Exploding Myths and Exploring Resonances to Exploit Opportunities

Those myths and uncanny resonances

                                                  Image source: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/444167581972455024/

Some myths around learning in the workplace and uncannily significant resonances between overseas and local research uncover significant opportunities for both the people and the organisations involved in Supply Chain Management. 

3 Preconceptions About Workplace Learning

According to Taub, three preconceptions which need to be managed in order to remove constraints in the path of successful training implementation are:

1.          People don’t have time for learning

People will make time, given the right motivation. As adults we are willing to invest in our learning and development — but only if convinced that it will improve our work performance, advance our careers and/ or enrich our lives. So, if it is clear that the training on which we are embarking will help us grow, evolve and stay marketable, the time will be available.

2.          Traditional training methods, like classroom training and even online courses no longer work

Whilst it is true that people, especially Gen Y’s, learn from a great deal more sources than previous generations, formally based training is very necessary:

•       Where courses are based on registered qualifications delivered by accredited providers, the qualifications acquired are becoming increasingly important to the marketability not only of the individuals concerned but also the institutions which employ them.
•       Formal courses which are structured in accordance with sound learning principles promote strategic thinking and impart problem solving abilities which are key in the Supply Chain Management environment.

It is however important to keep in mind that speed, simplicity and easy access are key to the success to any form of learning and it is here perhaps that academia has much to gain from studying these characteristics of less formal learning.

3.          The HR/ learning function owns responsibility for employee development

Once responsibility for learning is shared between the learning function, managers and individuals by building and managing a mentoring culture that empowers those in the workplace to discover and connect with the right people, experiences and resources, this is where effective training begins.

(Taub, 2016).

Where Should Our Training be focused?
Having established what works for workplace training, we find that there is an uncanny resonance between research carried out in the USA and the Barloworld Logistics supplychainforesight survey.

In the USA the leadership and professional competency requirements for future Supply Chain managers were found to be as follows:

• Ability to negotiate and collaborate with value chain partners
• Ability to collaborate across functions
• Ability to drive or support diversity and inclusion
• Strategic thinking and problem solving
• Ability to manage global/ virtual teams
• Ability to persuade and communicate effectively
• Leading and developing others

(Melnyk, S. and Seftel, C.M., 2016: Quoting Deloitte’s Third Annual Supply Chain Survey 2015)

Looking at the 2015 supplychainforesight survey we find that, in order to achieve the key strategic Supply Chain objectives which were identified below, very similar competencies are needed:

• Identifying and managing change
• Growth and expansion into new markets
• Increasing flexibility, agility and responsiveness
• Sustaining existing areas of financial returns
• Introducing new products and services
• Using supply chain as more of a competitive advantage
• Investment in business intelligence

(Frost & Sullivan. 2015: 17)

We can see that the role of Supply Chain Manager is moving from tactician to strategist. This represents huge opportunities for organisations which, in order to take full advantage of them, need to position themselves through effective, focussed training.

How do you promote learner engagement in your workplace training?

How is your workplace training aligned to or company strategy?

What competencies are needed to make your organisation more really fly?

References

Taub, T., 2016 3 Big Myths About Workplace Learning. http://www.clomedia.com/2016/08/01/3-big-myths-about-workplace-learning/?utm_source=MyEmma&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=CLO%20Today. Accessed 4 August 2016

Melnyk, S. and Seftel, C.M., 2016. The Emergence of the Supply Chain Leader: The Metamorphosis From Tactical To Strategic. Accessed 16 August 2016

Frost & Sullivan. 2015: supplychainforesight 2015: Embracing change for a sustainable future. Barloworld Logistics, Johannesburg

We have to stop pretending…

When it comes to the training of our young people we have to stop pretending that what we’re doing isn’t boring, that learners find meaning in what we’re covering in class or that having our learners sit still for hours can consistently result in a meaningful learning experiences.

Where does all this take us? This article explores some exciting possibilities

70: 20 10 insight as a strategic development weapon

The belief that anyone can actually do anything practical after sitting and listening to another for a 40 minute stretch (or longer) is too much to expect from any trainer or learner. How can we move away from the concept of the trainer as a font of knowledge and information? How can we find better ways to utilise those with experience and expertise as custodians of technology and quality who can act as workplace education, training and development practitioners?

Handing everything over to an external provider delivering off the shelf courses and then expecting those emerging from such training to hit the ground running on their return to the office is, at best, wistful thinking.

There is a 70:20:10 model which shows that most learning occurs as part of the workflow and not in away-from-work training situations. This model suggests that "development will be about 70% from on-the-job experiences, working on tasks and problems; about 20% from feedback and working around good and bad examples of the need, and 10% from courses and reading.” *

So how can we use this type of model to make the "working on tasks and problems" and the “feedback and working around good and bad examples of the need” an integral element of our training strategies?

Flipping the workplace into the classroom

Information surrounds us at every turn: Google is a part of life. If this is the case,  then what role does formal training have and how can experience be harnessed in such an environment?

The solution lies in facilitating a process in which the individual builds his own store of knowledge in a way that he or she can best apply it.

This means that we first need to closely defined what behaviour must be produced or modified as a result of any learning intervention. In coming to this decision we will inevitably identify problems which the individual will need to solve by following learnt procedures, applying learnt knowledge or techniques or a combination of all of these. These problems will be workbased. Once we know this, it is then a question of designing a workbased programme in which individuals are given problems relevant to the competence required. It is then up to each individual within that group to identify any skills or knowledge gaps they which need to be addressed before they can solve the problem at hand.

The tools which each learner will require will be different and will probably involve acquiring information, gaining practical know how in the workplace from an experienced person and then repeated practice in applying what has been learnt in an environment where mistakes are not expensive.

This is where the blend of e-learning, social learning and practical, on the job training comes into its own.

In such a programme there may well be a need for face to face interaction between learner and facilitator but these interactions must have the form of exploring what the learner has acquired through his or own efforts and how this can be used to solve the given problem. “But where,” you ask, “does the learner acquire the theoretical background needed to solve many problems? Development of many supply chain solutions, for example, requires a strong background in statistical theory”. The answer lies setting problems in which the learner will need to acquire that theory as part of the problem solving process and not in an academic vacuum. This is not to say that some outsourced, off the shelf training may not be useful but its context needs to be clearly understood if it is to be effective.

E-learning is of itself not a means to this end and neither is on the job training. If they are carefully coordinated however, a very powerful multiplier effect is created.

Do you see a need for coordination between outsourced learning and on the job training?

Do you have strategies to ensure that experienced gained over many years is retained in your business?

Are you staying abreast of developments in e-learning, social learning and blended learning?

*Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/70/20/10_Model

Puhleeeeze – cut the jargon and do some training!!

This article is intended to give the line manager or small business owner a user friendly, jargon free guide to the identification of training needs and the steps necessary to implement training which focuses on solving specific business problems.  

Let’s cut the jargon – give us some training!!

At a recent industry business convention the guys responsible for the education and training slot were given a prize for having the most jargon in their presentations. Over the years this is an area in which a unique language has developed which is largely incomprehensible to those outside of it.

Be that as it may, as normal business people we need to ensure that our people are in possession of the skills, knowledge and, hopefully, attitudes necessary to function productively. As normal business people we are also concerned about the rapid pace of development which seems to characterise most businesses, meaning that we need to be training all the time if we are to remain competitive. 

Whilst this may be all well and good at a strategic corporate level, how can I, as either a line manager or small business owner, cut through all this jargon and address the skills needs of my unit or my business?

To be focused and effective, training needs to change behavior. Training must be targeted at areas of the individual’s function so as to remove constraints to performance, to improve productivity and/ or to give the individual additional/ different skills to accommodate change. 
Training is all about changing behavior: many of the problems we encounter in the functions we manage revolve around a lack of skills. 

The process which we need to adopt in solving these problems looks like this:

Analyse

A performance problem needs to be objectively analysed to find its real cause or causes. This phase is essential in gaining an understanding of the problem and determining the scope of the project before attempting to solve it.

Skipping this step by simply implementing an off the shelf training programme which seems to fit the requirement generally results in junk-training, which is just like junk-food - it provides no nutritional value and too much of it is harmful 

This phase is best accomplished by a team comprised of those who are effected by the problem and those who will need to develop the necessary training programme. It may well involve observation of the actual function(s) being carried out.  

At the end of the analysis phase the behavior changes required should have been defined as measurable performance goals, e.g. “Individuals will be able to produce error free invoices within defined timelines”, “Individuals will be able to produce defect free XYZ model  components at a rate of NN per hour”. 

Well thought out, measurable goals ensure that the training will have a positive impact upon the problem.

Design

Designing training is like building a sandwich: the top slice of bread is the defined training objectives, the bottom is the tools which are used to assess whether those who have been trained can carry out the defined training objectives.

In between is what will be used to bring about the required changes in behavior – can be contact training, group case studies, demonstrations, video clips, interviews or maybe even reference material to be studied. Given the richness of resources out there, it is strongly suggested that reference material should be but one of them. 

Depending on the number of objectives and the complexity of the subject, this content needs to be interspersed with exercises which are used to determine individual progress and to give encouragement and feedback.  

Who should be involved in this phase? Three types of people: those who established the objectives (and who are feeling the pain of the problem), those who will be doing the training and those who will develop the course. The first two types should come from within so that the training can be relevant to the situation. The third type may come from outside but this need not necessarily be the case. 

At this stage we need to identify our sandwich components: putting it all together comes next.

Develop

By the end of this phase we will have the following:
• The training objectives: what problems is the training intended to solve? What must individuals who undergo this training be able to do on successful completion?
• The training plan: who is going to do what, where are they going to do it and how long will each step in the process take so that training objectives are achieved?
• The information resources which will be used to convey the knowledge required.
• The assessment tools which will be used to determine progress and finally whether each individual has achieved the training objectives. 
The development of these products requires input from subject matter experts as well as those who are qualified to develop training interventions. 

Implement

Now is the time to get the bang from the buck. 
All the preparation carried out so far leads up to this stage: provided the previous steps have been followed meticulously then we have a training product fit for purpose.
Successful implementation of a training course revolves around the following factors:  
• The professionalism of the arrangements – scheduling, venues internet access and other facilities as required. This is all to do with making participants not only comfortable but also eager
• The enthusiasm and preparedness of course facilitators – self-evident, really
• The way in which the course is administered and any problems dealt with

Evaluate

Conventional wisdom says that a smiley face form at the end is course evaluation. Not so if we are going realize a full return on our investment.

Consider this 1:

Level 1: Reaction
How individuals reacted to the training. 
How well the training was received: helps improvement of future training, including important elements to be added to the training.

Level 2: Learning
What individuals have learned. To what extent have the learning objectives been achieved as a result of the training? 

Level 3: Behaviour (application)
Extent to which individuals apply the concepts, processes and procedures which were taught. Are the newly acquired competencies being used in the occupational environment of the learner?

Level 4: Results
The results of the training in terms of business metrics, for example -increased production, improved quality, decreased costs, reduced accidents, increased sales, higher profits or enhanced return on investment.

1. Source: http://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/OurPhilosophy/tabid/66
If this is how training should be carried out, then two major questions arise (hopefully readers will have some of their own):

Q 1: What about all those courses to which we have been subjecting our people over all these years?