I can’t see it! Crappy Performance Management Rule 1.

Over my next three blogs I am going to discuss three rules that you need to implement if you are looking for a ‘chocolate teapot’ of a performance management system.  Here is the first:

Crappy Performance Management Rule 1:  Don’t tell anyone about the vision.  

It’s a rule well rehearsed in many organisations, but if you are not quite there with it yet, here are some guidelines:

1. Make sure it’s over complex:  Try to use  as much jargon and technobabble as humanly possible. 
2. Be as boring as possible:  A verbal picture is worth a thousand words, so never use metaphor, analogy, and example.
3. Only ever use a single channel: Keep the message to a single channel, like SMS texting.  Be sure to minimise interaction - staff are ineffective at spreading the word.  
4. State but once:  People aren’t stupid you only need to tell them once.  
5. Lead inconsistently: Be careful not to be seen as a swot. 
6. Leave seeming inconsistencies unaddressed: It’s just better not to go there. 
7. Minimise give and take:  Avoid two-way communication about the vision. Just present it as an order.  

OK, so none of us would really subscribe to these guidelines would we?  Scan them again asking whether they could (even in part) be leveled at your own organisations communication of the vision.  It’s actually not that difficult to find more than a hint of these chocolate teapot practices.  

Buy-in from competent people in the business is critical to the successful implementation of any organisational strategy - Yet John Kotters Harvard research suggests organisations under-communicate the vision by a factor of 10 (or 100 or even 1000!).  In practice this means that many people are unable to make the connection between the objectives that they work to and the goals of the organisation.  There will often be plenty of activity, lots being done, but organisational success will be more luck than judgement as people do what they think should be done rather than what they are certain must be done.  

For many there is no golden thread between the organisations vision, their own functional strategies and objectives that they are working on; if people don’t truly get the vision it’s not their fault.  There are a lot of places for the vision to become lost and muddled as it cascades down the organisation, but leaders and managers need to do more in order to facilitate a visible golden thread.  The introduction of functional critical success factors can go a long way towards this.  Great organisations are good at defining and focusing on what is critical for success.  They articulate well the links between the vision and the functional strategy by developing critical success factors that determine individuals objectives.  

So let’s have another go at those guidelines by presenting the key elements in the effective communication of vision as suggested by Kotter:

1. Simplicity:  All jargon and technobabble must be eliminated. 
2. Metaphor, analogy, and example:  A verbal picture is worth a thousand words. 
3. Multiple forums:  Big meetings and small, emails and newsletters, formal and informal interaction - all are effective for spreading the word.  
4. Repetition:  Ideas sink in deeply only after they have been heard many times.  
5. Leadership by example:  Behaviour from important people that is inconsistent with the vision overwhelms other forms of communication.  
6. Explanation of seeming inconsistencies: Unaddressed inconsistencies undermine the credibility of all communication.  
7. Give and take:  Two-way communication is always more powerful than one-way communication.

You might challenge this idea, but I believe it is almost impossible to over communicate your organisations vision.  At least not if you don’t want to pilot a rudderless ship.

Performance Management Rule 1 should simply read:  Ensure your people get the vision.  

Bob Bannister

Twitter: @bbbannister

The little online learning video project

After a few weeks prep, and a lot of fun we have launched the Little Online Learning Video (LOL_V) project.  The concept is simple and something that everyone can get involved in.  

LOL_v :-) is a library of innovative, challenging, helpful or just plain funny learning moments for you to enjoy, listen and learn, change your behaviour and / or contribute to.  There's a blooper reel too:

We've produced a resources page on our website where you can download the Picky Polka music and the graphics to bookend your own LOL_v productions.  If your not sure how to assemble them, we'll do it for you and send you the finished article. 

The idea is simple; a very short face to camera quote, tip or fact filmed with an interesting background from around the world.  Don't take it too seriously, it's about enjoyment as much as it's about learning. If you are a trainer with a video camera, or just know some good ideas that could help others then join in the fun with us. 

The project is based upon the fact that you really can grow your brain.  Experts have proven exercising your brain is like exercising your muscles, the more you do it, the stronger it becomes.

Here’s some ways that LOL_v :-) can help you give your brain a workout: Choose a topic or pick one at random, watch a video moment, and then commit it to memory. Try to recall the fact or tip as much as possible over the next few days. If the moment has provided you with some advise, work out how to implement it and try to move the knowledge into practice as soon as an opportunity arises. Alternatively, just launch in and click through a bunch of learning moments until something strikes you as valuable - then make a difference in some way with that knowledge.

At the time of writing we have already accumulated over 50 LOL_v moments.  Search through them from this link, and then why not start posting your own.  

Enjoy :-)

Bob

Willpower, what willpower?

One week into my caffeine free thirty days, and I give in to a large mug of the real thing. OK, so we had run out of espresso decaf and breakfast without any coffee seemed inconceivable.  There wasn't much in the way of alternative in the house, and everyone keeps telling me that tea has as much caffeine in it as coffee (I still want to think that may be folklore).  

Being particularly inquisitive this morning, and by the way with a head that feels woolly (was that the caffeine?) I had a search around the internet to see what I could learn about willpower.  It turns out that there is a lot on the subject, as I might have expected it's been a significant area of study for the psychologists and scientists.  So here's a summary of what I've learnt:

Willpower seems to be limited. 

Studies suggest that our levels of willpower deplete as we make use of it. We can hold out, but rather like a tired muscle, when overworked it is more likely to give in.  Self control seems to be at a particularly low ebb when we are mentally exhausted.  

Anticipate and plan for your times of low self-control.

It doesn’t take a lot of analysis to recognise when we are most likely to give in and lose our self control.  Add to this the knowledge that we will give in most when mentally tired gives us the foresight needed to anticipate when we are at risk.  It’s in these times that we have to draw on a plan.  What is your strategy for dealing with a lack of willpower?  If we put a contingency plan in place ahead of the fall, we are far more able to deal with it in moments of vulnerability.  

Drink some orange juice!

It turns out that glucose is one of the key ingredients that your brain needs for effective self-control.  A-ha I think, there you go, as one of the UK’s many diabetics, I can now take delight in understanding my appalling lack of willpower can in-part be blamed on my frequent wandering blood sugar levels ;-)  

So, without hesitation I am off the caffeine again.  My 30 day challenge is back on track as I reach for the carton of blueberries.  

Bob Bannister

Yes you can grow your brain (Part 3). A 30 day challenge.

A lot can happen in thirty days.  Buildings can be constructed, Governments can fall, love can blossom and without doubt new habits can be formed.  My previous two blogs on this subject (this one and this one)  have outlined fascinating evidence that scientists have uncovered over the last 10 years - yes our brains continue to grow through adult life generating new neurons in a process they've called Neurogenesis.  These new cells can take over the function of damaged cells and provide protection against dementia and Alzheimer’s.  Very importantly they help you learn faster and retain more of what you learn.  So let's think about ways in which you can boost this process by taking a 30 day challenge. 

Starting today you can make a series of small changes that will encourage your brains growth and help you make a real investment in your future.  Here are a list of brain boosting actions: 

Exercise. Ok, so no surprises here then.  The benefits of exercise are so well published it almost puts me off doing it!  The reality is that aerobic exercise is the single best thing you can do to grow your brain.  Now if your the athletic type you may have this one ticked and you can move on down the list, but if your not then think about taking the 30 day challenge. You don't need to rush off and join a gym, in fact my experience says 'you'll never keep it up'. Instead introduce something simple for the next 30 days. It can be as basic as adding a walk.  Get off the tube a stop early or something similar.  I have two dogs to help me with this one, but for the next 30 days they are going to have to cope with me upping the pace from a gentle walk to a heart pumping stomp. 

Eat Blueberries.  So this one may be more of a surprise. All kinds of dark berries contain anthocyanin.  The ingredient that seems to trigger neurogenesis.  Blackberries, black currants, bilberries, and black raspberries.  It takes about a cup full per day to trigger the neurogenic effect.  I've no idea what it will do to your poo, but the 30 day challenge will give your brain a fantastic kickstart!  This practically seems like a logistical nightmare, making sure we've got sufficient supplies of fresh berries for the month.  I'm very interested however in how it will make me feel. 

Remove Caffeine. Now for me, this is a real 30 day challenge!  I love my coffee first thing in the morning, during the morning, with lunch and throughout the afternoon etc. Even so, I'm going decaf for 30 days.  It can't be that hard can it?  For the record, my own research into this has concluded that Cafe Nero needs to be avoided as their decaf tastes like chicken!

Learn lots and lots.  Our ability to learn improves as a result of neurogenesis, but scientists now believe that learning itself stimulates neurogenesis. Is this a brain equivalent of the chicken and egg puzzle? The previous articles touch on this, but scientists think that learning a variety of new things that are unrelated to what you normally do is the thing that really makes a difference. Variety of learning is the key.  So for your 30 day challenge you need to find one idea to learn everyday. To help you with this we have produced well over a months worth of Little Online Learning videos (LOL_v).  All you need to do is listen to a LOL_v a day, and then work at committing it to memory before the next day - then repeat at will.  Most if not all of them are under 20 seconds long so this is not time taxing.  Some are trivia random facts, others are ideas and tips, all are very slightly tongue in cheek, avoiding taking ourselves too seriously. Please enjoy freely.  You can of course plan your own 30 day learning programme, just keep it short and manageable, fresh and varied and stick at it.  

  

The LOL_v  Project is a bit of fun, encouraging lots of people to contribute facts and tips from interesting places.  I'll blog more about this soon, but the resources you need to produce your own LOL_v's are here

So there it is, a challenge to grow your brain in 30 days by transferring the 4 things above to your action list.  I'm looking forward to seeing what it does to my own brain power.  I will of course report back.  Do let me know if you are willing to join me.  Finally for the record I remain convinced the chicken came first ;-)

Bob Bannister

Team building exercise?

Took this pic from a billboard on the London Underground.



Team building event anyone?

Bob Bannister

Location:United Kingdom

Yes you can grow your brain (Part 2). But it really does matter how you perceive yourself.

I'm sure if you are alike me then it's quit easy to become a little dismissive of the whole 'positive thinking' thing.  Maybe it's been taken too far, but I struggle somewhat with the idea that just believing it will bring something about. I've believed for years that I need to own a Ferrari before I kick the bucket, but it' a longtime coming!  Yet interestingly somewhere in the darkest reaches of my brain there are some positive grey cells that whisper even as I write "hey why not, maybe I can secure a gleaming red prancing horse in the garage before reaching glory".  

There have been many studies on this topic, and the evidence that they amass certainly does seem compelling. Not least compelling when related to our ability to learn.  In a study by Carol Dweck a psychologist from the university of Stamford, a ‘growth mindset’ has a major impact on students ability to learn.  Those students that believed their intellect and intelligence was fixed stumbled at the first hurdle, whereas students who saw that that their intelligence was malleable reacted to adversity by working harder and trying out new strategies. 

This idea supports the knowledge that we can indeed grow our brains by exercising them regularly (See previous post).  Losing the constraint that says “I can’t do it” is without doubt a major step towards learning and doing something new.  This week I experienced the impact of this first hand.  UK VAT law is complicated, to me it’s absurdly complicated, so much so that I crumble at the thought of being able to understand it and because of this have historically pulled out the cheque book and written out (not insignificant) sums of money for our accountant to solve the riddles of HMRC.  So this week, when faced with the additional complexity of EU VAT law, I met my growing frustration at having to payout for yet more advise with a new determination to get my own head around it and learn what we needed to know.  Not only was that a liberating “growth mindset’, it was a financially beneficial one!  I didn’t time it, but I guess within 30 minutes or so, we had interrogated the HMRC website documents, called the VAT helpline, and solved the riddle that had caused us to stumble.  It was still complicated, but rather than falling at the first hurdle, we worked harder at trying out new strategies.  

So let’s put this thought into the context of learning and development.  It’s quite possible that one of the largest barriers to student learning is what’s in the mind of the student themselves.  Which suggests that those of us tasked with facilitating peoples personal development should give proper consideration to this.  What should we be doing to engender a growth mindset with the gathered cohort?  How should we convert those who have arrived on our training courses, believing that their intellect and intelligence is fixed?  Your own suggestions on this would be very welcome.  

Maybe we need to commence our learning programmes with this theme, designing some interactions that highlight the differences between the “can’t teach an old dog new tricks” mindset verses the ‘successfuls’ constant willingness to “sharpen the saw”.  Maybe we could literally teach those old dogs a new trick or two just to prove the point?  Anyone know any good card tricks?  

Food for thought; meanwhile, I just need to see if there are any Ferraris listed on Pistonheads.com 

Bob

Managing an outsourced environment.

Many managers don’t realise there is a range of options available in the way they manage outsourced solutions.  Often they end up learning the hard way how to get the best out of the arrangement.  There are of course good ways and bad ways of managing an outsource, but no one way will fit all situations and contracts.  

We have identified four outsourced management models that are each appropriate depending on different market conditions.  Each model outlines the differences in approach needed and each shows the behavioural preferences required to manage the outsource effectively.  Here is a little insight into these four approaches:

1. The Colleague.

The Colleague approach is the true partnership relationship model.  It values reciprocal trust between the organisations, it needs individual and organisational rapport, as well as a deep understanding of how to work in the light of cultural differences between you and the outsourced provider.  It requires intensively active account management in the relationship, both working with the full range of the customer’s internal stakeholders, but also securing and allocating resources to joint improvement projects and overseeing the execution of those projects.  Focus has to be on delivery not process, driving a collaborative performance based partnership.  

2. The Capitalist.

The Capitalist approach requires a very different style of management, appropriate when you are outsourcing a service that is highly competitive within it’s own market.  This approach tends towards an increased toughness and moves away from a softer relationship (Colleague) style.  In this model we should not expect to generate longer term joint working parties, instead the focus must be on meeting agreed performance, rather than driving breakthrough change.  It’s also vital that resource should be allocated to ensure our own organisational retention of knowledge in the outsourced discipline. 

3. The Collector

The Collector approach is all about aggregation.  It is the right approach when your leverage is low (as in situations where you are not spending relatively much on the service provision). In this model we have to focus much more on the role of building and consolidating.  Process efficiency is also high on the agenda and it becomes critically important to reduce technical dependance on the provider.

4. The Controller

The Controller approach has the focus on assurance of supply and avoiding potential for costs to be driven upwards by the provider.  This model comes into it’s own when you are in danger of the tail wagging the dog, the provider locking you in and calling all the shots.  

Risk analysis and mitigation need to be front of mind. 

The success of your outsourced arrangements will be strongly determined by leading your business in the most appropriate strategic and behavioural approach.  Knowing when to apply each model is at the heart of this success.  

Some light amusement. Where our tax is being spent.

For the past 30 years I've been visiting the diabetic clinic for an annual MOT. The other morning we were welcomed to the waiting room with a new laminated notice on reception. "LATEX FREE AREA".  Well, I think I'm safe to enter and settle in for the wait with my son Josh who's been coming with me for a couple of years.  Flicking around the room, amidst the allsorts waiting with us I notice another sign "LATEX FREE AREA". This must be a 'latex free' area I think.  Hold on, there are no less than eight signs plastered around the room  "LATEX FREE AREA"!  Crumbs this is seriously one latex free area and it's only 15 square feet!   

I begin to worry, how come I've not been alerted to this before, it's clearly important, and why in 30 years have I not realised the danger I might be in from being in a non latex free area?

Perhaps I need to get some of these signs for my living room at home.  I think 5 should do if I use the same ratio as the NHS. 

I'm glad our hard earned tax is being used so efficiently.

Why training should lead cultural change. Training functions can unlock the future for organisations, if they are good enough!

If you want to bring about a cultural change in an organisation what’s the best way to go about it?  Perhaps that’s a question that could fill many books with answers!  Here’s what we’ve discovered;  A top draw trainer has at there disposal the opportunity to engender a mood for change, the ability to facilitate a desire for change, and can provide the vehicle for that change.  

It’s not for the faint hearted, but great trainers can bring about cultural change even in the midst of a very disengaged organisation.  Here are five things they can do for you:

1.  Create a noise.  

If you want to engender a cultural change then you’ve got to get the population discussing it.  What you need is for the topic to be the point of conversations throughout the business.  You need it to be ‘the thing that’s talked about’ in the kitchen, down the corridors and in the meeting rooms.  

The change needs to be controversial enough, front of mind enough, so that it's impossible for people to hold back.  It doesn't even matter if the discussion is for or against (and in the beginning it will often be against), what’s critical is that ‘it’ becomes the organisational noise.   

Great training can do this, by delivering interventions in a way that facilitate the following four ideas listed below, plus one other thing.  That extra thing is airtime, time in front of the population.  Not an isolated single hit approach, but a series of interventions that will become the catalyst in creating the noise.  

Our experience is that given the airtime, great trainers can move skeptics into advocates, and advocates into ambassadors of the change. The early sessions will be the most difficult, but as the different groups gain the trainers confidence and trust, a powerful relationship can begin to form around the trainer and their input. 

2.  Engage their minds. 

Cultural change will only be engendered if the trainer operates on a level that truly engages the minds of the people.  Great trainers must throw down the gauntlet and stimulate intelligent contribution from the group.  It's a delicate but important balance between encouraging terrorism (where the trainer gets gunned down) and engaging the rational minds of the organisation. 

Flat training that feels patronising, or smells even slightly of having to 'just get through the syllabus' will destroy any potential of the programme bringing about true cultural changes. The only way to impact at this level is to allow the group to challenge back.  Silent dissent destroys any desire to learn or change, so it has to be surfaced if you need the training to make a real difference in the way organisations go about their day to day activities.  What great training does is allow this challenge, but it makes sure that when it occurs it is intelligent. Belligerent unthought-through blurting will occur especially when the topic is emotive, and will be highly destructive; intelligent engagement of the groups minds will result in the type of challenge that matures thinking and guides future changes. 

3. Clear obstacles. 

Whilst engaging the minds of the organisation and showing invalid grumblings for what they are, the trainer must do everything in their power to deal with valid inconsistencies and frustrations.  If something is genuinely broken then it should be dealt with. Trainers have a unique position of being an ear for the organisation, able to tap into those issues, processes, systems, functions or what ever may be causing frustration within the business. 

Great trainers will take up the challenge on behalf of the organisation and seek to deal with the presenting obstacles that strangle change. Outside of the training room there is a necessary tank commander mindset that is required to push through obvious frustrations and bring about some positive outcomes.  Punching above their weight trainers can help those in positions of power to see what obstacles must be dealt with if the organisation is going to be successful in bringing about cultural reforms. 

4. Show that you are listening. 

Throughout the education programme the trainer can show the organisation that it is being listened too. This is simply achieved by communicating positive outcomes that have arisen directly out of the previous two ideas. They have been engaged intellectually, and that has resulted in things changing that may have been a problem of years.  This creates a self fulfilling momentum that builds on the logic that: "I've intelligently contributed to what's wrong; that has been taken back into the organisation and changes have been made; at last I have been listened to".  Even those who may have been terrorists early on, can begin to see that progress can be made when well thought through challenge is brought into the training room. 

Great trainers will know that presenting some quick programme wins in this way is foundational to any future cultural change.  The more this is done and the quicker it is seen, the greater the potential to bring about new ways of thinking for the organisation. 

5. Build, improve and go again. 

By skilfully facilitating these steps the trainer has the ability to build a unique level of trust and respect with the attending delegates. They are seen as being 'for them', rather than 'against them', while at the same time being unprepared to suffer unhelpful negative attack.  

With every pursuing intervention great training can build, improve and go again, and with every iteration show the organisation that change is possible and desirable. 

Any organisation that genuinely wants to bring about a level of cultural change should be thinking about the engagement of top drawer training professionals in that process. Yes, there are many other aspects to organisational change which are equally as important in the mix, but wise executives should be thinking about how they engage training to lead cultural change.  Training functions can indeed unlock the future for organisations, if their trainers are good enough to rise to the challenge.  

Download a pdf version of this blog here.

Bob Bannister

Shhh, don't tell anyone, a secret presentation structure that will transform levels of engagement.

How many dull presentations have you sat through?  How many have you delivered? (No need to answer that one!).  Well whatever, here is a new way to structure your presentations so that they have every chance of being really engaging for your audience. We have found that this approach works time and time again. It doesn't even matter what the topic is, just trust and follow this outline structure and you will be surprised at how your audience will sit up and connect with you and the content that you are presenting. 

So this is what it looks like, five headings that you will use to prepare your presentation, but five headings that will never be seen by the audience.  It's like a secret structure!  It's there to hold the presentation together and order the way you present, but it will be unknown to your audience.  The headings are:

Me; We; It; You; Us.  

This is how it works:

1. ME

The point of ME is orientation. 

Start with a story or statement about yourself.  Not just who you are, but how the topic itself influences, interacts, impacts or effects you personally.  The audience needs to buy into the messenger before it's going to buy into the message.  That's a whole lot easier for them to do if they can see how the topic relates to you.   Insert your personal struggles with the topic, it will bring it to life and make you real and believable to them.  Me is actually about helping them to get you. It will aid the creation of rapport and enable the listeners to relate to you in a way that couldn't begin to do if you started the presentation anywhere different.  

2.  WE

The point of WE is identification. 

If you want to engage your listener, then you need to broaden the tension you have created in Me so that it includes them. They too need to identify with the topic.  Move onto show how they are influenced, impacted or effected by the content of your presentation.  Outline the ways in which they relate to the topic, how it has a bearing on their day to day activities, how it connects to what they do. Make the case for your presentation, why it is vital that they tune in and listen to what you are about to say.  The key is to be as inclusive as you can, think about who is attending and during We portray scenarios that they will connect with.  

3.  IT

The point of IT is illumination. 

Now is the time you let the topic speak for itself.  Cover the key point of your topic, provide details that are necessary to further your argument or support the case that you are putting forward.  This is when you need to be very careful not to over do it and just blurt out everything you know about the topic.  Be selective, IT is about illumination so provide just as much insight that is needed to show your topics worth and value.   Don't over do it, instead switch its light on, use whatever you can to add flair, even if the topic is 'dry'.  Provide sufficient information for your hearers to get the point, understand the issue, make the decision.  Then move to step 4.  

4.  YOU

The point of YOU is application. 

This is where you pull together your arguments and logic and answer the 'so what' and 'what now' questions.  What does your presentation mean to the hearers, what are the implications and outcomes of the line of thinking you have presented.  This is where you resolve any tensions set up in the WE section by applying the logic back into the hearers situation.  At this point you need to spell out plain and simply what the next steps are, who needs to do what by when, what the implications are if they do not adopt or understand etc.  

5.  US

The point of US is inspiration. 

Everyone needs a little inspiration to go and make things happen, so this is your chance to end the presentation on a high by casting the vision of a world in which your logic or topic is fulfilled. US is when you look forward and describe that future state.  Detail what the system, outcomes, situation, result will be like when we all implement it or put the behaviour into practice.  As you finish your presentation you are looking to describe the collective benefits of your topic in a way that increases it's desirability for your audience. 

So that's it, a new exciting structure you can apply to any presentation topic and by doing so will create genuine engagement with your audience.  If you're tempted to say, "it wouldn't work for my topic" then we'd like to challenge you to give it a try.   We have yet to find a presentation that hasn’t worked better for using this structure. Here is an example; imagine a really dull topic, like 'changing an accounting process' (sorry if you don't think that's dull), you would need to expand this a lot to develop the content of your presentation, but it would sound like a longer version of this:

ME - "One of the things that I find really frustrating is the way in which I have to submit the D7 accounting form twice..."

WE - "Perhaps some of you have experience of this, maybe like me it's form D7 or alternatively it's the double submission of C6' or maybe the way in which you have to post copies of form B4 to both the financial accounting and management accounting systems..."

IT - "so here's the great news, it's changing for the better and this is how..."

YOU - "Now to get this underway it's really vital that each of you complete the assessment by Friday the 4th, you must submit your details by..."

US - "When everyone has completed the assessment we will be able to switch processes and wave good bye to all the double entry's that are currently so frustrating. No more double submissions of D7's, C6's..."

Yes there is much more you can do to switch boring presentations and make them vibrant and exciting.  We've got great courses that cover those other things.  However if you want to wow your audience by creating totally engaging content, structure it using the five: Me; We; It; You; Us method. Nobody will know that it's even there, but done well everyone they will sit up and take notice of what your saying.  Wave goodbye to dull presenting and give it a try.  

You can watch a webinar on this topic and download a pdf template to help you apply this structure here:  www.imanageperformance.com/ineed.html

Bob Bannister

Creating an appetite for learning. How do you generate a learning culture that engages your people?

I guess many companies have survived over many years without what we've started to call a Learning Culture, but without doubt it's going to be a major help. When Kaplan & Norton first published their balanced score card method in the mid 1990's it was interesting to note their attention to learning. Customer goals, Finance goals, Process improvement goals, and the 4th - Organisational learning goals. They argued very well the case for a balanced organisational strategy across all four areas, clearly realising the benefit of including a learning culture, or perhaps more accurately the danger of excluding one.

To an extent we could make comparisons with 3rd world countries, we understand the role learning has to play in their progress and development. Organisations are not so dissimilar, a failure to learn can leave them far behind in the market.

What we need in our organisations are people who are willing to learn. What a learning culture does is aids the facilitation of that learning by encouraging its progress, improving its availability, and building a ground swell of interest in developing capability. So how can an embedded learning culture be achieved? Here are some suggestions:

1.  Management sponsorship

This is much more than just having a figurehead, the organisation needs to see senior commitment in words and actions which is modeled and evangelised by the programme sponsor.  The role of the manager is a key element of embedding a learning culture. Our own research has shown that good attendance performance was influenced strongly by tangible Management and HR involvement. This may not be very surprising, but the study revealed tangible involvement was evident in 67% of a good attendance group, 33% of the acceptable group, and 0% of the poor attendance groups we analysed. The loose ends need to be tied up; Goals, monitoring, feedback, learning reviews all contribute and management have to take the lead in making sure this happens.

2.  Rewards for outstanding behaviour

We have been quick to identify the value of linking personal performance with some kind of reward mechanism in many avenues of work, but we have not seen any that link reward to changes in learnt behaviours. Why not? If we want to create a learning culture we should put our money where our mouths are!

3.  Measurement of behaviour in appraisal processes

This is such an obvious way of heightening the commitment and interest in taking on board learning, we should all do it. We know some that do, but they tend to be the exception rather than the rule. Make sure you add learning to personal annual goals.

4.  Making learning an organisational value

We all have many things to balance and achieve, so don’t confuse the workforce by sending multiple messages. What we should do is make sure the messages are aligned, all of them; values, strategy, goals and tasks. Embed learning into the heart of the organisation. 

5.  Make the funding route clear and accessible

Bring some real budget clarity to the heads of department. Make funding available, but make sure it’s ring fenced so that it doesn’t get diverted into other activities.

6.  Create and implement an internal marketing plan for the L&D offering

Spend some time and money creating a professional marketing campaign for your organisations learning. It doesn’t have to cost much but will inform, build interest, and keep the theme in front of them. Get more creative than a few scrappy posters, build a consistent high quality approach to your market and sell it like your mortgage depended on it.

7.  One click ease of sign up

We all know how easy it is to buy a book on Amazon, oops I’ve just bought another one! Make your learning that easy to engage.

8.  Work at removing obstacles

Empower managers to remove obstacles whatever they are. Excuses are often related to priorities, re-focus what’s important to the organisation.

9.  Keep reminding everyone

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. When you’ve communicated more than you thought possible, you’re only a tenth of the way there!

Clearly we seek to encourage and support a learning culture in the organisations we work with, but they do have to own it themselves. Our particular approach is to work hard at the pre / post learning intervention piece. By creating strong intervention book ends we seek to provide the learner and their manager real clarity around the translation of learning into behaviour, and spread the duration of the learning over a longer period. Book ending also allows the organisation to monitor progress, which aids the development plan and feedback process. A true learning culture takes time and energy to embed, but the rewards extend way beyond other forms of investments. Please call us if you would like more input into your own organisation situation.

Download a pdf of this blog here:  www.imanageperformance.com/ithink.html

Bob Bannister

Do your training events suffer from attendance issues?

We noticed that some organisations struggle with course attendance issues whilst others have very little difficulty. With this in mind we thought we would undertake some analysis and try and identify the common denominators that have an impact on attendance performance. The results of our study are summarised here along with some thoughts about how organisations could improve further.

Three main findings were evident:

1.  The location of the event had no bearing upon attendance levels.

Before the study we were of the opinion that attendance performance was influenced by the course being onsite or offsite. So for us the most surprising finding was that the location had no bearing on attendance levels. Our expectation was that offsite attendance levels would be better, and the lack of office distractions during the event would result in less drop out during courses. The study indicated that neither of these assumptions were true. We categorised organisations as having good, acceptable or poor attendance performance and found that 80% of those organisations in the good and acceptable categories held courses predominantly onsite at their respective premises. There was no correlation between offsite courses and improved attendance behaviour.

2.  The organisational culture made a significant impact upon attendance levels.

For this part of the study we characterised the organisations as being culturally ‘traditional’ or culturally ‘new’, and as having a fast or slow feel to them. The results identified that our sample of poor attendance organisations were predominantly new and fast (60% of the poor group), where the better performing organisations were predominantly traditional and slower organisations (70% of the acceptable and good groups).

3.  Good attendance performance was influenced by tangible Management and HR involvement.

This may not be very surprising, but the study revealed a close relationship between attendance performance and Management / HR involvement. Tangible involvement was evident in 67% of the good group, 33% of the acceptable group, and 0% of the poor attendance group.

So how do we improve poor attendance issues at our training events? The obvious answer is to get HR and Management involved. Practically there are a number of things that you can do to achieve this, here are some to start the thought process:

Before the event:

Ring every delegate and discuss their attendance and expected learning outcomes. Stress the importance of attendance at the event. Establish an accountability to report back personal learning outcomes after the course. Communicate individuals learning outcomes with Managers prior to the event. Arrange for the delegates managers to confirm attendance and offer potential learning goals.

During the event:

Be there, at least at the beginning, make sure you welcome everyone personally (another good reason for holding it onsite). Chase any no-show delegates immediately. Communicate no-shows to delegates manager. Where possible have delegate managers attend either the beginning or the end of the event. Show an interest in and check that the training facilitator sets strong attendance ground rules at the commencement of the event.

Longer term initiatives:

Seek to create a culture that supports good attendance at HR and learning events. If you have a central learning & development budget think about implementing a policy in which no-show delegates have the course fees charged to their department operating budget. Add course attendance as a consideration in employee appraisal reporting mechanisms.

Most of all ensure that course content is always fun and engaging, don’t keep delivering the same old product year after year, keep it fresh. Use your training providers to introduce creative new approaches, how about tailoring the same course to appeal to different target groups. Use the same agenda, but use different titles and headings, have the same learning outcomes but use themes for different audiences; have the same breakout outputs but use different themed breakouts. Example themes for an Assertiveness course could be; Water, animals, golf, food or shopping. How about a communications workshop with transport themes like; Car, bus, bike, horse or walking. The options are limitless, you could have a favourite colours theme for Presentation Skills; Red, yellow, green, and blue. The more enjoyable the event, the more the word will spread, helping attendance issues to become a thing of the past.

It really doesn’t take too much effort to transform peoples interest in learning and development opportunities. We are convinced that HR and Management involvement is central when setting up a successful learning experience, then get your training provider to add in a little creative flair and it won’t be long before training attendance issues will become a thing of the past.

Download a pdf of this blog here:  www.imanageperformance.com/ithink.html

Bob Bannister