Choosing Executive Training by Function, or Dysfunction? Part 3
In the third part of this series on executive training, we’re going to turn our attention to the challenges and training needs of executives within specific industry groups.
According to a 2006 survey conducted by Accenture and The Economist Intelligence Unit, the biggest challenges of Hardware Manufacturing Executives (defined as executives in companies creating a wide range of products, from mobile phones, to cars, refrigerators and television sets) are:
- - Lack of in-house software expertise
- - Increasing the speed of time-to-market
(88% say they don’t do a good job of testing their products to prior to marketing them.)
- Developing automated testing capabilit
- Coordinating with outside partners and software developers.
To resolve three out of four of these challenges, Hardware Manufacturing Executives will need to attract managers and specialists who are savvy, experienced and able to think “outside the box” in terms of manufacturing, software development and testing processes. What sort of training will enable these executives to find such talent?
Interviewing skills training is one option to to consider. Our Executive Interviewing Skills Training enables you to hear what the other person is saying as well as the meaning, motivation and agenda behind their words. This lets you to dig deep quickly and walk away satisfied that you left no stone unturned.
It’s also important to remember when you are screening potential new hires, that as much as you’re assessing them, they are assessing you. So executive training programs such as the ones we offer on Personal Presence help you expand your charisma. This really makes a difference in the impression the candidate takes away of you, and by proxy, your company.
Coordinating effectively with others appears to require good collaboration and teamwork skills. But if you are a careful, methodical person, will you really be able to collaborate effectively with people who are driven by urgency, or individuals who regard diplomacy or politics as “a waste of time?” When choosing an executive teamwork training program, be sure you choose one that addresses the personality differences that drive dissension and conflict in teams. As real life rarely unfold as neatly as a role play in a controlled training setting, it’s essential that you emerge from the training equipped to collaborate effectively with the many types of personalities you will encounter. For as increasing globalization brings developed and emerging nations together more and more frequently, you will likely encounter a far broader diversity of personalities, values and attitudes than ever before.
Teamwork training programs that cover all of these necessary bases are always an excellent executive and management training investments. Not only do they facilitate good relations within companies, they also enable you to build strong bonds with external suppliers and customers.
In the next and last part of this series, we will move on to look at the executives’ greatest challenges by industry. Instead of taking the time to address each of them individually, we’ll be examining them in point form. When thinking of the challenges we have already discussed, what common threads do you expect to see emerging? What core issues might be driving these challenges? What types of training will best address and resolve these core issues? Read on to see what we uncovered.
Choosing Executive Training by Function, or Dysfunction? Part 2
We ended the first part of this article with the question “Are there common needs for Executive Training that supersede individual, functional and industry specific challenges?”
To continue uncovering the answer, let’s look at the results of a recent gender specific study conducted by executive search firm Korn/Ferry International. After asking about the greatest challenges faced by female finance executives, this survey finds that gender bias ranked as these executive’s biggest challenge. Gender bias is a composite issue made up of a number of related elements, such as exclusion from the “boy’s club,” stereotyping, double standards and more. For a full breakdown see “Exhibit 3.”
After reviewing this list, it seems that executive training would also benefit the male executives in these firms. “Understanding Gender Differences” would be the sort of training program that could facilitate a far greater understanding between male and female executives. Teams that understand each others needs and goals are more productive, innovative and happier. This training could do a lot to slow the revolving door that far too many female finance executives pass through.
This survey goes on to identify three other challenges that ranked highly for female finance executives. They are:
- “A lack of recognition for achievements”
- “Establishing strong mentorship and support systems”
- “Establishing a work-life balance”
Emotional Intelligence training could expand the executives’ ability to recognize the achievements of their peers and subordinates, and by so doing, boost morale. In addition, providing executives with coaching skills training would enable them to provide skillful internal mentoring and coaching support.
The work-life balance challenge is more difficult to address. Female financial executives reported that they had accommodated the time demands of their roles in a number of ways, from reducing the time allocated to their outside interests, to neglecting their health and in a few cases, even opting out of the “Mommy Track.” See “Exhibit 2” for a full breakdown of the responses in this catgory.
Assigning an executive coach to each executive is one way to help these executives develop their 
own individual answers to these very personal questions. But it can be a costly solution. Assigning an executive coach or a facilitator with relevant experience to work with groups of female finance executives on a regular basis could also produce effective and practical solutions, as long as all of the executives are comfortable being open with each other - and the facilitator. A third option for executives is our Personal Brand Development program. In addition to gaining an in-depth understandings of their internal motivations and driving values, participating executives will gain clarity on their greatest strengths and personal “Modus Operandi” or MO. They would also build their confidence and develop the effective communication skills that will equip them to operate on a more level playing field with their male counterparts.
Clearly we uncovered FAR more data than we expected to when we began looking at what drives the choices of executive training. In Part 3 of this article, we will carry on by looking at the challenges and training needs of executives within industry specific groups.
If you are a female finance executive, do you agree with the gender specific concerns that the Korn/Ferry International survey reveals? Have you come across other solutions that you can share with us? Please feel free to add your comments, then join us for Part 3.
Choosing Executive Training by Function, or Dysfunction? Part 1
Executive Training is such a popular search term that I felt compelled to ask, “What are all of the people who use it really looking for?” It would be logical to assume that companies invest in training for their executives to make their organization more 
effective and productive, giving them a good return on their investment. But one thing I learned during my 15 years in the corporate ranks is that organizational decisions are not always logical! So my next question is, “How do companies identify which executives stand to benefit most from what sort of training?” Is it industry specific? Function specific? Challenge specific? Are each executive’s training requirements unique to him or her? Or is the answer to be found in an executive training equation that combines values from all of these categories, and perhaps even more?
To find out, I conducted an informal and totally unscientific survey of recent reports and surveys that sought answers to the question, “What are the biggest challenges faced by executives?”
For oil company executives, in our current climate of high (and rising) gas prices, their biggest challenges seem to be:
- Changing the public perception of their companies from price gouging and monopolistic (quite a feat, given their industry’s penchant for mergers and over the top profits) to benevolent and philanthropic. In order to succeed in this objective, they must:
- Convince the public that their companies increasing sizes and profits enable them to serve their customers (and indeed, their countries) by funding the research and technological development necessary to explore and expand energy options.
- Explain to the public that maintaining (or growing) their ranking in a highly competitive industry is necessary for them to succeed with their above outlined mission.
How very interesting! It seems that the executive training that would best serve oil company executives would be programs that enhance their communication and persuasion skills. Media training would be helpful and debating skills could also be utilized.
Now let’s look at a the executive training requirements from a global perspective. Executives building global [for profit] enterprises state that their biggest challenges are*:
- “Maintaining a common corporate culture [throughout global markets]” 49%
- “Understanding local customs and ways of doing business” 44 %
- “Serving remote clients/customers effectively” 41%
What sorts of training would best serve executives facing these challenges? They might want to 
consider a culture enhancement program (which is another description for organizational brand development). Diversity training would also be useful, along with a high level customer service training which could be rolled down through the ranks to the people on the front lines who actually deal with the customers. Actually, it might be interesting to turn the tables by having the front line people educate the executives on the issues they face every day before launching an amended broad scale customer service training. Emotional Intelligence training, complete with before and after 360 assessments would benefit the executives as well.
Sadly, only 55% of the executives who participated in this survey believe that their organizations are equipped to “develop leaders with the aptitude and skills to adapt to rapid change and new learning.” So a solid, outsourced leadership development program is also required, which explains why so many Internet searches target “leadership training.”
(*Source: Accenture Survey conducted Jan. 25, 2007)
In Part 2 of this article, I will continue to search for the answer to the question: “Are there common needs for Executive Training that supersede individual, functional and industry specific challenges?” Tell us what you think, then check out Part 2 to see what we discovered.
Netting the Best Leadership Training
“Leadership” has become the most overused word of the 21st century. Primary school children are 
rated on their leadership skills in their report cards. Non profit volunteers are assessed on their leadership abilities when they are recruited to serve. And of course, in the business world, there are massive lineups for leadership training programs at the world’s most venerable educational institutions.
100 Texas principals are in the queue for the Harvard Business School’s Leadership Training. They are being sent by an Austin-based non profit chaired by former Lt. Governor of Texas, Bill Ratliff. He explains, “This is an exciting, historic opportunity for public school principals and public charter school administrators from across the state of Texas. By investing in the leadership of our schools, we will realize the positive impact of the Harvard training in day-to-day school management, in campus morale, and, most importantly, in the classroom.”*
Yale Divinity School offers a “Leadership in Public Ministry” course. Oxford University’s growing portfolio of Leadership Programs for China** offers a range of programs that focus on key priorities such as balancing economic growth, the environment and social development.
As you can see, when you search for leadership training, you cast a very wide net. It’s conceivable that it will take you so long to sift through the 20 million returns that your “leadership training” search delivers, you won’t have time to actually undertake the training. How will you decide what to keep in your net and what to toss back?
We suggest that you narrow your search by adding a qualifier to your “leadership training” search term. Googling “Leadership training for executives” delivers one fortieth of the number of returns that “leadership training” does, so you will reduce your array of choices to about half a million. ”Leadership training for entrepreneurs” delivers one fiftieth of 20 million, or about 300,000 returns. Searching for “leadership training for e-marketers” really narrows the field. It delivers a much more manageable “mere” 300 returns.
And if the notion of gaining the laser sharp inner perspectives that you need to lead yourself and/or your team to successfully reach your vision, please ask us about our personal vision and personal brand development programs.
*Source: March 26, 2008, Austin Business Journal
**Source: oxfordjournals.org
Is Video Training for You?
When you are assessing available training options, it may not be immediately clear whether a weekend workshop style training would suit you better than an audio or video training program.
Knowing your preferred learning styles can be helpful. (Take our quick free test to determine your learning style strengths.)
But if you find that your preferences for audio and visual learning are pretty evenly balanced, you’ll need additional criteria to help you choose. Similarly, if your kinesthetic preference hugely dominates your audio and visual preferences, and you’re committed to choosing a distance training program, you’ll need some other tools to help you make your best decision.
Because video training is very effective for people with both auditory and visual learning strengths (the numbers of visual and auditory learners far exceed those of kinesthetic learners) video training serves a large segment of the population. If you have a strong need to learn by doing, you are likely a kinesthetic learner. If you are, you can also use video training effectively. Simply pause or stop the video training device once a concept has been explained or demonstrated so that you can get “hands on” with the material being taught.
Another benefit of video training is that just a few seconds of video can shown what could take thousands of words to describe. When video training is used in software tutorials, the teacher can show you the menu selections you need to make in order to get the desired result. The same is true for management training videos that teach effective negotiation skills by first describing the skills and then showing people actually using them in a role-play demonstration.
A very obvious benefit to video training is its ease of accessibility. If you choose an on-line video training program, you will be able to access it from home, from work or through any wi-fi connection. If you choose a program that is driven by DVDs, they are small and light weight enough that it’s easy to take your training with you, while traveling on business or on your daily commute. Put on your headphones, open your laptop and make an hour on the commuter train into an hour of video training. If you’re ever interrupted, it’s easy to review parts of the training that you may feel you haven’t fully absorbed.
The last and greatest benefit of video training is the ability it gives training companies to offer their programs at rates that were just not possible when they had to provide training venues and live teachers. That’s how MIBOSO’s Self Directed training program came to be. Over the past ten years, the high demand for our personal branding programs could never be fully served by our limited number of brand strategists. The pricing of our programs also put them out of many people’s reach.
For years we were told that the solution was to create certification programs and train massive numbers of brand strategists. But that didn’t seem to be a very practical solution, as the best brand strategists have very specific and skills sets, corporate branding experience, a high level of creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit. As we are not willing to allow any but the best brand strategists to work with our clients, broad scale certification was not an option.
But over the years it became clear that unless we went way outside our “box,” we were stuck in our rut of providing high quality support to a relatively small number of clients. After nearly two years of wrestling with this dilemma, we found the breakthrough we had been seeking. By taking our Authentic Personal Branding process from a one-on-one to one-on-twenty-or-so program conducted in person and via telephone, to an on-line interactive audio, video and written training program, we could both increase the numbers of people we served and decrease the cost of our programs.
Is video training for you?
Whether you are an individual seeking new skills or a training company trying to figure out how to get its training products to more people at more affordable prices, video training offers many benefits that are well worth considering.
Who Needs Management Training?
One of MIBOSO’s personal branding client firms offers outsourced management training to corporations that lack internal training departments. After a few years of delivering their management training curriculum, their instructors found that while the bulk of their “students” were employed professionals, significant numbers of entrepreneurs and small business owners had signed up for their management training programs as well. Why? Because as their businesses or professional practices grew, they began taking on employees and partners. They also began doing more negotiating with suppliers and clients. This exposed their need for strong management skills. Here’s an example.
I think we’d all agree that a personal trainer has no great need of strong management skills. But what happens when an entrepreneur leverages his personal training skills to create an on-line personal training enterprise? Another MIBOSO personal branding client, John Allen Mollenhauer, is the founding genius behind MyTrainer.com. His website utilizes all of the latest technical innovations to serve its community of burned out professionals who are fed up with being out of shape, overweight or exhausted. Today John manages a highly skilled team whose competencies his business relies upon to attract and support a diverse global community.
So while management skills are clearly necessary for ambitious managers or employed professionals wanting to progress in their careers, management training is equally important for entrepreneurs and independent professionals wanting to grow their “practice” or consulting business into a larger entity. Actually, it may be even MORE critical for the entrepreneurs to get this training. While the trends today indicate that successful entrepreneurs have a somewhat higher percentage* of college degrees than the general population, a number of VERY successful entrepreneurs** are college or high school drop outs, and in even greater need of management training, on demand…
- Michael Dell dropped-out of college at age 19 to focus his energy on starting PC’s Limited, which later became Dell, Inc.
- Richard Branson dropped out of school at the age of 16 to start his first business venture. He went on to establish the Virgin brand and the 360 companies it owns.
- Bill Gates was a college drop out who started the world’s largest computer software company, Microsoft Corporation
- Debbi Fields started Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chippery as a 20 year old housewife with no business experience
- Steve Jobs attended one semester of college before quitting to work for Atari. He went on to co-found Apple Computers.
- Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Inc. without any formal education or training
*Research Source: “Nascent Entrepreneurs in Canada: An Empirical Study,” a 2002 study found that: Among Canadians “more Nascent [beginning] Entrepreneurs had university education than the general population.”
** Statistics source: college-startup.com
Finding the Best Corporate Training
The first of three initial challenges faced by HR managers tasked with sourcing corporate training for their firms’ employees is the abundance of training formats. Is on-line training better than weekly in-house workshops or would two or three day off-site intensives be more effective?
Every training professional is familiar with the statistics that say less than 20% of what is taught in corporate training sessions is retained. As they want the training to “stick,” the choice of format can be critical.
The second is the huge number of “Corporate Training Firms,” “Corporate Training Programs” and “Corporate Training Experts” that must be assessed when new corporate training needs are identified.
The third challenge is to review the programs that are being provided through existing suppliers to avoid redundancy. It recently came to light that an astounding number of successful, profitable and “lean” organizations are “double dipping” on corporate training. Because the corporate training decision makers are not the same people who set up the organizations employee benefits plan, the professional skills, effective communication and stress management programs that the benefits plan offers are all too often re sourced and duplicated by the corporate training providers.
Corporate training decision makers must consider three more questions that involve the extent to which the training will be outsourced.
- Should you hire a Corporate Training Expert to write custom programs tailored to fit your employees’ unique training needs?
- If your employees’ training needs are not particularly unique, can you buy the required training elements from of an “off the shelf” training program and have them “white labeled” for your organization?
- Would you get more buy in from employees if you choose a “brand name” training program, one that is known for its engaging and effective training techniques? If you choose the branded provider, the premium you pay for the brand could be outweighed by the cost of selecting specific trainings from a less well known training company and skinning them with your organization’s brand and corporate identity elements.
Once you know that the corporate training programs that your employees need…
a) are not available through any other existing channel, and
b) will be most effective if delivered through an external corporate training company that is known and respected by your employees*…you will have significantly narrowed the field of possible 
contenders.
Ask around in your professional network. Find out which corporate training providers are generating the best results for corporations with comparable needs. Wherever your colleague’s feedback aligns with your own research and the results of your employee survey, you have a qualified candidate!
*Conducting a brief employee survey will give you this information. More importantly, it will lay the groundwork for “buy in” when you let your employees know that you are giving them what they asked for!