As the “Coach” phase has developed a strategy for innovation, a program for the necessary changes, and a change charter to implement these changes in a controlled and timely manner, now it is time to actually deal with the troops directly.

In our experience, the automation side of change is best managed internally, as your own folks have the best idea on how to implement systems in your technical context. We can help with the specification and potentially suggest existing best-in-class solutions.

Training on Tools, Processes & Culture

When we are providing training, we prefer to address multiple layers of change at the same time. Remember the “Iceberg of Change” we discussed in the section on “Assess/Your Wants”? Your tools are the “formal” representation of your processes which in turn are the expression of your culture.

Typically, we will provide training that, on the surface, introduces a new tool or a new process. We will use this opportunity, this face time, with your team, to also further the agenda of cultural change. Whether that is the selection of examples or benchmarks, the choice of training data, or the composition of the participants.

Our training is objective-based. We will work with you to determine the objectives and their Key Performance Indicators as the first step. Then, we design iteratively with you the training structure, sequence, and contents.

Who is trained, who does the training?

The selection of participants is critical for the success of training. The wrong mix of players can destroy the ability to reach the training objectives.

We use the Change Path Curve (see Coach/Change) to ensure that the participants are roughly at the same stage of change awareness and participation. Otherwise, what should be training can descend into trench wars, political posturing, or bitter disputes.

In addition, the choice of trainer or facilitator is critical. Training can be deployed by us, by the management team, an internal training department, or local train-the-trainer concepts. Our training will routinely address the needs of three stakeholders:

1. The Management Team
   These stakeholders need to understand the value (that is the change in behavior) the training is to achieve. They need to support it, and draw the expected benefits out of the participants after the training has been received. Inclusion of management is vital to the success of training.
2. The Facilitators and Trainers
   The people actually conducting the training need to be enabled to deliver a top-notch training experience. To this end, our training includes the training of trainers, starting with Facilitator’s Notes up to special training courses for the trainers themselves (to provide them with enough “ammunition” to face the trainees alone).
3. The Trainees
   They want to be part of the change. They want to understand what will change for them. We need to address FUD factors (Fear Uncertainty Denial) as well as make training relevant to the current job.

We enhance our training by using Myers-Briggs-Type-Indicator (MBTI™) The four Temperaments identified by MBTI “digest” information in different ways. We structure our training in such a way that all participants are engaged.

How to keep content fresh & relevant?

Training by the nature of the beast needs to be recycled as well as enhanced over time. There is no sense in handing you a bunch of PDF and paper documents. They will require extensive rework for a new version of the training program.

We provide to you a living document in standard formats (usually Microsoft Office) that you can use to adapt the training itself to new requirements. We also prefer to deploy training using an online tool. This tool, typically based on a Open Source Content Management System, will be handed over to you at the end of the training contract for you to advance at your leisure. Any content that is licensed only to us (as is the case with some image materials) will be clearly marked so that you can acquire a copyright yourself.