Welcome!

In this book, there is a great amount of relevant information but I wanted to mention the twelfth element – which is to provide ‘Opportunities to Learn and Grow’. As you know… people resist change. In this book, the authors make the argument that they feel that monotony is even worse than change – talk about a catch-22!

I bring this up because, any manager needs to create an atmosphere where their employees can learn and grow. Don’t just give your employees educational opportunities, but also familiarize them with the jobs of others and those around them.

In actuality, if you treat your employees professionally… they will act professionally. Adversely, if you treat your employees like mindless drones… you will not get the best out of your workforce. Always keep this in mind when you move forward with your workforce development initiatives.

-Andy

I said they are good, but lack the effectiveness of long-term training initiatives due to human nature. Unfortunately, it takes at least three weeks of training and reinforcement to dramatically change a person’s behavior.

What it comes down to is the fact that humans are creatures of habit. You drive to work using the same route, have a cup of coffee or tea, check your e-mails, update your schedule, etcetera. If this sounds like you… then you are also a creature of habit. The point is, behaviors are hard to change. Some mornings you have a meeting at a different time, or have to drive a different way to work, but you tend to go back to your habits.

Don’t get me wrong… classroom training sessions are great, but they have their place. Such training is best when used to expose employees to new ideas and concepts. They also make a great motivator, especially if your workforce has become complacent and needs a ‘pick-me-up’. To get the most out of such a situation, classroom training should be backed up by in-house training, focused on-the-job exercises, and skill development.

-Andy