sales management training -...
TRANSCRIPT
Training and Coaching
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Sales Management Training
Sanlam Developing Markets
Training and Coaching
Training and Coaching
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TRAINING & COACHING
In order for a sales manager to manage successfully he/she needs successful
intermediaries.
Developing intermediaries must therefore be a key function for every sales manager WHY DEVELOP INTERMEDIARIES?
To increase the effectiveness of the section, the region and the company.
To ensure that key knowledge, skills and habits of a successful intermediary are acquired,
applied and maintained.
To make intermediaries feel appreciated by assisting them to work towards achieving their
goals and aspirations.
To increase their competence and self-esteem.
To lessen the load on the manager.
To prepare for Succession Planning.
IMPORTANT NOTE :
Developing subordinates is a two-way process. It is important that subordinates
who want to be developed realise their responsibilities in the process
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YOUR ROLE AS MANAGER
In order that effective development of the intermediary takes place the manager must:
Become personally involved
The development of subordinates cannot be delegated to someone else. It is the
manager's responsibility to determine the subordinate's developmental needs, to set
developmental goals and to provide feedback.
Create a nurturing environment
The manger must create an environment conducive to learning.
People will learn when see the benefits of learning.
For example: The intermediary will attend a specialised training course on selling
techniques for instance if he see the economic rewards it will bring to him and his
family.
Ensure maintenance of performance
The manager's role in the maintenance of performance is that of an experienced and
trusted advisor. This pre-supposes that the manager has built sufficient credibility with his
subordinate. In his capacity as advisor he must ensure on-the-job reinforcement and
application of the knowledge and skills which the intermediary will have by specialist
trainers.
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DEVELOPMENT CYCLE
KEY TASK COMPONENTS Assess competency needs
Career aspirations
TRAINING
Formal
COACHING
Skills transfer
FEEDBACK
TASK ASSIGNMENT
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THE ROLE OF THE INTERMEDIARY The final responsibility for development rests with yourself
The individual needs to understand the following :
Being prepared to make the necessary effort both on the job and in his own personal time.
Having clear short and long-term career objectives.
Continually seeking opportunities to acquire new skills and knowledge.
Reading books and magazines to keep abreast of developments in his own and related
fields.
evelopment is an ongoing process where the manager assists the intermediary to extend
his competence by establishing personal goals, uncovering developmental needs,
creating growth opportunities, coaching performance, providing appropriate
feedback and giving recognition
KEY TASK COMPONENTS
It is important that both the manager and intermediary have a clear understanding of what the
intermediary's key tasks are for the intermediary to do his job effectively. This will greatly assist
in the management of performance.
Does your new recruit Know :
The purpose of the job - what the reason for the job is and what is to be achieved.
Task components - the key result areas of the job.
Critical components activities - these essential behaviours of results.
KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE INTERMEDIARY To deliver effective production at a reasonable cost.
To maintain and increase SDM’s market share.
To provide outstanding client service.
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KEY TASK COMPONENTS OF THE INTERMEDIARY
Prospecting
Qualifying prospects
Making appointments
Interviews
Data gathering
Making presentations
Closing the sale
Referrals
After sales service
Conservation
Record Keeping
Personal Development
ASSESS COMPETENCY NEEDS AND CAREER ASPIRATIONS
Determining competency needs and career aspirations are important starting blocks in the
development of the intermediary.
In these activities the manager and the intermediary work together to analyse and prioritise
developmental needs and develop plans to address the needs identified. It is at this stage that
decisions are made with regard to the skills and knowledge needed and how these will be
required.
CRITICAL STEPS
Determine competency needs and career aspirations.
Determine skills and knowledge needed for the intermediary to perform effectively in the
present job.
Determine the intermediary's career aspirations.
Determine the training and development needed to assist the intermediary achieve job
competency and career goals which are compatible with organisational needs.
The current level of performance of the intermediary is important. If he/she lacks the skill and
knowledge to perform effectively in his/her current position, the emphasis should be on
competency needs. Career aspirations may be discussed but it may make little sense to start
preparing the intermediary for a future position before he/she has mastered his/her current job.
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COMPETENCY NEED
Very low production, poor persistency, few prospects or appointments are all indications of a
competency need. These behaviours however are only visible manifestations of the actual
problem. It is the job of the manager to determine the actual problem before any corrective
action is taken.
EXAMPLE
The intermediary is experiencing poor production (symptom). This can be due to
Lack of knowledge or skills
Poor planning
Poor prospecting
Any other activity in the sales process
Poor morale
Any other
The manager must therefore determine the real cause of the problem before prescribing any
corrective action. Merely dealing with the symptom and possibly the wrong cause will not solve
the problem and will cost the manager valuable time.
In this way the manager will prevent prescribing the "training pill", because not all
incompetence and poor performance are caused by lack of skills and knowledge.
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DETERMINING TRAINING NEEDS
It is a bad investment to give training simply because it is available. How can the manager
determine whether training is really necessary?
SUPERVISION
Supervision is one of the most effective methods used to determine training needs. The
manager sees and hears how the intermediary is behaving and can easily assess what
additional knowledge or skills are needed.
RECORDS
Provided the records are accurate and reliable, they can be a valuable aid in
determining training needs. A DIARY can indicate whether the person's planning is
adequate to produce one day's productive work.
The PRODUCTION RECORD gives a clear picture of the production level, type of
policy, premium size, retention of business, commission content and the quality of
the service. All these facts indicate whether additional training in product
knowledge, skills or procedures is necessary.
The COMMISSION STATEMENT gives an accurate picture of the actual income. If
this is not satisfactory all the other supervisory aids must be used to determine the
real reasons.
THE 25 POINT PLAN determines the intermediary's primary level of activity. We
already know that if the primary level of activity is adequate, the sales will rectify it.
This also gives a clear indication of where there are training needs.
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ROLE-PLAY
If the manager suspects that the intermediary has a knowledge or skills problem, he can
ask the intermediary to treat him (the manager) as the client and do an approach,
presentation or close. The fault can be corrected by giving immediate training and
coaching.
Role-play must be seen to be secondary to supervision. The reason for this is that during
a role-play the intermediary is under less pressure and will possibly not make the same
mistakes. However, it remains an effective training method.
INTERVIEWS
It may not always be possible to do supervision in the work area or to use a role-play to
determine training needs. During an ordinary interview with the intermediary a lot of
information about lack of knowledge or skills problems can be obtained.
This method must be viewed with great circumspection as the person may not have
enough insight into his task to identify problems. He may also feel threatened to talk about
his problems or does not want to admit that he has a problem.
CRITICAL STEPS
The manager must put the intermediary at ease by complimenting him on positive
performance, then point out areas where performance is not up to standard and
obtain agreement that there is a problem.
Make it clear that you do not want to blame the person, but that you want to correct
the faulty behaviour.
Concentrate on the problem and not on the person.
It is very important that the intermediary and not the manager should do the talking.
Ask open questions and try and obtain all the facts in an objective manner.
Never decide in advance what the problem is before obtaining all the facts. If the
intermediary is unsure of what is expected of him, the manager can ask probing
questions.
Never suggest what the answers ought to be.
Use silence to force the intermediary to talk.
Paraphrase the answers to make sure that there is no misunderstanding and this will
also encourage him to talk more.
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TRAINING
Here the intermediary receives all the technical knowledge and the basic skills to perform his
task. The benefits of training are that:
Everybody learns the same techniques and skills.
The training is given in a professional manner.
Nobody feels threatened in the training situation.
The material is regularly reviewed and updated.
Students get the opportunity to share ideas and concerns with the manager .
The manager should also bear in mind that:
The candidate is taught the basic skills only and this is no guarantee that he will be able to
act with confidence in the work situation or that he will be able to apply the skills.
There is not enough time for practising the skills and so they do not become established.
The working methods acquired during training are often not reinforced in the work area and
this creates confusion.
YOUR ROLE AS MANAGER
The manager is at all times ACCOUNTABLE for the development of his people.
Training focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and skills. It is the manager’s responsibility to
ensure that the knowledge and skills are re-in forced as soon as possible after the intermediary
returns to the field.
Another function that is to be fulfilled by the manager, is to give the training himself. If the
manager directly supervises the subordinate he will be responsible for that subordinate's
training.
Many managers try and shy away from this task because they are not trained trainers.
However, the manager is not expected to be a professional trainer, but as he is familiar with
the task carried out by the subordinate, these task skills can be put across by means of a
few simplified steps. These steps will be dealt with more fully in a later chapter.
Keep in mind that the manager is at all times responsible for his subordinates’ development.
It may also happen that he himself cannot for some reason or other, be involved in training.
If he cannot do the training himself, he can instruct somebody else to do so.
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DELEGATING TRAINING
The manager can entrust the responsibility of training to somebody else, but not the
accountability thereof.
Why will the manager delegate the training function to somebody else?
From a practical point of view the manager cannot train all his intermediaries himself.
The manager may also develop one of his management candidates by delegating certain
training tasks to that person.
It is always advisable to choose an experienced or knowledgeable person in a specific field
to train others in that skill.
The manager must never use the delegation of training as an excuse to evade his training task.
Through training you will realise how well or how badly you know a task. In addition to the fact
that the training of others will improve your own task, interaction and communication skills, you
will derive the most satisfaction from the success you helped somebody else to achieve
REMEMBER
People learn better if they are motivated to learn
Adult students are motivated to learn when they have a need to do so and when they have
a job-related problem to solve. The training will be perceived to be meaningful if it is linked
to a definite benefit or advantage to be gained. The person who has been thoroughly
"prepared" for training, is usually a motivated learner.
People learn better when they are trained in the way in which the task must be
performed
Adults relate new learning to previous knowledge and their existing experience. Learning
is speeded up when they can make connections between new knowledge and that which
they already know. The intermediary should therefore be trained with the same
documentation, manuals and systems that will be used on the job. Everything that may
cause confusion should thus be eliminated.
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People learn better if they are actively involved in the learning process
To passively listen to or watch somebody else telling or showing how a task is performed,
is no guarantee that that person is learning anything. Adults want immediate, hands-on
exercises and activities to practise and apply their new knowledge in typical, real-life
situations. Practice increases the rate of learning and retention much more effectively
than lectures. The training itself must therefore consist of practical exercises,
demonstrations, skills practices, etc.
People learn better if they are aware of their progress
Everybody yearns for recognition and everybody wants to be noticed. Adults need to
know if and how well they are progressing. Feedback and praise from the trainer is more
valuable than grades or written evaluations. By giving students feedback on their
progress, mistakes are corrected immediately and do not become work habits, the
feedback causes the person to become skilled and achieve success sooner and success
leads to further success.
People learn better if they can see the rationale and benefits of applied skills
Throughout the training, the practical applications and benefits of the new skills/knowledge
should be stressed. By providing the students with opportunities during the training to
apply the new skills/knowledge to their own job problems, they will be in a position to
experience the benefits. Job aids will also help them to plan and execute future
applications.
It is imperative that the trainer, whether it is the manager or an intermediary, is well
prepared.
Training without preparation fails!
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COACHING
Where training deals mainly with the acquisition of knowledge and skills,
Coaching and Skills practices deal with the application or the transfer of knowledge and
skills to the work situation.
The purpose of coaching is to reinforce and master those skills acquired in training so that the
intermediary can become more effective and confident in his/her job.
Coaching and skills practices do not take place in isolation and cannot be separated from
training and feedback. Without feedback, coaching and skills practices cannot take place and
without coaching and skills practices, the transfer of training has little chance of success.
To ensure the success and effectiveness of coaching the manager should use the PESOS
method of coaching.
Step 1 : Prepare (the intermediary)
Put the intermediary at ease - ensure that the intermediary feels at ease and is not
threatened by the situation.
State the learning objective - tell the intermediary which skills will be coached.
Negotiate mutual expectations - discuss and negotiate the outcomes that you expect and
the goals that the intermediary will have as a result of this session.
Discuss existing competency - discuss the skills required and identify the competency gap.
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Generate interest/benefits - allow the intermediary to identify the benefits the coaching holds
for him/her.
Obtain commitment - get the intermediary's commitment to the effort required to close the
competency gap.
Step 2: Explain
Explain the steps - give a full explanation of each step, the sequence of the steps and make
sure that the intermediary understands by asking him/her to explain each step to you.
Emphasise the rationale - discuss the reason for each step and what is achieved by it.
Elaborate on key points - ensure that the intermediary understands why a step is carried out
in a certain way.
Step 3 : Show
Demonstrate the steps - here the manager shows, step by step, how the skill is applied in
practice. The demonstration must correspond exactly with what has been explained to the
intermediary.
Ask for feedback - give the intermediary an opportunity to voice concerns or feelings he/she
might have regarding the application of the skill.
Summarise key points - briefly emphasise the key points to ensure complete understanding
and clarity.
Test for understanding - check for insight in order to clarify misunderstandings.
Step 4 : Observe
Explain intermediary's role - the fact that he/she is at ease, has a clear comprehension of
the steps and has watched how it is done, is no guarantee that he/she will be able to
perform the task. Explain that the role will be reversed and that he/she will now get the
opportunity to practise the skill.
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Intermediary practises the skill - and the manager observes.
Take notes - whilst observing, the manager should take notes to facilitate feedback, e.g.
most effective behaviours.
Facilitate meaningful feedback - feedback is extremely important, for without it the
intermediary will not know whether the correct behavioural patterns were followed and if
progress was made.
Correct if required - ask the intermediary how the behaviour can be more effective and
acceptable and obtain agreement on alternative behaviour. Give him/her the opportunity to
practise it until the intermediary can perform the skill effectively.
Reinforce benefits - stress again the benefits the intermediary will derive from applying the
practised skills on the job.
Step 5 : Supervise
Agree to responsibility - the manager and subordinate should agree on who is going to do
what, e.g. the subordinate will use the skills on the job and the manager will observe him/her
and give feedback.
Provide support and assistance - to ensure success the manager should make him/herself
available as a resource by providing ongoing support and assistance, as and when needed.
Clarify concerns and barriers - ask the subordinate what concerns he/she might have about
applying the skills and if there are any barriers that may prevent him/her from using the
skills.
Ensure compliance - set clear objectives with standards such as deadlines or number of
policies sold by a certain time, for the application of the knowledge and skills acquired.
Manage the ongoing performance - supervise the subordinate while the skill is applied in
practice and if it is not applied correctly, give immediate coaching and feedback. If it is
indeed successful, give the necessary recognition and encouragement.
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COACHING GUIDE
KEY AREAS PERFORMANCE CRITERIA NOTES
Prepare
1. Put learner at ease
2. State learning objective
3. Negotiate mutual expectations
4. Discuss existing competency
5. Generate interest/benefits
6. Obtain commitment
Explain 7. Explain steps
8. Emphasise rationale
9. Elaborate on key points
Show
10. Demonstrate steps
11. Give opportunity for feedback
12. Summarise key points
13. Briefly test understanding
Observe
14. Explain learner’s role
15. Learner practises skills
16. Take notes
17. Facilitate meaningful feedback
18. Correct if required
19. Reinforce benefits/rationale
Supervise
20. Agree to responsibility
21. Provide support and assistance
22. Clarify concerns and barriers
23. Ensure compliance
24. Manage ongoing performance
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GROUP TRAINING
The larger the manager's work unit, the more important it becomes to give group training.
Group training is very effective when information must be given to a fairly large group of people.
It is not always feasible to give information to people on an individual basis. Here we have in
mind product knowledge, changes to system, procedures etc.
MEETINGS
Most managers regularly hold meetings with their subordinates. An effective meeting should
make provision for at least three aspects, namely inspiration, information and instruction
(training).
Inspiration is the recognition given to top producers or winners of competitions. This may
also be an inspiring speech by an experienced salesman, or a film, or video.
Information is the transfer of general data that is important for the sales unit. This may
involve the changing of systems, methods or procedures. It may contain information on
competitions, functions or anything else that is of value to the sales unit.
Instruction is about training that is of interest to the larger group. A knowledgeable person
can give a lecture on prospecting, legal aspects, calculation methods or new products etc.
Skills training can be given even during a meeting. The only condition is that only people who
have common problems must be involved in the training. The big risk with group training is that
you may involve people in training who are already fully skilled. The manager may ask for such
people's assistance or nominate only those people who really need training.
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COACHING CLINICS
We know that people visiting a clinic are usually ill. The purpose of the Coaching clinic is to
help all the people in the sales unit who have a problem. While a doctor can treat different
diseases in the same clinic, the Coaching clinic is more specialised. All the people in this clinic
have a common problem.
The manager will for example group all the intermediaries with a prospecting problem, closing
problem, planning problem, or poor product knowledge together and give training to solve the
problem. This requires a considerable amount of skill of a person who undertakes to hold a
clinic. If he is not properly prepared, it can degenerate into a farce.
The model used plays an important role, because if a faulty model is shown, the participants will
be inclined to follow the faulty model.
It is to the manager's advantage to involve knowledgeable and experienced people in training,
so that a positive model can be created and the necessary discipline can be maintained.
The training method will be mainly lectures or discussions for knowledge input and role-plays for
skills. It is therefore important that we take a closer look at both these methods.
ROLE-PLAYS
Many people fear role-plays apparently because they don't like to make mistakes in front of
other people. However, they lose sight of the fact that it is less risky to make a mistake in front
of colleagues than in front of a client. The purpose of role-plays is therefore to acquire and
master certain skills so that the person can act with more confidence in front of clients.
In order to ensure that the role-play is a success, the following critical steps must be followed. CRITICAL STEPS
STEP 1 EXPLAIN CLEARLY WHAT MUST BE DONE AND WHY STEP 2 SAYS WHAT RULES WILL APPLY:
- The role-plays may not deviate from the roles assigned to them - be realistic - take it seriously.
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- Only use the available information that is applicable to the exercise.
STEP 3 MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO AVOID POSSIBLE INTERRUPTIONS STEP 4 GIVES THE PERSON THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE STEP 5 DON'T TELL THE PERSON WHAT TO DO DURING THE ROLE-PLAY STEP 6 GIVE FEEDBACK TO THE ROLE-PLAYER - In respect of the content (what has been done) - In respect of the presentation (how it has been done) STEP 7 FIRST COMPLIMENT BEFORE YOU CRITICISE SPARINGLY STEP 8 USE PERFORMANCES AS A BASIS FOR FURTHER TRAINING
THE APPLICATION OF EACH STEP
STEP 1 EXPLAIN CLEARLY WHAT MUST BE DONE AND WHY
One of the most important reasons why role-plays fail is that the person does not
know what is expected of him.
Sketch clearly the objective and lay particular emphasis on the terminal behaviour
expected of the person.
Together with the objective, the method to be followed is also very important. The
person must therefore understand his "role" in the exercise, who are the other
persons who will take part in the role-play and which "role" will each of them play.
Explain the critical steps that are to be followed and why it is important they
carried out in the prescribed order.
Allow for sufficient time for the person to ask questions and ensure that he is
completely "au fait" with what must be done.
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TEP 2 SAY WHAT RULES WILL APPLY
Role-plays will only succeed if certain rules are followed. Let's take a closer look at
these rules:
The role-player may not deviate from the roles assigned to them – be realistic – take it
seriously.
If more than one person is taking part in the role-play, you must not
indiscriminately change from one role to another. The intermediary must continue
to be the intermediary throughout. The client and the manager must not interfere
or try to correct him. This should only be done during feedback at the end of the
session.
Ask the role-players to act as naturally as possible and to try not to "play" a role.
Keep the behaviour as close as possible to what it would be in real life.
By "taking it seriously" we mean that the role-players should not treat it as a joke.
The exercise will only be a success if each participant tries to make it succeed.
The person who is to acquire the critical steps must concentrate and try to
internalise it as soon as possible. The supervising manager must therefore
prevent the role-play from turning into a farce.
Only use the available information that is applicable to the exercise.
The manager must sketch the full details of the role-play to the participants. Only
the information given may be used in the role-play situation.
Initially it is important for the person to master the critical steps. If unfamiliar
additional information is added, this will create confusion and the person will not
be able to concentrate on the steps to be acquired.
Once the steps have been completely mastered, additional information can be
added, as this will teach the person to think on his feet and adjust quickly.
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STEP 3 MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO AVOID POSSIBLE INTERRUPTIONS
It has already been said that the role-player must first master the critical steps and
this requires a considerable amount of concentration on his part. Any interruption
will harm the procedure and should be eliminated as far as possible.
Make sure that nobody enters the room or venue to talk about other matters
during the exercise. Also see to it that the switchboard does not put through any
calls, but takes messages.
Also place the role-player in such a position that he will not be distracted by
anything outside the office or venue.
STEP 4 GIVES THE PERSON THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE
The person must be given the opportunity to become familiar with his role before
attempting the role-play.
Give ample opportunity for studying the critical steps as well as the situation and
allow him to ask questions.
If the role-play goes wrong because of insufficient preparation, there is little
chance that the skill will be successfully acquired.
STEP 5 DON'T TELL THE PERSON WHAT TO DO DURING THE ROLE-PLAY
If the exercise is continually interrupted for corrective action, the role-player will
lose concentration and will not be able to see how the steps follow each other
logically.
It is important for corrective action to be taken, but then only during the feedback
session after the exercise. The role-player must also be tested frequently to
determine whether there are not better alternative behaviours.
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STEP 6 GIVE FEEDBACK TO THE ROLE-PLAYER
In respect of the content (what has been done?)
We have already pointed out the importance of feedback and correction. Firstly
concentrate on what has been done. Here we have in mind the manner in which
the steps were applied. Were they carried out in the correct order and was each
step performed properly.
In respect of the presentation (how it has been done).
The fact that the critical steps were performed in the prescribed manner does not
necessarily mean that the exercise was a success. The "client" must indicate
whether he would have complied with the role-player's request on the basis of the
role-play.
Was the role-player too aggressive or reserved or did he talk over the client's
head? The manner in which a person acts during a role-play will not differ much
from reality. There may also be irritating habits or faulty information of which the
role-player is not aware.
Without feedback role-plays are meaningless.
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STEP 7 FIRST COMPLIMENT BEFORE YOU CRITICISE SPARINGLY
We have already pointed out the value of positive feedback and the consequences of
negative or no feedback.
First look for specific examples of things that were done well and compliment the
role-player on these.
Never make generalisations or vague references.
Make sure that all your examples are concrete and to the point.
If there are any mistakes, they should not be hushed up. If the mistakes are not
pointed out, the person will not be able to correct them.
Instead of always prescribing corrective action, it may be more effective to ask the
role-player how the faulty behaviour can be improved. This forces the person to
look at his own behaviour more critically and he becomes dependent on his own
feedback sooner.
STEP 8 USE PERFORMANCE AS THE BASIS FOR FURTHER TRAINING
After the role-play has been completed and the manager is satisfied that the role-
player has mastered the skill, the skill must be applied in the work situation.
It is important that the application should not be put off for too long, as the skill
may deteriorate.
By supervision in the field you can observe whether further training and coaching
in the particular skill is needed and whether there are other areas which require
further training.
Actual performance is a much more reliable means of determining training needs
than mere supposition.
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WHY ROLE-PLAYS FAIL
A result of inadequate preparation on the part of the role-player.
Because of the absence of critical steps.
The role-player does not really know what is expected of him and what he is supposed to
do.
Not enough opportunity is given to practise, in other words the role-player never masters the
skill.
No or very little behaviour-related feedback is given.
The role-play is held in an unsuitable venue.
No increasing level of difficulty was built into the role-play.
The skill is not immediately applied in the field.
There may be various other reasons why role-play could fail. However, in most cases this is not due to the training method, but to the people involved in the training. The manner in which the manager and the person who is being trained approach the process will determine whether it will be a success or not.
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ASSIGNING TASKS
The logical step to follow coaching and ensuring the transfer of learning is to assign tasks. The
purpose of coaching is to enable the employee to perform any task that may be assigned to
him/her.
One of the best ways to ensure transfer and the application of learning gained in a formal
training programme is to assign the employee a task that requires the application of the
learning.
Task assignments can also be learning experiences in themselves especially for employees
who have mastered the basics of their jobs. When used independently from coaching and
efforts designed to ensure transfer, developmental task assignments should be challenging but
achievable. They should stretch the employee's abilities but not to be so overwhelming as to be
defeating from the start.
In giving a developmental assignment, the manager should:
clearly define the nature and scope of the subordinate's responsibilities relevant to the task;
describe the specific results to be achieved along with deadlines and timetables if
appropriate, and
check for understanding and acceptance.
If development is to result from task assignments, it is essential to provide an atmosphere that encourages self-development and minimises fear of failure. Any challenge involves risking failure. The manager must take and accept that risk in giving a developmental assignment.
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FEEDBACK
WHY FEEDBACK IS CRUCIAL
Feedback is an essential element in developing any skill. A subordinate will not know how
well he/she is performing or applying a new skill unless feedback is received. The person
who does not receive any feedback may feel that the manager does not care and can revert
to the original ineffective behavioural patterns or, even worse, to even more undesirable
behavioural patterns.
Managers are inclined to accept matters that are running smoothly as the norm. As soon as
things start taking a turn for the worse, they react quickly. This can be prevented if the
progress is continuously managed and feedback given to the subordinate.
Progress feedback is concerned specifically with analysing and improving job performance
or assigned tasks. The feedback can be either formal or informal.
Formal feedback is defined here, as feedback that is part of the organisation's mandated
system, e.g. performance appraisals.
Informal feedback includes all job-related feedback given to the subordinate that is not part
of the formal process. It is an ongoing, "as needed" process which may occur weekly, daily,
or many times each day.
PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE INFORMAL FEEDBACK
It must be behaviour orientated - give feedback about the person's behaviour,
performance, or work, not about personal qualities. Try to avoid vague assumptions and
generalisations and give specific feedback in terms of the behaviour/performance that needs
to be changed or repeated.
Feedback must be immediate - it should be given immediately while it is still fresh in the
intermediary's mind. There will then be no misunderstanding as to what the feedback is
about. If someone receives feedback immediately and knows that the behaviour was
correct, or that a mistake can be corrected immediately, it will serve as a strong motivating
factor.
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It must lead to further development - merely telling a person that behaviour was not
correct, will not solve the problem. It must be followed up with further training, skills
exercises or coaching.
Feedback must address positive and negative behaviours - we are all inclined to
concentrate on poor performance but not on jobs done well. Many times this is because
poor performance requires an urgent reaction and the manager is forced to act immediately.
When the subordinate does something right it may be important, but it is not urgent. The
manager should be aware of the negative effects this imbalance may have on the
subordinate and try to give praise immediately as well as giving criticism.
It must be directed at the problem - it has already been said that especially negative
feedback, should be directed at the problem and not the person.
Don't accuse the subordinate of laziness, uselessness or lack of interest because this will
lead to defensiveness. If you can assure the subordinate that you are unhappy with the
problem and not with the person, there should be a better inclination to co-operate.
It must be sincere - a sure way to lose the respect of your subordinates is to give feedback
for the sake of giving feedback. To avoid this happening, always link feedback to actual
performance. Ensure that it justifies praise or revision . Undeserved praise is of no value
to the recipient and only lowers your credibility as a manager.
Do not link negative performance to positive performance - praising a person or giving
recognition for performance usually has a motivational effect and makes one feel good. If it
is directly followed by criticism or a negative comment, the value of the positive feedback is
lost.
The same happens if positive feedback is followed by but or however as these two words
are usually followed by criticism. If a person previously did well and was praised but is not
performing well at present, it is acceptable to draw attention to this. However, never link
detached items when giving feedback.
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CRITICAL STEPS IN GIVING FEEDBACK
To ensure that the maximum benefit is obtained from feedback, every manager must try to
formalise his feedback skills.
The purpose of feedback is developmental. It tells individuals what they should keep on doing
or what behaviour/performance they should correct. The following steps can be used to give
either positive or corrective feedback.
Clarify the purpose of the interaction
Tell the subordinate what the discussion is about and why it is important. Be factual and
ensure that the subordinate understands what performance/ behaviour you are referring
to.
Listen to and share information
Ask for the other person's input. Ask how the positive performance was achieved or why
the unsatisfactory behaviour/performance exists. Discuss openly and ask the appropriate
questions. Check and confirm your own understanding of the reasons. Summarise the
key points elicited.
The normal tendency is to give solutions instead of asking for solutions. In giving
positive feedback, the manager and subordinates should explore alternatives to
ensure that the acquired standard will be maintained or improved upon.
When giving corrective feedback the manager should ask for alternatives and if
necessary present his own solutions. You should look at all the solutions and
possibilities and suspend judgement.
Agree actions and next steps
Of all the solutions generated, the manager and subordinate can now evaluate the
solutions in terms of urgency, risk, time, effort and cost involved. A low-risk solution
is not always the most appropriate one. The criterion should always be what will
solve the problem in the most effective way and prevent it from recurring in the
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future.
Try to use one of the solutions given by the subordinate. Agree on what is going to
be done and how. You must ensure that all the details are tied down and that the
subordinate is committed to action. Care must be taken not to do all the work on
behalf of the subordinate.
Review and close the discussion
Summarize the agreed action plan to ensure that there is no misunderstanding. Set
follow-up dates if appropriate. Express your appreciation of the subordinate's participation
and support.