You - Out!

Here's another article on "dumb things companies do to really screw up their training efforts" or "DUTHCODO TRESUTTE." The first article, "Why Bother," was posted on January 28, 2009

The management team wasn't happy. It seemed to them that they trained, and trained and trained and never received anything of value in return. The Human Resources manager had worked with me many years before, and asked me to meet with the management team to see what I might do.

The management team expressed frustration and disappointment. Especially in the areas of problem solving, communications and teamwork. No matter how many training programs they went through, teamwork was lacking, communications were deficient, and problems remained unsolved. They suggested that people were working "in silos," concerned with their own problems and issues rather than those of the company at large. The managers asked that I guarantee results if they were to hire me.

"Obviously," I said, "I can't guarantee results. First of all, I'm not picking the participants. Secondly, I don't know the extent of old issues. But most importantly, I have no control over what participants do beyond the classroom." I went on to say "What I can guarantee you is that I will deliver a good program. There's also a very good chance that I can win them over, offset negativity, and get them started toward achieving real results."

A program on team building, interdepartmental communications and problem solving was contracted. The participants were good people, but jaded from prior experience. It took much longer than normal to win them over. But I did it. We got past the venting stage and turned to the improvement phase.

Working in teams, they were developing suggestions on how to the company could improve in the three areas covered by the program. I asked them to be candid, but also to make their suggestions constructive and positive. I told them I would take their suggestions to the management team if they wished, but I hoped they would ultimately feel comfortable presenting the ideas themselves.

They worked on the ideas in small groups first. Each group had a recorder/spokesperson taking notes. We then broke up the small groups so we could work with the ideas as a full group. Just as we were to begin, the closed door to the seminar room opened. Someone who I never met, someone dressed as an executive, looked in and pointed to a person. With a jerk of the thumb, his only words were: "You - Out!"

How very rude. I was momentarily shocked. The room was quiet. Then someone spoke: "See, Dan, see what we've been trying to tell you. See how they treat us."

Trying to make the best of it, I said: "Well, I'm sure there must be a good reason. Let's rise above it and show what we can do. Let's make our suggestions be heard."

The response from another person: "Oh ya, how do we plan to do that? Our recorder was the one called out and he took our team notes with him when he left."

Initiative destroyed, the effort diminished. The Human Resources Manager later told me the teams never presented their ideas to the executives. I suspect at the end the management team thought "See, here's another training failure."


About me: Dan Pelley has conducted a number of successful team-building programs in companies located in New England. One Groton, CT company had an eighteen hour program that produced over $100,000 in tangible demonstrated savings. To learn more about our educational programs, click on this link to Dan Pelley Educational Services.

Copyright © 2009 Daniel W. Pelley
All rights reserved.