Training Programs

Most companies have the philosophy that employees have the primary responsibility for their development. However, in order to truly grow and develop, employees need their manager to be a partner; that is, an effective developmental coach.

“How to be an Effective Developmental Coach” is based on the research which shows that the best opportunity for development occurs through experience (the 70-20-10 rule). The workshop teaches managers how to use projects and assignments to stretch and grow their people, and how to ask good coaching questions so their employees maximize their development from those experiences.

Part of an engagement and retention strategy
Studies have found that Millennials, more than any other group, reported “opportunities to learn, acquire skills and personal development” as key to their workplace engagement and the biggest reason they stay with a company. This program focuses on achieving those outcomes.

Overview
This workshop covers 6 essential components for successful development:
1. Overcoming Barriers to Development
2. Identifying or Creating Development Opportunities
3. Identifying the “Right” Development Goal
4. Creating an Effective Development Plan
5. Expanding Your Employee’s Approach to Learning
6. Maximizing Employee's Learning when Implementing their Development Plan

Program Description
1. Overcoming Barriers to Development -- Participants examine reasons employees give as to why they don’t develop. Typical reasons include they’re too busy or they lack support (e.g., training is not available or they don’t get feedback).

While these reasons feel real to the employee, they are often self-imposed and in many ways excuses. This workshop teaches managers how to help their employees overcome those and other barriers to their development.

2. Identifying or Creating Development Opportunities -- Participants go through an exercise where they recall an event that had the biggest impact on their development and changed the way they approach their work or relate to others. The common themes from those stories serve as the basis for realizing that development occurs mostly through experience, on or off-the-job. It also becomes clear that not all experiences are equally developmental; the experience must be challenging in order to have any developmental impact. 

3. Identifying the “Right” Development Goal -- In order to create an effective development plan, the development goal must be appropriate (targeted to enhance current job performance and/or prepare the individual for additional responsibilities or the next assignment/promotion). Participants learn how to identify the development goal most appropriate for their employees.

4. Creating an Effective Development Plan -- Armed with the above information, participants take their employee's development goal and begin to identify development opportunities which could achieve that goal.

5. Expanding Your Employee’s Approach to Learning -- To truly develop, a person needs to get out of their comfort zone. However, when faced with a challenging experience, we deal with it in a way (referred to as our preferred learning style) that happens to get us back into our comfort zone. We feel better but lose some of the development potential that experience offers. 

Participants assess their and their employee’s preferred learning style and learn how to expand their employee's approach to learning. Research shows that expanding one’s approach to learning enhances development. Participants are also able to review their employee’s development plan to make sure the development activities require different learning styles, not just their preferred style.
 
6. Asking Effective Coaching Questions -- Experience only provides an opportunity to develop, but that doesn’t mean the employee will learn. To convert a development opportunity into a learning experience, it is necessary to reflect on the experience. Participants learn how to ask effective coaching questions in order to help their employees be better at reflecting and gaining lessons learned.

At the end of the workshop, participants review the list of barriers to development identified in the beginning and now know how to help employees realize they can develop while doing their job as well as when involved in activities outside of work, and that lack of resources (e.g., training and feedback) forces employees to be more resourceful in their development.

Audience: Managers

Length of Workshop: 1/2 to 2/3 day (depending on course design)

Participant Size: Best for 12-16 (or more, depending on course design)