Assess-Develop-Sustain

Our 3 Step Approach....

ADS_Main

We love running energising workshops, but we get even more satisfaction from seeing these interventions turn into measurable results.

Our own experience in this is backed up by important research by Dr Brent Peterson which shows that for training to be truly effective, we need to see any learning as part of an overall process which includes work before the event and follow up action afterwards. In fact in his research Peterson found that training could be over 50% more effective if we take this three step approach – although as you can see in the diagram below, most training investments focus only on the workshop element…

So whenever we work with clients we encourage them to look at all 3 steps of the programme and we have developed a range of tools and processes to help us to do this.

Assess

This step can cover a range of activities from an audit of current processes, individual assessment of current skills and knowledge or at an organisational level where we look at current organisational culture and the fit with strategy.

Some of the tools and methods we use for this assessment stage are:

Sales process reviews
Individual psychometrics
360o Survey questionnaires focusing on core competencies and skills
On the job observation
1:1 interviews/questionnaires
Focus groups
Diagnostics to assess current organisational culture versus desired culture
Pre-programme briefing between managers & participants
Agreement on programme measures

At this first stage we are keen to identify the specific outcomes that are required from the training intervention so that we are able to design a learning process that will deliver the results. This approach let’s us start with the end in mind! It also lets us to build evaluation processes into the programme from the very outset.

Develop

We pride ourselves on the innovation and variety of learning methods which we use and the way they can be combined to develop programmes that are motivating, engaging and also offer plenty of opportunity for practice and application. Each design allows for different learning styles so that we create the best possible environment to support development and we ensure that the full learning cycle is completed to maximise impact and results:

Some of the approaches we use include:

Business simulations-PC based
Organisational simulations
Action Learning and reflective practice
Co-coaching
1:1 or small group coaching
Peer and tutor feedback
Tailored Role plays using actors and CCTV
Guest speakers to stimulate thinking and share world class experience
Exercises taken from the world of theatre
‘Games’ that are fun yet also deliver real learning value and impact
Modular workshops linked by work assignments between modules

Sustain

Most of us who has been on a training programme has probably had that ‘Monday morning feeling’ afterwards; remembering that the programme was good and that it was valuable but returning to a deluge of e-mails, meetings and all the other day to day work pressures that have been piling up whilst we were away. Even with the best will in the world it can be tough to put learning into practice and transfer behaviour once we return to our ‘real’ jobs:

We invest time and energy into the challenge of making learning and development ‘stick’. So we make sure that our training delivers measurable, lasting, business performance – and that the benefits are realised even when we are not there…We call on a number of different follow-up activities to do this, such as:

Make sure that outcomes are measurable and measured
Identify ‘leading indicators’ to measure successful transfer
Give participants tools and processes that they can easily use in their day to day work using action learning exercises etc…
Use action planning tools
Support new behaviours with management processes such as templates for Sales Proposals
Communicate the success stories
Re-survey 360° questionnaires to track improvement