Can You Win at Work with Cookie Cutter Training and Development?

Recent research has revealed some dismaying trends in the Professional Development and Training and Development industry.

As a member of this industry it disturbs me to discover that quality programs and providers are being overlooked in favour of promises of “quick fixes” that are delivered “cookie cutter” style, with little or no regard for the ROI of the employer or the long term engagement and development of the worker. The surveys show that many organisations, managers and Training and Development Managers are either taking expensive shortcuts in their attempts to develop their people, or are completely misinformed about what really takes to activate peak performance.

Survey results

A. Here’s what people who want to win at work, who want to maximize their professional performance said in the surveys about the value of the training and development courses and programs their managers arranged for them:

• Not related to overall career development plan of participant
• No choice for participants – one size fits all very common
• T & D not related to current role
• Not matched with talents, strengths and interests
• No ongoing support to integrate the new development into existing work practices
• No time allocated to integrate the new learning into existing work practices
• Training added to time pressures, rather than creating efficiencies
• Information overload from courses added to fear of burning out

What has been your experience of professional development courses and programs as a worker? Contribute your private comments to the survey here.

B. Here’s what managers who are seeking Training and Development Providers for their people stated these unmet needs:

• How to keep their workers motivated and on task
• How to communicate so their people get the message
• How to manage information overload for themselves and their team
• How to be certain the the training provider will deliver “best practice”
• How to get best value for their dollars invested in T and D
• How to ensure the T & D will have a positive impact on business results

What has been your experience of professional development courses and programs as a manager? Contribute your private comments to the survey

Can cookie cutters create real stars?

Managers and business owners want their people to be motivated, to give the best of themselves at work. At the same time, the great majority of workers want to release their talents and achieve their professional potential. Both groups share a similar goal … yet neither is getting what they want on a consistent basis.

What’s the solution?

I believe that managers who aspire to become Maximized Managers need education in how to:

• Start matching the learning needs of their workers, as a group AND as individuals, with the organisation’s goals
• Start Identifying the characteristics of “best practice” adult education programs
• Start Integrating new learning into existing management plans and work practices
• Stop treating the people on the teams as clones

So I am in the process of writing a short, practical and readable report, “The Managers’ Guide to Choosing a Professional Development Provider.” I’ll let you know when it’s available for download.

“The Managers’ Guide to Selecting a Best Practice Professional Development Provider”

This unique document will be available soon … in the meantime, you can contribute by making your private comments in the surveys below:

Fast 4 Question Professional Development Survey for Peak Performance Zone Workers

Fast 4 Question Professional Development Survey for Maximized Managers

Thank you for your contribution to the surveys and I hope our paths cross soon …

For many years the urge to share what I have learned about how to maximize your professional performance AND stay true to what you really value has burned in my spirit.

My passion is to see men and women liberated from the constraints of conventional wisdom about what it takes to win at work, and empowered by the truth, backed up by the principles and practices that deliver real results.

And now I know for certain that the Win at Work Book WILL be written and published!

How do I know? Glenn Dietzel at Awaken the Author Within has just announced that I am a joint winner for live mentoring in his Books Mean Credibility program. This was a global competition and I am truly humbled to have been chosen as a joint winner, along with Laurie Kirk of USA. 

Here’s the video announcement of the competition winners.

Why am I asking for your help?

It’s very important to me that the finished Win at Work Book is as real and useful as possible for my readers, so I am still conducting surveys and collecting case studies from employers, employees and small business owners.

How can you help?

If you are willing to be involved in surveys, short courses and case studies you can register your interest here

Your registration will also give you access to some useful freebies and sneak previews of the Win at Work book.

Win at work with inspiring quotes and sparks of wisdom to fuel your fire

When I made the decision to write and publish my book, I realized that there would be days when I needed a boost of external motivation to keep me moving forward on the project. So, I have been finding and sending to myself Mini Motivators on topics that keep me focused and on track.

I’m happy to share them with you too. Follow this link to get the sparks you need to fan your fire into the triple flames of inspiration, reflection and action.

By the way, the book’s working title is Win at Work – how to maximize your professional performance AND stay true to your values. What do you think of the title? I might hold a Create The Best Title competition when the book is closer to the publishing date.

In the meantime, enjoy and activate your Mini Motivators.

Sherlock Holmes was an expert at culling clues and cracking codes to find answers to the mysteries he investigated.

Your future professional performance and in fact the whole of your life are to some extent mysteries waiting to be investigated and solved.

Here’s a great collection of practical strategies we can learn from the fictional Sherlock Holmes and his colleague Dr Watson to help us win at work AND be true to our values … enjoy!

To win at work small business owners must be true to their values, just like employees.

Recently I’ve been asked by several would be small business owners how they can choose the right business for themselves. Here’s where I suggest you start – with yourself!

Ask yourself these questions and take the time to reflect and then write down your HONEST answers:

1. What are your primary natural talents?

Your best skills and strengths come from your natural talents. Do you know your Talent Code? The more you can work from your talents the more productive you will be.

2. What do you value?

Your values are your inner motivators and you need to build them into your life every day in order to keep yourself motivated. Check out Twelve Top Reasons to Know Your Values. Have you cracked your Motivation Code yet?

Have youdiscovered your hidden value?

If you are like the rest of us you will have within you a hidden storehouse of treasure that you can bring to your business. Pick up this free eCourse to help you find your hidden value.

3. What are your existing skills?

Are you great at practical, hands on tasks like making or fixing stuff? Are you good at working with numbers or information? Are you a techie person? Do have have great people skills? Are you friendly and helpful on the phone? Can you imagine yourself in a specific role, working from home?

Do you have a big picture of how your products or services meet a need in the marketplace AND a picture of all the small things you need to do to make it happen?

Are you ready and willing to expand your skills?

4. Are you equipped to be self employed?

What knowledge, skills and mind sets do you have about running a small business? Do you understand the legal, financial and taxation responsibilities? Who would use your services? How will you let the world know your services exist? Online, offline, both? Would self employment suit your personality and lifestyle?

Are you willing to learn new knowledge, skills and mind sets to ensure your success? Are you willing to take on a mentor? What criteria will you use to choose a mentor so you don’t get ripped off?

Who will be your mastermind partners and how will you mutually serve each other?

Will you surround yourself with positive, supportive people? Are you willing to read and listen to inspirational messages? Get your FREE Mini Motivators here.

Do you have the skills and strategies you need to manage your time, money and energy effectively so that you can avoid burnout and overcome overload?

And last, but certainly not least, are you willing and able to serve your customers or clients with a genuine can do and will do attitude? Are you someone your customers can trust to deliver good value?

I do hope this helps to jump start your thinking and wish you all the best in your quest to win at work AND be true to your values.

What can you learn from a man, a boy and a donkey about how to win at work, AND stay true to your values?

Do you know what really motivates you and how valuable that knowledge can be? Check out the short story in this video for your first clue …

What do you stand for? What’s your hidden value? Watch the next video in the series here. I would love to hear from you, so please leave your feedback in the comments box below.

Your Hidden Value – discover what REALLY motivates you to win at work

This 10 minute video is a sneak preview of one of the learning activities in my online course My Hidden Value. It explores the connection between your values, your beliefs, a sense of meaning in your work, and the impact of these on your motivation to win at work. Let me know what you think about the information in the video Values, Meaning and Beliefs.

Is it useful? Share your wisdom and leave a comment in the comments box. You may need to click on the Comments Box to open it so you can leave a comment.

Do you know your talent code? Oprah sure knows hers!

Two people who are incredibly successful in their own careers have forged a partnership designed to turn YOU into a winner at work, without sacrificing your values. And it’s FREE!

Oprah Winfrey

Credited by many as the world’s most influential woman, Oprah is also a self made multi billionaire multiple-Emmy winning host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the highest-rated talk show in the history of television. She is also an influential book critic, an Academy Award-nominated actress, and a magazine publisher.

Oprah has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the most philanthropic African American of all time, and the world’s only black billionaire for three straight years. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.

Oprah is very clear about her life purpose, her talent code, and how to use her unique talent code to contribute to the world. She declares in the introduction to this FREE 3 HOUR online seminar that she is paid to be an inspiration to others to go to the next level in their work and in their life.

Marcus Buckingham

One of my favorite authors and mentors, Marcus has a similar life goal to mine … to change the way people work. He worked with the Gallup Organization for many years, involved in deep research into what makes people successful in their work. His writing style is very clear and to the point, as is his teaching style.

Marcus Buckingham is a member of the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on Leadership and Management. He started as a senior researcher with The Gallup Organization, and helped to develop the Strengths-based approach to management that is now gaining widespread recognition as the key to engagement of employees.

These two high achievers with generous spirits have teamed uo to present this word class, FREE 3 hour online seminar (you can watch, listen and learn in 20 minute chunks, at your convenience).

If you are struggling with any aspect of your work or work-life balance, and want to learn the scientifically validated secrets of personal success, this seminar will help you to take control of your career and your life.

When you’ve completed your study I would love to hear your results, so remember to return to this page, click on the comments link and tell me what you learnt and how it changed your work life.

Imagine getting paid to do something you love. Create the job, career and life you were meant to live! Join career coach Marcus Buckingham’s online workshop and put your strengths to work today.   CLICK HERE to Win at work with your talent code at your FREE online workshop with Marcus Buckingham

Do you know your unique motivation code (your values)? Do your actions align with your values?

To win at work AND stay true to your values, you need to be able to answer YES to both questions.

Here’s a story that illustrates the point …

The Tale of the Man, the Boy and the Donkey

An old man, a boy and their donkey were going to town. The boy rode the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along, they passed some people who remarked it was a shame that the old man was walking when the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe these critics were right, so they changed places.

Later, they passed some people who remarked, "What a shame that he makes the little boy walk". So they then decided they would both walk.

Soon, they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So they both rode the donkey.

Next they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey. The boy and man thought they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey.

As they crossed a bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and it fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story … If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass good-bye!

How does this apply to winning at work, without sacrificing your values?

When your goals and actions are based on your own values and value priorities, (your unique motivation code), you are much more likely to remain consistent in your focus, and therefore achieve your professional performance targets more readily.

Take a minute to share one of your wins or losses based on being true or NOT true to your personal values, in the comments box below …

Value your life, live your values The focus of this entire site is how to win at work, AND stay true to your values. Why the focus on values? Because your values are what focus you!

So, here we go with the top twelve things you need to know about your values:

1. Your values are what motivate you. They are the bridge between your inner desires and outer reality.
   
2. Your values are your lifestyle priorities and preferences, your unique motivation code. You need to know what your values are. They silently guide your words, your decisions and your actions. Get to know them … unless you want to be led through life by a stranger.
3. Knowing your values gives you clarity – you can make decisions based on choices, rather than habits.
4. Some of your values are more important to you than others. They are your core values and usually remain consistent over a long period of time.
5. Your values are with you 24/7. There is no distinction between personal and professional values. There is however, a distinction between what is an appropriate context for living out some values.
6. Your values are not necessarily predictors of your behaviour. For example, you and I may both value leisure and play. I might (would) choose to live that value by going to the opera, and you might choose to go rock climbing … same value, different expression.
7. All people, regardless of race, colour or creed, share 5 human needs: survival, freedom, fun, belonging and power. How you attempt to meet those needs depends on your values … your lifestyle preferences and priorities.
8. Your values come from your world-view. Your world-view is a set of (mostly unconscious) beliefs you hold about how the world works, or how you believe the world should work. The formation of your world-view was influenced by many factors as you were growing up: family, culture, geographic location, socio-economic conditions, media – old and new, peers, education, religious affiliations, groups such as Scouts and sporting clubs, and significant life events.
9. Your values and your ethics are not the same. Your values will motivate you, usually unconsciously. Your ethics will constrain you, usually based on conscious choice.
10. Clarity around what you value will help you choose more compatible friendships and business partners.
11. Knowing your values helps you to be clear about what you DON"T want in your life … your values are a guide to the boundaries you have in place in your life.
12. Consciously choosing to live your values leads you towards being more of who you were created to be.

Let’s make it a baker’s dozen and give the last word to the Bible:

13. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) Your treasure is what you value, so get to know what your values are, and learn how to live them.

What experiences have you had as a result of living or NOT living your values? Take a minute to share your response in the comments box below.