SessId009

name: People Development: Everybody's Role

We believe it's everybody�s role to find ways to help employees develop themselves, including the employee and the manager. What are some ways to do this?

We'll start with a discussion of ideas and experiences shared by participants. The discussion will cover various ways people can develop themselves through new experiences; how to work with your manager or employee to find an appropriate stretch role; typical obstacles that we all throw in the way of our development; organizational roadblocks, and the key to our own development, confidence-building.

We�ll also walk through the process of building a real development plan�yours or one you want to suggest for an employee. You�ll get a template with suggested alternatives that you can use to create your plan, and that you can take with you and reuse as you see fit. You�ll get a chance to get some real coaching on how to ask for help, how to build your plan, and ways you may not have thought of to get the learning opportunities you want.

[We've changed the title, because we found some people who thought this was not something we could leave to managers. Your development is too important to leave to somebody else, though you may want to have some help. - JerryWeinberg]

designers: Marie Benesh, Jerry Weinberg

max number of participants: no upper limit except room size

min number of participants: 15

optimum number: 25

duration of session: 3 hours

configuration of room: flexible, chairs only

We believe it's the role of the manager to take the lead in helping employees develop themselves. And the role of the employees to take the lead in their own personal development. What are some ways to do this? Does spending money on training work?

We'll start with a collection of ideas and experiences shared by participants. We'll then practice creating a development plan; various ways people can be developed through giving them new experiences; the stretch role; typical obstacles that people throw in the way of their development; organizational roadblocks, and any other topic that participants bring. We'll conclude by analyzing the risks and blockages of each development plan and confronting them in simulations, using a coach where needed.

I'd like to know how managers feel about the idea of being responsible for helping someone else develop themselves. Is this what you think of when you think of a "manager"?--MarieBenesh

I believe that this role may be the most important role of the manager, but because it is not product oriented or technical it gets very little attention. Most companies have succession plans, and people development is a key factor in those plans. I especially see the need for technical people to grasp the business issues of a project or product, and practice the project management skills needed to bring the product to market successfully.

To do this I see the need for the people I work with to "get a feel for it". Not unlike trying to teach a young boy how to swing a baseball bat. At the beginning, you have to stand behind him and swing with him just so that he can feel what it is like. Project management and profit analysis are not all that different for someone technical who has never led a project... BruceBakken

I agree with Bruce, and it's our intention in this session to have people "get the feel for" several aspects of the role of people development - researching possibilities, making plans, coaching, reviewing the plans from several points of view - such as budget and risk. - JerryWeinberg

Bruce, I couldn't agree with you more. And since it's not often done because it may not be highly valued, we thought we'd broaden the topic to include how you can work toward your own development plan. It would be great to share ideas about how others have gotten their managers to particpate and help them when it wasn't part of "the program".---Marie

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Updated: Thursday, September 14, 2000