The Human Factor specializes in providing a comprehensive and sustainable approach where real learning and behavior change is achieved. We know that excellence happens in context™ - employees do well when they participate in determining their future and have the right tools to get the right job done.

 

Our role is to support you in creating a context (including individual behaviors, processes, skills & tools) that supports and encourages the type of results critical for your success. We work to enable you to continue long after we are gone, creating competence and self-reliance in the organization. We provide engaging and interesting learning in the moment, tools to apply on the job, exercises to stimulate interest, and follow up as appropriate to embed the desired behaviors.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Taking the "and then a miracle happens" out of the process
A 3 hour overview of strategic and operational planning including models, worksheets, questions, tips and templates
  • Conducting research & exploration
  • Establishing a mission, vision, stakeholder value propositions, and guiding principles
  • Determining annual destination points
  • Building appropriate business models to support getting there
  • Creating operational plans (actions & resources required by quarter)
  • Coordinating supporting budgets
  • Linking to team and individual accountabilities
  • Cascading communications to align the organization

WHO AM I & WHO THE HECK ARE YOU?

A 3 hour, upbeat and interactive look at decision making, data gathering, communication, organization and living style utilizing the Myers-Briggs Temperament Sorter and Ladder of Inference
  • Participants build self awareness of their preferences as well as an appreciation for why some people drive them crazy and what do about it
  • Participants also learn how adults make decisions and get to actions as well as how to make better decisions
  • Participants walk away with useable tools and tips for increasing professional effectiveness

The session includes a self assessment, debriefs, exercises and take away tools as well as a follow-up email series to embed the learning and develop desired behaviors

The session is a very effective starting point for any team or organization as it provides a common language and understanding for dealing with typical but challenging workplace circumstances

COMMUNICATIONS:
PRODUCTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

(can be delivered in a series of three 1 hour lunch & learn sessions)
3 hours of exploring business communication including what works and why in today's business environment
  • Participants review types of communications in the workplace today and determine when and where each might be appropriate
  • Participants learn how to effectively compose emails, memos and executive summaries for a variety of situations
  • Participants utilize their learning from 'Who Am I...' to build deeper competency in audience awareness and communication adaptation
  • Participants develop abilities to present concise messages utilizing various communication vehicles as well as communications planning processes

The session includes a self assessment, practice exercises and take away tools to embed the learning and develop desired behaviors

COMMUNICATIONS:
UNDERSTAND & BE UNDERSTOOD

(can be delivered in a series of three 1 hour lunch & learn sessions)
3 hours of interactive sessions that develop deeper communication competencies for productive conversations including effective meeting planning abilities
  • Participants learn the differences in telling, gathering, observing and asking as well as when and where each approach is appropriate
  • Participants practice uncovering their own decision making and communication process
  • Participants learn how to constructively disagree with others
  • Participants practice structuring an agenda and preparing to lead a meeting to effectively achieve their objectives

The session(s) includes a self assessment, use of participant examples and take away tools to embed the learning and develop desired behaviors

A BETTER CRYSTAL BALL:
VALID INTERVIEWING & SELECTION

(methodology & process for behavioral interviewing & selection)
A 4 hour, interactive session designed to explore all aspects of interviewing and selection
  • This session includes information on using a behavioral methodology to screen, question, assess and make decisions on candidates
  • Participants will be taught all the basics for conducting valid, legal and productive interviews
  • Participants will practice interviewing, be provided tools, tips and a framework for conducting an effective interview and walk away with interview templates

This session includes group discussion, hands on practice, development of work product, take away tools and templates

INNOVATING EVERY DAY

An interactive, upbeat approach to incorporating innovation into almost everything you do. The session focuses on:
  • Exploring what innovation looks and feels like
  • Realizing the importance of individual and organizational innovation
  • Exposing participants' current decision making and thinking processes
  • Assessing individual and organizational innovation
  • » getting clear on what is possible
  • » determining what is desired
  • Unlearning tried and true innovation eradicators
  • Practicing innovation techniques

The session enables participants to see the world in a multitude of ways so that innovation becomes an every day activity - not just something you do when you are brainstorming with a team. Participants walk away with multiple tools, tips and techniques that can be put into practice immediately to achieve desired business results. Participants receive a reference book and a series of weekly email follow up materials to support cultivating the habit of innovation.

PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE (FOR MANAGERS)

An important aspect of a leader's role is motivating and encouraging employees to be productive contributors. The performance management process is a powerful tool toward this end. By approaching the process as an on-going, positive event, you can establish a shared understanding about what is to be achieved, how it is to be achieved, and conduct an ongoing approach to managing people that increases organizational and individual performance.

    As a business tool, performance management

  • Communicates how individuals contribute to business success and how they will be evaluated.
  • Aligns individual goals against key business priorities, resulting in greater focus, better use of resources and reduced non-value-added activity.
  • Provides a system for recognizing what gets done (results) and reinforcing how it is achieved (means).
  • Creates a discipline of measuring progress against specific goals and making adjustments as necessary.

    • The 4 hour session is structured to focus on the following core aspects of performance management and can be adapted to meet the unique needs of any group.

  • » Roles in performance management
  • » Establishing goals
  • » Planning development
  • » Taking action
  • » Assessing performance
  • Providing feedback
  • Handling performance problems
  • » Providing rewards

Rather than some isolated and typically painful event that happens once every year, the session enables participants to conduct an integrated, daily approach for providing the organizational energy for employee loyalty, productivity and customer satisfaction. Participants walk away with multiple tools, tips and techniques that can be put into practice immediately, and also receive reference materials including electronic templates.

STRAIGHT TALK

An intense 4 hour, review and practice of the competencies required for providing deliberate, direct and skillful feedback that is grounded in shared responsibility and focused on work outputs vs. activities
  • Participants will learn how to conduct conversations that produce
  • » mutual understanding
  • » clarity around issues
  • » enhanced working relationships
  • » resolved problems

The session includes a self assessment, group activities, video, and take away tools as well as a follow-up series of materials to embed the learning and shift behaviors

DEVELOPING & COACHING OTHERS (FOR MANAGERS)

If you can't be a good example, then you will have to serve as a horrible warning.

-Carterine Ard

A 3 hour, forthright look at the responsibilities of a manager in developing others
  • Participants are provided with a development process guide including assessments, tools and tips for managers and direct reports
  • Participants explore when and why significant learning and development takes place including how to most effectively develop 'on the job'
  • Participants discover how to assess learning agility in themselves and others
  • Participants learn how to uncover and address blocks to learning and create catalysts for development

The session(s) includes a self assessment, practice session and development planning process guide to embed the learning and develop desired behaviors

JUST GETTING IT DONE: DRIVING EXECUTION

An interactive, hands on approach to methods, tips & tools to get the right things done in the organization. The session focuses on
  • Constantly gaining self awareness
  • » Developing an action and decision orientation
  • Creating clarity throughout the organization
  • » Determining mission, guiding principles & destination points
  • » Establishing and refining priorities
  • » Integrating and aligning efforts
  • Staging yourself and your organization for success
  • » Building a breakthrough model
  • » Intensifying accountability
  • » Constructing progress scorecards
  • Maintaining change leadership
  • Communicating effectively
  • Informing
  • » Inspiring
  • » Engaging

The session enables participants to develop clarity for themselves and their organizations in where they want to go and how to get there. It addresses many of the typical barriers to execution and eliminates excuses. The session includes multiple templates, tools and tips that can be applied immediately to accelerate you and your organization in achieving desired results.

THE MANAGER'S ROLE

(basics of establishing & aligning team vision, goals & objectives)

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE:
GETTING IT, KEEPING IT, USING IT

ASSIMILATION & ORIENTATION

(the role of the manager/leader)

MEETING MANAGEMENT & FACILITATION

EFFECTIVE TERMINATIONS

CHANGE MANAGEMENT: BUILDING RESILIENCE

THE BASICS OF LEADERSHIP