How Can We Motivate Senior Managers Who Resist Training and Change?

In every industry, there are seniors who have plenty of experience and knowledge but tend to limit their scope of performance with an attitude of "this is okay for this company and salary." Management is concerned about this. Attitude-type programs are of no interest to the organization. All motivation and incentives have failed to inspire them.

Seeking Effective Training Modules for Senior Staff

Is there any other effective module or title that can work here? Many of the participants are senior supervisors and managers. The moment they are called for training, they are reluctant to attend. Any ideas?

Regards,
KS Rao
[Email Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Dear Mr. KS Rao,

What you are talking about happens when management takes a traditional approach rather than a dynamic one.

When an organization decides on the business objectives and, based on those objectives, frames the performance measures, there is no question of salary or company coming into the picture. Secondly, whether employees like training or not, they have to show performance. To perform, they need to acquire a certain skill set. Automatically, they start taking the training programs seriously.

Thirdly, the new management approach is to lay out a career path for every employee and groom them for future positions. If employees are not clear about when they will get promoted or if promotion is solely based on the number of years in the company, then what is the incentive for them to learn?

Fourthly, Mr. Rao, it is the duty of the management to promote a culture of learning or create a learning organization. How many times has their MD or Director attended a whole-day training program? If the answer is no, then what prompts the MD or Director to think that they do not need to acquire any skills?

Nobody is born with skills. Skills need to be acquired, and acquisition comes with practice and, above all, willingness.

Fifthly, has any disciplinary action ever been taken for non-implementation of learning? If not, then why not? Why are employees treated like VIPs?

There are numerous issues, Mr. Rao. The case example you provided belongs to the old school of management. I would say it is a failure of leadership.

Ok...

Dinesh V Divekar

"Limit of your words is the limit of your world"

Dear Dinesh, Thanks for the analytical reply. I fully agree with you. The issue under reference is with a large PSU where nobody cares about anybody. You know, the fundamental issue is they stopped recruitments some 15 years back. It was overcrowded. Secondly, they also did not have promotions in a usual manner. A clerk who joined some 25 years back today retires, maybe as a senior clerk. Therefore, there is widespread indifference and probably negativism in this organization. It is not that they participate in training workshops. They participate for takeaways, for two days' rest in AC halls, and some fun activities.

In fact, the situation is like this. Whatever you teach on creativity, for example, they always complain, "Why, sir, where do you want me to use this creativity?" We have to listen to our boss unquestionably. And if you think from the boss's point of view, they acclaim, "Our stay is only a year or two. We want the systems in their place."

Excepting protocols, nothing will go systematically there. Thanks for your thoughts.

Regards, KS Rao

Dear Mr. Rao, Your query is slightly vague. What are the KRAs of these gentlemen? The unanswered question seems to be that the organization in question has not answered properly. Why have they slowed down? Have you shared any expected improvements with them? Have you talked about new people and new blood? If they are indispensable, again, it is a fault of the organization. If you forward the details, I may be able to handle.

Regards,
Rajendra Chandorkar

Understanding the Role of Training in Organizations

Training, along with various components such as its objectives, design, implementation, review, expected learnings, and takeaways, has always fascinated managers, teachers, and consultants. Training has been promoted as the ultimate magic key for expected results and often promised success. It is said that man is a rational animal, hence can be molded irrespective of his age, education, and, of course, talent or lack of it.

As a trainer, one has to understand the concept of latent potential and its role in the overall training activity. One can rarely afford to be on the side that complains about the quality of the trainees. The trainer should actually thank his stars that the trainees are as they are. He should also know for certain that he is needed only because the trainees are not perfect. The trainer has to accept the trainees on a strict 'as is, where is' basis, as in the case of second-hand cars. When you decide to buy such an item, you intend to improve the same and get a modified version that is useful and more productive in the future.

A variety of training activities are accepted by corporations these days, such as mentoring, soft skills training, technical skills training, job placement and retention, case management, language training, basic needs, etc. The trainer has to find out the efficacy and possible application of each of the above on a case-to-case basis and persevere with the thought-out plans. And then have patience to look forward to the results. If the results are as expected, he should rejoice for a while and then immediately switch to others who need training and help.

In any organization, they always have training in one form or another, which may mean that they have training programs, schedules, papers to prove that some activity was conducted. The trainer, on the other hand, knows exactly what the exact significance of the program conducted is, though he may not publicly accept it, either because of diplomacy or out of fear of getting a dreaded pink slip. What are the parameters of a successful training program is always a matter of many assumptions, false statements just to please the top man.

What to Look For?

1. The first thing that the trainer has to look for is the willingness of a person who is to be trained. The reason is simple as it decides the process, the intensity, and, most importantly, the success rate. The training is as effective as the trainees make it, which makes the active participation of the trainees very important. The PPMA (Physically Present Mentally Absent) variety and its proportion really decide the ultimate success of any training activity. For example, nearly all faculty improvement programs in universities, the bridge programs in management, very rarely have the trainee's mental approval and subsequent effective participation.

2. Secondly, the trainer has to firmly believe that the training is always aimed towards what a person would be able to achieve rather than what he has actually achieved so far. This perspective may decide the direction of the training and its resultant success. Further, the trainer has to paint a picture of possible prosperity for the trainee provided he maintains a focused attitude. The focus has to be on a LASER Beam version to be effective. The training is mainly to teach the trainees about how to maintain the focus and the effort levels until the predetermined objective is achieved.

3. The training activity is about giving the required confidence to a not-so-sure person to perform the desired task at an accepted level. Confidence is a function of practice. The trainer has to design tests that should have gradually increasing difficulty levels. Each level crossed is a minor achievement for the trainee, and he is transferred to a more difficult phase in a smooth way.

4. The trainer has to be ready for the immediate 'what next' question. He also has to keep in mind that the trainees are usually an impatient lot and are rarely inclined to wait once they finish a given task. From the date of induction until the conclusion of the training program, the trainer has to ensure that he is at least one step ahead of the trainees.

5. The trainer has to make a choice right in the beginning. He can be either popular or proper.

What Not to Look For?

The thing that occupies the foremost position in the mind of the trainer is the wishful thinking that he gets good trainees. It is all right till it remains at the level of thinking only. He should remember that the choice is outside the purview of his authority. He should not look for the following aspects:

1. The first thing that the trainer has to overlook is the looks of the trainee. As the looks, whether good or bad, are not the making of the trainee. He has no credit for his good looks nor is he to be blamed otherwise. The trainer has to look for what he, along with the trainee, can achieve with whatever is available.

2. The second thing the trainer should forego is what experience the trainee has. The success of the training process is based on a simple fact that focuses on what can be achieved rather than what the trainee has done so far in his life.

3. The trainer should not focus on the number of attempts a trainee requires to finish a particular assignment but should somehow encourage the trainee to undertake a new one and finish it in less time and attempts.

4. The trainer should never forget that it is the trainee whose performance is ultimately responsible for the success of the trainer and not vice versa.

The training process is a partnership among a trainer, trainees, and an organization, with some written and some unwritten understandings. The unwritten part of the understanding, along with the belief level with which each constituent approaches the training, forms the core of the anticipated success in the future.

The author is a Soft Skills Trainer at the ICFAI National College, Nagpur.

Rajendra Chandorkar

Aabha, 53, Vasant Nagar,

Nagpur: 440022

Cell: [Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Regards,
Training Tenets

Dear Mr. Rao,

Before I suggest something, I would like to know two things about your PSU:
1. In which year was your PSU created?
2. If the PSU was created by the conversion of some Government Department, have all the senior officers been permanently absorbed in your organization, or are there still some officers who are not absorbed and are still on deputation to your organization?

Upon receipt of your clarification, I may be able to help you solve your problem.

PS Dhingra
Vigilance & Transformation Management Consultant
Dhingra Group of Management & Educational Consultants
New Delhi

Dear Dinesh,
Thanks for the analytical reply. I fully agree with you. The issue under reference is with a large PSU where nobody cares for anybody. The fundamental issue is that they stopped recruitments some 15 years back, as it was overcrowded. Additionally, they did not have promotions in the usual manner. For instance, a clerk who joined some 25 years back may retire as a senior clerk. This has led to widespread indifference and probably negativism within this organization. There is a lack of active participation in training workshops; rather, they participate for personal benefits, such as two days of rest in AC halls and some fun activities.

The situation is as follows: whatever is taught, for example, on creativity, they often question its relevance. They believe they have to unquestionably follow their boss's commands. From the boss's perspective, they claim, "Our stay is only a year or two, so why change anything?" Besides following protocols, there is little systematic functioning in place.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Regards,
KS Rao

Training and Performance in the Government Sector

In continuation of the above, I am of the opinion that in the Government sector, by and large, training is conducted just for the sake of it. The focal point of training is PERFORMANCE, which is not a vital or key point for promotion in the Government sector. The Rules and Regulations (R/Rs) are followed for promotion. The appraisal system is subjective. There is a need for heavy reforms to make PERFORMANCE the central point for promotion. Seniority has to be overlooked if a senior is a non-performer. What will the training achieve if both performers and non-performers are evaluated and rewarded in the same manner? Don't forget the old principle... GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT.

Though I am against threatening, I also believe that there has to be some sort of threat perception for the non-performer or, conversely, a reward for the performer.

Regards,
VK Pandey

Hi KSR, your problem is not unique. One or more of the following might be true in your case:

1. Employees have a lot of free time, and by that, I mean they are not busy enough through their work hours (i.e., low productivity).

2. Their interaction with their supervisors is generally limited to leaves, reimbursements, salary issues, if at all, and not about work-related matters.

3. There is either a complete lack or grossly insufficient pride in the work they are delivering.

4. They are not intellectually challenged; they are probably doing the work they have done for many years.

There are a few things you may attempt without specialist help:

1. Supervisors and managers must spend 5-10 minutes every day conducting a meeting to explain the previous day's work and brief them on anything for the day.

2. Anyone who did what was supposed to be done or even extra must be appreciated for their work during this meeting.

3. Set small achievable goals for the day or short term, say 1-2 days.

4. Encourage the employees to come up with ideas to make the office a better place to work.

5. Send out an appreciation note, say once a month, to those who did well.

Please remember that the flavor of all discussions at all times must be positive and encouraging. If any employee has not met expectations, for the time being, they should not be reprimanded. However, they must see that the manager is clearly appreciative of the ones who are doing what was expected.

It is essential that the employees feel a certain sense of pride in their work. Right now, they don't.

There are ways and means to understand how well the managers/supervisors connect with their employees. In a similar situation for a PSU in Bangalore, I had worked alongside an HR firm called AceNgage (HR solutions: Exit Interviews, Surveys, Coaching, R&R programs, & more) who helped understand levels of engagement alongside the improvement initiatives that were rolled out.

Not many changes occur in short periods, but you should certainly see the enthusiasm levels go up and get the feeling that it is a company where employees are happy and proud.

I hope this was helpful.

Best wishes

Dear Mr. Rao, though I belonged to a service steeped in discipline, we too had the odd person who "cocked a snoot" at the establishment. I have read all the comments given by the various viewers/members of this site—my only issue is that either they are using the private organization template or asking for rules to be enforced on personnel who have reached a comfort zone of pay, perks, and esteem in life. There is a famous cliché, 'You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink'; there are situations and people in life that one has to use unconventional methods to tackle. As a trainer, motivator, HR person, let's not have fixed templates but remember that flexibility is the key.

Regards,
Col. Jude Mayne

These kinds of people are usually dead weight and can also hinder the company's growth. You can explore any of the following ways to address this:

1. Let them remain in the organization but do not assign them any work. No promotions, perks, or additional benefits should be given. Instead, hire new employees to replace them. This approach is commonly seen in government companies or large corporations that do not have a policy of firing employees. If your company can afford it, consider sidelining these individuals and moving forward with new, dynamic employees.

2. Transition them to a different role. For instance, if they possess a wealth of knowledge and expertise, consider appointing them as mentors or coaches for junior employees. Ensure that the role is presented as prestigious, making them feel senior and valued. Although they may not directly apply their expertise in their new role, they can pass down their knowledge through coaching.

3. If you aim to leverage their contributions, incorporate training and development into their performance evaluation. Be strategic in ensuring that they are evaluated only on trainings that enhance their skills, rather than allowing them to choose unrelated courses. Following the training, their performance should exhibit marginal to significant improvements. If there is no progress, consider the following options:

- Have them undergo the training again.
- Assign them as trainers for the training.
- Withhold any salary increments for that year.

Regards,
Amrita