FEATURE-Training and Development in Business

By Timothy A. Edward

Everything around us continues to evolve, and businesses are no exception. To embrace the changes and evolving processes, appropriate training is vital. As the business landscape shifts, so must the methods and approaches to training and development.

Evolution of Human Resources

Take, for example, the field of human resources (HR). In its early days, it was known as personnel management. However, to keep pace with the changing nature of business, this crucial arm of business operations continued to evolve. Nowadays, it is popularly known as People and Culture, with synonymous terms such as human capital, people operations, business partner, and talent acquisition.

Transformation of Training and Development

In the same manner, the training arm of HR too has undergone significant transformations over the years. It began as apprenticeship and on-the-job training in the 1800s. Factory schools were later established, followed by the prominence of sales training. In 1910, role-playing techniques became popular, and Frederick Taylor's scientific management introduced systematic and focused training. These developments were followed by trends in individualised instruction, instructional design, informal learning, and blended learning. Today, e-learning and various online platforms are becoming increasingly popular.

Capacity Building: A Priority for Business Leaders

Capacity building is a topic that resonates with many CEOs, Managing Directors, and Entrepreneurs, as they are keen on developing their staff. They understand the secret: effective training is essential for their business to evolve and sustain in this fast-changing world. Developing the capacity of their workforce ensures that their organisation remains competitive and adaptable.

Precise and Competency-Based Training (CBT)

Precise training refers to targeted instructions aimed at developing specific skills or knowledge. Competency-Based Training (CBT), on the other hand, is a structured approach to training that focuses on the specific competencies required for successful performance in a given role. CBT helps staff acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to perform tasks to a defined standard under certain conditions. Both the trainers and trainees clearly understand the expected outcomes of the training.

Rise of Reverse Mentoring

For succession planning and capacity building, diverse training methods are crucial. For example, Reverse Training, also known as Reverse Mentoring, is gaining popularity. This approach sets the traditional mentoring style on its head, with younger employees sharing their expertise in areas such as digital learning with more experienced and senior employees. Reverse mentoring promotes a two-way exchange of knowledge, skills, and perspectives. It enhances simultaneously cross-generational understanding, skill, and knowledge transfer, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, leadership development, and employee retention and recruitment.

Leadership Pipeline Model

The Leadership Pipeline Model, developed by Stephen Drotter, James Noel, and Ram Charan, helps organisations build, develop, and maintain a robust pipeline of talent in the ever-changing organisational landscape. This model identifies six stages leaders typically experience as they advance in their roles, from managing self to managing others, managing others to managing managers, and managing managers to managing functions and eventually the entire business. Each transition requires business leaders to adjust, manage, and allocate their time effectively. It also necessitates learning different skill sets and developing new competencies. For example, transitioning from managing self to managing others and other stages require developing delegation and team leadership skills, as well as strategic planning and oversight competencies.

Essential Components of Leadership Training

Today, there are numerous leadership training programmes available for businesses, many of which are highly effective. However, any good leadership training course should cover the following essential components: self-awareness, learning from past experiences as a business leader, developing leadership disposition, maintaining the motivation to lead despite setbacks and failures, and sharpening logic and reasoning. While the list is extensive, these areas are fundamental. After all, leadership and staff training, along with succession planning, are about managing risk within organisations and ensuring continuity and sustainability.

As businesses continue to evolve, so must their training and development practices. By embracing change and adopting effective training methods such as precise training, Competency-Based Training (CBT), and reverse mentoring, organisations can build a robust pipeline of talent. The Leadership Pipeline Model provides a structured approach to developing leaders at various stages, while comprehensive leadership training programmes ensure that leaders are well-equipped to navigate the challenges of the modern business world. So, in a practical sense, effective training and development are essential for business sustainability, growth, and long-term success.