Delivering behavioural change: an in-depth exploration
The imperative of change in organisations
In an ever-evolving organisational landscape, the imperative for change is increasingly recognised as a critical component of growth and improvement. This extensive article delves into the nuances of process and behavioural change, drawing from a wealth of practical experience and theoretical understanding. We embark on a journey to unravel the complexities of effecting meaningful and lasting change within organisations.
A cornerstone of organisational growth
In the context of organisational growth, people development is a crucial pillar. Insights from a recent keynote discussion with Liz Vosper from Open University, and Paul Bentley from Loop, highlight six key methods of people development: Mentoring, Training, Coaching, Teaching, Feedback, and Consulting. These methods are vital in creating a well-rounded developmental framework, ensuring continuous learning and adaptation.
Guiding with experience: Mentoring involves experienced professionals guiding less experienced team members. It facilitates knowledge transfer and supports career development, fostering a supportive workplace culture. Mentors provide insights into both technical skills and workplace dynamics.
Building skills and knowledge: Training focusses on developing specific skills and knowledge. It’s a structured process, often with a defined curriculum, aimed at enhancing employee capabilities. This can range from traditional classroom sessions to interactive e-learning modules.
Unlocking potential: Coaching is a personalised development tool. It helps individuals identify their strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and develop strategies for achieving them. Coaches use probing questions and challenges to unlock potential and improve performance.
Educating for growth: Teaching involves imparting knowledge or skills through a formal approach. It provides foundational principles and theories essential for understanding roles and responsibilities within an organisation.
The mirror of performance: Feedback is crucial for development. It involves providing constructive criticism and positive reinforcement, enabling individuals to understand their performance and areas for improvement. Effective feedback is timely, specific, and actionable.
Expert advice for specific challenges: Consulting brings external expertise to address specific organisational challenges. Consultants assess situations and provide recommendations based on best practices and industry knowledge, useful for complex or specialised problems.
These six methods form the backbone of effective people development strategies, driving overall organisational excellence in a competitive business environment, they can be utilised at specific points in a development journey to support behavioural change within individuals or teams. This toolkit of options means you can find the right mix of methods that will get the best out of people as they develop their careers within the operation, and can underpin people change and improvement.
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This article was first published in the 2024 Best Practice Guide - Shaping the Future
To download a full digital copy of the Best Practice Guide, click here.