inhouse core skills training

A training to facilitate learning of specific core skills (e.g. consulting skills, presenting, feedback and coaching) through a firmly directed, intensive process. In the training program is ensured that participants develop a common language and understand and apply the companies values.
Participants learn to take responsibility for their own development needs and those of their team. They develop a pro-active attitude in which their personal capacities are applied to the maximum to serve team result. Effective team work is essential to achieve synergy and therefore a maximum result in short time. The way we work during the training enables the participants to experience and understand the different stage of a team development cycle.

An impression of such a program is captured in this video.

The training is primarily meant for:

• Teams that work on a project for a longer period of time or are at the start of a project
• Organisations or organisational units that want to introduce or implement a new way of working
• Groups that go through a development, such as Management Development or a traineeprogram
• Organisations that strive for optimal use and sharing of knowledge, to become a learning organisation
• (Internal) consultants who want to optimize there service delivery, for instance through sharpen their consulting skills and team building capabilities

A firmly directed program

By integrating the subjects to be trained in exercises a coherent package arises. To mobilize the teams, we guide them though the following phases of teambuilding:

1. involvement
2. commitment
3. achieve success
4. receive recognition
5. motivation

The structure of the program makes that teams are forced to perform under time pressure. The resistance against another working method and the impact of personal behaviour will become clear and can therefore be addressed in the moment. Because of this the team will able to cooperate more effectively after the training.

Learning by experiencing

Core Skills is a multiple days, jointed program with a structured approach; 1 or 2 core skills will be taught per half day and practiced directly after in a case. Gained experiences are made explicit and can be implemented directly during exercises. The trainers facilitate the sub-teams during the exercises and stimulate them to share the knowledge regarding the content. Using this way of learning (so called “experimental learning”) the new gained knowledge will last better.

The focus is on the client

We try to achieve a partnership between consultant and client or business partner (depending on the specific company needs). During the training a lot of attention will be given to managing expectations of clients and delivering up to these expectations. In the exercises the focus is to achieve a concrete result, in advance the participants get the possibility to do an inventory of the expectations of the client about this. During the presentation of the result specific attention will be given to this.

Review and feedback

Structured review of the work with the teams and personal feedback on behaviour is integrated through the complete program. Because of this teams and individuals get an unique chance of getting to understand their own functioning and how to improve this.

Work is role based instead of function based

We define roles when working in teams. Like the facilitator-role, the decision maker (‘client’), and the employee (‘resource’). Leaving behind the existing hierarchical lines, everyone can learn different roles. During the training, the participants will have the opportunity to practice every different role. From experience we know that when these roles are defined properly the effectiveness of the team will increase dramatically.

Secure a close fit between the training and the goals of the organisation

For a maximum result it is very important that issues learnt can be applied directly after the training in the daily work. Therefore the content of the training should be carefully coordinated with the desired working method and culture of the organisation. Sponsorship of management of this context and commitment is crucial. Ideally management has a role in the training, for example as a client during an exercise or at the start of the training.

From the Core skills program you may expect the following results:

• Teams, employees who master core skills which are important for your company
• An organisation (or department) closer to a common vision and shared values
• Motivated teams which work in a structured way and therefore able to achieve results in limited time
• Teams, employees with the right skills to meet expectations of their (internal) clients or even to exceed these expectations
• Teams, employees with a pro-active attitude regarding learning and sharing knowledge and experiences.

The Core Skills trainers have experience in developing and implementing the Core skills training within different companies. Some examples:

• A multi year training program for the top-300 of the IT services organisations within a large international chemical concern.
• Core skills training for all employees of KPMG Consulting and during a later stage Atos Consulting as support for the desired organisational change
• Training of a project team at the evaluation and restart of a large program at a technical maintenance company.
• Two training programs for the employees and management of the ICT organisation of a large Dutch energy company.
• 4 Day training of the project team at the start of a reorganisation of a supplier of costumer goods.
• A training program for all consultants of a mid size IT service organisation focused on ERP implementations.
• A program for a fast growing consultancy firm, that wants to sustain and strengthen their culture.
• Kick-off at the start of a merger between two electricity companies.

The standard training has the following core skills:

• Teamwork en teambuilding*
• A structured way to solve problems (“RCTB”)
• Facilitating*
• Coaching*
• Interactive way of giving a presentation (“Brown paper presentation”)
• Interactive mapping of company processes (“Brown paper process mapping”)
• Managing of client expectations*
• Managing of interventions with clients*
• Responsibility charting (RACI)
• Writing and delivering a presentation
• Give and receive feedback*

* These competences are part of the basic program. In consultation with the client a training can be made more specific by adding or leaving out core skills.

In the standard training the following values are anchored:

• Learn to learn by sharing knowledge and experiences
• Attention and respect for individuals and their own learning process
• Proactive en responsible attitude
• Positive thinking
• Result-oriented
• The focus is on the client; achieve partnership with the client
• Effective teams are able to deliver