Malcolm Burson <mburson@chcs-me.org> wrote:
>but I found
>that gently inquiring into the things they were interested in produced
>classes in which they slowly increasing their interest in the "official"
>subject matter. I now carry them with me into all my teaching
>activities, and in planning for training a very diverse employee group.
Malcolm, I do a similar thing. What I am constantly searching for is
"What can I use to engage the people in the learning process?" Once they
are engaged, once they are searching and learning for themselves, then my
job is easier.
I was training 35 engineers in the subject of "Influence in the Workplace"
last week. At the beginning, the majority of them could care less. I
expected this and in preparation, I interviewed three of them beforehand.
At that time, I found out they all were facing a similar problem with
another division of the company. So, I opened by throwing that problem on
the table and asking how we could influence this group to work with us.
Naturally, I was opening a can of worms, but it engaged them and within 30
minutes, I had agreement from the group that we would do everything we
could to solve that problem by the end of the program. That was enough to
engage many of them. But I didn't stop there.
Before the program was three hours old, I had connected learning this
skill to their future success, possible promotions, getting along with
people, achieving their goals at work and home, their family's happiness
and to having better relationships with their spouse.
You may be saying "That's too personal." Well, I take my job personally
and I believe that I am there to make as big a difference as possible for
these people.
So, did we solve the problem with the other department? I don't know.
The truth is that we worked on it and they have more healthy strategies
for dealing with the other department and time will tell. But what was
most important to me was that they were engaged and they were consistently
using the skills with each other during the program which means they'll
transfer a large part of those skills to the workplace. That's one of the
big reasons I train people -- to see that change occur in the classroom.
Bill Hendry <sfidba@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us> wrote:
>Ben Compton hates his job and having to mentor people who want to be spoon
fed
>answers. Not my definition of mentoring, nor my definition of career
>management. Life is too precious to continue your unhappy state. Been
>there, done that, left the org.
>
>Best wishes Ben --
I agree. Ben, if you feel that terrible about your job, the best thing to
do is get another one that you really enjoy. Don't stand in front of a
room of people unless you can find something you like about them and start
from there. It is only "Hell" for both of you.
There is a place that you'll be very happy. Find that and you will have
solved your problem.
By the way Bill Hendry, I like the quote in your sig file:
>"Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps down new
>roads armed with nothing but their own vision."
>
>From "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand
Have Fun!
Hal Croasmun
: Ask us about:
BEYOND LEARNING : Influence in the Workplace
mailto:blt@eden.com : Developing Sales Mastery
http://www.beyondlearning.com : The easiest way to learn leadership
--Hal Croasmun <blt@eden.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>