Training course participants have become ever-more sophisticated consumers. It’s the ‘MTV’ generation – an expectation of sound & vision, content and entertainment. They want lots of time to catch up on emails; some want to ‘stay connected’ to the Mother Ship at all times – pleading either importance (“You’ve no idea how much pressure I’m under”) or crisis (“If we don’t get this deal over the line, we’ll be wallpapering the factory with P45’s”). It’s tricky to manage. Participants on training programmes are essentially customers and have to be respected. But…having people coming and going can be disruptive – both for them and for others on the course. While there’s no absolute answer to this dilemma – in the past I’ve distributed the following note to new people joining a programme. See what you make of it…
Nxxdxd Vxry Much
Xvxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx kxy. Thxrx arx 46 kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx not working makxs thx diffxrxncx.
Somxtimxs it sxxms that training groups arx somxwhat likx my typxwritxr. Not all thx kxys arx functioning propxrly. You may say:
“Wxll, I am only onx pxrson. It won’t makx much diffxrxncx”
But, you sxx, to bx xffxctivx thx group nxxds thx activx participation of xvxry pxrson.
So, thx nxxt timx you think you arx only onx pxrson and that your xffort is not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf:
“I am a kxy pxrson and am nxxdxd vxry much”
Your Team: You don’t have to be a trainer to use this idea. Perhaps its time to tell your own crew – that everyone needs to ‘get back on the oars’.
Paul
PS Lighter Note: What’s for Lunch?
A large organization had recently hired several cannibals. After conducting a lengthy ‘Welcome Aboard’ orientation the Human Resource Director congratulated the cannibals and said, “You are all part of the team now! You get all of the benefits we have discussed and you can enjoy our company cafe free of charge! But please don’t eat any of the other employees.” The cannibals promised they wouldn’t.
After a few weeks the cannibal’s boss seemed very pleased, but also a little worried. She said: “You’re all working very hard, and I’m satisfied with you. However, one of our secretaries has disappeared. Do any of you know what happened to her?”
The cannibals all shook their heads, “No.”
After the boss had left, the leader of the cannibals was a bit angry and said, “Okay, which one of you dummies ate the secretary?” A hand rose hesitantly in admission.
“You fool!” said the Chief: “For weeks we’ve been eating managers and no one noticed anything, but no, you had to go and eat someone important!”
Inspirational Messages for you and your team…
If you do a good job and work hard, you may get a better job… someday.
The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off due to budget cuts.
Doing a job RIGHT the first time gets the job done. Doing the job WRONG 14 times gives you job security.
Rome didn’t create a great empire by having meetings. They did it by killing all those that opposed them.
We put the “k” in “kwality”.
Teamwork means never having to take all the blame yourself.
Suggested lunchtime conversation with Millennials: “The elevator to success is out-of-order. You will have to take the stairs i.e. one step at a time.”
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Confessions of a Consultant 