4 Responses

1. Out of the classroom
   The rationale behind the processes is always a good place to start, focussing on the benefits to the managers as individuals of following the processes. Clarity around the consequences of following or not following the procedures is very important.

   One way we have found is very successful in reinforcing process training is using online clickable process maps with explanatory notes so that managers don’t have to recall all of the processes all of the time. They can also be kept up to date so that retraining time is reduced.

   This has worked particularly well with HR related processes that are both emotive and have high risks for non compliance. If you would like to have a look at some of the applications we use please e mail me and I’ll arrange a log in for you.

   mailto:claudinem@predaptive.com

2. Excellent advice
   Claudine,
   Your example is an excellent idea that I think could be especially helpful for processes where existing documentation is too lengthy for staff to wade through when looking for a quick answer.

   In my situation, it is also ideal as our COO is reluctant to introduce e-learning, despite our various global sites. An on-line ‘refresher’ guide is a great compromise.

   Thank you.

3. Winning Hearts and Minds …
   … means allowing your delegates to make the processes and procedures their own. It is unlikely that your procedures and processes are random, so I would create an event that encourages delegates to develop procedures and processes for themselves and then analyse where the documented ones match and the reasons for any differences.

   This way, delegates will really understand the rationale and “own” the core thinking.

4. Horses for Courses
   Basic message: Training in procedures should NOT be exciting.

   As far as following procedures are concerned there are three basic attitudes – about 40% of the business population LIKE procedures, about 40% HATE procedures, and the other 20% aren’t much excercised either way.

   The first group will NOT be impressed by attempts to make procedures look exciting and glitzy. They already know that the world DEPENDS on following the right procedure, at the right time, in the right place, the right way. And guess what, they have a point. (Try dumping all procedures and you’ll soon see how good a point they have.)
   These people don’t want “imaginative” training – they want to know WHAT to do, WHEN to do it and HOW to do it. Everything else is waffle.

   The second group will like an imaginative approach to the training – but when they actually have to put the training into practice they’ll go straight back to doing things whichever way seems best AT THE TIME. Apart from basic familiarisation, procedures training is wasted on these people because they simply don’t see the importance of procedures – other than as a way of cramping their style.
   They will love innovative training, but it won’t make any difference to what they learn or how well they learn it.

   The third group CAN benefit from imaginative training – to a limited extent, so they are the people to concentrate on. In this specific context, however, it should be noted that they have a fairly BALANCED view of things, and will therefore most appreciate balanced training methods – some theory, some hands-on, etc. Training room fireworks are likely to be regarded as amusingly flaky.

   One of the major problems in the training community at large is that so many of us are quite ready to teach procedures to everyone else – but we don’t want to follow them ourselves, ESPECIALLY not in the training environment where such things might put a cap on our creativity. We then assume that everyone else will see things our way and want the same things.

   And sometimes, they don’t.