Turning Overwhelm and Fragmentation into Focused Success

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By Mark Samuel

Why is it that most people don’t like change, but do like to make a difference (in their job) that is valued and respected by others? Why is it that organizations are questioning the work ethic of younger employees, while many employees are putting more effort and time into their jobs than ever before? Why is it that many people are bored or tired with the monotonous routine of their jobs or problems on the job, even though they are constantly faced with change? Why do organizations spend considerable time developing clear vision statements and strategies, yet have no sense of purpose or a way to identify accomplishments from the previous change effort before embarking on the next flavor- of-the-month change? Read more

Starting the New Year with Gratitude

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For more than a year now, people in all levels of the organization have been involved in continuous change efforts. Many have been concerned with losing their jobs or changing positions in the organization. Others have been working hard to keep up with increasing demands while their resources have been cut. In other words, people are tired of pushing.

While we can’t stop the fast pace and changing environment and still stay competitive, we can acknowledge people for their effort, courage and dedication Read more

Transformation

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By Mark Samuel

Since Accountability-Based Training is still a relatively new concept within the organizational Training and Development community, we thought that it would be helpful to clarify its purpose, characteristics and application.

It is important to note that Accountability-Based training is not intended to replace traditional skill-building, which is used for the enhancement of skills to improve one’s effectiveness on the job. This is still necessary and very valuable. In fact, participants do develop skills during this implementation approach.

There are two purposes that are interconnected for the use of Accountability-Based consulting and training. First, is the application for each individual. Read more

Culture Change… A Soft Issue?

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By Mark Samuel

The biggest mistake made by organizations as they restructure is thinking that by restructuring they will create a new organizational culture. This is especially true when organizations move from a functional organization to a business unit structure. Some will support this illusion of a new culture by providing she people affected by the change with awareness and skill-building training. Sometimes, the processes involved in the change will give the appearance of a new culture, but this hardly the case.

What is the culture? Read more

Designing Accountability-Based Trainings

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By Mark Samuel

Skill-building training programs are developed by identifying the objectives and skills required to satisfy a need, which may come from a needs assessment. Then, the designer of the program will identify the tools and awareness activities that will assist the person in developing competence in using the skills. Finally, concepts and information are added to the materials to provide participants an opportunity to gain more cognitive information about the subject matter.

In Accountability-Based Training, however, a different approach is used, since the training is geared for accomplishing business results while learning skills. In addition, traditional exercises based on behavioral modeling, role-playing or case studies are not used, since all activities deal with actual work-related issues. Thus, the process of designing an Accountability-Based Training differs significantly from traditional approaches. Read more

Recovery Strategies: Key to Successful Projects

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By Mark Samuel

As the leader of IMPAQ, I am familiar with the feeling of angst in the pit of my stomach when I discover a mistake in our program materials, or a potential client doesn’t receive a proposal that I had prepared. Of course, I want everything to be perfect – no mistakes, no problems, no mishaps and most importantly, no surprises!

Understanding that mistakes are bound to occur as part of human nature, my next concern is that our team doesn’t become paralyzed by those mistakes. Have you ever seen a person or team stop their progress on a project, because of meeting an unsuspecting snag or problem? Read more

Enhancing Organizational Spirit

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By Mark Samuel

When was the last time that you donated your time and energy to assist someone else? Maybe it was to help a child with their homework, or to help someone get to their destination when they were lost, or maybe you volunteered your time to assist the work of a non-profit organization. Do you remember how you felt? Last month, a gentleman sitting next to me on an airplane lent me $100 when he heard that I forgot my wallet. His unselfish act of kindness inspired me deeply and reaffirmed my faith in humanity.

Spirit is built when people participate together in an activity that helps other people. During the holiday season, many organizations conduct special campaigns to raise money or food for people less fortunate so they can enjoy a nice Christmas. Read more