EMPOWERMENTApproaches, Skills and Issues

Empowerment thru’

Training, Education and Development

Training: job specific skills, knowledge, attitudes, values &

orientations

Education: Institutional process è formal qualifications?

Major contributor to personal development, character,

culture, aspiration & achievement. Direct & indirect

enhancement of knowledge, ability

Development: Primary process. +ve or -ve. Individual (&

organisation?) adaptation. Become more complex, elaborate,

settled, aware, differentiated & autonomous

What training?

Operational competence – aggregate of knowledge, understanding, skill & personal orientation in a situation + at a standard or level of performance.

Product, service, procedural & system knowledge Task and situation specific

Reduced, double-sided & stapled photocopying Return of goods procedure Advanced Powerpoint Skills Recruitment interviewing Gall-stone removal Desert survival Aircraft emergency landing New policy on patient care

Open and closed competencies + pre- and co-requisites

Open and closed competencies + pre- and co-requisites

What education?

National curriculum & school/university quality Education for

citizenship occupational success personal development & life

School, college, university, community/adult Public attitudes re-value of education Government, employer & individual responsibility Life long learning

What Development?

recruitment,

redundancies

redeployment

Mission

Staffing plan

Skills audit

Performance review

Development action

Demand for skills

Data for audit

Data to integrate individual & organisational needs

Know-how for competitive advantage & performance

Skill gaps

Developmentneeds

Current performance

Improved capability, competence + motivation

Training, seminars, delegation, coaching, private study, day release, learning company, IIP

Business Strategy & Capacity Development

Transitions in Life-span

Late adulthood

Early adult transitionchildhood & adolescence17

22

Mid-life adult transitionsettling down20s transitionenter adult world28

3340

48

Late adult transitionculmination of middle adulthood50s transitionenter middle adulthood50

556065

MiddleadulthoodMiddleadulthood

EarlyadulthoodEarlyadulthood

Employee development approaches?

• Laissez-faire - little or no training interest/activity

• Systematic staff development: appraisal, resourcing, coaching &

mentoring

• Training for workforce maintenance: induction, product, SoPs

• Technical (know-how) training

• Off-the-job vs. on-the-job

• Central training vs. devolved and out-sourced

• Recognising, valuing & accrediting “competencies” (NVQs)

• Management development

• Investors in People

• Learning Company model (abstraction). What is the concrete form?

Organisational Programmes & Interventions

New recruits induction to firm & job, familiarisation & comprehensive job training

Develop & up-date know-how for live situations. Technical: product, procedure & specialism training

Social skills e.g. handling demanding situations

Corporate training for all e.g. for ISO9000 or new policy

Supervisory & management training from leadership to corporate analysis, change & Action learning

Sales training

Customer, dealer & supplier training

Face-to-face vs. package training - from manuals to CBL

Company University, Company Chairs, Company Fellowships

Trainee Groups

• young & older staff• skilled, semiskilled, unskilled, manual & non-manual• graduates, professionals, technologists & IT champs• secretarial & clerical• sales staff• team supervisors, department & project managers• strategic & international managers• women• customers & suppliers• minorities• disabled

T&D strategies often disappoint. Why?

Much talk, expenditure & effort is committed to training Many training initiatives and events Act of faith-evidence of outcomes: from training, coaching,

secondments, learning from experience (success & failure) & role models.

Critical Thinking: What determines & influences training effectiveness? How do we evaluate? How do training needs become apparent? What factors hinder/help investment in T&D? Invest in people (unfaithful assets, flexibility), people invest in

themselves? Training as a strategic issue?

Whose interest is served & by whom?

The individual

Well placed (job demands + aspirations) to evaluate development needs (SWOT)? But is time & effort invested? Perception of“market” gaps, demands, relevance, support & learning opportunities?

Training Sponsors

Top managers (“lack of know-how is jeopardising performance”)? Line Managers? HRD specialists who speak for T&D activity? Employer attitudes to training. Voluntarism.

Institutional and Market factors?

Civic, intellectual & cultural factors. Workforce competencies & international comparisons. Industrial re-structuring.

Forecast, plan, organise, direct & control. Strategy & programmes

Maintainer-Instructor Reactive > proactive. Deliver T&D within existing brief, structure & culture.

Change Agent (Facilitator) Proactive & consultancy. Define problems. Facilitate organisational & individual learning, innovation & cultural change.

Role in transition? from provider to change agent in-house or out-sourced

Training Manager – Service provider or change agent?

Analysing training needs?

Blanket training: Brief/train all - by level. New law, policy drivers. Comprehensive - Job curriculum approach

ALL job facets: KSA for all tasks /situations define scope, objectives, frequency, difficulty, standards & measurements

Selective key tasks, problems/difficulties where a training solution vital for

performance? Identify

problems and competencies to handle these best learning approach, training media & methods learner involvement + individual & group needs self-organised learning or cop-out?

Training Design critical Qns & Implementation for Competence

Air hostess? Cabin Crew? Midwife? Nurse ICU? Accountant? Cashier? Marketing assistant manning Exhibition? Salesperson? Storekeeper? New CEO for Rail-Track? Drug Inspector? Chemist? Pharmacist?

Pre-requisite/Foundation ability?Mastery in performance?Pre-requisite/Foundation ability?Mastery in performance?

Learning Curves & Competence?

What are competencies?

Time ---->

Associative

Cognitive

Automatic- autonomous

Development tonext level?

Competence level/standard

Performance e.g. in output units, quality indicators,completion of project etc

ExpertiseAdequacy vs. mastery

Conditions under which performance is required?

The Training/Learning Needs Gap

The Personknowledge,

skills, orientation, motivation

The Jobknowledge,

skills, orientation, motivation

Learner/trainee

What needs to belearnt? Changes in

performance

Difficulties andpreferences.

Learning style?

Ability gaprequired competence vs. present performance

Selection/training - fit the person to the job

Counselling, job re-design - fit the job to the person

From Key Result Areas to Competencies

KRA 1

KRA 2

KRA 3

KRA 4

KRA 5

Define competencies for KRA 5

KT1

KT2 KT3 KT4KT5

• task, faults & quality analysis• role demands, choices, constraints• ambiguities. overloads, pressures/conflicts

• what is difficult to learn

• safety critical• organisational change

• generic & job specific • technical & social• knowledge, skills, attitudes• range in context

How do we assess competence and learning/change?

Define norms or standard levels of

performance/progress for the performance application

Assess/test- individual performance and progress

Compare

performance & progress between individuals

against standards

Objective - subjective problems

General Model for Training Interventions

Learningneeds &

outcomes- individual

& group

TrainingContent

Methods of delivery,

learning opps & materials

Programmeand

implementation

Learnerson

completion

Assessment & test criteria - validity, reliability & utility

Organisational & trainee feedback

Environment of changeLearning for knowledge, competence & creativity

• Return to job• Transfer of learning to performance• Has training solved the problem?

SymptomsLearning Contract

Why see learning outcomes?

Competencies (staff know-how & situational mastery). What learners

should know, be able to do, feel at the end

Agree specific targets/learning contracts. Verify progress

More systematic training design. Define content, structure, methods, aids,

programme/timetable.

Relevance seen - added-value, tangibles/intangibles.

Identify size, level, timing of problem.

Achieved on-the-job vs. off-the-job?

The problem may not be training but: business planning, competition,

products, methods, conflicts & relationships, job change, technology etc.

CognitiveKnowledge/Knowing

memory/thinkingfacts/recalllevels of mental manipulationassociating/relatingclassifying induction/deductionimaginingconceptualisinganalysis/synthesismodelling

BehaviouralManual

DexterityLiftingPassingMovingVisual?Tasting?

AffectiveFeelings

committedcaringawarenessbelievingvaluingenthusingother regardingcautiousdeterminedcontentedaspirational

Decisions

Complexity?Individual/groupSituation analysisProblem definitionroutinised/heuristicreactive/proactiveriskyintuitive/rationalemotional/fuzzyactual vs. idealsolution developmentevaluationaction & application

Social

CommunicationOrientation to othersSpeakingSmilingListening Persuading

Domains of learning

Learning & Competence

“a relatively permanent change in behaviour as a result of practice/experience”.

Everyone needs KNOWLEDGE & SKILL to perform a job. COMPETENCE involves bringing knowledge & skill together to meet the requirements of a performance for which STANDARDS may be defined.

A PERFORMANCE situation may involve a range of CONTEXTS.

Contributors

• ability

• motivation or drive

• stimulus or cue

• assimilation

• response

• feedback

• reinforcement

Competencies: • critical success factor competencies• accredited occupational competencies (such as AICTE

certified Graduate Engineers, MBAs, ICA certified CAs or NCTVT certified welders, or IDA certified Dental Technician or a IMC certified Doctor)

• Generic, Core/Key Skills (Open capacities )• open (transferable) capacities … across jobs/tasks

• awareness, investigation, observation/reflection, analysis & learning

• decision-making/problem-solving, creativity & evaluation• communication & social skills, interacting/working with others,

influencing• numerical & information oriented skills plus IT abilities• learning to learn competencies

• threshold and management competencies

Seven Threshold Competencies

o Use of unilateral power - forms of influence

o Accurate self-assessment - realistic view of self (SWOT)

o Positive regard - basic belief (optimistic) in others

o Spontaneity - free/easy self-expression

o Logical thought - orderly, sequential, systematic

o Specialised knowledge - usable facts, frameworks, models

o Developing others - help, coach, facilitating, supporting

(1982, The Competent Manager, Wiley)(1982, The Competent Manager, Wiley)

Clusters of Mgt Competence

Goal & action management cluster concern with impact, diagnostic use of concepts,

efficiency orientation, proactivity Leadership

conceptualisation, self-confidence, oral presentation HRM - use of socialised power, managing group processes Focus on other clusters

perceptual objectivity, self control, stamina & adaptability Directing subordinates

Threshold competencies - developing others, spontaneity, use of unilateral power

Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle

D Kolb, Rubin & McIntyreOrganisational Psychology, Addison Wesley

A model forpersonal awareness and development

A model forpersonal awareness and development

ConcreteExperience(Activist)

ReflectiveObservation(Reflector)

AbstractConceptualisation

(Theorist)

Active Experimentation

(Pragmatist)

LEARNINGCYCLE

Learning Through Experience

Experienceevents, incidents,

action, doings

Observationnotice, examine,

scrutinise, absorb, reflection, analyse

Ideaspropositions, hunches, classification, model

Testcheck, discuss, experiment, verify,challenge, review.

KnowledgeBeliefs, facts,

insight, understanding,

conviction

“monitoring the training function & its activities to establish its social & financial benefits & costs”

Why Evaluate?

If we can measure the effectiveness of the instruction, then we have information to improve the effectiveness of later or even

current instruction evidence of the training function’s contribution which can

confirm is value & increase its influence evaluation process itself often generates further benefit

What is involved? Who does it? What techniques?

Evaluation Issues

Nebulous & unsatisfactory? Ritual justification?

Hard vs. soft criteria. Acceptability, reliability, validity & utility of evaluation?

Objectivity of data. Are outputs visible e.g. improved typing speed, EMail

use, better team leading?

What measures for a general management training course or a focussed

skill/competency workshop?

Evaluate at what level? Individual, team & organisational criteria, the

training expertise itself.

VfM? 1000 staff & a £250,000 pa training budget = £250/employee.

Compare India with USA, Japan, Germany, UK or Japan, China, Korea?

Compare Co A with Co B, Co C, Co D

Evaluation Techniques

Reactions one-to-one & group reactions. Direct & indirect feedback.

Survey methods (rating against criteria + open-ended responses)

Learning end of training

tests, demonstrations, examinations, simulators, role play. job behaviour (transfer & application)

incidents, staff appraisal reviews, project outcomes Organisation

improved production & service quality indicators, survey feedback of organisational climate/culture

Overall value cost-benefit reviews, human resource accounting

Five Levels of Training Evaluation

training approach, methods, learner reaction to these? what is learnt? Is it meaningful for the individual? Is the

training meeting its objectives? changes in job performance - do these stem from the training

experience? changes in organisational performance? Are the training

objectives the right objectives? is the organisation now making a different wider contribution ?

Hamblin (1974) Hamblin (1974)

Evaluation of T&D Processes

Methods - validity, reliability, utility? Quantifiable e.g. drop-out rates, absenteeism,

wastage, complaints, time saved, cost savings. Happy sheets? The questions? Halo effect? Pre-course survey of needs/aims. Post- survey

of achievement + transfer to work. Experience, reflection, planning, implementation, review.

Evaluate course & tutor methods vs. the learning

Performance tests (pre/post). Quizzes. Examinations. On-job demonstrations . Inspections

Trainee & line-manager observation Appraisal Coaching/counselling

Validationobserve results of the course. Measure whether the training objectives are met

Evaluationcompare actual costs of the scheme against assessed benefits obtained

Cost > benefits? redesign or withdraw the scheme.

Organisation Development - definitions

an approach to bring about…..1. planned change (a programme) 2. organisation-wide3. managed from the top4. increased organisational

effectiveness through …..5. Planned, systematic

interventions in the organisation's behavioural processes

6. using behavioural science knowledge.Richard Beckhard – Sloan School of Management 1969

an approach to bring about…..1. planned change (a programme) 2. organisation-wide3. managed from the top4. increased organisational

effectiveness through …..5. Planned, systematic

interventions in the organisation's behavioural processes

6. using behavioural science knowledge.Richard Beckhard – Sloan School of Management 1969

"….a long-term programme of interventions in the social, psychological and cultural belief systems of an organisation. These interventions are based on certain principles& practices which are assumed to lead to greater organisational effectiveness"

Ralph Stacey 1993 – Strategic Management

Soft versus Hard?

"….a long-term programme of interventions in the social, psychological and cultural belief systems of an organisation. These interventions are based on certain principles& practices which are assumed to lead to greater organisational effectiveness"

Ralph Stacey 1993 – Strategic Management

Soft versus Hard?

Ingredients of a “Learning Organisation”

• Adopt a Learning Approach to Strategy

• Participative Policy Making

• Informating (Information Systems) • Formative accounting

• Internal Exchange (Client-Server relationships)

• Reward Flexibility • Roles and flexible, matrix structures

• Boundary workers as intelligence agents • Company-to-company learning • Learning climate • Self-development opportunities for all

Pedler et alThe Learning Company

SengeThe Fifth Discipline

Pedler et alThe Learning Company

SengeThe Fifth Discipline

PracticalInterventions?PracticalInterventions?

Investors in People

Top level commitment to develop all employees to achieve business objectives

Regular review of T&D needs of all staff

Action to train & develop individuals on recruitment + throughout employment

Evaluate T&D to assess achievement & improve future effectiveness

Written plan: business goals/targets, how employees will contribute, assess needs etc. Identify T&D resources

Agree T&D needs with each employee. Link to NVQ if poss. Action: train new recruits & improve skills of existing staff

Review investment, competence & commitment of employees & skills learnt against business plan + at all levels

T&D effectiveness reviewed by top level è renewed commitment & targets

accreditation to promote Er-led, quality, effective staff developmentaccreditation to promote Er-led, quality, effective staff development