Ann Reilly asked two questions regarding the role of training and
continued education in a transformation effort using N. Dean Meyer's
approach. Information concerning Meyer's Road Maps method is available at
http://www.ndma.com/. Ann is part of a team that wants to "turn training
on its ear."
Question #1:
One of the things we want to do with the training aspect is to empower our
employees to manage their own continued education. As such we are
considering giving employees a block of at-work hours to use in taking
training classes. We are thinking that employees would be free to choose
both classes associated with their job and classes which are not. We
anticipate that employee supervisors would have limited authority to deny
an employee's choice of classes. Currently, all classes require
supervisory approval.
Has anyone enacted or considered a similar program? How many hours did
you give the employees? How did you administer it? What were the
guidelines?
It may be helpful to separate learning from training in your thinking.
You mention training and classes, which have little to do with learning.
Looking at the material at Meyer's site, it is apparent that your staff
will have to learn a very new way to conduct business. Up-front,
all-at-once classroom training is not very effective at supporting the
deep learning required to transform ourselves and our organizations.
Classroom training does not necessarily promote reflection, dialogue,
team-building or any of the other "soft" skills needed for
transformations. Said another way, training and continued education are a
very small part of Personal Mastery (as described in Senge's _Fifth
Discipline_). Working on balancing advocacy and inquiry, on reflective
learning processes, and on moving from Model I to Model II behavior (C.
Argyris) all require something more than classroom training. The same is
true for building shared visions.
You may want to really turn training on its ear by eliminating the
reliance on all-at-once, up-front training and designing in stead
knowledge objects that can be delivered in the work context by trained
facilitators at the team level.
Question 2:
I am reviewing many reference materials for ideas on our new training
program. These include: Senge's Fifth Discipline, Covey's Seven Habits
of Highly Effective People, ASTD's Creating the Learning Organization,
Watkins & Marsick's 'Sculpting the Learning Organization". Can anyone
suggest major works on this topic that I have missed? We plan to draw
ideas from many sources and create a unique program.
Chris Argyris: _Action Science_, _Knowledge for Action_
Peter Block: _Stewardship_
_Flawless Consulting_
Robert Fritz _Corporate Tides_
Larry Hirschhorn _Reworking Authority_
Gerry Weinberg _Quality Software Management (Volumes I, II, III and IV)_
-- MikeMichael A. Gort Gort@mail.com (203) 637-9279
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>