Results focused collaboration

We work closely with you to determine whether our current offerings or selected customized services may be the best approach to achieve your desired objectives.

Our clients tell us they appreciate the Initial Conference telephone discussion, where we all work together to scope actual needs before determining what, if any, educational or other solutions to consider.
You may use the Contact Us form, email or telephone to schedule a no-obligation conference call to explore:

Initial Conference(s)...

Pre-assessment:

• We discuss the current status of “consultative” experience, participant and internal/external client perceptions, opportunities for improvement to your value-proposition.
  
• We strive to agree on key elements of the team transformation process and desired outcomes.
  

Education:

• We believe that training is only one of many possible problem solving approaches, yet most people find some form of education to be helpful.
  
• We explore which of various educational options might best map to your realistic learning outcomes.
  
• We strive to agree on a collaborative strategy and resource allocations.
  

Follow-up reinforcement:

• Experience has shown that one-time exposure to any learning is unlikely to produce desired lasting change.
  
• We explore whether some follow-on options may help achieve your desired outcomes within available resources.
  

Customized options you might consider include:

Executive Consulting:

• Might senior leadership’s role in framing, deploying, and reinforcing consultative skills in internal teams need attention?
  
• Consider using a retainer for a series of personalized and confidential on-site, telephone, or email consulting sessions.
  
• Explore where sensitive situations or issues may benefit from our mature, neutral input.
  
• If needed, temporarily tap into our extensive experience for key roles, particularly if making immediate commitments to longer term staffing and overhead are best deferred.
  

Instructional Design:

• All of our customized education is built on sound instructional design methodology.
  
• We have found individual and group participation and applied practice in “asking” insightful questions drives retained learning better than merely a “telling” mode that others may employ.
  
• Let’s determine together whether your paying for a supplemental detailed design proposal may be optional for your internal approval process. You save if it is not needed, such as when the funding decision makers are already involved.
  

Content Development:

• Participants praise how our content involves participatory activities that tie into learning outcomes.
  
• We strive to model consultative “asking” behaviors that demonstrate effective skills and help participants build competence and confidence.
  
• Let’s determine together whether your paying for any supplemental development reports and/or pilot testing may be optional for stakeholder buy-in. You save if it is not needed, such as when stakeholders whose support you need now and in the future are adequately committed.
  

Case Studies/Practical Scenarios:

• We create realistic scenarios drawn from subject matter experts and our experience, to enhance the learning transfer from theory to practical, immediately relevant, on-the-job application.
  
• As appropriate, an intensive case study may be creatively developed to provide a constant thread to apply cumulative learning for deeper “ah-hahs” and more lasting impact.
  
• Clients and participants routinely compliment us on how our case studies and scenarios are realistic and creatively challenging to all levels of work experience, yet we keep ones custom made to specifically named clients confidential.
  

Training Initiatives:

• Our private audience education sessions are custom-tailored, in writing or orally, to enhance team transformational skill needs.
  
• The highly participatory discussions and relevant case study exercises we typically use provide new role orientation and safe skills practice opportunities.
  
• Many clients find some of our Standardized Initiatives suitable as they can be a cost-effective alternative to totally customized training.
  

e-Learning:

• Many have found that e-learning intended for accelerated pre-learning is useful only if the audience has shown the personal discipline to complete it on schedule. Allowing those who have not completed any pre-work to then participate in class activities tends to dichotomize the group, defeating the intended pre e-learning benefit.
  
• Some e-learning for selected post-learning reinforcement can be successful, particularly if immediate 24/7 access would be helpful for ongoing job performance.
  
• We have experience designing and writing effective e-learning and have access to programming expertise when needed.
  

On-Going Reinforcement:

• We suggest you allow adequate interim time to elapse for real-world application of learning before applying reinforcement initiatives.
  
• You may want to consider some or all of:
  
  • Video practice with constructive critique
    
  • Video/Teleconference updates and problem solving sessions
    
  • Colloquiums on advanced topics such as Intervention Styles, Everything DiSC® (© Wiley Workplace Learning Solutions) skills, Leadership in any role, Stakeholder Mapping techniques, etc.
    
  • Online collaboratories/forums for sharing project/engagement progress, delving into selected content, identifying additional needs, etc.
    
  • Private email/telephone coaching as needed
    

Our Custom Services:

Executive Consulting
Instructional Design
Content Development
Case Studies/Practical Scenarios
Training Initiatives
e-Learning
On-Going Reinforcement


Typical transformation goals may include moving:
 

From	To
Perceived as tactical, “go-fer”, functional implementation of known tasks, processes	Perceived as strategic, source of insights for improved results, innovator of process improvement
Invited or “sent to do the work” to do the research, or prepare a solution deliverable	Invited or “sought out for determining the work” early on to contribute to problem definition, assess and configure the most advantageous research, or design solution approach and deliverables
Low impact advice	Actionable, valued recommendationss
Too many, or overly complex solutions	Focused solution
Loose or poorly defined scope, overloaded projects, resources constrained	Clearly defined scope, and tactful project triage process
Complex, cumbersome reports and charts	Synthesized, persuasive, concise reports and charts
Serving single stakeholder, possibilities of political resistance	Managing complex stakeholder projects, strategies for maximizing support
Responsive role	Proactive, persuasive role