I often hear from clients how excited they are when they leave our classes; however, the challenge is getting the commitment and buy-in from management to implement the new tools that have been gained. The good news is that I also hear from clients who have been successful in getting management on-board.
In a recent class, a participant who has received Langevin certification attributed the success of her training department to the actual application of the strategies and best practices gained from attending our courses. Now I know this is beginning to sound like an advertisement. In fact anyone in the class might have thought she was a plant for Langevin, but her story validated the practical use of our strategies when applied. I was so inspired by her experience I decided to share it with all of you in this blog.
She described a training department that was once looked upon as ineffective, invisible and irrelevant that is now seen as valued, visible, and effective. How did this happen? It was a process that required strategy, patience, and a lot of hard work and commitment.
She started small and slow. Often times participants are excited by the incredible amount of knowledge and skills they walk away with and immediately want to make changes. Change is good and yet it can be difficult for most people to accept right away. Remember the people from whom we need buy-in were not at the course and may not be as excited; therefore, it is important to be strategic when planning to implement change in the workplace. The following are 5 actions that were taken by the participant to slowly implement change in her company:
- After each course she took with Langevin, she scheduled a debrief with her supervisor and shared action items from her action plan. From this plan they prioritized the action items and developed a timeline for implementation.
- She offered to give a teach-back to others in the department and elicit key supporters.
- After receiving positive feedback from the teach-back they were able to develop a comprehensive training plan.
- Key persons from the training department were then invited to participate in the company meeting for strategic planning.
- Short- and long-term goals were identified to align the training department objectives with the organizational objectives.
This simple, five-step process transformed the image of the training department in her company; however, she also shared that this change occurred over a three- to four-year period, and that it wasn’t easy. There was push back, naysayers, and a lot of resistance to change but she, along with supporters, didn’t give up. All of the actions taken are covered in more detail in many of our courses. The good news is that it is now a standard and company policy that the training department is actively involved in all strategic and operational planning.
They now have policies for conducting training needs analysis on the front end and conducting the four levels of evaluation on the back end.
I must admit that her testimony truly validated the work that we do at Langevin and what we teach. I also believe it inspired the other participants in the class to become more proactive and less reactive.
I often end my classes with a quote: “You now have the tools, but they’re not going to jump up and use themselves, you have to dig into the bag and use them.” What tools have helped you become a change agent in your organization as a result of our courses? Good news stories are welcomed, so please share!
Linda
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