHANGE, WHY | | | | managers |
| DO IT AT ALL! | | | | 3. Include scenarios and examples that are relevant to |
| Rather spend your hard-won budget sending your | | | | the group |
| managers out on a cruise of Sydney harbour and you | | | | 4. Work with you to improve the impact of the |
| will have loyal and motivated managers. If you are | | | | sessions as you receive feedback |
| going to spend the budget on training, there needs to | | | | Your responsibilities include: |
| be a serious commitment to changes in behaviours. | | | | 1. Brief the provider clearly and set the purpose of the |
| There are many times that as external providers that | | | | program out for them in straightforward language |
| we attend briefing meetings with clients who are | | | | 2. Brief and communicate with participants and do not |
| seeking input on running management training | | | | leave the provider to deal with resentful, |
| workshops. At these meetings the purpose | | | | non-committed participants |
| statements are not clearly conveyed and this indicates | | | | 3. Ensure that you have an adequate budget and |
| confusion about why the training is taking place at all | | | | work creatively with the provider to overcome its |
| and what the whole effort is intended to achieve. | | | | limitations through careful scheduling and pre- and |
| 2. Determine the best possible route | | | | post-reading or through a train the trainer process |
| Once you have created your purpose statement and | | | | 4. Give constructive feedback and work with the |
| you can express it clearly to others, you are then in a | | | | provider on improvements. |
| position to decide on the best ways to achieve your | | | | What Management Consultancy International can do to |
| objectives. | | | | assist you in developing and delivering effective |
| There are so many flexible routes available that you | | | | management training? |
| do not need to be restricted by restrictive providers as | | | | Management Consultancy International has a large |
| to what is achievable. Insist on working with a provider | | | | number of small and major clients who run the |
| who will meet your specific requirements and who will | | | | Management Consultancy International suite of |
| provide innovative ways of delivering training even to | | | | management training workshops. |
| small numbers in the management team. | | | | Speak to us to find out why clients such as Allianz |
| Bear in mind that ad-hoc workshops are not going to | | | | Insurance, Toll Holdings, Perisher Blue, Daikin and |
| be nearly as effective as a series of workshops that | | | | Vodafone benefit from our workshops. |
| lead up to your intended outcome. Realistically, in a one | | | | Management Consultancy International ensures that: |
| day workshop there are indeed skills that one can | | | | You receive a series of management workshops |
| learn. However in order for these skills to be practiced | | | | developed specifically for your managers and their |
| and entrenched, this is not entirely feasible. | | | | challenges |
| Management training is not necessarily only | | | | Your workshops are based on models proposed by |
| skills-based. It is in some instances about undoing habits | | | | leading world thinkers on management and leadership |
| that might have been in place for some time. | | | | Your workshops are facilitated by experienced and |
| Management training is about relearning new | | | | highly inspirational trainers who care about achieving |
| techniques or discovering more about oneself. | | | | the results you want |
| Management workshops provide the forum for | | | | Your management training workshops are delivered in |
| discussion and debate. Not all management issues are | | | | a range of flexible ways to meet your needs and your |
| solved through cut and dried solutions and a range of | | | | set outcomes |
| possibilities need to be placed on the table to be tried | | | | Your workshops make use of exciting examples and |
| out depending on the context. | | | | stories as well as a range of methodologies to |
| It is therefore preferable to offer management | | | | entrench new thinking and motivate managers to try |
| workshops in some form of continuum where skills | | | | out new skills |
| can be practiced in the workplace and then | | | | Speak to one of our sales consultants on 1300 768 |
| re-evaluated in the training room. | | | | 550 to set up a time for a consultant to speak to you |
| The workshops themselves do not need to be only a | | | | about your needs. Alternatively email your |
| serried of full day sessions. Consider: | | | | requirements to .au and we would be delighted to |
| · Smaller groups that work together in shorter 2 or 3 | | | | assist you. |