Companies spend a lot of money and put in a lot of effort to rectify areas where they are not that good by either recruiting or providing corporate training sessions to their existing personnel. Instead, if companies could focus some part of this time on further leveraging their existing innate strengths, the results may actually prove to be better. This is particularly true for companies that are utilizing the concept of design thinking, as a lot of this aesthetic sense derives from inbuilt competencies. First of all, companies must be honest enough to acknowledge their weaknesses. But after this, it becomes equally crucial to understand the true strengths which may be leveraged. Problem identification is key here. While others may have certain diagnosis, one needs to find the real reason for whichever shortfall the firm is experiencing. Whatever strengths one has, those need to be accentuated to make up for the flaws.

Source:https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Design-for-Your-Strengths?gko=d8b8d

Uploaded Date:26 August 2019

In today’s digital age, a one-time degree is not sufficient. Instead leaders need to constantly learn new tricks and hone new skills to remain competitive. A questionnaire has been designed to gauge the learning ability of professionals. The questionnaire poses several questions such as taking time to reflect on past successes or failures, apply the lessons of failure to future work and whether learning takes place from others in the team. It also speaks of among other matter corporate training especially on compliance matters, and the seriousness by which this is undertaken. The questionnaire also indirectly urges the participants to take up challenging assignments and not to shirk away from risks or stretches.

Source:https://www.strategy-business.com/feature/Are-You-Increasing-Your-Learning-Agility-Or-Are-You-Missing-Out?gko=bf2b3

Uploaded Date:21 August 2019

Unfortunately for professionals, several instances have been noted when their employers, do not seem to care for their career development. Such companies do not conduct adequate or appropriate corporate training workshops. At such situations, the employees will themselves need to assert complete control. The first thing they can do is understand what parameters are they being judged upon. This will help them focus their developmental activities on those areas specifically. One also needs to identify his/ her blind spots. These need to be resolved quick. Whatever one learns, one needs to chronicle them, to maintain records, else may forget later on. The professionals will somehow need to work on increasing their visibility with the top management and the C- Suite of the company. Any one area needs to be adopted, where one has to work towards expertise. One must select an area where much focus is expected to be put on in the near future. Even if not directly provided by the organization, employees need to be vigilant to take in mentoring and counselling regarding their work and progress. Peers could be one way to find out from.

Source:https://hbr.org/2018/01/6-ways-to-take-control-of-your-career-development-if-your-company-doesnt-care-about-it?utm_campaign=hbr&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

Uploaded Date:21 August 2019

Increasingly, in the business world, we are witnessing the trend of distressed employees. A study compiled puts down a figure of US$ 210 billion that was spent on medical bills, costing American business that much amount each year. More than employees with chronic physical ailments, it is those that are suffering from depression, who are five times more likely to cause work- related under- productivity. An article in the International Journal of Human Resource Management delves in to details on this. One area by which these people can be helped, is through building resilience in them. Thus, specific corporate training workshops need to be arranged towards resilience. A number of stress- suffering workers, seek help through online tools, not always with great success.

Source:https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/distressed-employees-try-resilience-training?cid=spmailing-28284211-WK%20Newsletter%2007-31-2019%20(1)-July%2031,%202019

Uploaded Date:13 August 2019

Though the extent is difficult to discern, it is now well established that the future of work is uncertain. All of us will sooner rather than later need to re- skill or up- skill, perhaps both. The newer suites of technology will have an impact on the nature of perhaps every job imaginable. The newer corporate training workshops are being designed in such a way, that both up- skilling, as well as re- skilling can take place. One company that has deployed re- skilling in a big way is Microsoft. Due to the use of cloud technology, the creation of several new data centres has been necessitated. These have been in far- off places such as in Des Moines in Iowa, Boydton in Virginia and in Dublin, capital of Ireland. The staff at these places have required fresh training. Technology learning group Mursion has been amongst the quickest to go for up- skilling.

Source:https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/new-frontiers-in-re-skilling-and-upskilling/

Uploaded Date:29 July 2019

Leadership development is one of the top concern areas for companies across the world. A study conducted by the Corporate Executive Board (CEB), confirms that about two- thirds of all companies invest in such management training exercises, to identify the potential next gen leaders in the team. In spite of these efforts made, less than a fourth of all executives consider them of any importance. Nearly a third of all CEOs are in fact, hired externally, thus displaying the lowered confidence that companies have on their own leadership development programmes. The problem is less to do with any lack of internal talent. Instead, the problem lies in several other factors, such as a mismatch in the motivation levels. Companies also face gaps in identification of some other predictors such as engagement, determination, curiosity and insights. Marketing research firm Gallup confirms in its study, that more than half of the managers surveyed in the USA, felt disconnect with their jobs. Companies, in order to make their internal leadership development more worthwhile, need to start by determining the competencies needed for the top positions. One needs to also holistically asses the aspiring managers’ potentials. A growth map needs to be curated for them. Promotions and job rotations are good ways to assess them. A few factors have been identified in this study that these potential leadership candidates need to possess at least to some extent. These are a results- driven orientation, good at developing organizational capabilities, strategic approach, collaborative at work, influential, adept at change management, inclusiveness and a thorough market understanding.

Source:https://hbr.org/2017/11/turning-potential-into-success-the-missing-link-in-leadership-development

Uploaded Date:23 July 2019

There are several studies now on which prove that human beings ought to be extremely worried about the future of their jobs, thanks to the proliferation of automation. This school of thought urges people to master as many skills as possible. But this is not sustainable as the number of skills is vast, so not possible for any one person to embrace. Besides, due to the constant churn in technology, new skills learnt may also not last long, in terms of market appeal. One thing that all of us can counter this trend by is empathy. This is a skill unique to humans. That is why several companies are using empathy as one of the key tenets in their corporate training and employee development sessions. US chain Walgreens is one such to have started empathy training alongside emotional and social intelligence programmes.

Source:https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/leisure-is-our-killer-app/

Uploaded Date:08 June 2019