Holistic Program for the Ongoing Formation of People - Essay Example

A Holistic Program for the ongoing formation of People Name Course Name and Code Instructor’s Name Date Employee development efforts have traditionally focused on serving aspects of an employee’s knowledge, skills and attitudes, which directly impact on the technical performance of such an employee. However, despite the fact that there has been success in the application of such an approach in improving general performance, the success that has been experienced has been incremental and unsustainable. In worst scenarios, organizations may lose their workers who have attended expensive development programs to their bitter competitors. There is therefore need for organizations to develop and adopt employee development approaches in order to attain sustainable and significant improvement to their employees’ performance. Good holistic programs for the ongoing formation of people should be one, which adopts a holistic perspective when developing the domains of different people within an organization (Werner & De Simone, 2008). The Model/Mission Culture domain should be adopted in which the development mechanisms should be sought in order to develop the individual’s ability to believe, reflect and practically align or implement the corporate philosophy and the associated topics. The aim of a holistic program should be to not only communicate the organizations values and missions superficially but also to ensure that the workers practically reflect their comprehension of such issues in both their work activities and general life domains (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). There is need for employees in an organization to become aligned to the company’s mission upon being introduced to it and fully comprehend the practical implications that such a mission may have on their influences, attitudes values and other domains. Personal development is another domain that should be comprised in a holistic program for an ongoing formation of people (Werner & De Simone, 2008). Through this domain, the development mechanisms give support to a person’s opportunities and challenges with realms, which may include their physical needs, spiritual beliefs, community engagement and family support. It is through this domain that employees should be made to understand that their involvement in the organization is not just a work relationship but instead, it is a life relationship in which Learning organizations refers to organizations in which individuals continually expand their capacity in order to create results that they really desire to achieve and where new and expansive thinking patterns are nurtured and where there is setting free of collective aspirations and where individuals are continually learning together to see the whole (Werner & De Simone, 2008). Coaching should be done in order to place focus and enhance behaviours, competencies, perspectives, attitudes or strategies that translate into organizational outcomes and effective job performance (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). The most important aspect in coaching programs is the relationship that exists between the coach and the client, which is marked by various characteristics like for instance, rapport, collaboration, commitment, confidentiality and trust (Heckhausen, 2000). For any ongoing formation of people, mentoring is a very important aspect because it creates longer-term relationships between individuals, establishes a common interest, mutual respect and an interest or desire of growing professionally. Mentoring also ensures that there is growth of both parties and there is always a common belief that the mentee is capable of both learning and growing and that the values and beliefs of both parties are shared. It should be realized that mentors in any given organization are role models who have positive attitudes regarding their profession and are always willing to work with other people. A mentor in an organization is an individual who comprehends that there are various right ways of performing a task and that mentees will develop their own styles based on the specific knowledge that is provided to them by the mentor. Appreciative inquiry comprises of asking questions, which strengthen the capacity of a system to anticipate, apprehend and increase positive potential (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). Appreciative Inquiry refers to a method, which involves the studying and altering of social systems like groups, communities and organizations (Werner & De Simone, 2008). These social systems advocate for collective inquiry into what is best so as to imagine what it could be and eventually followed by a collective design of a future that is desired, compelling and which do not need the use of coercion, persuasion or incentives for planned alteration or change to happen. A good holistic program for any organization should be one that should be aware of other people’s situations and sensitive to other inner experiences (Kumar, 2003). In addition, a good holistic program in an organization should be one that is committed towards tasks, gets members to have a regular time together and should have a common purpose (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). The holistic program should establish rapport in relationships by establishing trust between people, supporting colleagues and be capable of taking risks, personal responsibility and work towards the next step. A good holistic program for an ongoing formation of people should have peer development strategies (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). It is evident in all parts of the world that when teachers or tutors work collectively on problems regarding practice, then the needs of such students can better be met. Communities of practice are normally known to go beyond the usual team or group assignments (Moore, 2007). The only difference lies in the fact that communities of practice do not place focus on the production of a product through an efficient way (Werner & De Simone, 2008). Instead, they (communities of practice) place emphasis on the process of building and learning the knowledge of all the concerned members both at community and individual levels. Characteristics of Communities of Practice Communities of practice are marked by various characteristics like for instance, they are self-governing and self-forming. Members of the communities of practice share a common passion or interest for a specific topic and they are at most times involved in the establishment of new knowledge within their members (Werner & De Simone, 2008). Learning in communities of practice happens in real times contexts and the communities of practice are bound to happen in any given area of a person’s life (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). The development of shared identity and meaning is well facilitated through communities of practice in which learning among the members happens in a real time perspective (Wigfield & Eccles, 2002). The search for best individuals in an organization and the world around them actually involves a systematic discovery of what presents life to a living thing when it is most effective, most alive and most constructive. Appreciative Inquiry A good appreciative inquiry should involve a practice in which questions are asked with a view of enhancing the capacity of the system to anticipate, apprehend and increase positive potential (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). Appreciative inquiry in any given organization has four major stages, which include discovery in which the whole system inquiry is mobilized to realize a positive change (Wigfield & Eccles, 2002). Others are dream in which a clear and result-oriented vision is created in relation to questions of higher purpose and in relation to the potential that has been discovered like for instance “…what is the world calling us to become?...”. Design is the third stage in Appreciative Inquiry and it involves creation of possibility propositions regarding the ideal organization (Dweck, 2000). Destiny is the fourth stage in appreciative inquiry and it involves the strengthening of affirmative capability of the entire system so as to enable it establish momentum and hope around a higher purpose and establishment of processes aimed at improvisation, learning and adjustment (Werner & De Simone, 2008). Performance Development A good holistic program should ensure that there is both growth and progress of people in an organization (Barton & Tusting, 2005). This can be well achieved through strategic processes with an aim developing individual capabilities, which will benefit both the employees and the organization in general (Werner & De Simone, 2008). The major focus should therefore be placed on performance development, which is meant at reaching agreements, reviewing of progress and recognition of development, clarification of work focus and expectations and lastly performing of ongoing support in feedback and coaching (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). Training development programmes should also aim at provision of assistance in the implementation of the organization’s strategic plan, promotion of organizational development through increasing the capabilities of employees and tailoring the needs of the organization (Wigfield & Eccles, 2002). Identification of training needs A good holistic program aimed at the ongoing formation of people should gather information regarding the current performance or the results and the performance of the desired results (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). Training needs of a holistic program can be ascertained through using various ways like for instance through observation, group meetings, analysis of quality measures and reports, using completed checklists and questionnaires, comparison of expected and real performance and analysis of performance appraisals, business plans and exit interviews (Werner & De Simone, 2008). Implementation of the training plan can be achieved through using classroom training, coaching and on the job training within an organization. There are three types o structured training namely off the job training, self paced training and mentoring. Off the job training has various training techniques like for instance role-plays, simulations, role plays, action learning, case studies and games and learning experiences (Blackmore, 2010). Evaluation of holistic programs within an organization should be done by measuring of the effectiveness of the training programmes and this can be done through feedback from managers, collection of evaluation training and programs, achieving of results and feedback from the managers (Barton & Tusting, 2005). The development of holistic programs in an organization should be based on what is most effective for the employees and the kind of leadership that one aspires to posses (Werner & De Simone, 2008). Self directed learning Self-directed learning happens when learners make up their own application and meaning regarding new knowledge. Situated learning is aimed at stressing the importance of including learning in the social context in which the knowledge will be applied (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). In self-directed learning, the learners build their own knowledge on self-directed and collaborative levels by using experience (Barton & Tusting, 2005). In self-directed learning, learners are required to assess their own training needs and ascertain the best means through which to acquire the needed skills and knowledge and evaluate (Wigfield & Eccles, 2002). Principles of adult learning-Lindeman According to Lindeman’s adult learning principles, they are divided into four namely motivation, orientation to learn, self direction, experiential base and orientation to learn (Kimble, Hildreth & Bourdon, 2008). Motivation as a principle implies that adult individuals experience interests and needs, which can truly be satisfied through learning thus making them to become motivated to learn (Werner & De Simone, 2008). Orientation to learn, on the other side refers to the fact that adults must have a life centric orientation towards learning. Experiential base implies that the richest source of knowledge for adult learning is from experience. Lastly, self direction as principle refers to the fact that adult people need to be self directed in order to achieve the desired objectives (Wigfield & Eccles, 2002). Generally, organizations develop because of contribution of employees who employ different strategies to ensure the goals and aims of an organization are achieved. The organization in itself also contributes towards the development of an individual through employing strategies such as human development programs. Encouraging a learning organization ensure the employees develop holistically and ensuring the organization achieves predetermined goals. In addition, the learning organization and different types of organizations should understand there are numerous means in which the employees can be developed but it is important to understand the requirements of the development to optimize the capability and capacity of the employees. For example, employees are motivated by different factors such as one employee may appreciate financial support while others may appreciate frequent off work periods. References Barton, D., & Tusting, K. (2005). Beyond communities of practice: Language power and social context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Blackmore, C. (2010). Social learning systems and communities of practice. London: Springer Publishers Dweck, C. (2000). Self-theories: Their role in motivation, personality, and development. London: Psychology Press Heckhausen, J. (2000). Motivational psychology of human development: Developing motivation and motivating development. London: Elsevier Kimble, C., Hildreth, P., & Bourdon, I. (2008). Communities of practice: Creating learning environments for educators, Volume 2. New York: IAP Kumar, S. (2003). Entrepreneurship development. London: New Age International Moore, T. (2007). Virtual team member motivation in new product development: An investigation into the influence of leadership behaviors. Capella: Capella University Press Werner, J., & De Simone, R. (2008). Human resource development. London: Cengage Learning Wigfield, A., & Eccles, J. (2002). Development of achievement motivation. London: Academic Press Read More