When Made to Stick Will

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Comments

[Paul]

Hi Rosa,

I think your approach here is absolutely the right one: culture comes first!

In a way you are teaching self-leadership to organisations. If they want people to behave in a certain way they have to create an environment that supports, enables & encourages the desired attitudes & behaviours.

When the old ways carry on uncontested, much of the budget spent on training and show-piece launches doesn't survive its first big cultural test!

BCG, Bain & McKinsey could learn a thing or two from you Rosa :)

Best Regards

Paul

[Rosa Say]

Thank you Paul, I so appreciate your enthusiasm! When people ask me what I do, I answer a bit differently now. I used to say, “I am the author of Managing with Aloha, a sensibility for worthwhile and meaningful work. I teach the philosophy, and coach those who wish to bring it into their practice.” I came to realize that was too much about me and not enough about them, and while it may be true, it isn’t a good enough “elevator speech” and is quite incomplete.

So now I say, “I help managers and leaders learn how value alignment in their work makes their work culture stronger, and as healthy as it can possibly be.” Then I ask, “How can I help you?” and “May I?” Managing with Aloha is my toolbox, and our values the tools within it we will choose to use, but the result has to be a greatly improved workplace culture.

[Dan Oestreich]

Again and again in the training I offer, I opt for an "applied learning" piece, a commitment to some simple action coming out of the event. Training to me isn't about transferring knowledge from one head to another, as if information is bricks. Training for me is about giving people shovels and asking them to dig and then share what they have found from doing so.

But even this is not enough.

Context is what's really important. Why are we learning to use shovels? That's the question. There must be a strategic goal behind it. "The village is out of water -- we need a well." Ah, so that's what this is about! The motive for training needs to be linked to the most important goals the "village" has. If the goal isn't meaningful, and there's no immediate application for the learning - you'll find a lot of rusting shovels somewhere out back!

[Rosa Say]

Oh Dan, I so, so hear you on this! I visibly cringe when I will ask someone calling me for a workshop, “What are you hoping this will achieve for you?” and they respond with, “Oh, we offer our staff different kinds of training sessions once every quarter, and someone suggested you.” It can take some careful probing to completely understand that all-important context which is at play.

Like you, I now offer and very strongly recommend those ‘applied learning’ pieces; I am eager to return for follow-ups, and I offer greatly reduced pricing when it is part of the package purchased. In my case second sessions are often with the managers or leaders of groups I have presented a training to, and the applied learning has to do with specific pilot projects – great fun!

Love your shovel metaphor Dan, and I may use that. Come to think of it, I have an old garden trowel, a small and rusting one, that will make a great workshop prop!