The Training Myopia
Training activities in organization have become an integral part of its functioning. Companies organize several training programmes for workers, staff and executives. These programmes are organized both in-house and at outdoor locations. Furthermore, with the advent of TQM and ISO 9000, Training has become a very important activity. While the above activities go on in various companies, a hotly debated topic is that of training senior managers.
It is observed that although companies organize training programmes for all levels of employee, their success at the highest level of the organizations is a question mark. General Managers, vice presidents and presidents are not motivated to attend these sessions themselves. This is rather unfortunate because as a result, this creates an impression of double standards in the functioning within the organization i.e. training is only is only for the Juniors and not for the seniors. Senior managers should realize that training is an excellent method of developing the ability to cope with change.
Many managers often opine that whenever required to attend training sessions, their seniors excuse themselves citing work related problems or marketing pressures as reasons. Even if they do attend an in-house training session, they keep receiving calls, papers for approval and message slips and such .The above scenario is indeed very disappointing as leadership by example is not practiced.
From time immemorial, training has been perceived as a corrective activity. An individual is normally sent for training when he is not performing up to the mark or needs to overcome some skill-based deficiency. Thus, the obvious question that arises when an employee is nominated to attend training is why me, why not him. Thus, the nominated employee becomes defensive and indifferent to his training. It is this training myopia that many senior managers suffer from.
Many senior managers those who have risen from the ranks of the organization regard themselves as demigods and think they are indispensable. The indispensability reaches such levels that many believe that the organizations functioning would be hampered by their absence. This is the most common reason they offer for not attending training themselves. But, what they must realize is that an efficient system should work well in their absence not when they are around.
General Electric USA, was one of the best examples of the concept of a learning Organization where every executive has to attend an optimal number of training courses every year. In this context, it is strongly recommended that senior managers attend at least two or three training sessions every year. They could attend such programmes at reputed Institutions like TISS, XLRI, ASCI, MDI or the IIMS.