Keller Williams Realty ft. in Training Magazine 2014

www.trainingmag.com

THE SOURCE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

$35 JANUARY/

FEBRUARY 2014

PLUS: Keller Williams Realty, Inc.; Capital BlueCross; CHG Healthcare Services; Mohawk Industries, Inc.Best Practices & Outstanding Training Initiatives

Vehicle maintenance company locks in the top spot on the 2014 Training Top 125

REVS UP TO

NO. 1

JIFFY LUBE

50YEARS1964-2014

Unleashing potential

Congratulations 2014 Training Top 125 award winners and Hall of Famers. We’re proud to be among those whose work emboldens professionals to grow, discover and inspire colleagues to do the same.

At PwC, we’re making development a personalized experience with real-time resources and support for bringing out the best in our people. We’re honored to join this year’s training leaders in celebrating innovation and excellence in learning.

www.pwc.com

© 2014 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership. All rights reserved.

contents

Jiffy Lube Revs Up to #1The vehicle maintenance company locks up the top spot on the 2014 Training Top 125. BY LORRI FREIFELD

Keller Williams Is on the MoveThe real estate franchise’s strong showing in productivity, leadership, and growth training initiatives lands it in the No. 2 spot. BY LORRI FREIFELD

Capital BlueCross’ Rx for ChangeCapital BlueCross has readied its workforce to support customers in the face of health-care reform, and created the kind of leaders who can embrace what these changes mean to their company. BY MARGERY WEINSTEIN

Continuous Improvement at CHGCHG Healthcare Services got back to basics, focusing on Lean Management strategies and other organization-strengthening initiatives. BY MARGERY WEINSTEIN

Mohawk’s Training Floors the Competition Trainers at Mohawk Industries, Inc., helped hone the company’s competitive edge while investing in a new LMS and strengthening leadership development. BY MARGERY WEINSTEIN

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FEATURES

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training JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | 1www.trainingmag.com

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 VOLUME 51, NUMBER 1

28 Training Is Golden Looking back through the years as Training magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary. BY LORRI FREIFELD

56 Training Top 10 Hall of Fame Farmers Insurance and Verizon are inducted into the Training Top 10 Hall of Fame, having earned a Top 10 spot four years in a row.

60 Training Top 10 Hall of Fame Outstanding Training InitiativesAll Hall of Famers submitted an Outstanding Training Initiative that was judged by each other. Booz Allen Hamilton, KPMG, and PwC earned the highest scores. BY LORRI FREIFELD

64 The Training Top 125 Training magazine’s 14th annual ranking of the top companies with employer-sponsored workforce training and development.

104 Best Practices & Outstanding Training Initiatives Training editors recognize innovative and successful learning and development programs and practices submitted in the 2014 Training Top 125 application.

114 Happily Orange AfterNew joint research conducted with Training magazine and an experiential workshop based on “The Orange Frog” parable prove the competitive advantage of positive psychology in the workplace. BY SHAWN ACHOR

122 Global Trends in L&D AnalyticsAll functions in today’s organizations face tremendous challenges to show value. As a result, the Learning & Development community is responding with changes in its approach to measurement, evaluation, metrics, and analytics. BY DR.

JACK J. PHILLIPS AND DR. PATTI P. PHILLIPS

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128 Journey to a Culture of LearningMasTec’s Utility Services Group embarks on an endeavor to create programs that not only promote the safety and competence of employees, but also tie learning to career progression and pay-rate increases. BY JOHN CONGEMI

www.trainingmag.com

4 Online TOC Web-only content

6 Editor’s Note Lubed Up BY LORRI FREIFELD

8 Training Today News, stats, and business intel BY LORRI FREIFELD

14 Soapbox Turn Career-Limiting Habits Into Career Success BY JOSEPH GRENNY

18 Soapbox Mentors Matter BY TIM TOTERHI

22 How-To Timing Is Everything BY JANICE LOVE

24 World View Focus on Denmark BY SUSAN VONSILD

26 World View Focus on Africa BY FRANK WALTMANN

130 Best Practices Leaders as Teachers: The Next Generation BY DR. NEAL GOODMAN

134 Training Magazine Events All-Around Agility BY MEGAN TORRANCE

136 Learning Matters Separating the Best from the Rest BY TONY O’DRISCOLL

138 Trainer Talk Stand and Deliver BY BOB PIKE

142 Talent Tips If You’re Happy and You Know It… BY ROY SAUNDERSON

144 Last Word Stepping Into Their Shoes BY MICHAEL ROSENTHAL

www.trainingmag.com

FEATURES (CONTINUED)

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DEPARTMENTS

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When you’re ready to invest in your organization’s future.You are ready for American Public University.

American Public University is ready to help your team succeed. Your employees can manage their personal and professional lives while pursuing a respected degree online — at a cost that’s 20% less than the average in-state rates at public universities.*

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*College Board: Trends in College Pricing, 2013.

We want you to make an informed decision about the university that’s right for you. For more about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed each program, and other important information, visit www.apus.edu/disclosure.

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4 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 training www.trainingmag.com

Lakewood Media GroupPO Box 247, Excelsior, MN 55331

Corporate: 952.401.1283Subscriptions: 847.559.7596

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EDITORIAL: Editor-in-Chief Lorri Freifeld 516.524.3504 [email protected]

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Redesigning HR for AgilityTalent—and HR’s ability to manage it—is the bedrock of agility. To step into the new role, however, HR will have to transform its talent management approach and how it delivers service.http://www.trainingmag.com/redesigning-hr-agility

Releasing the Potential Energy of Your Future Leaders Keys to unlock the cache of potential energy in emerging leaders as they transition from their management roles into new leadership roles. http://www.trainingmag.com/releasing-potential-energy-your-future-leaders

Learning Management System Trends In the new millennium, the corporate learning management system has developed into a business-critical technology platform.http://www.trainingmag.com/learning-management-system-trends

Creating Engaged and Inspired EmployeesTop 5 companies doing it right and wrong and why.http://www.trainingmag.com/creating-engaged-and-inspired- employees

Losing Touch with the Front-Line ExperienceAs a senior executive, it is all too easy to become disconnected from the troops. It is only by making a conscious effort to stay connected to the front-line experience that you can avoid the ego trap. http://www.trainingmag.com/losing-touch-front-line-experience

Interested in writing an online article for www.trainingmag.com?

E-mail Editor-in-Chief Lorri Freifeld at [email protected].

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Vistage is honored to be among the top ranked companies

in Training Magazine’s Top 125 for the 4th year in a row.

For more than 50 years, Vistage has been committed to

developing executives around the world.

Whatever the challenge, Vistage works inside your company.

Vistage Congratulates the TOP 125 WINNERS!

Find out more about our collaborative executive

development programs at www.vistage.com/top125.

Lorri Freifeld [email protected]

J iffy Lube International, Inc., was firing on all cylinders as it earned its first No. 1 spot on the Training Top 125. Keller Williams Realty, Inc., moved into the No. 2 spot (up from No. 41 last year), while CHG Healthcare Services inched up a notch

to No. 3. Top 5 newcomers Capital BlueCross and Mohawk Industries, Inc., took Nos. 3 and 5, respectively. Farmers Insurance and Verizon were inducted into the Training

Top 10 Hall of Fame after securing positions in the Top 10 for the last four consecutive years.

Some 27 new companies broke into the Top 125 this year. The major-ity of the companies are in the finance/banking, health/medical ser-vices, real estate/insurance, technology, and hospitality industries.

Here are some overall statistics from the quantitative analysis of the 2014 Training Top 125 applications:• The mean revenue was $4.5 billion U.S. and $6.5 billion world-wide. The mean training budget was $24.3 million, representing 5.84 percent of payroll.

• The mean number of total employees trained per organization (including independent contractors and franchisees) was 31,079, with 16,577 trained in the classroom and 29,744 trained online. A mean of 451 courses were offered as instructor-led sessions; 1,709 were offered as online self-paced modules; and 165 were offered as virtual instructor-led classrooms.

• The mean number of full- and part-time trainers was 199 and 557, respectively.• Some 99 percent of applicants have a tuition reimbursement program. A mean

of 8 percent of eligible employees made use of tuition reimbursement programs in the last year. Median spend on tuition reimbursement programs was $400,000.

• Some 99 percent of applicants use employee satisfaction surveys, competency maps, and personal/individual development plans. Only 69 percent tie manag-ers’ compensation directly to the development of their direct reports.

• On the evaluation side, 77 percent of applicants utilize Return on Value; 83 percent Return on Investment; 79 percent Balanced Scorecards; and 58 percent Six Sigma. The Kirkpatrick Levels of Evaluation are more widely used: Level 1 (99 percent), Levels 2 and 3 (97 percent), and Level 4 (95 percent).

• The average length of employee service was seven years, and the average turnover rate was 19 percent.

• Internal candidates filled a mean of 41.4 percent of job openings, while employees referred a mean of 26.4 percent of new hires.

While we are in recognition mode, I’d like to note that Training magazine is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2014. The first issue of Training was published in September/October 1964 by Gellert Publishing (see p. 28 for a retrospective of Training covers through the years). Much has changed over the last 50 years—both in the world and the training industry—and Training magazine has been there every step of the way. And just like the training industry, we continue to evolve. Our new Training Day blog launched January 6. Recognizing everyone’s overflowing e-mail boxes, we com-bined our three e-newsletters—Training Top 125, Inside Training, and Tech Talk—into one streamlined, easy-to-read e-mail chock full of best practices and resources. Say hello to Training Weekly, which debuted January 8 and e-blasts every Wednesday. Visit www.trainingmag.com and click on the e-newsletters tab to subscribe today!

editor’s note


Lubed UpTRAINING EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Brent Bloom, VP, Organization Effectiveness and L&D, Applied MaterialsRaymond D. Green, CEO, Paradigm Learning, Inc.Bruce I. Jones, Programming Director,Disney InstituteMichael S. Hamilton, former Chief Learning & Development Officer, Ernst & YoungNancy J. Lewis, former CLO and VP, ITTCorporation, and former VP, Learning, IBMAnn Schulte, Director/Global Practice Leader, Procter & GambleRoss Tartell, former Technical Training and Communication Manager - North America, GE Capital Real Estate

TRAINING TOP 10 HALL OF FAME

Cyndi Bruce, Executive Director, KPMG Business School – U.S.Jim Federico, Senior Director, Platforms & Operations, Microsoft CorporationGordon Fuller, Global Design & Development Leader, IBM Center for Advanced LearningDaniel J. Goepp, Managing Director, Learning & Development, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLPVicente Gonzalez, Learning and Development, Booz Allen HamiltonGlenn Hughes, Senior Director, Learning & Development, KLA-Tencor CorporationDonald Keller, Chief Learning Officer and VP, Global Education & Development, SCC Soft ComputerDiana Oreck, VP, Leadership Center, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel CompanyNicole Roy-Tobin, Director, Best Practices & Innovation, Deloitte Kevin Wilde, VP, CLO, General Mills, Inc.

2013 TOP 5 EMERGING TRAINING LEADERS

Lindsay D. Donaire, Associate Director, Learning & Development, Coca-Cola EnterprisesCharles L.C. Ho, Manager, Quality & Staff Wellness Training, MTR Corporation LimitedMarita Jones, Project Manager, Training and Development for Payroll Operations, Paychex, Inc.Elizabeth Lynn Kinder, Senior Training Specialist, Bankers Life and Casualty Company Rachel Gober Klemens, Manager, Training and Development, CHG Healthcare Services

Miami Children’s Hospital is proud

to have been designated a Top 125

Training Organization for the past eight years. Our mission

is to provide hope through advanced care for our children and

families. This starts with working together to develop our most

precious asset – our people and empowering them to be the best

they can be for the children, families and for one another. Miami

Children’s Hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of

pediatric medicine and is home to the largest pediatric teaching

program in the southeastern United States. Congratulations

to our leaders, educators and partners whose commitment has

made us one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals.

Top 125 AgainMiami Children’s is

a Training Organization!

MCH-HC201312_3685

LEADERS SPEND A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THEIR TIME engaged in interactions. These interactions consist of countless conversations leaders have every day with their colleagues, customers, and clients. According to Development Dimensions International’s new research, “Driving Workplace Performance through High-Quality Conversations: What leaders must do every day to be effective” (http://www.ddiworld.com/productivity/overview), the ability to effectively manage and carry out impactful conversations is at the heart of

successful leadership and is critical at every level. For front-line leaders, conversations are part of

launching new products, facilitating customer inter-actions, or coaching team members. Even making good decisions largely can depend on how input from others is sought out. We often assume that interac-tion skills are mastered as leaders move up the ladder since they have been at it longer, but nothing is fur-ther from the truth. The importance of interaction skills is even greater at higher leadership levels.

While the data confirms the poor state of interaction skills, it does not explain why. These seven interaction sins capture some of the common missteps that can trip up leaders—at all levels—when it comes to con-ducting effective conversations:

1. Straight to fixing the problem: Leaders recognized for getting things done jump straight to the solution before they understand the situation.

2. One size fits all: A developed, preferred style can make leaders oblivious to the impact they are or are not having on situations or individuals.

3. Avoiding the tough issues: Often leaders lack the skills and insights to diffuse situ-ations or tackle areas perceived as sensitive and may leave them unresolved.

4. Inconsistent application across different

contexts: Skills readily deployed in one situ-ation may not be applied in another and should be.

5. Influencing through the facts only: Lead-ers need to spend more time understanding others’ perspectives and not solely rely on logic and rationale.

6. Spotting opportunities for change but for-

getting to engage others: While leaders often recognize needs for change, they don’t pro-actively encourage others to develop ideas, they oversimplify, or show little apprecia-tion for the impact of change.

7. Not coaching in the moment. Generally ef-fective in clarifying required performance, dialoguing, and offering support, leaders often neglect to coach through a process.


by Lorri Freifeld

\TO SUBMIT NEWS, research, or other Training Today tidbits, contact Editor-in-Chief Lorri Freifeld at [email protected] or 516.524.3504.

news, stats, & business intel by Lorri Freifeld

A Productive Leader Seeks SuccessAs a productive leader, you should be doing more than just getting things done. As Peter Drucker wrote, “taking action without thinking is the cause of every failure.” To achieve success this year, stop and focus on

these three questions:What? Identify a measurable goal that is at

least both achievable and integral to the suc-cess of the mission of your team, department, or organization.

Who? Build your core team of mentors, col-leagues, and SMEs (subject matter experts) to turn to throughout the year.

When? Set milestones, times to check in on progress in the near and mid-term to ensure you’re making progress on your MITs (Most Important Things).

Choose a strategic training initiative you have

for the coming year. Then, open your calendar (on your computer, smart phone, or in your note-book) to 180 days from now, and ask yourself, “What do we need to have done by then in order to be on track or ahead of schedule with this project?” My advice, go ahead and write a three- to five-paragraph response to that question 180 days from today on your calendar.

A productive leader achieves success by iden-tifying and qualifying what that outcome will look like, who is involved in making it happen, and what positive impact it will have on the organi-zation. Take time now to focus on achievement.

By Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA www.womackcompany.com

www.twitter.com/jasonwomack | [email protected]

Products & Services >> Sleepless Nights for HR >> Tech Talk p. 10

The 7 Interaction SinsBy Richard S. Wellins, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, DDI (www.ddiworld.com)

Productivity Coach’s Corner

When it comes to leadership/management training, we often focus on the points of pain for the business, such as diminished performance, low morale, or higher turnover. But what about the points of pain for the leaders/managers themselves? Between 2003 and 2013, we asked 37,419 managers (from 891 different organizations),

“What is the hardest thing for you about managing people?” We collected narrative verbatim responses to this open-ended question. The vast majority of responses fell into 10 categories:


>> Cloud-based animated video production platform GoAnimate announced a new integration with e-learning software provider Lectora. This integration enables GoAnimate videos to be published directly to Lectora Online.

>> Kaplan Test Prep and Web and mobile design and development firm thoughtbot partnered to launch a software developer bootcamp for individuals interested in becoming professional Ruby on Rails Web developers. The initial bootcamp will use curriculum informed by Kaplan’s proprietary learning science and assessment insights and delivered by thoughtbot experts.

>> Global Knowledge, a leader in IT and business training, announced its collaboration with Amazon Web Services

(AWS) to deliver the curriculum of authorized AWS training courses. The role-based AWS courses are designed around the three primary roles that comprise engineering teams delivering cloud-based solutions: solutions architect, sysops administrator, and developer.

>> Zapoint, Inc., launched the next generation of SkillsMapper, which combines career pathing technology with learning and assessment content from Kelley Executive

Partners, the executive education arm of Indiana University’s The Kelley School of Business. SkillsMapper offers pre-loaded, bite-sized Master’s level training courses that are broken into five different disciplines: Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain, and HR Management.

>> Data analytics firm Sentinel Applied

Analytics selected Intellinote, a solution that combines intelligent notes with social collaboration. Intellinote enables Sentinel to easily access a historical library of resumes in the cloud to quickly identify potential candidates for future positions. Sentinel employees also are using Intellinote as a collaboration tool for special projects and training exercises across teams.

Partnerships&Alliances

Help Wanted: Non-Technical Skills By Bruce Tulgan

fixated on price.When an outsidetrainer is unwill-ing to lower her

fee, find out where she can be flexible, suchas adding a few training days. This will al-low you to reach an agreement that deliverssuperior value for the dollar—and to beconfident in justifying the investment tomanagement.

3. Negotiating with learners: Set conditionsfor their requests. If an employee wants tomiss several hours of training, don’t auto-matically say, “Yes.” Instead, propose: If youagree to meet with the instructor privatelyfor 30 minutes each morning on the finaltwo days, then you can miss that time.

To read the full article, visit www.

trainingmag.com/how-negotiate-better-learn-

ing-outcomes.

IF YOU’RE AN INTERNAL Learning & Devel-opment (L&D) professional, you direct theaction among management, consultants,and learners and need to use negotiationskills with each party to produce meaning-ful outcomes. Some key strategies:

1. Negotiating with management: Set lim-its and be ready to trade. Know what’s outof bounds. If you’re asked to cut one dayoff a three-day course, respond with a pro-posal calling for participants to attendtwo 10-hour days with no breaks. Thoughunrealistic, this offer demonstrates yourunwillingness to compromise the value ofthe training. And if you’re presented with amore reasonable request to cut four hours,set a condition such as asking for a seat at theupcoming planning meeting.

2. Negotiating with consultants: Don’t get

Negotiate for Better Learning OutcomesBy Marty Finkle, CPT, CEO, Scotwork

www.rainmakerthinking.com/blog | Twitter @brucetulgan | www.talkaboutthework.com | [email protected]

1. Not enough time or too many people to manage (span of control); insufficient time to attend to managing direct reports due to other non-management tasks and responsibilities (24%)

2. Giving negative feedback to employees regarding their performance (19%)

3. Different personalities of the various employees—figuring out what works for each person depending on communication style, motivations, and preferences (6%)

4. Interpersonal conflict on the team (6%)

5. Balancing being the boss with being a friend or just being “friendly” (6%)

6. Employees with bad attitudes or other issues such as attendance, tardiness, conflict with coworkers (5%)

7. Dealing with pressure and shifting priorities from my own boss and other higher ups; communicating changes to the team and helping employees adapt (5%)

8. Cumbersome, lengthy process to fire low performers and/or to impose other negative consequences short of firing (5%)

9. Insufficient authority and discretion to reward high performers (4%)

10. Managing people in remote locations (4%)

the majority (56%) were either very concerned or concerned.

• Only 38% of respondents felt they would be prepared if faced with the sudden retirement of a top execu-tive, while 62% either would not be prepared or didn’t know.

• Almost two-thirds of respondents were concerned about staying cur-rent with evolving compliance laws and regulations (63%).

For more information, visit http://pages.

silkroad.com/rs/silkroad/images/What-Keeps-

HR-Up-at-Night-2013.pdf


>> Versal, an interactive Software-as-a-Service course creation and publishing platform, released the first open beta of Versal for Teams, a new turnkey solution for organizations to manage the creation and publishing of courses in a group setting.

>> Mylo Solutions launched MyloTEAM, a platform for managing and monetizing training and education programs. The cloud-based solution simplifies the publishing of online course catalogs and class descriptions; delivers a turnkey solution for managing faculty and instructors; and integrates with Salesforce to support sales and customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives.

>> SAP introduced work patterns in its SAP Jam. The pre-built collaborative processes combine expertise, content, and best practices with real-time business data and applications. SAP Jam work patterns bring together data from across the organization to help employees make decisions, receive onboarding information in one place, find mentors, and get automatic recommendations on who to connect with for a particular project.

>> Enterprise IT cloud company ServiceNow announced ServiceNow HR Service Automation, a new application that makes it easier for organizations to automate HR case management through an online storefront.

>> Online training provider Tortal

Training launched a new business concept that helps businesses offer a larger assortment of pre-developed courses to their employees at a lower cost. The new courses, available through Tortal’s Out Of The Box Solutions, are designed for both the corporate sector and franchise industry and do not require customization. The courses focus on marketing and sales, management, technology and franchising.

Products&Services

>> Qumu, an enterprise video platform provider, unveiled the newest version of its Video Control Center platform solution for the enterprise. Version 7 updates include user-friendly Webcasting, improved mobile browsing, and a new player interface.

>> Jobscience Inc., a leader in recruiting engagement software, debuted Jobscience Mobile Manager, a native mobile app that is designed specifically for hiring managers. It accelerates hiring by taking advantage of managers’ micro-moments as they review resumes, provide feedback, and make hiring decisions anytime, anywhere. Jobscience Mobile Manager is an extension of the Jobscience Recruiting app built on the Salesforce Platform.

>> Survey Anyplace created a new made-for-mobile survey tool that

leverages the ubiquitous nature of smart phones and tablets. Survey Anyplace creates opportunities to collect insights, opinions, and other feedback, including photos and videos, from people as they experience a product, service, or event, including training, without needing an e-mail address. Survey Anyplace’s data collection tools generate a unique QR code and URL that respondents use to participate in the survey or quiz.

>> Hatsize, a provider of global cloud-based training labs for software and hardware products, launched Hatsize 4.1, the latest version of its flagship cloud-based training lab platform. It includes HTML5 integration, virtual classroom integration, internationalization support, new portal user interface, and cut-and-paste data support to Virtual Machines.

WHAT ISSUES ARE KEEPING HR profession-als up at night at the start of the New Year? According to a SilkRoad survey of 853 HR professionals, they are most concerned with engaging and retaining employees (48%), developing leaders and managing skills gaps (45%), and recruiting the best employees (41%). As they seek to make their HR organization more strategic, sound data and analytics (54%) and inte-gration of HR systems (43%) are top tech challenges. Other findings:

• 53% of HR professionals were most concerned with developing an HR organization that acts strategically rather than tactically.

• When it came to recruiting concerns, the majority (53%) selected creating an attractive organizational culture to engage employees and 51% chose sourcing the right candidates.

• When asked whether they were concerned about attracting top Mil-lennial talent as Baby Boomers retire,

Sleepless Nights for HR

Peter Block’s Flawless Consulting workshops are the palettes

that create impact.

Every staff function seeks to work collaboratively to become a trusted business partner in an environment

where they have influence without direct control. Fortunately, Designed Learning’s Flawless Consulting workshops, developed and enhanced by Peter Block,

help change conversations with your internal clients to get your expertise fully used.

These powerful workshops are the brush strokes that create highly successful contributors in organizations.

That is why over one million individuals around the world have benefitted from these workshops onsite at their locations.

Call us today at 1-866-770-2227 to bring the Flawless Consulting workshops to your location

or visit us at www.designedlearning.com

The art of consulting starts here

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R E S U L T SR E S U L T SR E S U L T SIn a world of challenges, Mohawk’s Training team focuses on delivering results. Across the business, we drive growth by helping employees exceed customer expectations through superior quality, service, style and product innovation.

WE DELIVERMOHAWK TRAINING

www.mohawkind.com

soapbox

www.trainingmag.com

Those who succeed at change are those who recognize and recruit the Six Sources of Influence to support new and more effective habits. BY JOSEPH GRENNY

Anew year brings excitement and com-mitment to bettering our personal and professional lives. Unfortunately, the excitement soon fades, and according to

research from VitalSmarts, only 10 to 20 percent of employees reach their career resolutions by the time the ball drops the following year. So what stands in the way of career success?

The study from VitalSmarts shows 97 percent of employees have at least one career-limiting habit —an ingrained behavior that keeps them from achieving their potential at work. For some, the habit is the barrier between good and great in their work. For others, it can put them at risk of career stagnation—preventing them from receiving the raises and promotions they otherwise would have received. The survey of 972 people found that the most common career-limiting habits are:

1. Unreliability

2. “It’s not my job” attitude

3. Procrastination

4. Resistance to change

5. Negativity and cynicism

Now, the problem is not that we have career- limiting habits. The problem is that year after year, we beat ourselves up over them but make little progress at overcoming them.

Take Sridhar, for example. Sridhar’s career- limiting habit was a hot temper. A project manager at a large electronics company, Sridhar was an ef-fective individual contributor and got his work done on time and to spec, but when the pressure was on and others failed to meet their commit-ments, he exploded.

“I literally would fire arrows out of my mouth. And my e-mails were berating,” he explained. “I tried to tone down my emotions, but it never worked.” After a frank discussion with his boss, Sridhar reported, “I knew that if I didn’t change, the only place I was going in the organization was out the door.”

And yet, Sridhar didn’t change.Our research on personal change shows the

problem is rarely that we don’t want to change.

The problem is that we have a naïve view of what shapes our behavior. This naivety leads us to rely too much on our willpower while doing too little to surround ourselves with the other sources of influence required to help us change.

THE WILLPOWER TRAP

We often mistakenly believe the ability to break free from a career-limiting habit depends on our capacity to muster the necessary willpower to succeed. In our book, “Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success,” my colleagues and I refer to this as the willpower trap—the mistaken belief that willpower is the prime mover of human behavior. This view of behavior leads to simplistic strategies to bring about change. It’s a “trap” because when these strategies fail, they simply serve to increase the conviction that we didn’t want to change badly enough—which pre-vents us from exploring other possible strategies for change.

THE SIX SOURCES OF INFLUENCE

Our research identifies six unique sources of in-fluence that shape human behavior—for better or worse. These sources act on everyone all the time whether we recognize them or not. Those who succeed at change are those who recognize and recruit all of these sources to support new and more effective habits.

The example of project manager Sridhar shows how each source of influence plays a role in either perpetuating the career-limiting habit or turning the behavior in a new direction to make remark-able change.

SOURCE 1: PERSONAL MOTIVATION

Personal Motivation pertains to the impulses that shape our choices. Most people know their bad habits often are sustained by powerful impuls-es. However, few understand that the best way to change habits is not to resist impulses, but to change them.

That’s what Sridhar ultimately did. Sridhar

Turn Career-Limiting Habits Into Career Success

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soapbox


struggled because, in the moment, it felt good to tear into someone who was causing him incon-venience or worry. To change these impulses, he dissected the self-justifying thoughts that excused lashing out and developed a strategy for changing these thoughts when he was about to explode. In these crucial moments, he challenged his villain-ous view of others and humanized them in a way that made him feel differently toward them. If we want to change tough habits, we need to change how we feel during crucial moments.

SOURCE 2: PERSONAL ABILITY

New habits almost always require new skills. Sometimes, the skills are surprising and seem

unconnected with the immediate problem. Sridhar concluded that his anger stemmed in part from his inability to hold people accountable long before things became a crisis. So, Sridhar enrolled in a course where he learned to clearly articulate his needs rather than waiting until resentment caused him to attack.

SOURCE 3: SOCIAL MOTIVATION

Good and bad habits are almost always a team sport. An effective change plan takes into account the way others encourage our behavior. Sridhar made a concentrated effort to spend more time with those he considered to be effective commu-nicators. It was against the norm in their circles to lash out, and Sridhar could use all the positive peer pressure he could get.

SOURCE 4: SOCIAL ABILITY

Others don’t simply encourage bad habits—they enable them, as well. For example, Sridhar’s boss enabled his behavior for years by making excuses

for his prickly demeanor and trying to smooth over problems with those he offended.

As part of Sridhar’s change plan, he asked his man-ager to meet with him weekly to track his progress. He requested that his manager hold him accountable for any behavior not in line with the goals they collec-tively set. Additionally, the manager lined Sridhar up with a mentor to provide advice and support.

SOURCE 5: STRUCTURAL MOTIVATION

We often marvel that in spite of the obvious costs of our bad habits, we don’t change. Our failures become more understandable when we realize that the costs of bad habits often are far off in the future, while the costs of implementing new habits are felt

in the short term. We respond far more to immediate incentives than long-term ones—a proclivity known as time- sensitive demand. Successful changers use this principle in their favor by setting short-term achievable goals and tying modest rewards or sanctions to them.

In Sridhar’s case, he celebrated his successes by stepping up to tough accountability conversations with a delicious warm beverage.

SOURCE 6: STRUCTURAL ABILITY

Finally, we often are blind to the role our physical environment plays in enabling habits. Tools, cues, and distance strong-

ly affect the way we behave.Sridhar tweaked a few factors in his physical en-

vironment to help him with his temper. Since he tended to attack his coworkers by e-mail, he made a hard-and-fast rule to only discuss difficult topics in person. He also hung reminders in his office to keep himself focused on the changes he was making.

VitalSmarts’ “How to Have Influence” study, pub-lished in MIT’s Sloan Management Review, shows that those who use all Six Sources of Influence as part of a performance improvement plan are not just moderately but exponentially more likely to change. Those who create a robust change strategy in this way are 10 times more likely to succeed at changing even longstanding, seemingly intractable problems in their professional or personal lives.

Sridhar is a testament to this process. He didn’t change overnight, but he changed. Make 2014 the year you turn a career-limiting habit into a strength by intentionally developing a plan to en-gage all Six Sources of Influence to support you in creating change for good.

The problem is that we have a naïve view of what shapes our behavior. This naivety leads us to rely too much on our willpower while doing too little to surround ourselves with the other sources of influence required to help us change.

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Mentors rarely realize the impact they have on the lives they touch. Adjusting strategies with the grace of a martial

arts master, the best of them shift seamlessly from teacher to coach, confidante to counselor, cheerleader to drill sergeant, all in an effort to bring out your best. If you’re willing, they’ll suc-ceed, dusting off untapped potential to uncover skills you never knew you possessed. Selfless creatures, mentors have the eye of an artist, the patience of a craftsman, and a curious disposi-tion that enables them to be the architects of possibility.

My first mentor embodied this description, and while she’d scoff at the word, “master,” Sensei Sara was definitely a martial artist. At the time when it was unusual for a woman to be involved in karate, she held a chief instructor rank and operated two thriving schools. Yet for all her accomplishments, she seemed only to take pride in helping others find a path to prosperity...a way out of the old neighbor-hood and the trouble that seemed to lurk around every corner.

During her lessons, she’d endlessly repeat the idea that “you don’t have anything until you give it away.” The brawlers we were had little use for philosophy, but we soon learned to appreci-ate the concept. One year, at the conclusion of our brown belt test, she asked the green belts (two lev-els below) to display their forms. She then judged us on their performance, noting simply, “Black belts teach.” Her point was that if we were to ad-vance, we needed to pay for the knowledge desired with knowledge already accumulated. “Stinginess breeds mediocrity,” she’d say, noting that while the work was up to the individual, leaders made their mark by helping others succeed. Talk about excellence in talent management.

THE NEXT GOAL

Each New Year reminds me of Sensei Sara and her lessons. After all, it is the time when people traditionally take stock of their lives and the achievements earned along the way. Resolutions are made. Goals are set. And professionals at all

stages of their careers optimistically search for that secret set of steps or principles that will expedite their advancement. Unfortunately, despite what self-help gurus would have you believe, effective shortcuts are scarce and seldom easy to imple-ment. Often that “overnight success” was years in the making and forged from a series of unsung efforts and humbling failures.

Of course, a simple, “work ethic works” message doesn’t play well in today’s instant-gratification culture. Given the pace of the average person’s work/life reality, it is easy to understand the desire for quick wins. Ambitious, high-performers can become even more harried as they try to navigate the implications of increased global competition, a still-lagging economy, and newly flattened or-ganizational structures that seem to stifle upward mobility at every turn. So how can you expedite your advancement in the face of this new normal?

RULES OF THE DOJO

As an executive coach, I’ve worked with a variety of talented professionals, and while every cli-ent is unique, most begin the engagement with hopes of advancing their development and, in turn, their careers. To help them obtain results, I often find myself referring back to three rules Sensei Sara had us recite before each class. To me, they apply as much in business and professional development as they do for practicing the mar-tial arts.

RULE #1: EVERYONE WORKS

Sensei was quick to debunk the allure of cinema-style fighting. Learning isn’t magic…neither is success. In most cases, the process of acquiring either is rather formulaic. If you want a skill, you have to put in the time to develop it. If you want success, you have to put that skill to use consistently. Sure, there are tricks to shorten the learning curve and techniques to help the lessons stick sooner. The value of actual experience—of sweat equity—however, is something you can’t dispute.

This rule also underscores the belief that while raw talent can be valuable, it is worthless if

soapbox


Mentors MatterSuccess through service—three rules for working hard, winning big, and staying humble. BY TIM TOTERHI

Tim Toterhi is an

executive coach,

organizational

development (OD)

practitioner, and

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Yourself, Developing

a Personal Safety

Strategy.” Fifty

percent of profits

from this book will be

donated to RAINN,

the nation’s largest

anti-sexual violence

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more information,

visit www.timtoterhi.

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AWARD-WINNING TRAINING PROGRAMS

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TheThe EcEconoonomicmicalal brabraandndn incincludluddeses thethe fofoollollowinwinwing pg pg propropoperterterty ay ay andndnd cascascasualualualty ty ty insinsin urauraurancencence cococ mpampampap nienienies:s:sEcoEconomnomicaical Ml MMutuutualal InsInsuraurancence CoCompampampany,ny,n PePerthrthh InInnsursursurancancance Ce CCompompompanyanynyny, W, W, Wateateaterlorlorlooo Io Io Insunsunsuranranrance cece ce ComComCo panpanpany,y,yyTheThe MiMississisqusquoioi InsInsuraurarancencee CoCompampany,ny, FeFeFederderderatiatia on onoo InsInsuraurar ncencen CoCoC mpampampany ny n of of o CanCananadaadada. ©. ©. ©201201013 E3 EEconcononomiomiom calcacalInsInsuraurancence. A. AAllll rigrightshtsht rereserservedved. E. Econconomiomicalcal® a® andndn relrelr ateatet d td td tradradrademaemaem rksrks, n, n, nameameames as as andndnd loglogogos os s areareare ththheepropropr perperty ty of of EcoEconomnomicaical Ml Mutuutualal InsInsuraurancencee CoCompampamp ny ny n andand arara e re regiegigistesteredred ananand/od/od/ r ur usedseds inini CaCaanadnadnadaa. AllAllothtother er tratrademdemmarkarks as are re thethe prpropeopertyrty ofof ththeireir rerespespep ctictive ve ownownownerserss.

Having great training programs doesn’t mean a thing if your team doesn’t take advantage of them. At Economical, our staff are passionate about making the most of our dynamic roster of in-class seminars, eLearning courses and targeted workshops, not to mention all of the post-secondary and professional designations we’re proud to support. It’s their dedication that inspires us to develop programs that count.

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soapbox


squandered and nothing in the face of consistent effort. Success often relies on embracing the phi-losophy of deliberate practice and demonstrating the willingness to stick to it longer than the aver-age person does. In the real world, you must work harder and smarter.

RULE #2: NOTHING IS FREE

It’s hard to deny that sometimes the working world can seem unfair. People play politics. Connections trump know-how. And having the wrong background, alma mater, or even sense of style can get you ousted from the high- potential list faster than the cool kid clique in high school. It seems a laughable and antiquated concept, given the much-discussed war for tal-ent and the focus of many companies to obtain diversified thought leadership. Still, nepotism happens. Self-promoters prevail. And introverts unwittingly can become casualties of corporate dogfights.

Regardless of your organizational reality, it’s im-portant to keep things in perspective. Sure, luck happens and knowing the right people can give you a leg up in certain situations, but there’s no free lunch. At some point, people have to earn the rank they wear. Paper leaders who lack the sense to punch their weight eventually get kicked to the canvass. Sensei advised that we be quick to seize opportunities when they arise, but that we take great pains to live up to the favors of chance. Remember, good beats lucky in the long term.

RULE #3: ALL START AT THE BOTTOM

It’s good to celebrate achievements, but it’s also important to stay humble and put your wins in perspective. After all, each promotion only puts you on the starting line for the next goal. We used to joke with the newly anointed sho-dans by

saying, “Congratulations, you are now the lowest-ranking black belt in the universe. Practice begins tomorrow.” An outsider may view this as just a bit of good-natured ribbing from the old guard, but it also served as a productive reminder. Growth has no finish line. Often, the goal you once only dreamed about will seem like a simple stepping-stone to the next objective. You have to stay hungry.

This rule is also about reflection. Sensei consistently reminded us that upon achieve-ment of a goal, it’s important to recall those who helped you along the way and pay their kindness back through service to others. She also noted that it was an excellent time to take stock of your current state and actu-al desires before blindly signing up for the next goal. This way, you avoided “succeed-ing in the wrong direction.” At a time when martial artists stuck closely to their own

style, she often would ask newly promoted black belts to join other schools and return in a year to share their learnings. The practice of actively re-leasing talent for the betterment of the individual and the whole was unheard of at the time. Now there is an entire business, Mixed Martial Arts, built on the concept. Many organizations would be wise to adopt the practice.

WHEN HARD WORK IS NOT ENOUGH

Life is riddled with risks, obstacles, and com-petitive forces that cannot be predicted or easily circumvented. In those cases, in which persis-tence alone is not enough, a flexible mindset can help bridge the gap. Sensei advised us to be aware of our limitations—not for the sake of accept-ing them, but rather so that we might develop creative workarounds and find a new path to suc-cess. For example, after a back injury sidelined my teaching career, I used the time to write a book on the subject. Passing on the lessons via a different medium was a great way to stay fresh while I mended. The challenge also opened up opportunities I never knew existed. Turns out Sensei Sara was right. t

If you’re willing, a mentor can dust off untapped potential to uncover skills you never knew you possessed. Selfless creatures, mentors have the eye of an artist, the patience of a craftsman, and a curious disposition that enables them to be the architects of possibility.

MAKE IT STICK WITH:

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Aghhh! It happened again today, and I just wanted to run screaming out of the room. Trainers, don’t try to put 10

pounds of stuff in a 5-pound bag. No matter how fast you talk, you simply can’t fit that four-hour training session into a 30-minute time slot. Curb yourself. Resist the urge to even try.

It was the monthly luncheon meeting of the not-to-be named professional association, and 140 of us were tucked into a room designed to comfort-ably accommodate about a hundred. You know the drill. Lunch is served while the participants network. Participants sit at round tables for 10 and try to remember if their bread plate is on the left or the right. Various association officers make reports and updates while the hotel staff tries to minimize the clanking of dishes and silverware.

At precisely 12:30, the featured speaker—in this case, the featured trainer, the one we’d all come to hear—took the stage. We expected she would conclude promptly at 1 so we could get back to our offices for various afternoon appointments and such.

I knew we were in trouble when I looked at the PowerPoint handout. Twenty slides. Uh oh. And several of them indicated activities. Not good for a 30-minute time frame. Then our train-er perkily announced she would be going 15 minutes over the allotted time and sure hoped nobody would mind. She started off by spend-ing 10 minutes telling us what we would be learning (overkill for a 30-minute session). And she explained to us that in addition to her lec-ture (using the 20 PowerPoint slides), we each would complete a survey, pick a buddy and make a plan, and have open questions and answers. It was truly the training Twilight Zone.

I hate to walk out of a session. It’s rude, and I would not want to offend a fellow trainer. And I know I would feel bad if someone walked out of a training session I was conducting. Besides, I generally find I can learn something even in a not-so-good training session. Worst-case sce-nario, I might wait until a break and slip out unnoticed. But this was just too much. And I

had to be back at the office at 1:30. I gathered my stuff and left. There was a little logjam at the back door as other people left, as well.

Staying within the stated time limit is such a basic training rule and such an easy thing to do that I am astounded at the frequency with which trainers abuse it. Is it the result of poor planning? Is it because some trainers believe the information they have to impart is so impor-tant that it transcends normal time schedules? I don’t know. I think this trainer let her passion for the subject override her reason and good judgment.

TIMING TIPS

If you have trouble timing your training ses-sions, you might want to consider these tips:

• Don’t race through your presentation and cram in more information than can reasonably be cov-ered in your given time frame. By racing through it, you minimize the importance of your materi-al and make your message impotent.

• If you’re using PowerPoint, don’t prepare more slides than you can comfortably cover in the time you’ve been given. If you spend five minutes on each slide, you should have no more than five slides for a 30-minute presentation. That gives you an additional five minutes for Q&A.

• Pace yourself evenly. When you start off at a nor-mal pace and then quickly click through the slides at the end, mumbling something about them not being important anyway, you look unorganized, unprepared, and amateurish.

• If you don’t have time for the whole enchilada, then put the information you plan to deliver into perspective and just focus on a “chunk.” If you cannot extract a meaningful chunk, and you cannot get the time you need to prop-erly deliver all of the information, you should decline the gig.

• If you’re not experienced and accurate at estimat-ing how much time your presentation will take, then do a run-through and time yourself.

Use these tips and conclude on time. It’s disre-spectful to your participants to do otherwise. t

how-to


Timing Is EverythingIf your training sessions consistently go into overtime, here are some tips to keep in mind. BY JANICE LOVE, SPHR

Janice Love, SPHR,

currently serves as

vice president of

Human Resources

and Training for

Sandia Laboratory

Federal Credit

Union (SLFCU) in

Albuquerque, NM.

She previously

was Employee

Training Program

manager at the U.S.

Department of Energy

Nonproliferation

and National

Security Institute.

Love is a member

of the Society for

Human Resources

Management and

the New Mexico

Human Resources

Management

Association.

Sonic Automotive is proud to be

named one of Training Magazine’s Top 125

companies for training and development. We operate

under the belief that the commitment to our people is at the heart

of our success. The investment we put into our associates has made us

a Fortune 500 company and an industry leader.

Sonic Automotive has grown to more than 100 dealerships nationwide, representing

25 brands. We strive to promote our more than 9,300 highly trained associates

internally. On average, our Sales Associates earn more than $70,000 per year

and our General Managers earn more than $400,000 per year.

Together we thank Training Magazine and celebrate yet another

milestone in the Sonic Automotive tradition.

If you’d like to reach your full potential working in a culture

created and nurtured by success, visit jobs.sonicautomotive.com.

We stand behind our associates and let

them blaze a trail.

world view


Focus on DenmarkA manager in Denmark is more a leader, a coach, a guide compared to the more directive managers of the U.S. BY SUSAN VONSILD

Denmark is a small country, the southern-most in Scandinavia, with a population of a mere 5-plus million. While it is said

that the Norwegians historically have tended to look west to the North Atlantic (a fishing and oil country), and the Swedes to the east toward Fin-land, the Danes tend to orient themselves to the south to Germany and the EU. Denmark carries a weight in international politics that is greater than its size.

Denmark has few large companies but myriad smaller ones. Think of LEGO (toys), Oticon (hearing aids), Grundfos (pumps), and Carlsberg (beer) among others. Probably the reason—aside from the small size of the total population—is that Danes prefer to be different and to take initiative for starting something new rather than be a little cog in a big wheel. Smaller companies spin off from larger organizations. A highly educated population, advanced tech-nologies, and the priority given to design lead to many niche products.

Another characteristic of Danes and Denmark, which sets them apart from other countries, is the low power distance or flat hierarchy. This

means that managers are—and expect to be—challenged by their subordinates. Subordinates expect to have their opinions heard. They expect to take part in decision-making. A man-ager in Denmark is more a leader, a coach, a guide compared to the more directive managers of the U.S. Women are just as respected leaders as men. Indeed, Denmark’s prime minister is a woman.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE TRAINING FIELD

• Quality rather than numbers. American train-ing companies and consultants tend to advertise themselves as “having trained thousands of managers and professionals in leading Fortune 500 companies.” To Danes, that might signal “off-the-shelf” training concepts. Danish companies expect pro-grams conceived to meet their needs.

• What counts is trainer competence and exper-

tise in the field that is requested. The trainer profile, which would be circulated to partici-pants before they decide to attend an event, would emphasize the trainer’s credentials derived from hard-earned, hands-on experi-ence. It helps, too, to have academic ballast. University degree(s) and teaching experi-ence provide a stamp of approval.

• By law, companies must devote a certain

budget to every employee’s competence devel-

opment each year. Thus, there is a market for good training programs. However, a trainer must convey to the company and program participants the goals and expected benefits. Performance will be measured. If a company invests 1 Danish krone in a training program

for a participant, it expects returns of 2 to 3 kroner.• Trainer style is expected to be interac-

tive, even with large groups. Participants expect to take part in discussions, re-gardless of their level in the company. They have opinions about the trainer’s input, as well as about the contributions of their co-participants, and they have experience to share.• A great deal of competence develop-

ment takes place in “experience-exchange”

groups rather than in formal training programs. Managers of a certain level or function meet three to four times a year with managers of the same level or function in other companies, even competitors. An outsider often facilitates these meetings. Such network groups can be a poten-tial market for trainers who want to address a particular issue, but they also are a platform that competes with training programs. t

Susan Vonsild is a

senior associate with

Global Dynamics

Inc., a training

and development

firm specializing in

globalization, cultural

intelligence, effective

virtual workplaces,

and diversity and

inclusion. For more

information, visit www.

global-dynamics.com,

call 305.682.7883,

or e-mail ngoodman@

global-dynamics.com. Danes prefer to be different and to take initiative for starting something new rather than be a little cog in a big wheel. Smaller companies spin off from larger organizations.

Thanks to our team at TD University,

we’ve been named by Training magazine as

a Training Top 125 company for the seventh

straight year. We’re continuing to build a

better bank through better training. And

we’re glad it shows.

TD Bank, N.A.

world view


Focus on AfricaGoodnews Cadogan, founder of the Centre for Courageous Authenticity in Leadership in South Africa, says leaders are going back to humanity and humanness, valuing what “we call in Africa ubuntu, ‘I am because you are.’” BY FRANK WALTMANN

Goodnews Cadogan is an executive lead-ership and professional-life coach whofocuses on individual, team, and organi-

zation development. As founder of the nonprofitCentre for Courageous Authenticity in Leadershipin South Africa, he stresses advocacy, research,displays of courage and authenticity, and profes-sionalism as a means of effecting lasting change ortransformation. “My observation over the last 20to 30 years is that leadersare struggling to exercisecourage and authentic-ity,” Cadogan explains.“They capitulate in theface of threat, they lieto blend into the envi-ronments in which theyoperate, and they don’tappear as who they are.They appear as who they want to be, to fit the de-scription of those who can dispense patronage tothem. This (patronage) could be either monetaryor non-monetary rewards from those who havethe power to dispense them.”

Cadogan says that in South Africa, his experi-ence is this is much more prominent in what herefers to as the “out-group” people. “In every sit-uation, there is an ‘in-group’ and an ‘out-group,’and in South Africa, the out-group people are,in most instances, women and black people,”he notes. “They are not able to be who they are.So, at the Centre for Courageous Authenticity inLeadership, we assist leaders to be more of whothey are and help them develop courage and au-thenticity. It all can be linked to who they wantto be and what impact they want to have. Thiscan be impact on their family, impact on theirteam as an executive leader, impact on the busi-ness unit, impact on the enterprise, impact onsociety—it could be a country, a village, a re-gion, a number of countries. It could even beimpact across Africa.”

Cadogan recently presented at Novartis’ AfricaUniversity. Afterward, I sat down with himto discuss leadership skills and obtain specificinsights on leading in Africa.

Q: What is your values-based leadership

approach?

A: Sometimes we don’t really know what it meansto have organizational values. And sometimes sim-ply because an organization does not articulate itsvalues, we assume it doesn’t have any. Sometimesorganizations have values they put up on the wallyet never demonstrate. We call these “espousedvalues”—these are the values they wish to have, butoften don’t practice, because they are not alignedwith their belief system. Values-based leadership isleadership that emerges out of a deliberate process ofvalues creation, and holding leaders accountable forthem, including making it a requirement to displaythese values in order to be promoted, earn risk-basedpay, and even keep one’s job as a leader.

We need to build organizations around deliberatevalues that have been designed and thought throughby everyone in the organization. Behaviors or deci-sions made by leaders must be made in alignmentwith the values they want everyone to share andthat they themselves believe in. It’s about the wayyou hire people, the way you manage those peopleacross the lifecycle of the organization, and the waythey exit. It’s about the investments you make, themarkets you enter, the markets you don’t enter, thestructure of the organization, whether it becomescapital intensive or labor intensive, and for whatpurpose. It’s also about whether you pay bribes oryou don’t; it’s about the role you want to play in soci-ety as an organization.

Q: Are there unique characteristics needed to

be an effective leader in Africa?

A: Not exactly. One of the things I’ve noticed inlooking at global leadership development is thatthere are more noises made—even in the U.S.and some parts of Europe—about going back tohumanity and humanness, valuing what we call inAfrica ubuntu, “I am because you are.”

There’s a lot of global questioning of the currentand prevailing values in organizations. Leadershave to be much more aware of the environmentin which they operate. From global sustainabilityto climate change and other issues that are not nar-rowly business, leaders are showing a global shift

Frank Waltmann is

head of Corporate

Learning at

Novartis, a Swiss

pharmaceuticals and

life sciences company.

GOODNEWS CADOGAN

toward becoming much more conscious. So, leading in Africa is the same as leading in China, in Asia, in Europe, in the U.S., and in South America.

Q: There must be some unique challenges in

Africa.

A: There is a history around how the rest of the world deals with Africa. And that history involves seeing Africa as a backward group of people, see-ing Africa as a continent that can be dealt with in the parent-child mode, where Africa must fit in with whatever the developed world has put on its agenda. That’s what makes it challenging to be a leader in Africa—because now suddenly you have to treat Africans as equal partners, collaboration partners. At the end of the day, it’s about sustain-ability. So you want leaders who have an impact today, tomorrow, and forever—not leaders who are just going to deliver on quarterly results.

Speaking from a Western point of view, as a leader representing a multinational, I may not have as long a tenure in Africa as I thought, be-cause I have to transfer skills to others who are Africans so they can continue to lead the best way they know.

Q: Are there misconceptions or myths about doing

business in Africa that should be corrected?

A: Yes. There is this myth around thinking that Africans are all the same. There are regional dif-ferences in Africa. There are country-specific differences within each country; there are also ma-jor tribal and language differences. In South Africa alone, we have 12 official languages, and there are more than 200 languages in Nigeria. The diversity one has to contend with compared to Europe, for example, is much more complex. Just by crossing a river, you may end up speaking a different lan-guage, while you can travel for miles and miles in the U.S., and you’ll still be speaking English.

Q: Do you have an example of effective leadership

in Africa?

A: The story of South African Revenue Services is an example of an organization rising from the ash-es; it is a reflection of quality leadership. I remember when we launched a program called Siyakha, which means “we are building.” Launched by the com-missioner at the time (who is currently the Minister of Finance), the program involved more than 300 internal consultants who became part of the trans-formation process. In other organizations, the big consulting firms usually come in, survey the place, implement new processes, and leave employees

with the skills to do things. We did it differently. Yes, we did have two or three big consulting firms over the 10 years we were going through this, but they were there to support us as we built our own internal culture.

It’s wrong when you hand over the leadership of the organization to the consultants and they define the agenda, do things for you, and walk away with the blueprints. That means every time you need revolu-tionary change, you have to invite them in again.

Q: How do you measure success?

A: I see it as a social behavior shift. That is my No. 1 measure for the success of the South African Revenue Services. Before 1994, cheating on your taxes was like a national sport. It was something that was boasted about at dinner parties. But after we went through the research process, it became clear we needed to do three things:

• Educate taxpayers to understand what taxes are all about.

• Improve service, making sure that all the tax-payers can be reached and can reach Revenue Services so it can do what is necessary.

• Enforce the rules while keeping in mind that enforcement is expensive and doesn’t change be-havior (in a sustainable way) because you coerce society to conform to rules they don’t like.

Q: How can a program like the Africa University

benefit Novartis?

A: I like the approach that focuses on the indi-vidual, the leader, and getting them to answer the question, “Who am I?” so they are not sur-prised by their actions, thoughts, decisions, and the choices they make. I expect Novartis to get more capable leaders from this, leaders who are not only aware of themselves but aware of their surroundings within the global context. These leaders will understand that even if they’re from one part of Africa operating in another part of Africa, or from Europe and operating in Asia, they will be equally competent wherever they are, because they have a deliberate process, a way of dealing with themselves, their team, the organi-zation they serve, and others.

This is an 18-month program, and it allows lead-ers to immerse themselves in a work environment and apply each block of learning, and reflect on it, change course, and see what it is they can change and do better. I expect they will be less fearful of trying new things, and I am sure it will build more authentic leaders who are not afraid to show up on Monday morning. t



Lyndon B. Johnson was president. The Animals’ “The House of the Ris-ing Sun” and Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” topped the song charts, while Mary Poppins ruled the cinema. A gallon of milk cost $1.06. People called on rotary phones. Magazines such as Life and Look cost 25 to 35

cents an issue.It was fall 1964 as Training magazine debuted its inaugural September/October is-

sue. Fast-forward 50 years, and the U.S. has its first African-American president in Barack Obama. Singers such as Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga continue their eyebrow-raising antics. A gallon of milk costs nearly $4. Millions of people communicate via smart phones. And a large majority of magazines have gone entirely digital.

Much has changed over the last 50 years—both in the world and the training industry—and Training magazine has been there every step of the way. From classroom training to virtual training, simulations, online learning, social learn-ing, and more, Training has detailed the solutions, case studies, and best practices Learning professionals need to succeed. As Training magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary, we thought you would enjoy a blast from the past with a retrospective of covers through the years. Here’s to another 50 years of Training!

Training Is GoldenLooking back through the years as Training magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary. BY LORRI FREIFELD

1964 1974 1984


1994 2004

1. What magazine did Training’s first owner, Gellert Publishing, also publish?

a. PhotoMethods b. CLO c. Billboard d. Supermarket News2. From what company did Lakewood

Media Group purchase Training in 2010? a. Advanstar Communications b. Bill Communications c. The Nielsen Company d. VNU3. What has been Training magazine’s

most requested reprint over the years? a. “The Care and Feeding of Trainers” b. “Using Subject Matter Experts in

Training” c. “Constructing Tests that Work” d. “30 Things We Know for Sure About

Adult Learning”4. In what year was Training’s first

Industry Report published? a. 1982 b. 1970 c. 1989 d. 2000

5. What two animals did Training feature on its cover in 2008-2009?

a. Monkey and cat b. Penguin and horse c. Dog and parrot d. Cow and rabbit6. What was the theme of the

2011 Training Top 125 Gala? a. It’s a Small World b. Belles & Beaus c. Anchors Aweigh d. The Crystal Ball 7. What kind of dogs does Training

Editor-in-Chief Lorri Freifeld have? a. Miniature collies b. Malteses c. Miniature dachshunds d. Golden retrievers 8. Who on the current Training team

has been associated with the magazine the longest?

a. Julie Groshens b. Phil Jones c. Mike Murrell d. Lorri Freifeld

TRAINING TRIVIA

2014

1. a2. c3. d4. a

5. b6. d7. c8. bANSWERS:


iffy Lube International, Inc., put the train-ing pedal to the metal, roaring into the No. 1 spot on the 2014 Training Top 125. The 100 percent-franchised organization’s aligned and

Jiffy Lube Revs Up to No. 1

J

#1 JIFFY LUBE INTERNATIONAL, INC.

The vehicle maintenance company locks up the top spot on the 2014 Training Top 125. BY LORRI FREIFELD

focused approach to training—in particular, training on new services, customer service skills, and leadership—has resulted in a 900 percent increase in the number of stores at 100 percent certification, a reduction in turn-over, and a 93 percent approval rating by franchisees.

Furthermore, Jiffy Lube has experienced eight consecu-tive years of increased average revenue per customer and improved customer service scores.

“Training is one of the cornerstones of success for Jiffy Lube International,” stresses Steve Ledbetter, president of Jiffy Lube International. “Our comprehensive, fit-for-purpose program allows us to consistently drive excellence to our franchi-sees and throughout the organization. Our robust training program ensures that everyone who works in the Jiffy Lube System has a sound foundation to match the excellent cus-tomer experience our customers have grown to expect when entrusting their vehicle to a member of the Jiffy Lube service center team. Jiffy Lube will continue to make training a top priority to further drive excellence.”

GROWTH DRIVERSAccording to Ken Barber, manager, Learning & Devel-opment, Jiffy Lube International has one primary goal: “to deliver growth to our Jiffy Lube franchisees.” Barber says Jiffy Lube strives to achieve this goal through three key pillars:

1. The Customer Value Proposition (CVP). The brand’s core promise is: Jiffy Lube believes every driver deserves to be free from the anxiety of keeping his or her vehicle in top shape. To help customers “Leave Worry Behind,” Jiffy Lube is commit-ted to providing a high-quality, worry-free service experience that gives customers peace of mind, and reassures them that Jiffy Lube gets the job done right. To help fulfill this promise, Barber says, Jiffy Lube requires all service center technicians to undergo training and achieve appropriate certifications. Each technician is required to participate in a robust training program, including a comprehensive computer-based cur-riculum and hands-on training at the service center.

2. Network Development. Jiffy Lube’s training programs are one key to attracting new franchisees, providing the training needed for a successful business, Barber notes. “As the train-ing programs have developed, the Jiffy Lube system overall has experienced positive store count growth. Jiffy Lube Uni-versity is a tremendous resource to prospective franchisees seeking an effective tool for training their employees.”

3. Operational Excellence. Delivering a consistent, excellent customer experience further ensures Jiffy Lube helps custom-ers “Leave Worry Behind.” Jiffy Lube University emphasizes a focus on the customer experience and helps teach service center employees how to contribute to a positive experience. Barber says training’s contribution is seen in consistently higher customer service scores over the last eight years to the current overall positive response level of 90.6 percent. Jiffy Lube University also is reinforced in the current national advertising campaign entitled “Well-Trained Technician,” which raises awareness for its customers about the training Jiffy Lube technicians receive.

ACCELERATING SOLUTIONSJiffy Lube’s greatest training needs in 2012/2013 were met by two of its most effective training programs. Both represented

www.trainingmag.com

JIFFY LUBE INTERNATIONAL, INC., (JLI) executive team, from left:

Steve Ledbetter, president, JLI; Istvan Kapitany, president, Shell

Commercial Fuels and Lubricants, Americas; and Ken Barber, manager,

Learning & Development, JLI. Henry H. Flores, Shell Global Learning

Manager, External Customers North America, is pictured on p. 34.

training JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | 31

technical challenges and required innovative solutions, Barber says. The two training needs were: 1. A training program to address the communication and

sale of specialty oil products 2. Technical training for new services offered through Jiffy

Lube Brakes and Services

Even though numerous vehicle manufacturers recommend the use of specialty oils such as synthetic and high-mileage motor oils, in late 2011 Jiffy Lube’s proportion of specialty oils to total motor oil sold was low. “The statistics indicated that Jiffy Lube service center technicians were not effectively communicating the benefits of specialty motor oils,” Barber says. “As an educational discussion surrounding specialty motor oil can be complex and somewhat confusing, our strategy was to develop a simple, concise approach that every Jiffy Lube Customer Service Advisor (CSA) could execute effectively.”

The Jiffy Lube University Learning Team leveraged best practices gathered from select franchisees to develop a com-munications strategy for educating Jiffy Lube customers. The communications approach focused on the Jiffy Lube Customer Service Advisor offering the appropriate specialty oil, along with its benefits, at the start of the conversation. The 12-member Training Committee (which includes eight members from the Jiffy Lube Association of Franchisees) reviewed the approach to ensure relevancy across the system.

Jiffy Lube University then developed an e-learning course fo-cusing on specialty oil products. A companion instructor-led (ILT) course, “Empower the Customer – Oil Selection,” was designed to educate Jiffy Lube CSAs on the benefits of motor oils so they could better communicate with customers based on their vehicle manufacturer recommendations and driv-ing habits—ultimately empowering customers to make the optimal oil selection for their vehicle. The ILT included an


FAST FACTS• Total number of Jiffy Lube International, Inc., employees and

service center employees trained overall annually: 20,000

• Average length of employee service: 12 years

• Percentage of job openings filled by internal candidates:

90 percent

• Percentage of new hires referred by employees: Approximately

80 percent

• Total number of employees and independent

contractors⁄franchisees trained annually via instructor-led

classroom sessions: 3,000

• Total number of employees and independent

contractors⁄franchisees trained annually via online, self-paced

study: 20,000

• Number of courses offered as instructor-led classroom

sessions: 9

• Number of courses offered as instructor-led virtual classroom

sessions: 4

• Number of courses offered as online-self-paced modules: 120

• Total hours of training taken in 2013: 2.2 million

THE JIFFY LUBE UNIVERSITY (JLU) Training Team.


We believe there’s always more we can achieve, more potential to unleash. There are passions to ignite, dreams to dream, and worlds to change.

That’s why we have a company-wide team of experts championing world-class development. Why we have our learning center—Capital One® University. Why associates we hire today perform even better tomorrow. And why the customer experience we deliver is always top-notch.

Congratulations to our team for once again making Training ’s Top 125.

interactive component, whereby par-ticipants maximized interaction and learning through role-playing in smaller breakout sessions. A virtual instructor-led training (VILT) ver-sion of the course was developed, using the Blackboard Collaborate platform for delivery in smaller markets.

Since January 2012, more than 10,000 Customer Service Advisors and store managers have completed the online specialty oil course, Bar-ber says. And more than 3,300 Jiffy Lube service center technicians have attended the Empower the Customer – Oil Selection classes (ILT and VILT). “More than 80 percent of the Jiffy Lube service centers have adopted the communications approach,” Barber says, “and the specialty oil mix increased from 20 percent in January 2011 to 45 percent in July 2013.”

Committed to meeting consumers’ needs, in 2012, Jiffy Lube expanded its service offerings to include Jiffy Lube Brakes and Services at select service centers nationwide. To deliver these new services, Barber says, highly trained Jiffy Lube service center technicians were certified to provide even

more preventive maintenance services, including brakes, tires, engine diagnos-tics, steering and suspension, and drive train. Training played a critical role in the successful implementation of these new services. The Jiffy Lube University Training Team needed to deploy a full technical library of courses to train Jiffy Lube technicians on the new services and to prepare them for an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification exam. Barber says the training had to be effectively deployed to train technicians in 25 percent of the 2,000 stores in the first year. The pro-cess also had to protect the Jiffy Lube brand by assuring that every franchise followed consistent, quality standards when rolling out the new offering.

To address this new technical training, Barber says Jiffy Lube International elected to leverage off-the-shelf training courses developed by Adayana, a key Jiffy Lube vendor, rather than developing curriculum. “Leveraging existing material enabled Jiffy Lube International to roll out the e-learning courses in less than three months,” Barber notes. “Over the course of 2013, Jiffy Lube International provided training for eight technical services. Jiffy Lube service center technicians

from 500 stores completed more than 100,000 e-learning modules during 2013 to prepare for offering the new services.”

FUELING LEADERSOne of the greatest challenges Jiffy Lube franchisees and virtually every company faces is the need to develop leaders, Bar-ber notes. For Jiffy Lube, the most crucial area of need is the store manager level. “Two years ago, we determined that we needed to expand our training for manag-ers and assistant managers,” Barber says. “Rather than tweak existing content, we took a fresh look at the entire curriculum. To ensure that Jiffy Lube University’s lead-ership training would be a valuable tool for managers, we researched training pat-terns among managers in multiple markets across the country. The result of the study provided the foundation for our new Lead-ership Training.”

The new training program specifically designed for these key leaders includes 14 e-learning courses, a three-day Leadership Training instructor-led class, and a Leader-ship Challenge simulation, all of which are required for certification. The “Day in the Life of a Store Manager” simulation presents


QUICK TIPSThe Jiffy Lube University Training Team offers three recommendations to reduce costs

without compromising the quality of training:

• UTILIZE E-LEARNING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. While e-learning can be a big invest-

ment initially, in the long term, the approach is cost-effective. Jiffy Lube believes that

any subject that can be taught via e-learning should be. The benefits of e-learning

are clear: easy access, consistency of content, ability to update content quickly, and

the capacity for expanded use. In 2013, Jiffy Lube employees completed several

hundred thousand courses, 95 percent of which were e-learning; the cost per course

was less than 15 cents. Virtual instructor-led training (VILT) classes were used to

train a growing number of Jiffy Lube service center employees in Canada, eliminating

significant travel costs while conducting the training in a timely manner. Last year,

one Jiffy Lube University trainer conducted VILT sessions three weeks each month,

reaching 20 percent more staff and saving $100,000-plus in travel expenses.

• ALIGN WITH KEY VENDORS. Working with key vendors that know your business

and are able to run with projects to develop new learning content or reporting ca-

pability saves time and money. Staffing such functions internally can be expensive,

so the Jiffy Lube University Training Team works with InterCom to provide content

development. Additionally, Adayana serves as the company’s learning management

system (LMS) provider and report generator.

• EMBRACE VILT AS A DELIVERY METHOD. Virtual instructor-led training (VILT)

is a great way to use technology to deliver more training while saving on travel

and meeting costs. While there may be some technical issues to resolve, they

are manageable. The key is selecting the right platform and getting your facilita-

tors properly trained on the platform and VILT instruction techniques. Jiffy Lube

International uses Blackboard Collaborate as its platform and the Bob Pike Group

to train facilitators. Jiffy Lube now uses VILT as a standard training tool.

HENRY H. FLORES, Shell Global Learning Manager, External Customers North America.


Serving approximately 620,000 clients takes cutting-edge training, which our 60,000 associates embrace with enthusiasm. Their desire to stay ahead of the curve — and never stop learning — has made ADP a global leader in business outsourcing and cloud-based human capital management solutions.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!

We’re honored to be among this elite group forthe seventh consecutive year.

We’re Proud [but not surprised]

HR. Payroll. Benefits.ADP, the ADP logo and In the Business of Your Success are registered trademarks of ADP, Inc. Copyright © 2014 ADP, Inc. All other logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © ADP, 2014

ADP.COM

the manager and/or assistant manager with a series of scenarios where they learn and practice the skills they need to succeed. Learners earn points based on the quality and timeliness of the answers. A minimum score is required to fulfill the Leadership certification. After receiving the certification, managers and/or assistant managers can play as often as they like to earn a place on the “JLU Leader Board.”

Team Leader training includes a problem-solving module in which Team Leaders must apply their knowledge of “floor con-trol” in a virtual service center. The Team Leader then continues with on-the-job training and a proficiency examination.

The Leadership Training covers key factors in developing a winning team.

In 2012, more than 13,000 Jiffy Lube employees earned the Team Leader certification; 2,622 earned the Management certification; and 1,400 earned the Leadership certification. In the last three years, Barber says, the certification level for Team Leader has increased from 52 percent to 92 percent; Management Training has increased from 63 percent to 114 percent, and Leadership Training has increased from 25 per-cent to 100 percent.

Over the last four years, the turnover rate for technicians system-wide has decreased by 45 percent, with the improve-ment in supervisor skills contributing to that reduction, Barber says, resulting in a significant financial benefit to the organization.

DELIVERY OPTIONSThe use of gaming increasingly is an effective and attractive training option for Jiffy Lube, Barber says. For years, Jiffy Lube training has included a simulation built around a “Vir-tual Garage” where employees experience a change in roles when the service center team changes from a five-person to a four-person to a three-person team. “The visual nature of the simulation simplifies learning and continues to hit the mark with service center employees,” Barber says.

To reinforce the Jiffy Lube Customer Value Proposition, in 2013, Jiffy Lube International teamed up with training and development agency LIBRIX to develop an entertain-ing animated competition powered by LIBRIX’s cloud-based gaming engine and featuring racecar driver “Jiffy Jackson.” A combination of animation and video footage, the Customer Value Proposition learning module is followed by a short quiz related to the topic. Service centers earn points and qualify for prizes and recognition. To date, more than 90 percent of the Jiffy Lube stores have visited the learning module.

Looking ahead, Barber says the three items on Jiffy Lube’s training wish list include:

• Greater use of mobile and simulation platforms• Multi-language modules • Tablets for use by Jiffy Lube employees during ILT

sessions“These have been on our radar screen for some time,”


Congratulationsto Capital BlueCross on reaching the Top 5!

To our colleagues at Capital BlueCross,and to all of Training magazine’s Top 125honorees, congratulations on earningthis outstanding recognition.


carpet | area rugs | tile & stone | hardwood | laminate | resilient | shawfloors.com

Shaw Learning Academy is a true business partner committed

to engaging our Associates and driving impactful business results.

From all of us at Shaw Industries, thanks for your guiding hand.

SLA is consistently in the Top 125 because of its dedication to supporting

Shaw Industries and our customers to foster an environment of great people,

great products and great service. always.

It’s a distinct honor to be named

a Training Top 125 award winner

for the 10th consecutive year.

Barber notes. “The majority of e-learning training is conduct-ed from store computers or personal computers. Jiffy Lube International currently is modifying all e-learning courses to ensure compatibility with smart phones and tablets. All management training will run on tablets in 2014, and other courses will follow. We anticipate the ‘Day in the Life of a Store Manager’ simulation will lead the trend toward more use of smart devices of all kinds.”

TEST TRACKNo matter how training is delivered, the Jiffy Lube University Training Team measures training results in two categories: learning metrics and business metrics. Jiffy Lube University launches, tracks, and reports on usage and completion data for more than 130 e-learning modules in addition to ILT and VILT courses. The Learner and Manager portals available through Jiffy Lube University are heavily branded to provide an interesting and engaging learning environment.

In the Learner Portal, the Jiffy Lube employee follows the training Roadmap, which allows learners to take charge of their development and accelerate their preparation for a store manager position or beyond. The Manager portal provides such reports as a Certification % Dashboard that can be filtered based on multiple criteria. This color-coded report reflects at or above target results in green, those between 51 percent and 99 percent of target in yellow, and those below

50 percent in red. The colors make it easy to identify prob-lem areas and generate actions for improvement, Barber says. “Jiffy Lube University provides the ability to print certificates of completion locally, so employees can be recognized for their training accomplishments on the spot.”

In 2013, Jiffy Lube employees conducted more than 2.2 mil-lion hours of training, which reflects a 200 percent increase over five years, Barber says. The Jiffy Lube reporting system tracks training certification levels for individuals, stores, and franchise entities. Since the reporting system went into place in 2008, the overall certification level has improved by 90 percent system-wide.

While learning metrics are a valuable tool, business met-rics represent a more important measure of success, Barber stresses. The Jiffy Lube University Training Team strongly believes training metrics should align with business goals and objectives.

JLU provides the “Big Data” needed to assess the relation-ship between training and business metrics such as employee turnover and retention, customer service scores, average rev-enue per customer, and franchisee feedback, Barber notes. “The system even allows us to calculate the return on in-vestment for training. Over the last eight years, we have seen steady increases in all of these metrics, which have strength-ened the Jiffy Lube brand and helped it remain an industry leader.” t


No fish sandwiches here at Quicken Loans, just lots of rods and reels.

Teach that man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day.

We’re honored to be ranked among the “Training Top 125” for the fourth consecutive year.

Equal Housing Lender, licensed in all 50 states, NMLS #3030.

QuickenLoans.com


northwesternmutual.com

Northwestern Mutual is proud to be

named to Training magazine’s Top 125.

At Northwestern Mutual, success is built on our biggestasset: our people. That’s why we’re committed to training and

development programs that span all phases of one’s career.Because an investment in lifelong learning is how you turn

the corner, not just see opportunities around it.

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM) and its subsidiaries. Securities offered through Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, subsidiary of NM, member FINRA and SIPC. Training magazine January/February 2014. NCAA is a trademark of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. (1213)

The real estate franchise’s strong showing in productivity, leadership, and growth training initiatives lands it in the No. 2 spot. BY LORRI FREIFELD


KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY executive team (from left): Mark Willis, CEO;

Mo Anderson, vice chair of the board; Gary Keller, chair of the board;

Mary Tennant, president; and Chris Heller, president of KW Worldwide.

eal estate franchise Keller Williams Realty started 2013 with three ambitious goals. First, to increase its agent count by 8,000 associates. Second, to increase its per-agent commissions by 20 percent. And third, to make sure at least

92 percent of its franchise offices were making a profit.The company exceeded all of these goals, and Keller Williams

Realty CEO Mark Willis says training and coaching have been integral to the record success, which included adding 12,000 agents, increasing commissions by 32 percent, and attaining

95 percent profitability year to date. Keller Williams is now the largest real estate franchise by agent count in North America.

“Here’s how training and coaching fit in,” Willis explains. “Agents join our company first and foremost for the educa-tion we provide. New agents receive critical training that enables them to move into production immediately by learn-ing and implementing the programs, models, and systems that co-founder and Chairman Gary Keller has developed through his bestselling books such as ‘The Millionaire Real Estate Agent.’”

R

Keller WilliamsIs on the Move

#2 KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY, INC.

BEING BOLDWillis says the primary driver of productivity is Keller Williams’ signature training program, BOLD, which was writ-ten by Dianna Kokoszka, CEO, MAPS Coaching and Keller Williams University, and stands for “Business Objective: A Life by Design.” Over the course of seven weeks, BOLD conditions agents with mindset exercises, language techniques, and live lead-generation activities. Participants are put into account-ability teams and are challenged to push each other to achieve results. BOLD continues to draw agents from within Keller Williams and from other real estate brokerages. It is more than a business course—it’s a transformative one, as well, Willis says, and many participants have testified to improvements in their relationships and emotional well-being.

This year, 32,000 BOLD graduates increased sales volume by 80 percent, closed units by 86 percent, and commissions by 118 per-cent compared with agents who didn’t take BOLD, Willis says. “The program is so successful and the results so consistent that we increased the number of locations offering BOLD by two-thirds. Because of our productivity gains, income per agent is up 33 per-cent, which is helping us fulfill our mission of building careers worth having, businesses worth owning, and lives worth living.”

Keller Williams President Mary Tennant notes that the company is focused on the holistic individual. “Associates are attracted to Keller Williams for our training. What keeps them part of our family is our culture. We were thrilled to be honored last year as one of the Top 10 Workplaces in America—the only real estate company on the list.”

Within individual market centers, local leaders develop train-ing calendars and social and charitable events that keep people plugged in and passionate about succeeding and giving back. “We have a global day of service called RED Day where we do-nate hundreds of thousands of hours back to the communities we are privileged to serve,” Tennant says. “We contribute to lo-cal emergency funds and a charitable 501(c)(3) that provides millions of dollars in assistance annually to family members enduring unexpected hardships. And we’ve launched a com-panywide wellness initiative to ensure our associates are living vibrant, purposeful lives.”

LEARNING HUBKeller Williams is so passionate about training and education that it invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into building a state-of-the-art onsite learning center. “It allows us to manage all aspects of the learning experience and bring our associates to our corporate headquarters in Austin for a true immersion in our culture and way of doing business,” says Kokoszka. “In 2013, we continued to make major investments in technology and training resources—new courses, tools, videos, scripts, and books, as well as an expanded and enhanced IT training team.”

Since Keller Williams agents are on the go all the time, mobile-friendly training and resources give them a competitive edge. “We’ve added apps to provide motivation and accountability and concise training segments we call Skills on Demand that associates can access on the go—anytime, anywhere,” says Kokoszka. “We also transitioned our agents to Google’s cloud

so they can more effectively run their business and meet client needs. And we have Facebook groups that function as master-minds communities for training courses such as Ignite, which focuses on developing the habits, activities, models, and systems that establish the foundation of excellent customer service.”

In 2013, Keller Williams also ramped up training for its regions outside of North America, doubling the ranks of its faculty and coaches to meet growing demand from its associates and the wider business community. “Just in the last year, we’ve increased the number of associates our coaches work with from 13,000 to 20,000,” Kokoszka notes. “And every one of our regional directors participates in weekly accountability sessions with a coach.”

APPOINTMENT WITH ACCOUNTABILITYAnother accountability program is Keller Williams’ Growth Initiative (GI), a distance learning and consulting program that keeps front-line managers focused on recruiting and retention and activities that lead to growth, productivity, and profitability increases. The accountability in the system is based on:

• Weekly one-hour teleseminars, divided by leadership role. Nearly 3,000 Keller Williams leaders have participated so far, and attendance is shared with supervisors.

• An agreed-upon standard of two recruiting appointments a day, five days a week, with the emphasis on the activity (making the appointment), not the result of the activity (a recruit joining Keller Williams).

• Activity tracking through weekly reports at the national, regional, and office level.

The best practices are shared through:• A dedicated GI Webpage with overall status, tracking

reports, and community collaboration• A training video demonstrating “The Language of Real

Estate,” an evidence-based communication technique that allows leaders to easily put the success of their office into perspective for potential recruits

• A highly trafficked Facebook page, with interactions across levels and regions

Since implementation, there has been a 22 percent increase in the overall number of appointments made, and 78 percent of Keller Williams’ regions have seen an increase in activities, ac-cording to Tennant. “One hundred percent of Keller Williams’ regional leadership is participating in the training and coach-ing components. Since the advent of the GI, Keller Williams has grown its membership in the U.S. by 11 percent and in Cana-da by 17 percent, compared to 4 percent growth shown by the National Association of Realtors and 2 percent by the Canadian Real Estate Association.”

KEYS TO SUCCESSRealizing that agents needed a proven model for finding, hiring, training, and retaining people, Keller Williams created a train-ing program called RSTLM, which consists of:

• Three courses and four days of instructor-led training• Certified instructors• Course materials including worksheets, checklists, videos,

and tools

www.trainingmag.com training JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 | 41

• Live demos of the entire interview process• Role-playsThe first course, Recruit-Select, teaches agents to:

• Build a pipeline of quality candidates• Use and appreciate behavioral analysis in the hiring process• Consult with individuals about their behavioral assessments• Utilize a comprehensive interview process that builds trust

and quality relationshipsThe second course, Action Training, teaches agents to:

• Create and implement a personalized 100-day accountability- based training program for new team members

• Develop successful, self-managed team members• Move new team members into results-oriented action

quicklyThe third course, Leadership & Motivation, teaches agents to:

• Develop an alternative to crisis management• Identify leadership tools and techniques to align team

members with success• Uncover the elements of motivation• Develop tools and techniques to tap into the team members’

motivatorsThe success of RSTLM has been driven by executive support

and the edict to take it 10 to 12 times to develop mastery. Lead-ership is directed to take RSTLM in order to recruit and retain talent. Agents are directed to take RSTLM to hire teams so they can grow and work efficiently.

Leaders who have taken the series and use the models and systems have shown a 63 percent increase in franchise office profitability compared to other leaders, contributing to and exceeding the corporate goals of attaining 95 percent profit-able offices. Agents using RSTLM show a four-fold increase in income.

“Everything rises and falls on leadership,” Willis says. “To

succeed in business, you have to be able to identify leaders and put them into position to attract the top talent that is going to drive your business for-ward. Training departments have the opportunity to train on how to identify and grow leaders and to provide the education and enrichment that chal-lenges people to think big and pursue innovation to meet individual and collective goals.”

As such, every trainer, instructor, and faculty member must take Keller Williams’ “Train the Trainer” sequence of courses before they are eligible to teach any courses for the company. “It’s intentionally a tough series of courses that only 20 percent of participants pass on the first attempt,” Willis says. “This year, we added 200 new ‘KW-approved’ trainers. By keeping stan-dards high and focusing on improving learning, we help ensure we have the best, most commit-ted trainers in our profession.”

AT HOME WITH EVALUATIONWhen it comes to measuring success, Keller Williams is an open-book company, says Wil-

lis. “We share our numbers with all of our associates. We track dozens of metrics to ensure we are setting big enough goals and focusing on the activities, resources, opportunities, and services that drive growth, productivity, and profitability. All of our train-ing is 100 percent voluntary, so we judge value, in part, based on participation. We sold out our annual convention—which, with more than 10,000 attendees, is the largest of its kind in the in-dustry—and increased participation significantly in our training programs.”

From the perspective of individual agents, ROI is measured based on what they achieve, Willis explains. “For example, BOLD costs $799 per student, and the average graduate earned an additional $55,000 for the year,” he says. “We also look at metrics such as average days on the market. This year, our average days on market was considerably lower than that for our largest competitors, evidence that our agents are completing deals quicker and providing better service. And fewer days on market means more time to focus on other transactions.”

Another important metric is adoption. Almost 90 percent of Keller Williams agents are using the company’s lead-to-close technology solution, eEdge. Those running marketing cam-paigns within eEdge increased units by 71 percent, volume by 117 percent, and commissions by 67 percent, according to Willis. “Added together, these types of metrics give us a great perspective on what’s working and where we should invest additional resources.”

Concludes Willis: “As Gary Keller teaches us, ‘Success is se-quential, not simultaneous.’ Focus on the one training action you can take that will make everything else easier or unneces-sary. And as soon as you’ve knocked over that domino, move on to the next one that’s going to lead to big results. You don’t have to do it all.” t


KELLER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY CEO Dianna Kokoszka (center) with members of the Keller Williams

training team: Les McGehee, Dawn Sroka, Julie Fantechi, Kim Harryman, Mona Covey, Falana Thomas,

and Jonathan Moerbe.

#2 KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY, INC.

Capital BlueCross has readied its workforce to support customers in the face of health-care reform, and created the kind of leaders who can embrace what these changes mean to their company. BY MARGERY WEINSTEIN


CAPITAL BLUECROSS Talent Management Leadership Team, from left: Norm Mitchell, director, Organizational Development; Steven Krupinski, senior vice president, Human Resources; and Jodi Lynne Blanch, director, Talent Management.

he changes coming with the introduction of the Affordable Care Act mean trainers at a health insurer such as Capital BlueCross (CBC) have their work cut out for them. With a public often concerned about what

health-care reform means to their coverage, trainers at CBC have prepared their employees with answers to top questions. At the same time, the HR Talent Management team at CBC has distinguished itself with a leadership development program that

continues to produce top-notch executives. The company has quantifiable results that prove these efforts are paying off.

CONFRONTING CHANGE“Changes in the health-care insurance market are rippling across every sector of the U.S. health-care system. Every aspect of CBC business is undergoing change due to health-care reform,” says Senior Vice President, Human Resources Steve Krupinski. “The training, development, and change strategy

T

Capital BlueCross’Rx for Change

#3 CAPITAL BLUECROSS

must align to the business and demonstrate impact. 2013 was the year for learning and development at CBC to behave like a busi-ness needing to execute on our learning and development strategy while improving our operational effectiveness.”

Successfully meeting these challenges is facilitated by the change management components of the company’s leadership development curriculum. “We built a learning and development and change management strategy focusing on enhancing orga-nizational and employee performance and received complete sponsorship from the senior leadership team,” says Krupinski. “Human Resources, with a focus on learning and development, has ‘a seat at the table’ and is considered a key business partner. We ensure that we link every decision and dollar spent to busi-ness goals and marketplace challenges. We embody dual brain thinking by ensuring the learning and development’s operational effectiveness is demonstrated by the maturity of our learning strategy and the linkage to the business. As a result, employee de-velopment is accomplished at all levels by weaving it directly into the corporate strategy, initiatives, and priorities.”

Change also is facilitated by efficient coordination between the company’s lines of business. “The Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team actively sponsor, engage, and participate in leadership and employee development as a way to foster communication and collaboration between functional areas within the organization,” says Director, Talent Management Jodi Lynne Blanch. “The results of their actions have created a learning culture and realized direct impact to the business bottom line.”

To support CBC’s strategic priorities, Blanch and the HR Tal-ent Management team built a talent management and change management capability throughout the organization to drive CBC’s competitive advantage. She says Learning and Develop-ment achieved this by partnering with the Senior Leadership Team to improve organizational effectiveness through:

• Assessing the learning needs and translating external busi-ness trends into internal actions to achieve business results.

• Facilitating just-in-time training, as well as comprehensive, best practice, and targeted leadership development offerings.

• Continuous communication of the core competencies and leadership attributes that drive critical success behaviors.

• Integration of a progressive change management capability and project management discipline to develop an imple-mentation mindset for managing strategic projects.

• Integrating innovative HR practices to match business requirements: talent sourcing, employee and leadership development, succession management, performance management, and organizational design.

FOCUS ON CORE COMPETENCIES“Leadership development at CBC is the intentional effort to as-sess leaders and emerging talent at individual and organizational levels,” says Blanch. “We provide learner-centric opportunities to enhance their leadership capabilities for today while prepar-ing them for tomorrow’s leadership challenges.”

CBC’s HR Talent Management Team established a targeted and tiered leadership development curriculum to guide leader

development in support of the business strategy. This curricu-lum includes:

• Senior Leadership Education: Executive Edge (external senior leadership development for 10 leaders per year)

• Breakthrough Leadership (CEO-nominated leader cohort) • Leadership Edge (director level)• Management Edge (supervisor/manager level)• Emerging Leaders: Management Foundations (high-

potential individual contributors and new managers)As part of the leadership development process, CBC provides

participants with Customized Leader Consultations (CLC). These one-on-one consultations are unique to each learner, occur upon completion of a flagship course, and serve as a behavioral reinforcement to the learning that occurred in their designated session. The consultations comprise a certified executive coach meeting with the designated participant to review, dissect, and coach to the individual strengths and challenges of the learner.

“We also have instituted a ‘leader as teacher’ philosophy in which leaders share key lessons learned through the leadership development sessions and engage in discussions with their direct reports as part of the actual leadership development curriculum. This is our primary mentoring approach—leaders teaching fu-ture leaders,” says Blanch. This approach reinforces learning and ensures every manager experiences support from his or her im-mediate supervisor by engaging in coaching conversations during the actual sessions.”

Onboarding processes for new leaders are as structured as the company’s leadership development program. “We have imple-mented a Leader Transition and Onboarding process with an execution framework. It highlights a structured, fit-for-purpose process that is designed to help facilitate and accelerate each lead-er’s transition into his or her new role,” says Blanch. “The plan is addressing both onboarding new leaders to the organization, and successful transition of existing leaders into new roles by minimizing the possibility of derailment, facilitating a smoother integration experience, and accelerating performance results.”

As a result of the formalized new leader transition and on-boarding approach, Blanch says 100 percent of new leaders have reported a successful transition. The Senior Leadership Team reports an increased speed of assimilation of new leaders, and improved engagement scores for every team that has par-ticipated in team effectiveness work. Upon completion of team effectiveness:

• 83 percent of employees felt they had a better understanding of the background and capabilities of their new leader and the vision.

• 94 percent of employees agreed they have a sense of their new leader’s leadership style.

• 91 percent of employees had clarity on their roles and responsibilities.

BLENDED APPROACHThe well-rounded curriculum the company provides offers ample opportunities for both live, face-to-face learning and online live and prerecorded e-learning sessions. In 2009, as part of the overall Human Resources strategic plan, Krupinski


initiated a leadership development strategy focused on corporate instructor-led training on leadership development and strategic initiatives while increasing e-learning offerings to more than a thousand online courses and simulations, and more than 20,000 business-related books. Benefits of CBC’s enhanced use of e-learning include:

• Reinforcing CBC’s flagship programs, Management Founda-tions, Management Edge, and Leadership Edge through blended learning with 93 percent of participants reporting the blended course content is related directly to their performance goals and competency performance.

• Enabling all employees to be trained on new software updates such as Microsoft Office 2013 prior to software launch.

• The Project Management Office currently is using e-learning’s official Project Management Professional (PMP) training curriculum to prepare for the PMP certification.

• Allowing every manager in the company to develop their employees in a cost-effective manner while ensuring all employees receive continuous development.

• New employee harassment, sexual harassment, and diversity compliance training facilitated entirely through e-learning.

In the most recent CBC e-learning survey, more than 70 per-cent of employees reported they could apply training to their jobs, and 62 percent of employees reported they used e-learning for their personal development, in addition to their develop-mental assignment from their manager.

ENSURING ENGAGEMENTCBC also has embarked on an effort to focus on employee engagement and retention with a holistic approach, from formalized initiatives to open communication from senior lead-

ers, Blanch notes. “We believe in our employees and their future” is the message delivered by a robust learning and development program, an important component of CBC’s employee engagement efforts, Blanch says. “We align all of our training initia-tives with corporate strategy, to help drive personal accountability, strengthen understanding of how individual contributions help the company suc-ceed, and enhance employee engagement. We pay close attention to the positive impact of our train-ing initiatives, and also look at related indicators to identify gaps and link training to organizational needs (e.g., customer focus and retention and em-ployee retention).”

An important part of ensuring engagement is paying attention to leaders in the making. “HR leads the succession and talent development pro-cess and has been integral to the organization’s success in identifying and recognizing talent, developing bench strength, retaining key talent, and placing talent in critical positions to ensure leadership continuity,” says Blanch. “Through our customized succession planning and talent review process, we can identify, assess, and de-

velop high-potential talent and mentor the company’s future leaders to maintain a steady pipeline of ‘ready-now’ candi-dates.” The company’s Succession Management Model is composed of the following:

• CEO and Executive Team are committed to the process.• A consistent, integrated, and aligned succession manage-

ment process executed at all levels and focused on both technical/professional and management roles.

• A transparent process in which managers talk about talent often throughout the year and have candid discussions with their employees about their performance, career aspira-tions, and development needs for possible next positions.

• Leadership accountability in which functional leadership at all management levels, as well as HR, ensures that key positions are filled with high-performing, qualified people identified through succession management.

• Talent mobility such that managers discuss and share their best people to leverage talent throughout the organization. Employees move seamlessly from one job to the next, often crossing business and functional lines.

CBC also launched an enterprise-wide recognition program, Excel Blue, that strives to connect leaders to people, build em-ployee career commitment, inspire achievement in peer groups, and reinforce employee value. Says Krupinski: “Excel Blue will help create a culture of recognition and appreciation that pro-motes and reinforces behaviors that exemplify who we are, what we value, and what we need for business and personal success; and reinforces our change management and engagement efforts. CBC is committed to measuring, growing, and leveraging em-ployee engagement as a business differentiator to help us better serve our customers.” t


CAPITAL BLUECROSS Talent Management team, bottom row, from left: Scott Stine, Organizational Development and Talent Management specialist; Jodi Lynne Blanch, director, Talent Management; Norm Mitchell, director, Organizational Development. Top row, from left: Steven Krupinski, senior vice president, Human Resources; and Tim Blouch, Senior Leadership Development & Talent Management specialist.

#3 CAPITAL BLUECROSS

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When your goal is to be The Best Builder in America, the on-going development of employees is key to current and future success. From Day One, McCarthy’s comprehensive array of in-person, online and self-directed training opportunities empower our employee-owners to better serve our client’s needs.

As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, McCarthy is proud to be on the Top 125 Training list for the fourth year in a row and honored to receive one of this year’s Best Practice awards. And we’re just getting started.

ARE BUILDERS.

CHG Healthcare Services got back to basics, focusing on Lean Management strategies and other organization-strengthening initiatives. BY MARGERY WEINSTEIN


CHG HEALTHCARE SERVICES leadership team, from left: Kevin

Ricklefs, senior vice president, Administration; Michael Weinholtz, CEO;

and Aaron Jordin, senior director, Talent Management.

ealth-care staffing company CHG Health-care Services had a year of doubling down and focusing on becoming even stronger at what it does best. In addition to ongoing ef-forts such as keeping its leadership pipeline strong and cultivating an engaged workforce,

the company looked for ways to become a Leaner organiza-tion. Following Lean Management principles, the company

further empowered its sales team, generating impressive revenues. CHG also showed its ability to accommodate the needs of its learners by creating greater computer-based repositories of materials and video screening parties that guided the transition to a new technology platform.

KAIZEN TO THE CORE“2013 was a banner year for training at CHG, and picking

H

Continuous Improvement atCHG

#4 CHG HEALTHCARE SERVICES

one accomplishment to be proudest of is a difficult task,” says Kevin Ricklefs, senior vice president of Administration. “We focused on bringing everything back to our core values, all of which helped us get better at continuous improvement. For us, continuous improvement doesn’t just apply to pro-cesses and systems, but it’s at the core of improving ourselves and, as a result, our culture.”

Ricklefs says it was Lean Management concepts that enabled CHG to take its quest for continuous improvement to the next level. “Over the last few years,” he says, “we have assembled a team of Lean professionals whose goal is to help CHG better execute on that core value. In 2013, the Lean team began to hit its stride, and its impact is being felt across CHG.”

This Lean push was facilitated through kaizen events. Kai-zen is Japanese for “improvement” or “change for the best,” and that’s just what these workshops did for CHG. “One of our more formal avenues for process improvement is a kai-zen event, a workshop that trains process stakeholders to focus on what they need and then review the efficiency of each step in the process; every unnecessary step eventually is removed,” says Ricklefs.

CHG’s kaizen events have jumped in frequency from a handful a few years ago to upward of 80 in 2013. The com-pany’s sales training program is an example of all that can be gained from this approach. Ricklefs credits Lean principles with helping a program that had hit a plateau to regain its momentum.

“This program helps new hires perform and get up to speed within their new roles. However, we recently had run into a downward trend where new sales hires weren’t hitting their targets at the same rate they were previously,” says Rick-lefs. “We held a kaizen with the Lean team and made the program more efficient, leading to an 18 percent improve-ment in new employees hitting their sales targets. This improvement alone has been the equivalent of an additional $2 million in financial benefit each year.”

The program was such a success that CHG is using it as a model for other areas of training in need of a boost. “So much value was taken from these events that an intensive new curriculum was developed based on core Lean princi-ples. In 2013 alone, more than 10 percent of our workforce was certified as ‘Lean Champions’ after attending the six half-day modules, spreading the philosophy of continuous improvement throughout CHG even further,” says Ricklefs. “Just in the last year, our Lean training efforts have elimi-nated 1,626 process steps; saved 20,168 hours; and increased cost savings by nearly $7.3 million.”

TECHNOLOGY TRANSITIONSOne of CHG’s largest training endeavors for 2013 was its transition to a new technology platform. Monthly upgrades to its one-year-old customer relationship management (CRM) system and the launch of a new document manage-ment system help keep the company in line with continuous improvement but also add another layer of complexity to an already fast-paced environment. With three divisions

and 65 percent of CHG’s employees now working on these new CRM front-office platforms, one of the company’s most challenging issues was the scope and speed of the change, as upgrades needed to happen on the same day, at the same time, for all of its people.

“The challenge increased because system changes were released monthly, creating the need for on-the-fly train-ing development and a medium that would accommodate it,” says Ricklefs. “To fill this need, we introduced release videos, online screencasts that deliver the monthly changes right to the user’s workstation. These screencasts—part communication, part training—have become the critical component in technology support. Many user issues have been linked back to representatives not having the infor-mation shared in these videos. We set out to create a fun and unique way to deliver the screencasts in a setting that would promote discussion around the monthly updates,” he notes. “The result was releasing video screening parties: monthly gatherings where teams come together and watch the videos on the big screen (with popcorn we provide). Trainers and technical support team members are avail-able during the screening to answer questions and provide follow-up support once the changes are released.”

Technology was a help, in turn, to trainers as they looked for ways to improve accounts receivable training. Ricklefs says the biggest achievement in learning technology took place in CHG’s accounts receivable (A/R) division as team members tried to resolve an onboarding dilemma. “The division sup-ported dozens of specialized roles, each requiring similarly specialized training, and the segmented training approach was straining resources; current training methods also were producing sub-par results. Most of this onboarding required one-on-one coaching from peers or thumbing through out-dated and disorganized training documents,” he explains.

The solution was building a repository of training documents as the curriculum for computer-based self-study onboarding. “Such a program could provide consistent and quality train-ing and free up resources, as well,” Ricklefs notes.

Results from this improvement came quickly, especially among employees with six to 12 months of tenure who re-cently had finished the onboarding process and answered questions on the A/R engagement survey. Positive responses to the question, “I have access to the information I need to do my job effectively,” increased by 6 percent, and the question, “I have received the training I need to do my job,” increased in positive responses by 9 percent.

The company’s A/R also saw a 12 percent increase in posi-tive responses to a question about effective processes that help people be more successful, and a 16 percent positive response increase to the question, “My immediate super-visor ensures I have the skills and training I need to do a quality job.”

FOCUS ON NEXT GENERATIONIn 2013, CHG’s feedback and assessments team separated from its Human Resources team, which helped move the


focus of its feedback and assessment processes from more of an administrative function to growth and development of its leadership bench. “The team now focuses specifically on leadership 360-degree feedback and other assessment tools, such as leadership needs assessments and the leadership nine-box,” says Ricklefs.

Anna Franson, CHG’s feedback and assessment team lead-er, notes, “This change allows us to focus on and improve the connection between leadership performance, development, and readiness.”

Indeed, the feedback and assessments team is essential to helping CHG focus on identifying and developing up-and-coming leaders. “While we have been doing nine-box assessments since 2011, in 2013, we expanded it to include both leaders and front-line employees,” Ricklefs says. “Lead-ers assess their people bi-annually for both performance and potential. Individuals scoring highly in both areas are identified for promotion in the next six to 12 months. High-potential employees then complete a talent inventory profile (TIP), which is essentially an introductory 360-degree sur-vey to determine leadership readiness,”

Based on the TIP results, the potential leader either joins CHG’s pre-leadership program, LEAP (Leadership

Evaluation and Assessment Pro-gram) or continues developing within his or her current role for the next few months. “This approach has greatly improved our succes-sion planning within teams and divisions,” Ricklefs says, “and also has increased our internal promo-tion level from 39.5 percent to our current level of 75.9 percent.”

STAYING CONNECTED— AND GROWINGThe company’s forward-looking approach to incorporating social networking technology internally also helps connect young up-and-coming leaders. “Because we are a staffing company, social media/networking technology is already an integral part of our culture. We lean heavily on LinkedIn, Face-book, and other major platforms to not only staff our own positions, but fill the staffing needs of our clients,” Ricklefs says. “Internally, social platforms are prevalent, in-cluding our CEO’s blog—which he uses as his primary communica-tion tool and as an interactive way to answer our people’s questions—or our new Employee Network Groups, which allow people with

similar interests to use online forums to connect and gather. Topics range from cancer support to ham radio enthusiasm. Our inherently social culture contributes to and sets the stage for social learning.”

For example, in conjunction with CHG’s Rock Your Body weight-loss initiative, the company’s wellness team spon-sors forums where participants discuss fitness and dieting best practices. The team also has made use of in-class social learning, allowing participants to use their mobile phones to contribute to survey data that then becomes the driver of the conversation. Additionally, the company’s IT group main-tains an integrated wiki, which serves as the knowledge base for its new sales platform. CHG’s online social culture has made integrating these social tools into learning a smooth endeavor.

The combination of CHG’s strong leadership curricu-lum and its ability to keep employees connected will help the company as it continues its improvement push. Says Ricklefs: “In 2014, our challenges include developing new and existing leaders quickly enough to maintain the right employee-to-leader ratios, high leadership retention, and high employee engagement and productivity in the midst of continued growth.” t


CHG HEALTHCARE SERVICES’ Training teams; top: the Florida Training Team; bottom: the Salt Lake City Training Team.

#4 CHG HEALTHCARE SERVICES

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Trainers at Mohawk Industries, Inc., helped hone the company’s competitive edge while investing in a new LMS and strengthening leadership development. BY MARGERY WEINSTEIN


CHG LEADERSHIP: From left,

looring manufacturer Mohawk Industries knows it’s at a pivotal point in its growth. Last year, the Training team distinguished itself by supporting the company in its efforts to top competitors. There also were gains made in providing learners with the technology

they need to be prepared for their jobs. The investment in a new learning management system (LMS) had the com-pany thinking about the needs of its employees and the type of technology that would best suit them. These forward-looking efforts were complemented by continued work to improve ongoing challenges such as leadership development and employee engagement.

PREFERRED PROVIDERMohawk’s Learning professionals understand the impor-tance of supporting the company in its push to outpace competitors. “A key component of Mohawk Industries’

business strategy is to be the preferred provider for more than 25,000 residential and commercial customers,” says Training Director Amanda Arnwine. “Training has helped to deliver on that goal in many ways.”

For example, Arnwine points to the success trainers had supporting its ceramic tile segment, which implemented Statements, a new aligned dealer program. “The company supported new program participants with both classroom training and e-learning opportunities,” Arnwine says. “Sales among program participants exceeded projections by 20 per-cent, with the retailers gaining critical product knowledge and design expertise to boost sales at the store level.”

Similarly, says Arnwine, trainers also supported the residential carpet team with specialized training around communication skills, system skills, and engagement for customer service associates to address the three most com-mon order entry errors that cause incorrect shipments to customers. The training resulted in these types of claims

F

Floors the CompetitionMohawk’s Training

#5 MOHAWK INDUSTRIES, INC.

MOHAWK INDUSTRIES, INC., Training Team.

reaching a record low of .01 percent of shipments in June. “This ensures that our customers are receiving their orders right the first time,” Arnwine notes, “and eliminates freight costs to and from the customer on returned orders.”

TACKLING TECHNOLOGYSometimes changes you wouldn’t think would require much in the way of change management end up requiring signifi-cant support. That’s just what Arnwine and her team discovered last year. “Surprisingly, one of the most challenging changes that took place re-cently was perceived as a relatively minor event, which proved to be a contributing factor to the issues that ensued,” says Arnwine. The company switched its e-mail platform earlier last year, she explains. Because the new platform was familiar to many people through their home computer use, engaging them in training was more challenging.

“Adult learners tend to balk at being taught some-thing they feel they already know. Unfortunately, changes to the platform’s calendar function were unfamiliar to most of the audience, and the cor-porate directory was not as easily accessible,” says Arnwine. “Call volume to the IS help desk rose sharply as calendar entries did not migrate con-sistently to the new platform, meeting rooms were identified in a different format, and meeting accep-tances weren’t syncing between smart phones and computers.”

Arnwine points out that within a week, much of “the tempest” was resolved, but the lesson was clear: “When change management involves tools people feel they already know well, creative inter-nal marketing is required to help explain the scope of the change and its potential impact.”

LMS ABCSLike many companies, finding the LMS to suit its particular needs hasn’t been easy for Mohawk. The last few years have seen the use of a few different systems. In 2013, the company strived to resolve these issues and find the right solution for its learners.

Arnwine describes the search for the perfect LMS as akin to “searching for a unicorn.” She says you’re spurred on to think there is such a thing only to find compromises are necessary. “There are legends about its existence, but no one actually can claim to have found one. We sought a system that could meet the needs of a complex organization, provide a simple user interface, and offer great value to the business.”

She says Mohawk has implemented three different LMSs in three years. “Our previous system did not sync with Work-day, our Human Resources information system, and we needed to find a platform that could ensure an easy and ac-curate flow of data between the two systems,” says Arnwine. “Our administrator spent hours doing manual enrollments,

and reporting was a nightmare.” As a result, Mohawk transitioned to Cogentys, which

Arnwine and her team learned about at last year’s Training Conference & Expo. Cogentys partners with WeComply, and through that relationship, offers a library of more than 150 courses on topics such as safety, general business, and creating a harassment-free workplace. “Workday and Cogentys work seamlessly together, and we were able to part-

ner with Cogentys to get the customizations necessary to satisfy the needs of our business units,” says Arnwine. “The new LMS also resulted in a 150 percent reduction in cost per user, yielding a savings for the next three years of more than $350,000. For the Training team, the best shift has been that the time spent on the LMS by the average user has increased to 30 minutes per week, the highest utilization in terms of time the company has had since implementing its first LMS.”

AIDING LEADERSHIP AND UP-AND-COMERSAs Mohawk’s trainers meet the challenges of providing the most up-to-date technology, they also focus on the ongoing need to keep the company’s leadership, and its next generation of leaders, strong. “Leadership training is critical to the success of any business, both in closing skill gaps among current lead-ers and preparing the next generation of leaders,” says Arnwine. “Mohawk applies a modified confederated model for leadership training. The Mohawk Leadership Academy provides a pro-gressive approach to leadership development, with each tier of the program building on the work done at previous levels.”


The search for the perfect learning management system is akin to “searching for a unicorn,” says Training Director Amanda Arnwine. “You’re spurred on to think there is such a thing only to find compromises are necessary. There are legends about its existence, but no one actually can claim to have found one. We sought a system that could meet the needs of a complex organization, provide a simple user interface, and offer great value to the business.”

Arnwine says the academy complements classroom instruc-tion with stretch assignments, coaching, assessments, and online learning. “Our business units have distinct needs,” she notes, “and each has developed leadership initiatives that are linked with their strategic business plans. We have been pleased with the results of this two-tiered approach, which of-fers both strategic leadership development, as well as focused

learning around meeting business objectives.”The Mohawk Learning team’s focus on leadership

also extends to those employees who will be the com-pany’s future leaders. “We operate under the pipeline principle, believing that each group of leaders forms the succession pool for the next group above them,” says Arnwine. “With entry-level and mid-level em-ployees, our focus is on fundamentals.”

For example, she notes that Mohawk’s Leadership Potential classes help mid- and entry-level employ-ees define their career path: technical/professional or managerial. These classes introduce the key compo-nents of managing oneself and others, drive desired behaviors across the business, and explore the impor-tance of the company’s Business Strategy as it applies to employees’ current and potential roles. “We ensure that all high potentials complete a talent profile to define their current skills and their goals while mea-

suring their progress through training, assessment, and more,” says Arnwine.

ENERGIZING ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTIONMohawk’s focus on engagement dates back more than a decade, Arnwine notes. “From climate surveys to focus

www.trainingmag.com

MOHAWK INDUSTRIES executive team, first row, from left: Amanda Arnwine, Corporate

Training director; Anne Cooper, senior director, Global Human Resources. Second row, from

left: Jason Crowe, Training specialist; Rebecca Long, Corporate Training manager; Kerri

Hodge, Corporate Training administrator; and Mike Cavin, E-Learning Service administrator.

#5 MOHAWK INDUSTRIES, INC.

350 Lincoln Street, Suite 270 Hingham, MA 02043781.741.8883 [email protected] mcbride-lucius.com

on being named a Top 125 Training organization for the third year in a row! We are honored to partner with Capital BlueCross on the design and implementation of their award-winning leadership development suite.

John McBride and Sharon Lucius Managing Partners, McBride&Lucius

McBride&Lucius congratulates our strategic partner»


groups, Mohawk has sought the feedback of employees to ensure that the company was meeting their development needs, informing them of the business’ key objectives and giving them a forum for providing good ideas to benefit the organization,” she says.

For instance, each employee completes a pocket card with his or her goals, which appear alongside the goals of the busi-ness unit and the enterprise. These cards become a catalyst for conversation with management and ensure alignment of personal and organizational objectives.

“Today, those cards represent just one tool for increasing interaction with management on an ongoing basis, par-ticularly around career path discussions,” says Arnwine. “The talent profiles we ask all high potentials to complete help them to better understand their opportunities within a growing business.” Arnwine also notes that the company is providing greater communication through a variety of channels, including digital signs, video, Intranet, Internet, mobility, e-mail, kiosks, and print.

LOOKING AHEADAs accomplished as Mohawk’s trainers were in 2013, there is no time to rest on their laurels. “In 2014, we recognize that we must close skill gaps in some targeted functions to improve the success of the business,” says Arnwine.

One major challenge, she notes, will be the shortages the company will experience in technical areas such as maintenance and electrical positions, which has led the company to pilot with local community colleges to help employees earn certifications through accelerated programs.

In addition to filling these talent needs, the company is leaning on its Training team to aid corporate wellness initiatives. “We’re continuing our efforts to improve the health of our employees and their family members,” says Arnwine. “One new program we’re excited about is a part-nership with Georgia Tech that will help us to create a tablet-based wellness education platform to make it easier for people to access the information they need, to connect with experts in any of the five health risk areas we are tar-geting, and to keep track of their progress with nutrition, exercise, medication, and medical feedback.”

Offering corporate wellness support is essential, Arn-wine believes, to the company’s goal of creating a satisfied, productive, long-lasting workforce. “One of the keys to re-taining good people is to help them achieve their best, both in terms of their professional development and their qual-ity of life, she says. “We constantly are working toward our goal of helping our people become the safest and healthiest workforce in American industry.” t


Our employees make a difference in people’s lives.

And we’re committed to making a difference in theirs.

Learn more at ViLiving.com/Company/Careers.

Providing an extraordinary environment for senior

living starts with extraordinary employees. At Vi,

we’re committed to supporting the

growth of our employees through

engaging opportunities such as our

Leadership Institute and Management

Development Program. We’re proud to be ranked

among the best in employee development and the

recipient of Training magazine’s Top 125 award for

a fourth year in a row. But what we’re most

proud of is our high employee satisfaction scores

and strong employee retention rates. Vi. An

exceptional place to work, learn and grow.


F armers Insurance and Verizon are the newest inductees into the Training Top 10 Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of the 12 companies named to the hall since its inception in 2008 (Wyeth Pharmaceuticals subsequently was acquired by Pfizer Inc. in 2000). These 12 companies held Top 10 spots in the

Training Top 50, Top 100, and now Top 125 rankings for four consecutive years. Farmers Insurance and Verizon were formally inducted into the Top 10 Hall of Fame at this year’s Training Top 125 Gala, held February 3 during the Training 2014 Conference & Expo in San Diego. Members remain in the Top 10 Hall of Fame for a minimum of three years. They can choose to remain in the Hall of Fame by adhering to specific guidelines or they can opt to reapply for Training Top 125 consideration.

BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON: No. 9 in 2007,

No. 1 in 2006, No. 2 in 2005, No. 4 in 2004,

No. 6 in 2003. Representative: Vicente Gonzalez,

Learning and Development

DELOITTE LLP: No. 6 in 2004 and 2005,

No. 8 in 2003, No. 9 in 2002.

Representative: Nicole Roy-Tobin, Director,

Best Practices & Innovation, Deloitte

ERNST & YOUNG: No. 6 in 2007, No. 3 in 2006,

No. 7 in 2005, No. 8 in 2004, No. 7 in 2003.

Representative: Alison B. Hooker, Chief Talent

Development Officer, Americas, Ernst & Young

FARMERS INSURANCE: No. 4 in 2013, No. 2 in

2012, No. 1 in 2011, No. 6 in 2010.

Representative: Annette Thompson,

Chief Learning Officer, Farmers Insurance

GENERAL MILLS, INC.: No. 7 in 2008 and 2009,

No. 5 in 2007, No. 10 in 2006.

Representative: Kevin D. Wilde,

Vice President, Chief Learning Officer

IBM: No. 2 in 2006, No. 1 in 2005,

No. 1 in 2004, No. 2 in 2003.

Representative: Gordon Fuller, Global Design &

Dev. Leader, IBM Center for Advanced Learning

KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION: No. 9 in 2006,

No. 5 in 2005, 2004, and 2003.

Representative: Glenn Hughes, Senior Director,

Learning and Development, KLA-Tencor

Corporation

KPMG LLP: No. 5 in 2010, No. 2 in 2009,

No. 5 in 2008, No. 7 in 2007.

Representative: Cyndi Bruce, Executive Director,

KPMG Business School - U.S

MICROSOFT CORPORATION: No. 9 in 2011,

No. 8 in 2010, No. 10 in 2009, No. 9 in 2008.

Representative: Jim Federico, Senior Director,

Platforms & Operations, Microsoft Corporation

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS: No. 1 in 2010,

2009, 2008; No. 2 in 2007.

Representative:: Tom Evans,

Chief Learning Officer

THE RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL COMPANY: No. 1 in

2007, No. 4 in 2006, No. 9 in 2005, No. 10 in

2004, No. 9 in 2003. Representative: Diana Oreck,

Vice President, Leadership Center

SCC SOFT COMPUTER: No. 4 in 2011, No. 9 in

2010, No. 3 in 2009, No. 8 in 2008.

Representative: Donald Keller, Chief Learning

Officer and Vice President, Global Education &

Development

VERIZON: No. 1 in 2013 and 2012; No. 3 in

2011, No. 4 in 2010.

Representative: Lou Tedrick, Staff Vice President -

Workforce Development, Verizon

WYETH PHARMACEUTICALS: No. 5 in 2009,

No. 3 in 2008, No. 8 in 2007, No. 7 in 2006.

Acquired by Pfizer Inc. in 2009

2014 HALL OF FAME

2014 HALL OF FAME


FARMERS INSURANCEAt the University of Farmers, strategy starts, not surpris-ingly, with a written strategy developed as a foundation for the company’s annual planning process. Elements of this approach include a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Op-portunities, and Threats) analysis based on enterprise and operational results. Farmers also identifies an aspirational “Future State” for the University: “How do we need to be struc-tured and what developmental resources need to exist to align with and support the achievement of organizational business goals?” The next step is the creation of a “From/To” roadmap documenting tactics and milestones to move from the orga-nization’s current state to the future state, with an emphasis on the upcoming year. Each component includes a dual emphasis:

• What’s needed to support Farmers business units (working in the business)?

• What’s needed to develop the capabilities of the University of Farmers and its learning professionals (working on the business)?

Examples of strategies and success working in Farmers’ business include: solutions for transforming the compa-ny’s agency and distribution model to drive increased sales results, better understanding the customer to improve customer experience, and enhancing the capabilities of lead-ership and top talent.

Examples of strategies and success working on Farmers’ business include: significantly expanding audience reach and impact through mobile, social, and subject matter expert-generated content. Farmers also has developed a ro-bust process to identify and enhance learning professional capabilities around performance consulting, learning strate-gy development, design, and delivery. Expanding University capabilities also includes becoming a greater enabler (vs. developer) of learning, creating continuous learning en-vironments (vs. “training programs”), and increasing the technology savvy of Farmers’ people.

Regardless of strategy or tactics, Farmers believes in three additional keys to success:

1. Data, analysis, and measuring impact2. Being intellectually curious through consistent piloting

of programs prior to launch3. Industry benchmarking to ensure the company is

up to date on current thinking, trends, and best practices

VERIZONVerizon, a global leader delivering innovative communica-tions and technology solutions, employs a diverse, global

workforce of more than 180,000 employees. To keep em-ployees’ capabilities current, Verizon invested more than $280 million in learning and development in 2012, offering 11,000-plus courses in a variety of formats, including class-room training, virtual instructor-led training (VILT), and mobile and online learning. Employees completed 7.9 mil-lion hours of training—an average of 44.6 hours per person. Verizon’s global tuition assistance program provides em-ployees with up to $8,000 annually to fund higher education to enhance their careers. More than 23,000 employees were funded through the program in 2012.

Verizon’s L&D organization has significant leadership sup-port and involvement—from C-suite “leader as teacher” engagement in executive education, to executive participa-tion in go-to-market curriculum reviews, to a “leaders first” top-down deployment approach to training.

Senior leaders also sponsored “Learning Effectiveness” as an inaugural Verizon Lean Six Sigma initiative in 2012/2013. L&D led projects designed to improve learning, including a curriculum review process, channel-based new hire training, and a trainer evaluation process. These projects delivered $36 million in savings through October 2013.

The L&D organization supports strategic business initia-tives with comprehensive learning solutions (e.g., business transformation initiatives, new technology implementa-tions, device/pricing/customer-facing policy rollouts). For example, Verizon’s Executive Education Shareholder Value series began in 2011 with a two-day program, “Leading for Shareholder Value.” The program targeted Verizon’s shareholder value imperative by focusing on its financial performance and the power of a collaborative culture. In 2013, a new program, “Innovating for Growth and Value,” was deployed. It focused on approaching innovation in a disciplined way to lead in current markets, shape adjacent markets, and create new markets.

Verizon leverages technology to deliver effective, efficient learning. For example, when geographic, budget, or timing constraints and/or competing priorities present challenges with deploying classroom training, Verizon uses interac-tive VILT. Employees say their VILT experience is superior to Webinars and on par with classroom training, and VILT nets significant travel and productivity savings. Verizon de-livers training and online performance support content via its smart phones and tablets to field technicians and retail representatives. Providing employees with untethered access to content precisely when they need it helps them better sup-port customers.

Verizon’s Training Top 125 placement annually since 2002 is a recruiting and employee engagement asset. Current and future employees truly value the learning and development opportunities available at Verizon. t

I WORK FOR THE COMPANY THATTACKLES THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST CHALLENGES

At Verizon, we believe in the power of technology to solve just about anything. And we’ve put our sharpest minds to the task. Our solutions are empowering individuals, businesses, and communities everywhere.

A career with Verizon requires the know-how to provide powerful answers. Our training and development programs have earned us recognition as one of Training Magazine’s Top 125 companies for 9 years running. And thanks to our commitment to excellence, we have now been inducted into the Training Top 10 Hall of Fame.

Join our team and you’ll create an inspiring future with the company where world-class training and development can create world-changing innovation.

To learn more, visit verizon.com/jobs

Verizon is an equal opportunity employer m/f/d/v

For the first time since the creation of the TrainingTop 10 Hall of Fame in 2008, Training magazine required all Hall of Famers to submit an Outstand-ing Training Initiative that would be judged by each

other and shared with our readers. Aside from ensuring Hall of Famers aren’t “resting on their laurels,” this provides an opportunity for the Learning & Development community to learn from the “best of the best” and see some innovative solutions for challenges many face today.

Each Hall of Fame Outstanding Training Initiative submis-sion could achieve a maximum of 15 points (half-point increments could be awarded) as follows:• Level of project difficulty/challenges faced and scale:

0-4 points• Innovation of training: 0-5 points• Results: 1 point for specific results stated in each of

the first 3 Kirkpatrick levels; up to 3 points for specific results stated in the 4th level: 0-6 points

The initiatives that achieved the highest scores are detailed below (Booz Allen Hamilton obtained the highest score; KPMG and PwC tied for the second highest score). The other eight submissions will be profiled in the five remaining issues for 2014.

Booz Allen Hamilton: Cyber UniversityBooz Allen Hamilton has established several strategic initia-tives that form a core set of business strategies and plans for business growth, development, and revenue generation. Cyber security and technology is one such initiative. Cyber

technology and its application continue to evolve. As a result, training is a critical component in keeping staff current. Moreover, cyber security is a competitive marketplace where there are more jobs than qualified staff.

To close this gap, Booz Allen Hamilton four years ago cre-ated Cyber University, which works to build an expert and stable workforce through continuing education, industry-recognized certifications, and graduate-level academic programs. Cyber University is designed to have an impact across Booz Allen Hamilton’s four business groups, and it supports the firm’s market areas: Strategic Innovation, Defense, Security, and Civil. These include government, Department of Defense, civil, transportation, energy, and the commercial and financial services business.

ChallengesA wide range of learning content across technical capabili-ties was required. The university focused on a multi-tiered model for content, leveraging build and/or buy: instructor-led training (including virtual), core certifications, online learning, academic programs, resources, and experiential learning activities. Metrics are difficult to gather when training or certifications are obtained independent of the Cyber University. To overcome these challenges, a require-ments review process was developed to focus resources on the development of relationships with providers having core competence in critical need areas, as well as to develop institutional content focused on proprietary intellectual property and intellectual capital.

TRAINING INITIATIVES

OUTSTANDING


HALL OF FAME OTI

Content DevelopmentBooz Allen Hamilton implemented a new organization called APP: Academic and Professional Partnerships. This group developed a structured strategy to define external relation-ships in alignment with business imperatives, with top-tier relationships being true business partners. These partnerships were developed to teach areas of technical specialty, provide industry-recognized content (predominantly leading to a certifi-cation), and provide graduate-level expertise (while obtaining a graduate certificate or Master’s degree in cyber security).

With solidified vendor partnerships, internal resources narrowly focused on the development of learning solutions that address unique content not available in the market-place—specifically areas of Booz Allen Hamilton intellectual property or proprietary intellectual capital.

DeliveryLearning content is offered across a variety of platforms to accommodate various learner needs and styles. Graduate-level courses are offered through a blended learning platform; staff is responsible for preparation of virtual instructor-led courses. Certification preparation courses are offered in this blended learning format for staff not centrally located or those unable to leave client engagements during the day. These blended learning solutions are offered after core business hours to accommodate client requirements. Other courses are offered in a traditional classroom envi-ronment to accommodate lab work. In addition to these interactive options, staffers have access to hundreds of self-paced courses and virtual reference libraries to support their learning needs.

Staffers are encouraged to continue development in this area to stay current on technical developments and to maintain certifications. Career managers reinforce this messaging through regular conversations and performance objectives.

To date, 4,478 learners have been trained. The program is ongoing and in its fourth year of alignment to business strategic imperatives. Initial deliverables were available in the first year. In the following years, the program has undergone continued content and delivery improvements.

Booz Allen Hamilton tracks metrics including staff enrollments, successful completion of certification exams (delineated by method of instruction), number of staff holding certifications, and the retention rates for staff who engage in these programs. Once a month, a searchable dashboard is provided to all Cyber leaders, allowing them to search for staff by location, pay band, and certifications held. This tool has allowed the business to leverage skilled staff to their maximum potential and identify staff for proposals and other efforts, and has driven increased staff retention by keeping them fully engaged on projects that grow their interests and skills.

ResultsStaffers consistently rate these courses above the industry benchmark, due to their technical depth and flexibility of scheduling. Overall Kirkpatrick Level 1 satisfaction measures 88 percent. Staffers in this program have an 89 percent industry exam pass rate, well above the 70 percent industry average (using KnowledgeAdvisors/Metrics That Matter data).

For Level 3 behavior change, feedback from surveys of career managers, program managers, and staff indicates the program has 80 percent learning effectiveness overall.

As a result of the implementation of Cyber University and the effective alignment of courses meeting defined business needs, Booz Allen Hamilton has documented an increase in retention (87 percent of staff who completed the graduate program were still with the firm two years later), a pass rate of industry certifications well above the industry average, and higher billability for staff completing the courses.

KPMG: MarketEDGETo help its professionals become better at understand-ing their clients’ issues and aligning their messaging and approach, audit, tax, and advisory firm KPMG last year launched an innovative new program called MarketEDGE. In its first year of deployment, MarketEDGE has resulted in stronger, deeper, and more meaningful client relationships. At the heart of this success was a creative, multifaceted learning initiative.

What Made the Training Work?1. The MarketEDGE learning initiative extends beyond the

classroom. Anchored in an engaging two-day core training course that’s been delivered to KPMG’s 2,000-plus partners and managing directors, the learning also is reinforced over time. Pre- and post-course activities help participants apply learning to actual client situations. What’s taught in the classroom is reflected in a variety of business processes, tools, and performance measures. Additional courses expose more junior professionals to the approach and their role in supporting it. And firm-wide and local communications regularly reinforce best practices.

2. KPMG leaders have actively and visibly participated

in the training. Leaders from all of the firm’s practice areas promoted and attended the core training program, ensured the participation of their partners and managing directors, and actively engage in the reinforcement. Through their communications and their actions, leadership conveyed the importance of learning and applying MarketEDGE principles.

3. Learning has been measured and monitored at

multiple levels. This measurement strategy helped the Training team make real-time adjustments to the initiative. It also helped validate its success.


HALL OF FAME OTI

Post-course surveys administered to the core training participants showed overwhelming satisfaction: • Some 94.7 percent of respondents agreed that

“I anticipate using MarketEDGE.” • Some 91.2 percent agreed that “deploying

MarketEDGE will enhance my personal success.”• Some 93.5 percent agreed that “overall, I would

recommend this program to others at the firm.”The core training program culminated in activities that

tested knowledge and skill gain, helping ensure that 100 percent of participants left with the requisite ability to apply the MarketEDGE approach to real-world situations with clients.

A program of measurement and monitoring of MarketEDGE was developed and has been embedded in the infrastructure. It includes having senior leaders and MarketEDGE “champions” work closely with account teams to conduct client issue reviews and ensure that MarketEDGE concepts are being adopted. These reviews served the double purpose of validating learning transfer to behavior and providing an opportunity for additional coaching.

Early results have far exceeded KPMG leadership’s expectations. And there’s clear commitment to continue to reinforce the concepts, measure progress, and maximize the long-term impact for many years to come.

PwC: DiscoverDiscover is one of PwC’s signature leadership development programs. It recognizes the firm’s newly promoted senior associates on their milestone achievement and focuses on increasing their ability to make effective choices. More than 4,600 professionals have participated in Discover to celebrate their promotion and explore self-leadership. The

program uses life’s domains—self, family, community, and career—as the lenses for good decision-making and includes virtual, face-to-face, and life coaching experiences.

The ChallengeIn designing Discover, the PwC Learning and Development (L&D) team sought to engage thousands of young profes-sionals in their development as the firm’s next generation of leaders. These individuals are typically in their late 20s and are at a time in their lives when balancing careers with family, community, and personal choices is becoming increasingly challenging. The program had to be scal-able up to 400 participants per session while allowing individuals to create custom learning experiences through executive coaching and small peer groups.

To meet these requirements, the L&D team fashioned Discover around four themes:• Maximize your energy: Energy is fuel for making good

choices and thriving vs. surviving. Thriving individuals take advantage of opportunities they see.

• Clarify your purpose: Individuals with purpose know what’s important to them—their values. Purpose provides a compass to help guide choices.• Sharpen your focus: Focus is an indi-vidual’s ability to channel energy by focusing their attention on something. This is how we add value to our lives.• Act with intention: Intention is the ability to make conscious decisions rather than reactive choices. Individuals who act with intention do things on purpose.

Discover eschews the typical learning objectives most professional services firms embed in their development programs, which usually focus on practical application of methodology, structure, and process. Instead, the program emphasizes the development of values, belief, and character. The result is a highly personalized experience

with three phases: Explore, Celebrate and Learn, and Sustain.

Embarking on a Journey of Self-DiscoveryDiscover’s unique design allows participants to tailor an adventure, make key choices to direct their experience, and have fun while appreciating how their decisions influence various outcomes. In the Explore phase, participants complete pre-work assignments such as an online “Discover Your Values” exercise, which sets up a virtual conversation with an externally certified life coach. Participants work with their coaches to create their “Who


In KPMG’s MarketEDGE, pre- and post-course activities help participants apply learning to actual client situations. What’s taught in the classroom is reflected in business processes, tools, and performance measures. Additional courses expose more junior professionals to their role in supporting the approach.

am I?” stories. In addition, participants use a microsite with resources to prepare for their journey.

Face-to-face learning experiences take place in the Celebrate and Learn phase. Here, participants travel to a picturesque resort in California for four days of celebration and reflection on their promotion to senior associate. Everyone is encouraged to make the most of the loca-tion, the partner support champion network, and onsite workshops. Gary Hrechkosy, a recent Discover alum, was pleased he did both. “It was great to get one-on-one advice on this new phase of my career from my Discover coach. And we did a lot of fun activities that made our discussions about what’s working and what’s not more valuable.”

The final phase, Sustain, begins when participants return from the resort. Discover alums use the program’s network-ing site on PwC’s social collaboration platform to continue the dialogue with their partner advocates and peers on life leadership.

ResultsSince its introduction, Discover continues to receive high marks in participant evaluations. More than 90 percent felt the program was effective and enjoyed the learning experi-ence. A few key highlights:

• Some 83 percent felt Discover was a celebration of a significant career milestone.

• Some 87 percent felt Discover made them feel more prepared to identify and make effective choices that affect self, family, community, and career.

• Some 84 percent felt Discover helped them to understand the importance of a support network.

• Some 90 percent have made one commitment to themselves that they’re eager to realize.

In a three- and 13-month post-program survey, 86 percent of participants indicated that they’ve made behavioral changes based on their program experiences. These include efforts to improve work/life balance, as well as placing a greater emphasis on health and exercise.

The program also is significantly affecting senior associate retention. Prior to the introduction of Discover, the volun-tary turnover rate of the firm’s senior associates was 23 percent. Today, it’s less than 10 percent for first-year senior associates who attend Discover. While this dramatic reduc-tion in turnover cannot be entirely attributed to Discover, the program’s impact is a key contributor to the increased retention of PwC’s senior associates. More importantly, participants feel celebrated and recognized as future leaders, knowing that their journey has just begun.

When you’re ready to invest in your organization’s future.You are ready for American Public University.

American Public University is ready to help your team succeed. Your employees can manage their personal and professional lives while pursuing a respected degree online — at a cost that’s 20% less than the average in-state rates at public universities.*

StudyatAPU.com/solutions

*College Board: Trends in College Pricing, 2013.

We want you to make an informed decision about the university that’s right for you. For more about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed each program, and other important information, visit www.apus.edu/disclosure.


1 2 Jiffy Lube International, NFP 20,500 25/6,000/50 NFP NFP Yes Yes Inc. U.S. Houston, TX Retail

2 41 Keller Williams NFP 90,848 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Realty, Inc. 93,128 Austin, TX Global Real Estate/Insurance

3 10 Capital BlueCross $3.25B U.S. 1,917 U.S. 35/2/55 $7.3M 5.08 Yes Yes (CBC) Harrisburg, PA Health/Medical Svcs.

4 5 CHG Healthcare Svcs. NFP 1,784 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Salt Lake City, UT Health/Medical Svcs.

5 8 Mohawk $5.7B 19,759 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Industries, Inc. Global U.S. Calhoun, GA 32,417 Manufacturing Global


* New entry; not ranked in the 2013 Top 125

Training Company Name/ Total Budget as a Tuition2014 2013 Location/ Annual No. of No. of Trainers Training Percentage Reimburse- Training Rank Rank Primary Business Revenue Employees Full-Time / Part-Time / SMEs Budget of Payroll ment Infrastructure

TOPTOPTOP125125125RANKINGS 1-5

Jiffy Lube International, Inc. Jiffy Lube University has built its success by helping the learners and the business grow. Certification of technical skills is key to Jiffy Lube’s success as technicians must be certified in order to perform a service. More than 148,000 certifications were earned in 2012. In the last 3 years, certification levels have gone up in all 10 categories, and the total hours of training have more than doubled. Today, 89% of all stores have a certification level higher than 80%. A recent analysis revealed that 41% of all stores are at the 100% certification level, and those stores have an average sale that is 9% higher than other JL stores.

Keller Williams Realty, Inc. To help real estate agents increase the profitability of their businesses, Keller Williams Realty offers BOLD: Business Objective, Life by Design. This transformative program increases sales through the relentless pursuit of leads and business-building activities. Over the course of 7 weeks, BOLD conditions agents with mindset exercises, language techniques, and lead-generation activities. Participants are assigned to accountability teams and challenged to push each other to achieve big results. BOLD attracts real estate professionals from brokerages and brands throughout the industry, many of whom sign up every time it is offered. Last year, BOLD graduates increased their closed transactions by 50% and increased their income by 114%.

Capital BlueCross Breakthrough Leadership tackles the most critical leadership challenges by assessing participants against proven leadership attributes and exposing them to multidimensional experiences to expand their leadership mindsets and decision-making abilities. The nominated participants are immersed in 7 sessions over a 12-month period. One of the milestone events occurs at Gettysburg National Battlefield. The journey includes multiple checkpoints with leaders, as well as the Executive Team, who serve as classroom faculty. Results: 100% increase in participant willingness to collaborate when making business decisions; 75% of participants have been promoted into increased leadership responsibility (including 2 participants promoted to the Executive Team); 80% of participants have increased readiness in succession for next positions.

CHG Healthcare Services In 2013, CHG increased its commitment to its core value of continuous improvement through a newly developed Lean training. The central component of the initiative is a quarter-long certificate program that uses work sessions to train employees on Lean strategies. This strategy directly contributed to achieving 20% revenue growth. In 2013 alone, Lean training eliminated 1,626 process steps; saved 20,168 labor hours; removed mistake opportunities from 41 processes; and resulted in a cost savings of nearly $7.3 million. Employee feedback also indicated that the initiative contributed to CHG earning a Top 5 (No. 3) ranking on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. BP

Mohawk Industries, Inc. Mohawk’s waste stream management training has expanded to a “zero landfill” approach with a goal of eliminating all waste from the company’s manufacturing facilities. Four sites accomplished this feat in 2013. Individual site coordinators are trained on how each type of waste can be redirected into the recycling stream by a subject matter expert who engages them in a detailed analysis of the facility’s waste receptacles. On-site recycling programs now extend to plastic, paper, cardboard, and aluminum cans. Waste stream management training programs have yielded savings of millions of dollars YTD 2013, including revenue from sales to recyclers, as well as the reduced cost for materials sent to landfills.

NFP Information provided, but not for publication N/A Not applicable BP Honored for Best Practice OTI Honored for Outstanding Training Initiative

perating like a well-oiled machine, No. 1 Jiffy Lube International, Inc.’s aligned and focused approach to training—in particular, training on new services, customer service skills, and leadership—resulted in a 900 percent increase in the number of stores at 100 percent certification, a reduction in turnover, and a 93 percent approval rating by franchisees. The other Top 125ers likewise demonstrated an unrelenting focus on effective training and employee development tied to corporate strategic goals and measurable results. Some 27

newcomers earned a spot on the list this year, the 14th in a row Training has ranked the top companies of employer-sponsored workforce training and development.

Each Top 125 company was measured on quantitative (70 percent of total score) and qualitative (30 percent of total score) data. Factors influencing the rankings include: Training tied to business objectives • Demonstrable results • Number of trainers • Employee turnover and retention • Leadership development • Tuition assistance • Training technology and infrastructure • Certification • Training budget and percentage of payroll. And much, much more. An outside research and statistical data company, under the guidance of Training magazine, scored companies on this data supplied by applicants. Then, our editors and the Training Top 10 Hall of Famers qualitatively reviewed the applications.

Best Practices and Outstanding Training Initiatives also are recognized in this issue (beginning on p. 104). Learn about Valvoline Instant Oil Change’s Bench Planning, Walgreens’ Leadership LEAP, and more. Plus, we welcome two new Training Top 10 Hall of Famers: Farmers Insurance and Verizon (see p. 56). Kudos to this year’s Training Top 125!

O


Additional Information


6 6 McCarthy Building NFP 1,487 U.S. 8/10/189 NFP NFP Yes Yes Companies, Inc.

St. Louis, MO Construction

7 24 McDonald’s USA, LLC NFP 929,299 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Oak Brook, IL U.S. Hospitality 1.7M Global

8 3 Coldwell Banker NFP 83,000 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Madison, NJ Global Real Estate/Insurance

9 11 Blue Cross Blue Shield $10.7B 7,468 U.S. 117/4/78 NFP NFP Yes Yes of Michigan Detroit, MI Health Insurance

10 17 DPR Construction $2.8B U.S. 1,511 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Redwood City, CA $2.5B 1,514 Construction Global Global

11 49 Arkansas Best $1.7B Global 10,929 U.S. 93/205/274 NFP NFP Yes Yes Corporation (ABF) 10,994 Fort Smith, AR Global Transportation/Utilities

12 18 Health Care NFP 16,068 266/5/4,921 NFP NFP Yes Yes Service Corporation U.S. Chicago, IL Real Estate/Insurance

13 19 Economical Insurance NFP 2,200 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Waterloo, ON, Canada Global Finance/Banking

14 15 CareSource NFP 1,573 U.S. 15/5/20 NFP NFP Yes Yes Dayton, OH Health/Medical Svcs.

15 28 Savvis, A CenturyLink $900M U.S. 2,214 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP 5 Yes Yes Company $1.2B 4,121 Town and Country, MO Global Global Technology



RANKINGS 6-15


McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. McCarthy utilizes its “Pre-Mortem” training to help teams communicate about, identify, prioritize, and assign responsibility for managing risk. Inspired by a mental simulation exercise in the book, “The Power of Intuition,” by Gary Klein, McCarthy adapted this method to identify areas of risk and take proactive action to address them. The 5-step process is designed to be facilitated with a team and is an engaging way of getting a team to recognize and plan for avoiding the most likely and impactful risks they face. One project team used this training to avoid costs and exposure of almost $250,000 by identifying just one high-impact, high-likelihood risk with the building exterior. BP

McDonald’s USA, LLC English Under the Arches (EUA) is an innovative program of English as a Second Language (ESL) courses that improve communication, performance, confidence, and leadership of high-potential shift managers. Benefits to employer and employee: attracts and retains long-term talent (88% employee retention 1 year after graduation, 78% 2 years after graduation, 70% 3 years after graduation); increases speed to competency among a changing workforce (87% increase in oral proficiency, 2.5 times the national average of students in federally funded ESL programs); and promotes quality service by increasing confidence and competence to communicate with staff and customers.

Coldwell Banker The Coldwell Banker Leadership Series, for commercial real estate owners/managers, is a collaborative community assisted by the corporate learning team and dedicated to collaboration, sharing of best practices, and homegrown resources. It features an information portal on the “7 pillars” of the business, as well as live meetings, interactive Web sessions, threaded discussions, social networking, and other tools for sharing ideas and best practices. Results are tracked, recorded, and analyzed and show that the program has been scoring highly in both content and instructor ratings. Participants comment on the “great interactions” and feel this program will “make us more knowledgeable, more profitable, and more capable of gaining market share.”

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan The football field where the NFL’s Detroit Lions do battle became a training ground where hundreds of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan employees gained and shared insights on the game-changing nature of health-care reform. Entitled “Health Care’s New Normal,” the 3-hour, high-impact CEO Town Hall/Learning Map Experience was designed to help employees in all roles statewide see the big picture, providing the know-how, spark, and motivation to prepare for the changes to come. After the interactive experience, 92% of participants said they were personally committed to support the changes facing the organization.

DPR Construction As a young company, DPR’s goal to “define and execute truly great leadership transitions” is particularly appropriate. The company has designed 4 development programs to meet the different developmental needs of different employees. The Professional Development program, designed for “highly skilled professionals,” DPR’s best builders and problem solvers, is focused on increasing the Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and self-awareness of emerging leaders. The personal and professional relationships created at the retreat are especially meaningful: One group claimed the PD process was responsible for a recent team collaboration resulting in the win of a $1.5 million health-care project.

Arkansas Best Corporation (ABF) Through ABF’s new Front-Line Management Training course, supervisors and managers are trained in a variety of subjects, including communication skills, leadership, and computer resources. Though some lecture is necessary, ABF limited it while expanding the use of role-plays, games, and other kinetic activities to keep engagement at a high level. The company also is including a pre- and a post-course test to measure retention, as well as a confidence assessment to identify areas where training methods need to be re-evaluated. This ensures that front-line management professionals are equipped not only with the knowledge and skills to do the job, but also the confidence that the decisions being made are the correct ones. With the creation of an online pre-course assignment, ABF has accomplished this while reducing the overall cost of the training.

Health Care Service Corporation With the ever-changing health-care landscape, HCSC expects its sales professionals to provide customers with deep product knowledge and to offer solutions for complex problems—standing with its members in both sickness and health. HCSC developed a robust educational strategy that concentrates on consultative selling skills, value propositions, product knowledge, and leadership skills. The ultimate goal is to equip employees with necessary skills for selling and retaining business. HCSC measures the strategy’s success through exams, skill demonstrations, and market performance. Results from the annual questionnaire show that the programs helped sales professionals: sell and support business (89%), perform better (88%), and enhance external business relationships (87%).

Economical Insurance Economical Insurance continues to be a leader in the area of virtual classroom learning and long has embraced instructor-led virtual training covering multiple subject matter areas. The Learning team’s ability to use new learning technologies and increase virtual training capacity has achieved the goal of improving productivity and general expense reduction. This has been evidenced in the development and deployment of 75 virtual classroom training courses. Employee resource groups and communities of practice have allowed leadership development to transcend geographic boundaries, fostering collaboration and networking across the enterprise. This has directly increased employee engagement by 10% and enhanced development opportunities for employees who work remotely by 50%.

CareSource CareSource paved the way for a new model of care in Ohio with the High Risk Case Management (HRCM) program. HRCM is structured so that a team of health-care professionals personally works with individual members to help them live better with their medical conditions. HRCM employees develop individual care plans for members with the goal of improving health outcomes through increased engagement. The 5-month transition to HRCM required the onboarding of 350 employees, shifting from office-based to mobile-based employees, creating a new job function called a Navigator, and rollout of a comprehensive training plan to set the staff up for success.

Savvis, A CenturyLink Company The Savvis onboarding program underwent a redesign and rebranding, now called Savvis 101. The goal is to help employees understand Savvis’ complex business. The classroom event uses a learning map, designed from the customer perspective, depicting how the organization comes together to serve them. Real-life stories are delivered by a leader describing key customer touch points. In-class activities reinforce this as learners work with a fictitious customer to identify needs and propose a solution, research a solution for a client request, and build a deliverable. The 2-day event culminates with new hires using the learning map to tell their story of how they helped the fictitious customer through each phase.




16 23 Paychex, Inc. $2.3B 12,500 220/0/1,236 NFP NFP Yes Yes Rochester, NY Global Global Business Services

17 20 Capital One NFP 40,268 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Richmond, VA 42,951 Finance/Banking Global

18 14 BB&T Corporation NFP 32,564 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Winston-Salem, NC Finance/Banking

19 63 Gables Residential $209M U.S. 1,204 U.S. 11/3/75 $2.2M 3.52 Yes Yes Atlanta, GA Real Estate/Insurance

20 16 Automatic Data $11.3B 36,000 U.S. 660/15/990 NFP NFP Yes Yes Processing, Inc. Global 60,000 Roseland, NJ Global Business Services

21 9 American Infrastructure NFP 1,681 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Worcester, PA Construction

22 * Chesterfield County, $722M U.S. 4,128 U.S. 37/24/410 NFP 2.47 Yes Yes Virginia Chesterfield, VA Government & Military

23 47 Buckman Laboratories NFP 465 U.S. 20/85/170 NFP NFP Yes Yes International, Inc. 1,553 Memphis, TN Global Manufacturing

24 12 Edward Jones $485M U.S. 35,837 U.S. 354/7/8,678 $67M 2.8 Yes Yes St. Louis, MO $5B Global 38,015 Finance/Banking Global

25 13 Wequassett Resort $18.8M U.S. 390 U.S. 1/16/16 NFP 6 Yes Yes and Golf Club Chatham, MA Hospitality



RANKINGS 16-25




Paychex, Inc. Through its robust sales training programs, Paychex consistently exceeds 2 of its company strategic goals: generating client and revenue growth each year. Paychex’s sales programs aim to provide the most comprehensive training so new representatives feel capable and confident to generate sales with the goal of immediate, positive impact to sales units and revenue. For example, the efforts in the Paychex HRS Sales Training Program resulted in an 11% year-over-year increase in this organization’s overall revenue and an 8% year-over-year increase in units sold.

Capital One Front-line managers in Capital One’s UK contact center observed tenured agents not having the knowledge needed to answer customer inquiries effectively. A learning initiative was implemented to rewrite modules to ensure product information was robust and up to date. The curricula included activities and role-plays to practice the critical behavior of answering client questions quickly and accurately. Overall, managers reported that 90% of the agents showed a behavior change due to the refresher training. Agents were more confident in providing responses and showed an increase in product knowledge. This initiative also resulted in a 36.24% decrease in errors.

BB&T Corporation In fall 2013, BB&T released a mobile app based on its internal leadership model. Inspired by retro games, LEGACY: A BB&T Leadership Challenge is a medieval-period, narrative-driven, role-playing game. The game teaches players leadership skills through meaningful interactions with key characters. Depending on how well the player performs in the interactions, the game world will grow, opening up new quest opportunities, and the player will gain the favor of the king by doing well. Created for the Apple and Android platforms, the game is being promoted to colleges and universities across BB&T’s footprint through iTunes and Google Play.

Gables Residential Engage, Connect, Inspire (ECI) provides sales associates with a fun, interactive, and effective learning experience. ECI is delivered over 1 week with opportunities to immediately apply classroom learning in a real-world setting. Sales associates are guided to demonstrate not only the value of Gables Residential’s communities, but what it will feel like to call one of its communities home. ECI incorporates videos, some “starring” Gables’ own associates demonstrating best practices. Facilitators also use experiential learning activities, such as peeling an orange to understand how powerful questions can peel back layers of customer information. As a result, customer satisfaction scores have increased 19%.

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. 4G iPads were issued to ADP’s sales associates, giving them instant access to the tools, learning, and product information they need—simplifying their jobs while providing innovative, time-shifted learning opportunities. Doing this required ADP to integrate learning into iPads, so the company built an internal ADP App Store to provide access to marketing materials, training, proposal generators, and product demonstrations. A team was convened to convert existing training to be “mobile ready.” In more than 2 months, 580+ training lessons were updated to accommodate the iOS platform. Now more than 6,500 sales associates have access to learn in a mobile learning environment. BP

American Infrastructure The Career Track rotational leadership development program is designed to “fast track” professional development within the organization. The program provides new professionals with cross-functional experiential assignments, job-shadowing opportunities, mentoring, coaching, training, networking, and leadership/career assessments. The mentors of this program are senior leaders within the organization and work with employees and their supervisors to co-design career opportunities as part of the employee’s individual development plan (career roadmap). In 2013, retention of these employees within 2 years after hire is 98%; retention within five years after hire is 91%.

Chesterfield County, Virginia While instructor-led training remains the preferred method of learning for employees of Chesterfield County, Virginia, online learning is becoming the fastest growing method—driven by an increasing Millennial employee population, as well as specific learning initiatives. For FY’13, online learning utilization increased by 116% with 8,947 self-study courses started; 7,790 completed (87% completion rate) comprising 4,948 student hours of learning activity with an average Level 2 increase in learning of 22.5%. Realizing the efficiency of delivery, employee mobility, and staffing challenges of 24/7 operations to avoid accrued overtime costs, online learning effectively accommodates these diverse learning challenges.

Buckman Laboratories International, Inc. A global continuous improvement initiative incorporates a half-day Waste Elimination Workshop, a 3-day Yellow Belt training class, and a 3-day advanced course in Field Statistics. Associates learn to provide customers with best-in-class analysis of production processes. Buckman customers have documented more than $30 million in savings since 2010. There is $21.7 million in potential savings currently in work. In-house implementation of the program saved the company $1,500 per participant. In Buckman’s 2012 engagement survey, 88% of its associates said they felt they were encouraged to think of new ideas, an increase of 4 points since 2010, and 24 points higher than the company’s peer benchmark.

Edward Jones As part of its aggressive recruiting and training of financial advisor candidates from all walks of life, the firm rolled out a comprehensive training program in May 2012 that is designed primarily for military veterans. FORCES, a first-of-its-kind program in the financial services industry, adds about 10 weeks to the firm’s typical 9 months of financial advisor training. In some states, veterans may apply for G.I. Bill benefits while they train for free at Edward Jones. FORCES has signed up several hundred veterans so far. These recruits are experiencing higher rates of success than other trainees and represent a more diverse population, a plus for the firm.

Wequassett Resort and Golf Club Customer service has always been the heart and soul of Wequassett. Every Tuesday was dedicated to customer service training. It began with a presentation from the managing partner, followed up with Wequassett’s roadmap to personalized service. Wequassett was able to use social networking sites such as Trip Advisor and Twitter to back up the stories. The day concluded with L.E.A.D. (Listen, Empathize, Act, Dazzle). As a result, the company’s Guest Satisfaction Index scores soared. “The level of personal service received” garnered a rating of 95.26% and a 96.7% exceptional rating when asked about “The attitude of the staff.”


26 73 Dollar General $16.B 102,654 45/729/1,341 NFP NFP Yes Yes Corporation U.S. U.S. Goodlettsville, TN 102,715 Retail Global

27 58 Caesars Entertainment NFP 58,312 U.S. 62/1,060/3,345 $7.5M NFP Yes Yes Corporation 65,112 Las Vegas, NV Global Entertainment

28 22 Christiana Care NFP 10,568 U.S. 103/700/3,000 NFP NFP Yes Yes Health System Newark, DE Health/Medical Svcs.

29 69 Shaw Industries, Inc. NFP 22,363 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Dalton, GA 22,549 Manufacturing Global

30 101 DEFENDER Direct $425M U.S. 1,998 U.S. 22/15/9 $6.2M 9.6 Yes Yes Indianapolis, IN Consumer Products/ Services

31 38 Baylor Health NFP 19,572 U.S. NFP/NFP/704 NFP NFP Yes Yes Care System Dallas, TX Health/Medical Svcs.

32 59 WellSpan Health NFP 9,226 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes York, PA Health/Medical Svcs.

33 110 Afni, Inc NFP 4,481 U.S. 87/185/25 NFP NFP Yes Yes Bloomington, IL 4,673 Contact Center Provider Global

34 61 First Horizon NFP 4,600 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes National Corporation

Memphis, TN Finance/Banking

35 * Walgreens $72B U.S. 238,000 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Deerfield, IL U.S. Retail



RANKINGS 26-35



Dollar General Corporation With the company mission of “Serving Others,” one of the main focuses of Dollar General’s training is to educate employees about the core customer. By understanding who DG serves and why it serves them, Dollar General is able to identify with the needs and desires of its customers. The company accomplishes this through a training program called “Know Your Customer,” which teaches employees about Dollar General’s 4 core customer groups, their individual needs, and buying habits. Employees from associate to officer are given the opportunity to complete the program, and by doing so, they are empowered to make a difference to serve Dollar General’s customers and ultimately live the company’s mission.

Caesars Entertainment Corporation Caesars Entertainment’s learning curriculum, The Empire Series, provides solid links to business strategies and measurably supports organizational goals. The Empire Series consists of comprehensive brand programs, including: Welcome to the Empire: Entertaining Our Best (new hire orientation); Managing the Empire: New Leader Onboarding; Managing the Empire: Executive Onboarding; and Leading the Empire: Legendary Leadership Essentials (competency-based coaching program). Also in the series are talent-focused programs designed to accelerate high-potential employees to the next career level. These programs align learning offerings with organizational succession planning to support the upward mobility of Caesars employees. Programs include: Exploring Supervisory Opportunities; the Emerging Leaders Summit; the Executive Development Workshop; and the Acceleration Workshop.

Christiana Care Health System The Learning Institute Center for Diversity, Inclusion, Cultural Competency, and Equity developed a 1-hour course, Get R.E.a.L! Collecting Data on Race, Ethnicity, and Language, for all front-line registration staff to teach participants the importance of asking patients in a respectful manner for Race, Ethnicity, and Language (REL) data. This data is important for Christiana Care to promote safety and quality encounters. The education program includes: video simulating patient encounters (CCHS Staff); content on importance of race, ethnicity, and language data; interactive role-play exercises simulating difficult patient encounters; and a customer service component on respectful interactions. The education also includes awareness and education for patients and families through posters and brochures for them to better understand why Christiana Care collects this critical information. To date, more than 200 registrars have received training and are generating higher levels of accurate data for registration.

Shaw Industries, Inc. Total Business Transformation is a breakthrough process, changing the way Shaw Industries connects with its customers. It goes beyond being proactive; Shaw embraced a challenge from which it earned the right to dive deep into the lives of its Shaw Flooring Network (SFN) customers. The focus: to determine if the solutions and resources available to customers through SFN really work. Is Shaw capable of transforming a business? The answer is, “Yes,” as Shaw has helped to generate a 50.44% increase in sales and a more than 50% increase in margins for the participating dealers.

DEFENDER Direct DEFENDER Direct is committed to growing leaders for its business, and the betterment of communities and families. It has a suite of leadership development offerings specific to the DEFENDER culture and leadership beliefs. All employees participate in the DEFENDER Leadership Advantage programs to grow in their emotional, physical, and financial well-being. As well, DEFENDER’s Leader in Training program, Leadership Learning Communities, and Strategic Leadership Consortium develop the leadership skills necessary to fill every level of the company’s leadership pipeline, from front-line to senior management, with more than 90% of management positions filled internally.

Baylor Health Care System Leadership development programs are based on a needs assessment that yielded Baylor’s leadership competencies, stratified by level and linked annually to corporate strategies. Each level has a roadmap containing competencies, knowledge domains, pitfalls, tips, experiential learning, learning through relationships/feedback, and a leadership curriculum. Roadmaps are on the Leadership Portal, a Web-based system available 24/7 to leaders. It houses hundreds of self-paced learning assets such as videos, books, job aids, e-learning, and simulations. Leadership development is steered by a cross-functional executive group called the Leadership Development Council, chaired by a hospital president. BP

WellSpan Health WellSpan Health is an integrated health system serving more than 650,000 people in south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland with 9,200-plus employees. In support of the strategic goal to provide a patient- and family-centered experience, 1,006 new employees received introductory orientation training associated with Service Education. In addition to introductory information on their first day of employment, 249 employees attended New Employee Service Skills. New for 2013, the structure of the program was modified to a 3-hour class to reduce loss of productivity time for travel.

Afni, Inc Because coaches are key to driving performance, Afni created the AchieveMore Coach Program. Upon hire, coaches receive a series of lessons designed to orient them into the company and the coach role, and a mentor who guides them through their first days. After initial onboarding, coaches are introduced to the Afni Coaching Model, key to the company’s coaching philosophy, and Leadership Foundations, which broadens leadership skills. During these programs, coaches participate in pre-work, workshops, and periods of in-field support. Finally, coaches establish individual development plans (IDPs), which take them full circle in their growth. This approach has resulted in attrition that has decreased 17% since 2011. Employee engagement scores have increased 12% since 2010.

First Horizon National Corporation Big Picture Conversation immerses learners in a role-based workshop, examining the role of the small business owner for their own fictional business. Participants create a visual frame of reference for how a business operates from the inside and what questions to ask a business owner to draw out information. Then, participants work together in small groups to uncover the language and motivations of the small business owner as they ask each other questions about their business needs to determine the best products to offer. Sustainment occurs after the event with Daily 10 coaching sessions resulting in $840,000 in additional revenue and an increased cross-sell ratio of 6 basis points. OTI

Walgreens Walgreens has transformed the drugstore concept, building team members’ skills so they can help customers “Get, Stay, & Live Well” with a 12-week “Well Experience” Field Training (WEFT) integrating change management and innovative learning. Highlights: leader and team member learning labs providing hands-on practice in simulated pharmacy and/or store environments; games such as merchandise scavenger hunts to familiarize teams with new store layouts; job shadowing in already-transitioned stores; and go-live performance coaching. Impact to date: The 13,000 graduates rate WEFT highly, including knowledge confidence at 90% vs. 42% before; in their stores, customer delight increased at a faster rate than control groups. OTI



36 37 Avanade NFP 2,467 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Seattle, WA 7,078 Technology Global

37 80 Aetna Inc. NFP 48,829 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Hartford, CT 49,243 Finance and Insurance Global

38 25 Shape Corp NFP 1,801 U.S. 12/33/57 NFP NFP Yes Yes Grand Haven, MI 2,704 Manufacturing Global

39 21 Nationwide Insurance NFP 33,036 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Columbus, OH U.S. Real Estate/Insurance

40 29 U.S. Security $1.2B 56,000 14/140/9,800 $12M 2.5 Yes Yes Associates, Inc. Global Global Roswell, GA Business Services

41 36 ESL Federal NFP 643 U.S. 6/0/42 NFP NFP Yes Yes Credit Union Rochester, NY Finance/Banking

42 93 Wells Fargo & Co. NFP 274,533 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes San Francisco, CA U.S. Finance/Banking 309,184 Global

43 27 Gilbane NFP 1,963 U.S. 6/52/174 NFP NFP Yes Yes Providence, RI 2,455 Construction Global

44 40 Cerner Corporation NFP 11,464 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Kansas City, MO U.S. Health Care 13,621 Information Technology Global

45 56 Darden $8.6B 215,000 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP 5.3 Yes Yes Orlando, FL Global Global Hospitality



RANKINGS 36-45




Avanade AvanadeU Live is a virtual platform program delivered via the Avanade standard internal communication tool that reached 17,000 employees in FY’13 and delivered a 54% gain in productivity and 61% gain in efficiency of training deliveries overall. Seminars are designed to supplement existing formal training courses by reinforcing course learning objectives or supplying the objectives to those who haven’t attended so they can start applying new skills to the job. Seminars are delivered in bite-size chunks that can be slotted into already-busy schedules, and dates are carefully selected to ensure all global employees can attend. Seminars are recorded for those unable to attend the live event.

Aetna Inc. One company goal is to be prepared for the launch of health-care exchanges in 2013. One achievement was the successful release of “What Are Health-Care Exchanges?” This animated, video-based e-learning program pairs a casual, friendly, plain-language narrative with a minimalist-style animation, making difficult concepts accessible to most audiences. More than 90% of employees have taken this non-mandatory course; within the first 4 months of release, the external version had more than 18,000 views. Additionally, a Spanish version is in development, and a cobranded version was created to support the Aetna/Coventry integration—another corporate goal.

Shape Corp Worksmart re-imagined the orientation process through partnering with Safety and Manufacturing to ensure new employees working on the production floor had all the tools and certifications required to perform their jobs both safely and effectively. Through implementation of the Worksmart Program, OSHA recordable injuries for employees with less than 1 year of service dropped from a rate of 1 in 4 to a rate of 1 in 33, better than their counterparts with more than 1 year of service. In addition, workers’ compensation premiums paid in the 2010-2011 plan year totaled $563,000, a more than $1 million reduction from just 5 years previously.

Nationwide Insurance My Health is a successful program at Nationwide that has an impact on careers. Nationwide has made a large commitment to the connections between associate health, productivity, and career success. It is a key part of the Nationwide brand. A wide range of training and development techniques are included in the program, including: wellness coaching, online coaching, health self-assessment, MyBrainSolutions assessment, maternity support program, financial health assessment, and counseling. Results: One scientifically validated measurement of workplace productivity, World Health Organization Health and Productivity Questionnaire (WHPQ), is embedded in Nationwide’s cognitive training wellness program (MyBrainSolution). For participants, productivity pre-program was measured at 88%; post-program, it was measured at 120%.

U.S. Security Associates, Inc. In FY’13, U.S. Security Associates updated and expanded its Loss Prevention training by including professional video simulations to help participants identify shoplifting behaviors. This new program was built around life-like simulations to engage participants and increase retention. This training course requires participant interaction and incorporates quizzes to test the students’ understanding. Through this training, USA’s Loss Prevention officers have become a desired specialized force. The company utilizes previous successes to demonstrate the potential cost savings for organizations and a platform to increase revenue. Due to the training success accomplished through the simulation training, USA gained more than $2 million in new business in FY’13.

ESL Federal Credit Union In support of a new sales training approach, front-line managers are trained in coaching techniques. Using a blended approach, managers participate in 30 days of asynchronous training modules, followed by a 1-day workshop. To support the coaching culture, L&D facilitates regular best practice sessions in which managers share ideas, challenges, and success stories. Level 3 evaluation results indicate that employees use their new knowledge and skills 88% of the time, with managers indicating their employees apply new knowledge and skills 82% of the time.

Wells Fargo & Co. Diversity and Inclusion is a business imperative at Wells Fargo and is supported by robust training solutions. Wells Fargo delivers an all-team member curriculum that incorporates a variety of effective learning approaches (videos, online learning, exercises, group discussion, role-play exercises, sustainability tools, team member networks, etc.) to reinforce diversity and inclusion throughout the company. In addition, Wells Fargo offers an in-depth 3-day Diverse Leader program, which has resulted in higher promotion and retention rates for program participants (3.2% and 9.7%, respectively). The company’s focus on diversity has resulted in industry recognition, including Diversity, Inc. Top company for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) and Top 50 for Diversity; Black Enterprise Top 40 for Diversity; and Latina Style 14th for Latinas.

Gilbane The Leadership Development Roadmap is a structured program consisting of 7 identified leadership tracks. Participants in each track attend a foundational leadership course, along with 3-8 additional leadership courses. Communicating for Leadership Success, a foundational course for mid-level and developing leaders, helps them acquire skills to communicate effectively by teaching practical methods for conducting conversations while emphasizing the personal needs of the participants engaged in the conversation. A survey of more than 300 attendees revealed that 87% of participants believe the course would make them more effective leaders, and observers agreed: On average, observers of participants rated the participants’ current (post-training) performance as a leader as 90 out of 100.

Cerner Corporation The Successful Presentations – Advanced workshop is a rigorous instructor-led experience. Associates discover new techniques to deliver presentations that differentiate Cerner from others in the industry. Participants use stories, analogies, and props to engage audiences. The program offers learn-by-doing exercises and evaluation culminating in end-of-day presentations that occur under the real-time pressure of being filmed. The learning evaluation continues during a 60-day, post-course reinforcement period. Since the program launch in December 2011, 1,050 associates have completed Successful Presentations – Advanced. A powerful metric that captures the impact of this course is a 122 percent year-on-year increase in instances of presentations being noted by clients as a factor in their decision to choose Cerner.

Darden Darden’s Diversity Learning Portfolio offers an intensive curriculum that builds as individuals grow their career. Programs consist of multi-day instructor-led sessions for officers, directors, general managers, and Restaurant Support Center (RSC) leaders. Managers complete an online course and sessions facilitated by leadership. These experiences allow participants to explore preconceived assumptions and learn how to engage in constructive discussions of differences. Leaders are able to set an example for how all employees can use diversity skills for personal and professional growth. Since implementation, more than 15,000 leaders have participated in these programs. Because of this, Fortune has recognized Darden as a “Diversity Champion,” ranking it as one of the Top 20 employers on the list for diverse workforces.




46 46 Morrison-TouchPoint $2.2B U.S. 30,879 25/0/4,767 $5.6M 1.5 Yes Yes Atlanta, GA U.S. Hospitality

47 84 Northwestern Mutual $24B U.S. 5,000 U.S. 63/85/1,000 $30M 10 Yes Yes Milwaukee, WI Financial Services

48 26 Miami Children’s NFP 3,462 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Hospital Miami, FL Health/Medical Svcs.

49 90 Century 21 NFP 140 Global NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Real Estate LLC Madison, NJ Real Estate/Insurance

50 77 ConAgra Foods, Inc. $15.4B 31,448 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Omaha, NE Global U.S. Manufacturing 34,840 Global

51 * Rent-A-Center $3B 22,000 70/537/4,500 $8.5M 1.2 Yes Yes Dallas,TX Global Global Retail

52 88 Bankers Life and NFP 1,711 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Casualty Company and

Bankers Conseco

Life Insurance Company Chicago, IL, Finance/Bank.

53 * University Hospitals NFP 16,696 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Shaker Heights, OH Health/Medical Svcs.

54 34 Quicken Loans Inc. NFP 11,707 NFP/0/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Detroit, MI Finance/Banking

55 30 Orkin, LLC NFP 6,772 U.S. 25/4/649 NFP NFP Yes Yes Atlanta, GA 7,324 Pest Control Services Global

RANKINGS 46-55


Morrison-TouchPoint The new Supervisor Training Series, Establishing Your Roots as a Manager, exemplifies Morrison-TouchPoint’s commitment to learning and alignment with business priorities. Designed to grow leaders from front-line supervisors, the series is facilitated by a certified trainer; an HR representative; and the CEO himself, who committed to teaching his own module at every training location. These 12 sessions and 24 days of travel reflect his leadership by example and Morrison-Touchpoint’s strong learning culture. More than 440 hourly supervisors have completed the training since its launch in April 2013, with 16 attendees already promoted. Quality scores have increased 62.5%, and engagement has increased 37.5%, in participating facilities.

Northwestern Mutual The Fastrack Training System provides a combination of independent study and interactive classroom learning that helps field representatives become part of the network office and implement a proven sales process from day 1. Fastrack consists of a 3-part system that includes: Fastrack Basics, which provides a self-study kit and a 1-day classroom introduction to foundational knowledge of sales skills; Fastrack Sales School, which consists of an online learning portal, self-paced mobile courses, and classroom instruction organized to teach key fact-finding skills, product and services knowledge, and client relationship-building techniques; and Fastrack Forward: Building Your Practice, which includes a series of mobile modules that expand and solidify the skills acquired in Fastrack Basics and Fastrack Sales School with an ongoing curriculum that focuses on Northwestern Mutual’s guiding principles for practice management.

Miami Children’s Hospital Identifying and developing talent is critical to survival in times of significant shortages of talent in health-care organizations. The CEO actively engages in conversations with executive leaders to develop the learning and development plans of leaders in critical roles, as well as to identify high-flight succession plans. They share gaps in the talent review process and develop innovative solutions to sustain talent depth. Leaders are evaluated using a group calibration format, which typically is led by the CEO for the director level and executive sponsors for the manager/supervisor levels. Post-calibration, leaders select their personal development plan and propose their preferred career path.

Century 21 Real Estate LLC International Management Academy (IMA) instills operational best practices within new franchisees. Low-performing brokerages saw increases in: Adjusted Closed Commissions (+14%), Closed Transactions (+18%), and Sales Volume (+18%). Adoption rates of Century 21 brand programs and resources rose, as well. IMA focuses on developing and expanding critical areas of a broker’s business: leadership, business planning, strategic growth, agent management and development, profitability, office growth, and recruiting and retention. Armed with these results, the Franchise Sales Team can reinforce the brand’s value for franchise growth and enhance the broker’s company value for recruiting while creating a foundation for new and existing agents to be coached, managed, and held accountable for their production.

ConAgra Foods, Inc. As part of ConAgra Foods’ Recipe for Growth, it is creating a culture of development where its employees can discover their talents and advance their skills. Nourishing its people takes ConAgra to the heart of how they live and work at ConAgra Foods. The Enterprise Learning Team aims to build organizational capability, grow leadership, leverage talent, and optimize learning. ConAgra invests in its employees to help them grow and succeed through development and formalized training programs. Learning and development is an essential part of each workday. In the last fiscal year, ConAgra Foods employees completed more than 230,000 hours of learning via more than 9,000 different learning solutions.

Rent-A-Center In a relationship business, it’s critical that Rent-A-Center embrace diversity so its coworkers are representative of their customers. Core customers are 30- to 45-year-old women, and in many areas, there’s a high concentration of bilinguals. As such, Rent-A-Center added female and bilingual diversity to its 5-year strategic plan, tied it to compensation, and continues to track it on its balanced scorecards. Since January 2013, Rent-A-Center has provided a single point of contact, completed two hours of blended training for more than 500 hiring managers and 25 recruiters and provided easier access to content. Results include a 13% increase in female coworkers and a 10% increase in bilingual new hires in 2013.

Bankers Life and Casualty Company and Bankers Conseco Life Insurance Company The mission of the Top Gun Program is to build and retain an elite agent force. Spanning an agent’s second year, the program is built on the success drivers identified by the agent advisory committee: mindset for success, prospecting, relationship selling, and actionable goal setting. Top Gun blends delivery approaches, including: online preparation, 10 weeks of virtual instructor-led classes, a live 3-day workshop, and a structured follow-up and mentor program, each centered on the 4 drivers. Graduates share their new skills and insights with others in their branch offices, and act as mentors to newer agents in the program.

University Hospitals The UH Leadership Academy was a transformational experience for executive leaders and physicians. Nominated participants for the inaugural cohort were immersed in 9 sessions, spanning 2 days, over a 15-month period. The program included: 360-degree feedback and executive coaching, structured classroom learning, team-based projects, and UH senior executive and board member speakers. The structured learning struck an ideal balance between traditional and innovative content. The traditional content emphasized process improvement, finance, strategy, and health-care reform. The innovative content focused on Resonant Leadership through Emotional Intelligence and Positive Change through Appreciative Inquiry. Resonant Leadership and intentional change theory supported the 360-degree and coaching process. Positive Change through AI supported sustainable, desired, strength-based change.

Quicken Loans Inc. A team member’s second day of orientation is hosted by company Founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert and Quicken Loans CEO Bill Emerson. This day is dedicated exclusively to culture, and the company’s ISMs, a series of 19 tenants that guide everything Quicken Loans does. During the 10-hour session, both Gilbert and Emerson provide examples that tell “who” Quicken Loans is—highlighting the culture that serves as the foundation of the company. As Gilbert explains, “When you know WHO you are as a company, the WHAT you do is easy to understand. What’s expected of me? What should I do in this situation? What is right?—these are all easy to answer.”

Orkin, LLC Orkin’s attention to customer survey responses resulted in the creation of a company-wide performance intervention called the Orkin Promise. The Orkin Promise stresses 4 areas of customer service having the greatest impact on customer loyalty and retention. Through highly interactive training sessions, learners identify specific behaviors that have proven to drive customer satisfaction in each of the 4 areas. Students then create action plans based on their own customer feedback. Electronic customer survey responses provide daily progress reports. Since the launch of the Orkin Promise, 6.75% more customers classify themselves as willing to recommend Orkin, and improved customer retention has yielded $19.2 million in additional recurring revenue.




56 79 Tandus Centiva NFP 1,047 U.S. 6/7/85 NFP NFP Yes Yes (A Tarkett Company) 1,283 Dalton, GA Global Manufacturing

57 * Blue Cross & Blue $5.7B U.S. 4,600 U.S. 65/3/27 $12.7M 3.19 Yes Yes Shield of North Carolina Durham, NC Real Estate/Insurance

58 57 Vistage International NFP 154 U.S. 2/1/15 NFP NFP Yes Yes San Diego, CA 177 Business Services Global

59 32 Best Buy $37.6B U.S. 110,000 250/1,500/5,500 $95M 6 Yes Yes Richfield, MN $50.7B U.S. Retail Global 165,000 Global

60 55 CarMax, Inc. $10.96B 18,625 78/40/3,276 $3.1M 1 Yes Yes Richmond, VA U.S. U.S. Retail


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RANKINGS 56-60



Tandus Centiva (A Tarkett Company) A strategic account selling course has outstanding sales results by creating a shift in the way that the sales team thinks about the selling process. This 3-day program, customized to fit Tandus Centiva’s business and selling model, allows salespeople to evaluate a business opportunity and choose an appropriate strategy. Senior and sales leaders also understand the selling methodology and ask specific selling questions and use proper terminology when assisting account executives on closing a project. Components include compiling customer profiles; conducting opportunity assessment; determining the customer’s key requirements; identifying key players, influencers, and decision-makers; analyzing competition; and developing a final strategy. 100% of projects identified during the program pilot resulted in project wins. Tandus Centiva now has an 85%+ close rate for large projects when the account executive has utilized the plan.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of North Carolina The transformational changes the health-care industry is undergoing has ushered in a tangible opportunity for revolutionary learning and development. In a time when learners need relevant and applicable knowledge and skill-building solutions at their fingertips, BCBSNC has successfully honed the right combination of best practices with state-of-the-art technology, social media, and on-the-job immersion to drive optimal workforce performance. Much like the company’s new Customer Service Professionals Development Program, Blue University effectively aligns with the organizational strategy to achieve measurable outcomes that positively affect the bottom line to the tune of a $1.3 million benefit to the organization and a 57% annualized return on the investment.

Vistage International As the first 5-day session of Foundations of Chairing begins, former CEOs from the U.S., Canada, and the UK fill the seats at every table. Stepping to the front of the room is not a teacher, but another former CEO, a Vistage Chair. He tells everyone that this will be a week of discovery, a test of values, capabilities, and willingness to accept the challenge and pain of growth. He is facing a room of leaders to find the few who are willing to trade a life of importance for a life of significance.

Best Buy General Manager Induction is a 5-day immersion held at Best Buy’s corporate campus. The program includes focused time at Best Buy’s Regional Distribution Center and Enterprise Customer Care Center, networking opportunities with more than 35 corporate business partners, P&L and Labor Management training, as well as a focus on the key leadership skills essential to success in the general manager role. Other programs include Crucial Conversations; 5 Choices for Extraordinary Productivity; and modules focused on teamwork, accountability, work prioritization, and identifying personal leadership styles. Participants are outperforming in their store Revenue to Budget by +772 basis points and Margin to Budget by +287 basis points.

CarMax, Inc. The Summit Program answers the question: Are you born a leader or can leadership be taught? This approach for entry-level managers seeks to teach participants 9 vital behaviors on the job, shoulder to shoulder with their managers, and then immerse them in hands-on activities in which they are observed and assessed on their ability to demonstrate these behaviors. The 14-week program culminates in a workshop at the Home Office that incorporates nonprofit community service into leadership development. Not only is this type of approach making the learning “stick,” but its impact is far reaching—both for CarMax’s community and for the individuals going through the program.


61 45 EMC Corporation $21.7B 62,632 610/NA/NA NFP 4.35 Yes Yes Hopkinton, MA Global Global Technology

62 35 Allied International NFP 121 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Credit 1,300 Newmarket, ON, Canada Global Business Services

63 103 TD Bank NFP 27,878 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Cherry Hill, NJ U.S. Finance/Banking

64 * Florida Blue NFP 5,685 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Jacksonville, FL Health Insurance

65 42 MasterCard Worldwide NFP 4,300 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Purchase, NY 7,900 Technology Global


Health Care Service Corporation is honored to be named one of Training magazine’s Top 125 companies.HCSC would like to congratulate all of our employees who made this honor possible, and who every day,

continue their commitment to helping others live healthy and inspired lives.

A Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association

RANKINGS 61-65



EMC Corporation EMC selected 15 high-performing employees from around the globe to participate in a project-based program designed to help shape the future leaders of the organization. Participants were split into 3 groups. Each team was given a real business challenge and asked to develop a working solution. Participants were allocated 25% of their working time for CSS Leadership Academy, and continued to work in their existing role. The solutions the first participants created for all 3 business challenges were implemented by the business. CSS leaders were so impressed with the CSS Leadership Academy that they decided to extend the pilot into an ongoing program.

Allied International Credit An interactive card game that replaces traditional role-plays created more than 25,000 complex scenarios with less than 30 hours’ worth of effort (including the involvement of subject matter experts). Results include increased engagement, enhanced learning, and a global rollout that is transforming training results.

TD Bank TD Bank’s mantra is “The Customer Trumps Everything!” This customer-centric vision is at the heart of TD University’s flagship employee orientation program, Traditions. Newly refreshed in 2013 to keep it tightly aligned with TD Bank’s model, brand, and culture, Traditions is a day of excitement and fun for all new hires. It doesn’t just teach the WOW!—it lives it. In 430 sessions from Maine to Florida, more than 5,500 employees were launched into their new roles with a personal plan to WOW! And it shows: TD Bank measures customer satisfaction with its Customer WOW! Index, and in 2013, CWI hit an all-time high.

Florida Blue Sales Talent Management Program is a flagship initiative that encompasses a complete talent lifecycle approach to ensure business alignment, starting with a pre-employment approach that identifies and screens diverse talent pools across the state to find the best fit, a 4-week training program that develops new hire knowledge and skill to 90%+ proficiency, 4-week on-the-job training to ensure an accelerated learning curve, and ongoing coaching and development to drive sales optimization. In 2012, Florida Blue achieved 4.78 satisfaction, 94% proficiency, time to competency in 2 months post-training, accelerated revenue of $59.3 million, plus the business area achieved center of excellence designation as a Top 10 call center.

MasterCard Worldwide MasterCard Worldwide needed to share knowledge and gain an understanding of what was happening in its product areas, and to determine where it could leverage best practices in order to successfully grow the business in areas where it did not have a strong foothold. The Product Management Excellence workshop, followed by a program in MasterCard’s social learning platform, was designed to initiate and engage impactful dialogues between its global product managers. With 97% of product managers attending the sessions, leadership views this program as a success as it instigates a necessary shift in breaking down cultural and regional barriers by reaching the company’s collective goal of sharing knowledge via a collaborative learning platform.

BP is honored to be named a 2014 Training Top 125 winner.We’re proud to be America’s largest energy investor—investing over $55 billion in the last five years. But we are even prouder of our employees. Each day, they produce energy that helps fuel the nation’s economy. We thank them for making this award possible.

To learn more about BP’s training programs, go to bp.com/careers

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66 66 NewYork-Presbyterian NFP 19,970 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Hospital U.S. New York, NY Health/Medical Svcs.

67 65 Discover Financial NFP 13,380 77/30/430 NFP NFP Yes Yes Services U.S. Riverwoods, IL Finance/Banking

68 51 IMG College NFP 740 U.S. 4/4/62 NFP NFP Yes Yes Winston-Salem, NC Multimedia, Collegiate Sports Marketing, Licensing, & Broadcast.

69 96 PPD NFP 6,300 U.S. 99/568/2,884 NFP 1 Yes Yes Wilmington, NC 12,500 Health/Medical Svcs. Global

70 * USAA $20.3B U.S. 24,532 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes San Antonio, TX $20.7B 24,650 Financial Services Global Global and Insurance


LearningIn the Empire

Thank you! We take pride in our journey!We continue our legacy and commitment to excellence by being a global leader in the gaming industry and, once again, ranking amongst the Training Top 125 organizations.

We are honored to be chosen for this prestigious award and would like to thank everyone in the EMPIRE that helped us accomplish this goal. Congratulations to our fellow Training Top 125 organizations.

Must be 21 or older to gamble. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. ©2014, Caesars License Company, LLC.

RANKINGS 66-70



NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital To prepare for the changing health-care environment, NYP created a cohort-driven, 18-month development process for high-performing managers. Building Tomorrow’s Leadership has executive sponsorship from NYP’s president and an executive committee that oversees every program detail. There are 3 phases: classroom learning based upon the leadership competency model and the group’s collective development needs, action learning where teams work on highly visible hospital projects, and executive forums where important hospital-wide issues are discussed. Throughout the program, participants are assigned senior-level mentors. Results: 360-degree assessments show program participants have improved in every leadership competency and received better employee and patient satisfaction scores than the rest of the institution.

Discover Financial Services Discover has begun an aggressive program to prepare call center agents for the challenges and opportunities of the future. In early 2013, Discover launched a blended New Hire program designed to foster self-reliance, creative problem solving, and fanatical customer advocacy. Drawing inspiration from the Khan Academy, Discover “flipped the classroom,” converting 70% of its training content from instructor-led training to self-paced e-learning. This enabled Discover to fundamentally change the learning experience. Instead of staffing each class with an instructor, Discover created a New Hire Advisor role, the core responsibility of which was to guide learners through the program, set aggressive individual goals, evaluate individual performance, and provide differentiated coaching. OTI

IMG College IMG College’s sales model is to provide strategic conceptual solutions to its customers through a detailed understanding of their business needs. IMG’s sales training programs focus on how to diagnose business problems and then provide solutions that drive revenue, marketing objectives, and brand recognition. Annual in-person training programs that provide these skills include regional Combines, property impact programs, the IMG College Partner Symposium Delivered by UPS, and Rookie Camp. All employees are sellers, no matter the role, and programming reflects this. Responsible for half of its parent company’s annual earnings in 2013, IMG sees the direct correlation between training and profitability.

PPD The Global Leadership Program (GLP), a flagship program, is in direct alignment with PPD’s corporate people and culture platform. It is a 6-month program that hones the skills of emerging high-potential leaders to pursue executive roles. Selected annually, through an executive nomination process, 20 participants follow a program incorporating C-suite networking, executive mentorship, MBA-level development, inter-session projects with C-suite presentations, and 360-degree feedback with coaching and development planning. This program addresses succession planning, retention, increased capabilities, and bench strength in leadership as is evidenced by PPD leaders scoring 14% higher than the benchmark within the CEB leadership survey category of “ability to adaptably apply leadership competencies.”

USAA Commitment to customers is the reason USAA exists—its mission is to facilitate the financial security of its members. Customer service representatives are the link to the customer. Aiming to ensure a best-in-class experience, training begins with a 3-day orientation to “know” the customer—members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. The first year of the learning process includes an average of 280 classroom hours, during which representatives participate in a variety of learning experiences that end in live work and certification. This level of commitment to customer service is what drives USAA’s high customer approval ratings.

WITH THE CARD ACCEPTED BY 90% OF DOCTOR S

Capital BlueCross is an Independent Licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association

HONORED AND PROUDTo the Training Top 125, we are honored to be in your company.

To those whose work earned us a place in the Top 5, we are so proud of you.

To our customers, our commitment to leadership and talent development is a reflection of our dedication to servingyou with excellence.

capbluecross.com | capitalbluestore.com/blog

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71 76 Choice Hotels NFP 1,080 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP No Yes International 1,158 Rockville, MD Global Hospitality

72 * BP NFP 22,400 157/277/554 NFP NFP Yes Yes Houston, TX Global Energy

73 52 Western Summit NFP 579 U.S. 1/80/80 NFP 4 Yes Yes Constructors, Inc. Englewood, CO Construction

74 75 Vi NFP 2,700 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Chicago, IL Health/Medical Svcs.

75 95 Birmingham Water NFP 624 U.S. 3/1/15 NFP NFP Yes Yes Works Board

Birmingham, AL Transportation/Utilities


RANKINGS 71-75



Choice Hotels International Choice Hotels recognizes the need to be agile and adaptable in order to drive the organization forward. Due to constantly changing industry trends and the speed at which it must continue to learn and grow, Choice Hotels understands the importance of investing in its talent, which requires it to build the proper infrastructure to encourage and support personal and professional development. Choice Pathways is a tool designed to help associates strategically develop and maneuver through each of the stages of their professional journey. It promotes a common language for describing important skills and characteristics of success necessary for growth and development.

BP The oil and gas sector faces a potential shortfall in skilled people due to retirements and global expansion. BP builds internal capability and proactively works to obviate the skill gap. BP’s Challenge program leads new hires through their first 3 years with BP. Career counseling gives participants clarity on their development path and provides an efficient method for developing deep capability. Participants receive unique learning experiences with exposure to the entire upstream industry, field experience linked to competency targets, proactive coaching, and regular performance assessments. Challenge receives strong ratings—4.8 (out of 5) on Learning Effectiveness and 4.4 on Job Impact. Participants’ average attrition is 4%; demand is up across 14 countries.

Western Summit Constructors, Inc. The purpose of the Construction Project Management Simulation is to replicate the pressures of being a senior manager on a project, having to balance technical knowledge with leadership skills. The overall purpose is for participants to self-identify what areas they need to develop to advance in career and for senior managers to help narrow the technical and communication skills gap and to provide one-on-one coaching from subject matter experts. The company asks senior management to contribute conflicts that happened to them in the past; then these same members of senior management play the roles of the client, subcontractors, and challenging employees. Once the participant has resolved the problem, upper management provides him or her with immediate coaching and feedback.

Vi Vi’s comprehensive and sustainable Leadership Development Program targeted at nurse leaders exposes participants to a multi-faceted year-long program that leverages a battery of developmental assessments, coaching, mentoring, action learning, a custom learning plan, and projects to engage nurse leaders in building their leadership competencies. A highlight of this program for participants is the 1-week classroom experience in which members of Vi’s Executive Management Team act as faculty. Since inception of this program 3 years ago, Vi voluntary attrition for nurse leaders has dropped from 75% to 10% for those participating in this program.

Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB) The BWWB Training team has developed and implemented leadership programs to support the organization’s commitment to fostering an environment that facilitates training to enhance the skills of its employees to prepare the organization for the future. Some 117 employees have enrolled in BWWB’s leadership programs, and 60 of them have graduated. Of these graduates, 37 have been promoted (62%) year to date. The quality of BWWB’s leadership programs is represented by the high percentage of graduate promotions. The development and implementation of these leadership programs successfully demonstrates BWWB’s commitment to its strategic goal/objective to “train the workforce to enhance innovative knowledge, skills, and abilities to improve system operations.”


76 89 Tech Mahindra Ltd. $383M U.S. 24,872 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Pune, Maharashtra, $1.2B Global U.S. India 47,498 IT Services & Solutions Global

77 53 University of $760M U.S. 6,028 U.S. 62/11/103 $10.8M 3.2 Yes Yes New Mexico Hospitals Albuquerque, NM Health/Medical Svcs.

78 39 Baptist Health Care NFP 6,768 U.S. 30/12/450 NFP 3.1 Yes Yes Corporation

Pensacola, FL Health/Medical Svcs.

79 * First Data Corporation NFP 17,000 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Atlanta, GA 24,500 Technology Global

80 62 Cartus NFP 2,171 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Danbury, CT 3,037 Relocation Global


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14th consecutive year.

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RANKINGS 76-80


Tech Mahindra Ltd. In addition to regular training sessions, to meet the challenge of limited time availability of senior resources, Tech Mahindra delivers specially designed short-duration power capsules (1- to 2-hour sessions) on the latest technology, domain, and business trends. Last year, 50+ short-duration sessions were provided and attended by 700+ employees in senior management.

University of New Mexico Hospitals The UNM Medical Leadership Academy prepares current and future physician and administrative leaders with the skills to more effectively contribute and lead within their areas of responsibility. This 2-year program focuses on leadership skills and exposure to organizational dynamics and requires participants to directly contribute to an organizational goal. A networking forum builds collaboration, promotes skill development, advances engagement, and supports execution of organizational initiatives. Workshops provide physician and administrative leaders with a common language and framework for solving problems and the skills necessary to bring about change and performance improvement. Cohort members are identified as high potentials and the next generation of leaders for UNM Health System.

Baptist Health Care Corporation Baptist Health Care’s new customer service and communication curricula consist of two courses: Words That Work and Relate. The goal of these new courses is to teach a systematic, yet customizable approach to relating to others. Through scenario-based learning, team members examine how to relate to and effectively communicate with others. All clinical departments across the organization saw increases in their patient experience scores, some jumping as much as 40 percentile points, allowing them to exceed their patient experience targets for the year. These service results also contributed to Baptist Health Care receiving a pay-for-performance incentive payment from the government, thus contributing to the financial viability of the organization.

First Data Corporation First Data Corporation revamped Sales Onboarding by transitioning traditional instructor-led programs conducted over a 6-month period to a fully blended 12-week learning program consisting of 65% short virtually facilitated Web conferences that include role-plays, a full-text searchable knowledge management site for performance support, and mentoring by both trainers and managers. This program has account executives in the field sooner, resulting in a decrease in travel expenses, improved alignment of training resources, and an increase in quota attainment of more than 16%. OTI

Cartus Cartus awards Sales Certifications following a successful presentation, thereby increasing the effectiveness of system demonstrations to clients. Training involves system navigation practice, conveyance of details on Cartus’ internally developed business systems, podcast demonstrations of an ideal sales presentation, and a mock demonstration. Both the Sales SVP and a trainer with system experience evaluate the mock presentation. Following this presentation, an initial 81% of the team achieved certification, with the remaining 19% successfully improving after a second presentation. Having confident and better-prepared salespeople increases overall productivity, and reduces the expense of inviting business subject matter experts to sales presentations. Additionally, this training ultimately saves money as it reduces turnover.




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81 106 VSP Global NFP 3,774 30/5/40 NFP NFP Yes Yes Rancho Cordova, CA 4,816 Health/Medical Svcs. Global

82 * The Aerospace NFP 3,485 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Corporation

El Segundo, CA Aerospace--Federally Funded R&D Center

83 72 Bass & Associates, P.C. NFP 98 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Tucson, AZ Law Firm

84 54 Ho-Chunk Gaming NFP 1,275 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Wisconsin Dells Baraboo, WI Hospitality

85 * Sonic Automotive, Inc. $8.5B U.S. 9,000 U.S. NFP/6/8 NFP NFP Yes Yes Charlotte, NC Retail

RANKINGS 81-85



VSP Global This last year, 250 leaders completed Covey’s Speed of Trust workshop with significant impact on the organization. Not only has the workshop equipped VSP Global’s management team with a common, shared language allowing for more robust conversations, but it improved business relationships and efficiency, resulting in an innovative cross-line of business projects, better internal strategic alliances between divisions, and accelerated speed to market. This drove greater growth and created a foundation for operational excellence, strategic partnerships, and competitive edge. VSP revenues increased 5.6%. Some 25% of new hires are referrals, and 37% of VSP’s positions are filled internally. Average tenure continues to increase (8.2 years), while turnover continues to decrease (currently 6%).

The Aerospace Corporation Space is a challenging and unforgiving business—with each launch we are given one opportunity for success. What The Aerospace Corporation does is essential to national security, to help drive the economy, and to protect the American way of life. The Program Office Personnel Enhanced Learning (PROPEL) training assists in assuring 100% mission success. It provides the “Assurance in Action” principles by providing the “what, when, and how” to Aerospace employees so they have technical currency, work from the same baseline, and consistently apply tasks to guarantee success. It allows the organization to maximize its resources and makes its program office processes and expertise easier to pass along.

Bass & Associates, P.C. Bass understands that the quality of its employees directly affects its success. Every Bass employee participates in an Employee Monthly Review (EMR) with his or her immediate supervisor. The review follows a standardized format, mapping out benchmarks for evaluation, detailing interim goals that tie back to the employee’s current job responsibilities. An integral part of this review is a section detailing the employee’s strengths and growth opportunities. Bass discusses the employee’s career path and sets interim goals that are aligned with his or her career aspirations. Together, the supervisor and employee may create a career development plan. During each EMR, the career plan is discussed and amended, and additional training may be provided.

Ho-Chunk Gaming - Wisconsin Dells In the last 6 years, Ho-Chunk Gaming - Wisconsin Dells has taken great strides toward becoming an “everyday resource” to its property. T&D specialists provide coaching, performance evaluations, and career consulting, as well as sitting on a variety of committees, boards, and special cross-department project teams. T&D also helps in areas that are not training related but require comparable skills, such as graphic design, page layout, desktop publishing, and Powered Industrial Training. T&D does everything possible to support and contribute to its fellow co-workers so they may deliver a great end product of creating a memorable and positive experience for each person who walks through the casino’s doors. These initiatives and proactive increases in training investment in the last 4 years since the economic downturn have helped Ho-Chunk Gaming achieve excellence.

Sonic Automotive, Inc. The new Sonic Sales Process and its training is the first significant change in a 100-year-old process of buying a car. Sonic has trained its salespeople to use iPads and iPhones with proprietary applications focused on enhancing the customer experience. Now, instead of putting a car buyer through a stressful ordeal, Sonic has trained its salespeople to tell the customer upfront, “We believe you should lead your own purchase process.” Sonic does not train its salespeople to sell cars anymore; it trains them to help customers buy a car. The process eliminates the stressful back-and-forth negotiations, and pricing is based on accurate data. Sonic trains managers first and salespeople a week later, measures effectiveness 1 month later, and then repeats the training in 30 days. Results: The buying process is shortened and less stressful for the customer and the salesperson, increased ROI, greater market share, and happier investors.

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86 50 Navy Federal NFP 11,209 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Credit Union U.S. Vienna, VA 11,561 Finance/Banking Global

87 74 Windstream $6B U.S. 13,584 36/0/826 NFP NFP Yes Yes Communications U.S. Little Rock, AR Communications

88 83 DaVita $8.1B 47,000 475/5,000/1,900 NFP NFP Yes Yes Denver, CO Global Global Health/Medical Svcs.

89 * BKD,LLP $418M U.S. 2,175 U.S. 3/5/82 NFP NFP Yes Yes Springfield, MO Professional Services

90 * SpawGlass NFP 486 U.S. 1/18/300 NFP NFP Yes Yes Selma, TX Construction

RANKINGS 86-90



Navy Federal Credit Union Navy Federal Credit Union’s Executive Development Program (EDP) provides a development experience for high-potential leaders. EDP is a 2-year program for aspiring executives in the organization. This comprehensive program gives participants opportunities to build a greater understanding of Navy Federal’s culture and business operations, interact with senior leadership, and prepare them for future growth in their careers. Since the program’s inception, 84 participants have successfully completed the program, and 62% have assumed expanded leadership positions or have been promoted within Navy Federal. After completing the program, 37% of participants transitioned into new functions. The company hopes to fill 75% of all future vice president positions from the EDP program by 2015.

Windstream Communications Actual sales results from newly hired sales reps were lower than expected at Windstream Communications. A team was formed to focus on changing these results. Narrowing the new hire product mix was identified as a key opportunity. Training was modified to support product knowledge in all areas of training (product training, selling skills, and systems training). The goal is to increase confidence in new hire sales reps, positively affect revenue numbers, and increase employee engagement scores from these new reps. Early results from the company’s initial efforts show that sales revenue increased nearly 160% month over month for sales reps trained in the new manner, as opposed to new reps trained in the old process.

DaVita One of DaVita’s key training goals is to ensure teammates have the skills to communicate effectively and address and resolve conflicts quickly. Academy 1, one of DaVita’s premiere training programs, helps bolster those skills by integrating communication best practices education and tutorials throughout the comprehensive, 2-day, off-site event. DaVita conducted 8 Academy programs in 2012 and collected more than 2,700 teammate evaluation surveys of the training. Teammates who attend Academy 1 have, on average, a 14% lower turnover rate than peers who did not attend the Academy.

BKD, LLP BKD’s firmwide performance management and coach training program is designed to enhance professional growth throughout one’s career. The program has 2 levels (team member and coach) and provides tools, techniques, and best practices designed to further day-to-day and long-term effectiveness for BKD client service and administrative professionals. Both focus on how to purposefully fulfill the organization’s mission through behavioral competencies associated with successfully demonstrating each Unmatched Client Service standard, as well as giving and receiving feedback related to professional development, improvement, and growth. Since the implementation of this program, employee engagement results related to effectiveness of coaching, communication, and career opportunities have improved from 68% to 76%.

SpawGlass SpawGlass’ leadership development workshops, AGC Excellence Award-Project and Executive Management Training, are built around games, exercises, and simulations. There are at least 2-3 different exercises each day, and each exercise gets harder and builds off the previous exercise or game. The entire workshop is a simulation of running a company, with games and exercises to get everyone involved and to teach teamwork and other leadership/management skills. One consistent goal of the sessions is to get participants to look for and find the deeper meanings so when they get back to the workplace, they can apply that thought process in their decision-making and problem-solving.


91 64 G4S Secure Solutions NFP 46,086 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes (USA) Inc. 620,000 Jupiter, FL Global Private Security Solutions

92 * Iron Mountain $2.2B U.S. 9,940 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Incorporated $3B Global 18,091 Boston, MA Global Information Management 93 * Valvoline Instant NFP 2,141 U.S. 9/0/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Oil Change Lexington, KY Retail

94 82 New York Life NFP 8,957 U.S. 208/10/350 NFP NFP Yes Yes Insurance Company 8,961 New York, NY Global Real Estate/Insurance

95 86 Healthways, Inc. $646M U.S. 2,332 U.S. 36/9/44 $4.3M 1.94 Yes Yes Franklin, TN $677M 2,493 Health/Medical Svcs. Global Global


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RANKINGS 91-95



G4S Secure Solutions (USA) Inc. The G4S Career Center is a Web-based, software-as-a service platform that allows users to learn more about the company, people, and values and apply for current job openings across all G4S USA businesses. Since September 2012, the Career Center has received more than 2 million visitors; 435,000+ registered users; 280,000+ applications on the primary Website and 630,000+ visitors and 65,000+ registered users on the mobile site. G4S has hired close to 18,000 employees exclusively through this technology. The Career Center has become a differentiator for the company because it can quantify its recruitment efforts more effectively while providing a user-friendly, engaging, and interactive process for both internal and external job seekers.

Iron Mountain Incorporated Iron Mountain developed the Sentinel Program to prepare newly hired front-line employees to work safely, independently, and accurately. As a standardized learning program, Sentinel uses a blended approach that includes e-learning, on-the-job training with a certified peer coach, and knowledge and performance assessments. From day 1 Sentinel’s learning roadmaps guide new employees through the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to perform their daily roles and responsibilities. Not only does Sentinel produce job-qualified front-line employees, the program has reduced turnover by 40% and saved the company $10.5 million in workers’ compensation claims.

Valvoline Instant Oil Change Valvoline Instant Oil Change has invested heavily in online games and simulations. Examples of innovative modules include a 3-dimensional VIOC Service Center in which learners encounter safety hazards to be identified and corrected, a virtual sales environment where learners are exposed to 27 different sales scenarios, and a game-board-style town where learners encounter business owners and learn about antitrust laws and prohibited behavior. Games and simulations support multiple strategic goals within the company. For example, the sales simulation has supported year-over-year same-store sales growth. BP

New York Life Insurance Company Promoting a culture of accountability in a sector that demands specialized knowledge and capabilities necessitates a customizable approach. To better align professional skills training with performance management, New York Life introduced a new online tool allowing each employee to create a plan for managing his or her career development. Understanding employees’ unique learning profiles, “My Development Blueprint” offers 3 integrated paths to knowledge: learning through experiences, learning through relationships, and learning through education. The tool provides access to thousands of activities outside of a classroom setting; this solutions-based approach already has been successful in promoting enhanced engagement and development.

Healthways, Inc. Healthways’ Innergy Healthier Weight 10-day product training prepares coaches to deliver a weight-loss intervention developed in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Medicine. Innergy is the commercial version of the clinically proven intervention from the NHLBI-sponsored Johns Hopkins Power Trial. Coaches use Motivational Interviewing to create trusting relationships for the healthier weight journey. Coaches receive 2.5 days of Motivational Interviewing training and hone their techniques throughout the training using scenarios. Coaches receive ongoing, tailored training to improve skills. Healthways’ tenured coaches all score proficient using Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity coding, and more than half of the coaches trained in January are proficient, with the remainder trending up.

UNLEASHING OUR PEOPLE ARE OUT MOST IMPORTANT ASSET


96 113 New York Community $501M U.S. 3,700 U.S. 27/15/341 $5.2M 2.6 Yes Yes Bancorp, Inc. Westbury, NY Finance/Banking

97 * Kimberly-Clark $10.5B U.S. 14,500 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Corporation $21.1B 58,000 Roswell, GA Global Global Manufacturing

98 * Carilion Clinic NFP 11,805 137/37/157 NFP NFP Yes Yes Roanoke, VA U.S. Health/Medical Svcs.

99 48 Intel Corporation $8.3B U.S. 49,763 U.S. 0/581/4,251 NFP NFP Yes Yes Santa Clara, CA $53.3B 95,275 Technology Global Global

100 98 ValleyCrest Landscape NFP 9,500 U.S. 4/17/53 $3.5M 1 Yes Yes Calabasas, CA Landscape Services


LIFE | HEALTH | LONG-TERM CARE | ANNUITIES

Bankers gave me the foundation to have a successful career while helping people in a real and meaningful way.Thomas Johnson-Bean Insurance Agent | Charlotte, NC

19437

We are proud to be among Training Magazine’sTop 125 training companies.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!

Haskell is honored to be one of Training magazine’s Top 125. We appreciate the committed professionals who elevate us to the top of our industry. With client service and value creation as top priorities, Haskell’s culture is responsive, entrepreneurial and collaborative. Excellence and delivering successful results are only possible with a cast of talented and creative professionals.

master planning architecture engineeringconstruction systems integration

operations & management

Can training transform your potential?we make it certain.

www.haskell.com

RANKINGS 96-100


You should be proud, once

again, to be recognized for

your valued contributions and

how your work improves the

ability of our associates and

agents to do what we do best —

protecting what matters most

and building a secure financial

future for our customers.

Learn more: nationwide.com

Congratulations to the learning professionals across Nationwide!

New York Community Bancorp, Inc. New York Community Bancorp’s mission is to execute very best customer service practices by focusing on providing an exemplary customer experience. Every Customer Every Time (ECET) is a customer service training program that captures the organization’s focus on doing what’s right for the customer. ECET includes 4 components of New York Community Bancorp’s Customer Service Model: Customer, the customer is the center of everything the organization does; Service Delivery, courtesy, accuracy, responsiveness, and relationships; Service Environment, “Everything Speaks” to the customers; Processes, evaluating operations and measurement. As a result, customer satisfaction ratings have increased from 83.1% to 87.4% year to date and Service Attribute scores from 85.8% to 91.8% YTD.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation The “One K-C Culture of Accountability” initiative helps Kimberly-Clark employees put the “One K-C Behaviors” (Build Trust, Make Decisions, Win Consistently, Think Customer, Continuously Improve, and Build Talent) into practice every day. As a result, almost 90% of salaried employees, and countless more hourly, contracted, and intern employees, completed the training in just 2 years. More than 95% of senior leaders completed the training in 2012. Additionally, K-C has seen remarkable increases in net sales for each consecutive year it has embraced the “One K-C Culture of Accountability” initiative, and noteworthy increases in employee engagement from its 2010 to 2013 employee engagement surveys.

Carilion Clinic As health care continues to change at ever-increasing rates, it is important to ensure that leaders are change hardy and have the skills necessary to lead in constantly changing times. In addition, leaders are considered a competitive advantage for Carilion Clinic and are essential to attracting and retaining the right talent and thoughtfully engaging employees to serve in compassionate ways. Carilion has revamped its leadership orientation and continuing education to ensure that leaders are skilled as they start their new leadership roles and throughout their career. Through the use of assessments, simulation centers, blended learning approaches, and coaches, Carilion is continuing to develop and engage its leaders to prepare them to lead the organization to its future.

Intel Corporation Long-term business plans for Intel and for Sales and Marketing were reverse engineered into people, system, and process capabilities via a job task analysis. The people capabilities needed to achieve those business plans became the future-oriented core competencies for the sales organization by job role. These skill areas, combined with core competencies, drive learning and development along 5 levels of proficiency. This proficiency matrix allows managers to coach employees to the next level by providing the right kinds of on-the-job projects and account activities to apply what they have learned in training. A 360-degree survey provides clear gap and strength pictures to guide development.

ValleyCrest Landscape Companies ValleyCrest account managers are its customers’ key contact. Last year, ValleyCrest University added a new class, Account Manager 2 Training (AM2), which helped account managers develop stronger relationships with each client by focusing on how they can help improve their business by what ValleyCrest does. The second in a planned 3-part curriculum (AM1 focuses on company culture and communication, while AM3 will focus on coaching and mentoring field personnel), this program uses a blended methodology approach that includes e-learning, instructor-led training, and follow-up conversations with the facilitator to measure Level 3 of Kirkpatrick’s model of training evaluation. Approximately 40% of the target audience have completed this training.



101 91 American Fidelity NFP 1,622 U.S. 11/1/138 NFP 3.46 Yes Yes Assurance Company

Oklahoma City, OK Real Estate/Insurance

102 97 SunTrust Banks, Inc. $8.5B U.S. 29,237 69/0/2,000 $35.1M 21 Yes Yes Atlanta, GA U.S. Finance/Banking

103 * Owens & Minor $8.7B U.S. 4,800 U.S. 8/20/50 $4.3M 2 Yes Yes Medical Inc. $8.9B Global 6,558 Mechanicsville, VA Global Wholesale/Distribution

104 114 Mountain America NFP 1,277 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Credit Union West Jordan, UT Finance/Banking

105 78 RE/MAX, LLC NFP 320 595/109/152 NFP NFP Yes Yes Denver, CO Global Real Estate/Insurance 92,474 Independent Contractors


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We’ve been recognized as one of Training magazine’s 2014 Top 125 Companies for

Training Excellence. Thank you to the CarMax managers, mentors, and field facilitators who have made us a top-tier training organization.

CarMax, a Fortune 500 company and one of the FORTUNE® magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” is the

nation’s largest retailer of used cars.

The way car buying should be.®

Congratulations, CarMax!

RANKINGS 101-105


American Fidelity Assurance Company New Manager School has become an important method of integrating recently promoted or hired supervisors into their roles at American Fidelity. There is a lot to learn, including: Company Culture, Legal Issues, Motivation, Teambuilding, Delegation, Challenges, Perceptions, Conflict Management, and Developing Colleagues. Six half-day sessions give new managers time to learn important skills and knowledge, as well as bond with each other. The purpose behind New Manager School is to continuously work toward being an Employer of Choice, one of American Fidelity’s 5 company goals.

SunTrust Banks, Inc. SunTrust Chief Talent Officer Mary Slaughter has positioned the company’s Talent Management and Development (TMD) organization as an award-winning group that enables SunTrust to achieve its goals and is trusted by executives to provide expertise on strategic planning and spending in relationship to teammate learning and development. When the banking industry faced its disastrous decline, SunTrust had the courage to invest in its people. In 2013, SunTrust increased investment in teammate learning and development, while the federal government had an exceeding impact on the internal workings and business model of banking. This pressure increased learning demand by 40% but decreased planning time by 33%. To meet these needs, 90% of projects are staffed within 7 days.

Owens & Minor Medical Inc. Owens & Minor leadership teammates in key positions spend 3 focused days in Development Centers that include a variety of exercises such as role-plays that simulate actual critical on-the-job scenarios. The role-plays (i.e., coaching a teammate, leading a new team) are digitally recorded. On day 2, the teammate watches the video with an interactive coach to get feedback. On day 3, the teammate repeats key exercises incorporating feedback. The results include improved competencies for participants and improved skills for coaches. Additionally, Owens & Minor University (OMU) knows where to focus training dollars, and teammates receive customized development plans that enable them to improve performance and leverage strengths back on the job.

Mountain America Credit Union Mountain America Credit Union has tapped into a neglected pool of potential members: new employees. Though some employees are already MACU members, many are unfamiliar with credit unions. Early in the new hire training process, employees are taught about the not-for-profit structure of credit unions, their history, and the history of Mountain America specifically. To assist employees in making an informed choice, some class time is spent sharing the benefits of membership. Later, an employee from MACU’s membership development group comes to class to open new accounts for interested trainees. When this process began, 1,155 employees owned 1,665 MACU accounts. As of July 2013, 1,262 employees owned 2,061 accounts.

RE/MAX, LLC RE/MAX celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2013. There has been colossal growth and monumental change, but training is still at the heart of the company’s agent-centric philosophy—training based on what the agents encounter in the field. An example is the RE/MAX University Certified Advisor program. When RE/MAX Chairman Dave Liniger trained franchisees in 1976 in his Denver office, his key tool was a yellow legal pad. Today, franchisees are trained in classrooms all over the world by instructors who utilize multimedia presentations, and agents and broker/owners lead many education sessions at RE/MAX conferences and are featured in RE/MAX University’s online training.

Novo Nordisk congratulates our Talent Management team for recognition as one of Training magazine’s Top 125...for the second straight year!

At Novo Nordisk, our employees show their commitment toward preventing, treating and ultimately curing diabetes. And our Talent Management team is an important part of that mission, by helping to provide the training and resources our employees need for continuous professional growth and development.

For more information:Visit www.novonordisk-us.comOr follow our news in the US on Twitter: @NovoNordiskUS

LEARNINGDEVELOPMENT

EXCELLENCE



106 104 ExactTarget NFP 1,418 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP 1.4 Yes Yes Indianapolis, IN 1,673 Technology Global

107 124 Microchip $313M U.S. 2,327 U.S. 30/16/101 $3.5M 1.63 Yes Yes Technology Inc. $1.5B Global 7,198 Chandler, AZ Global Technology

108 111 Schmitt Sussman $38M U.S. 300 U.S. 5/1/15 $325K 9 No Yes Enterprises dba PFP Orange, CT Insurance Marketing

109 * Special Response NFP 359 U.S. 18/3/5 $400K 18 Yes Yes Corporation 360 Global Hunt Valley, MD Emergency Security Services Provider

110 * Western Union NFP 9,000 104/8/340 $11.7M 2.3 Yes Yes Englewood, CO Global Finance/Banking

Your Source for Professional DevelopmentPublished six times a year, Training magazine is the #1 source of information for professional development for corporate training, learning and performance professionals. It’s the go-to resource for innovative global learning and development news; trends; research and statistics; best practices; new products, services, and technologies.

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Average training salaries and payrolls increase 4 and 9 percent, respectively, Training research shows

SALARYSURGE

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2013

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RANKINGS 106-110


ExactTarget ExactTarget’s Leading Orange Program graduated 68% of the company’s managers in helping to build its first leadership competency program. The FIERCE Conversations curriculum helped to facilitate discussions about 4 leadership models: Team, Coaching, Delegation, and Confrontation Conversations to create a 2-day program. This program features a 3-month certification process to become “Leading Orange Certified.” Leaders must complete a journal of on-the-job application, meet with a peer coaching group at least 3 times, participate in online social learning, and pass an exam. The program boasts a 97% ROI score from its participants and has helped ExactTarget achieve its 2013 strategic theme of “The Year of Leadership.”

Microchip Technology Inc. The primary focus of sales training in FY’13 was the establishment of the certification/accreditation infrastructure and its integration with the onboarding process—both have the task of bringing new sales and application engineers to the required capability as quickly as possible and keeping them there. Topics covered initially by the online learning modules include the core aspects of sales opportunity strategy, planning, and management, plus sales call planning. Microchip sales grew 14% in FY’13, exceeding the goal of 8.7% set by executive staff. This growth was assisted by the assessment, and systematic training and coaching provided by the sales training team in FY’13.

Schmitt Sussman Enterprises dba PFP In 2013, PFP added a learning management system (LMS) to its Training and Development Department. The investment, implementation, and execution of the LMS has fulfilled the company’s No. 1 of 6 strategies to “Deliver specialized education throughout the organization by employing learning management systems and face-to-face solutions.” The new 24/7 system was rolled out in 3 levels. Level 1 consisted of small group introduction and application meetings across the company. Level 2 established comfort with the new system by assigning individuals modules to work in, with the assistance of a trainer if needed. Level 3 made the LMS part of PFP’s corporate culture as employees now select to engage in the self-learning system on their own.

Special Response Corporation During the last quarter of 2012, Special Response Corporation trainees had the opportunity to take a field trip to Philadelphia, PA, to attend the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) conference. Attendees saw firsthand the technological advances in the security industry, newest uniforms and equipment, and training and job placement opportunities. Trainees also attended several leadership summit seminars presented by some of the industry’s leading material experts. Attending this conference enhanced trainees’ professional and IT skills.

Western Union The Executive in Residence (EIR) program sends leaders to developing countries to work with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) providing expertise, advice, and other volunteer services for 2 weeks. This program is in partnership with Ashoka (www.Ashoka.org), a nonprofit organization that supports social entrepreneurs. Each EIR is paired with an Ashoka Fellow working with local NGOs supporting Western Union’s focus areas of education and economic opportunity. Returning leaders are expected to volunteer 20 hours as Western Union University faculty, for business development, or as a Social Ventures volunteer. In addition to the significant life-changing impact reported by Western Union leaders, the company has provided significant value to NGOs since 2010.



111 * Migros Ticaret A.S. $3B Global 18,000 74/0/55 $3.1M .05 Yes Yes Istanbul, Turkey Global Retail

112 87 Cognizant Technology NFP 26,723 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Solutions 156,722 Teaneck, NJ Global Technology

113 * Four Seasons Hotels NFP 19,500 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes and Resorts 39,000 Toronto, ON, Canada Global Hospitality

114 109 One Nevada $50.9M U.S. 251 U.S. 1/0/35 $400K 2 Yes Yes Credit Union Las Vegas, NV Finance/Banking

115 * Allianz of America, Inc. $94B U.S. 4,470 U.S. 47/0/35 $4.7M 2 Yes Yes Minneapolis, MN 144,094 Finance/Insurance Global


PerformanceImprovement

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Register by Feb. 19 to save!301.587.8570 www.ispi.org/AC2014Training readers save $100—use code TRAIN14

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RANKINGS 111-115

Owens & Minor University

is proud to join the ranks of

the 2014 Training Top 125.Owens & Minor congratulates Training magazine’s 2014 Top 125 honorees on their achievement, and on their outstanding contributions to the development of their teammates.

owens-minor.com


Migros Ticaret A.S. Migros Ticaret’s supermarket brand that caters to the luxury segment was, until 2013, unrivaled in Turkey. But as new competitors began to enter the market, fortifying customer loyalty toward Migros Ticaret’s brand became a new and critical business issue. The Perspective program combines in-class training, learning through experience, and a cultural development program in 2 modules. The first consists of in-class and learning-from-experience activities, experimental sessions, and workshops. The second is based on learning through experience by participating in a trip abroad. While Migros Ticaret’s yearly growth was 6% in 2012, it rose to 15% and employee loyalty increased by 13% in 2013. The program has a satisfaction score as high as 4.99 out of 5.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Cognizant Academy’s Business Communication framework is spearheaded by a Communication Excellence program popularly referred to as ComEx. This program delivers a holistic learning experience and assures capability elevation of core business communication skills. Apart from self-learning, clients, supervisors, peers, and teams are involved in coaching and providing feedback to the employee. ComEx has affected 1,000 employees in Phase 1. At the foundational level of this program, the employee is assessed and compared to a calibrated scale of global proficiency in business communication. Post-training, 89% of employees have moved up in business communication proficiency. Some 78% of participants have shown 1-level overall progression, while 11% have progressed by 2 levels.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts The Dynamic Leadership Program (DLP) develops in leaders and managers a new and empowered relationship with results, and the mindset to produce consistent performance in Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts’ key areas: People, Product, Profit, and Growth. As part of the program, each property develops a series of results-based goals to drive positive change in these areas over a 90-day period. The program, which eventually will be conducted in every Four Seasons globally, includes a 3-day on-site training program for all managers at the property; 90 days of follow-up coaching for each team post-program; and 3 months of leadership coaching for global senior leaders.

One Nevada Credit Union ONCUniversity emphasizes one important fact that has always been at the foundation of the company: It’s in the people business. One Nevada Credit Union is a cooperative financial institution, owned and controlled by the people who use its services. The most important lesson comes from One Nevada President and CEO Brad Beal: “Our Passion for Service.” The dictionary defines “passion” as “a powerful emotion” and “boundless enthusiasm.” More than ever before, the employees of One Nevada feel that way about their jobs as they are trained to educate members on financial matters and become experts on One Nevada’s products and programs that can help members travel confidently on the road to lifetime financial security.

Allianz of America, Inc. Recognized as the Team of the Month in August 2013, the Allianz of America (AZOA) Learning & Development Team made significant contributions to the PAS (Policy Administration System) program. This program is aligned with one of the key corporate goals for 2013 to deliver a new policy administration platform to AZOA’s variable business. The training program included 2,921 hours of learning and took more than 3,000 hours to create/deliver. This blended learning approach was made up of 7 videos, 4 e-learning modules, 80 job aids/worksheets, and 106 learning sessions. All program metrics exceeded expectations: Level 1: 96% vs. 95% expectation; Level 2: 98% vs. 80% expectation; and Level 3: 91% vs. 90% expectation.



116 112 Haskell $556M U.S. 791 U.S. 0/21/184 $612K 1.05 Yes Yes Jacksonville, FL $569M 810 Global Construction Global

117 * Aditya Birla Minacs NFP 3,292 U.S. 100/100/50 NFP NFP Yes Yes Farmington Hills, MI 20,300 Business Services Global

118 102 Veterans Affairs NFP 22,000 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Acquisition Academy U.S. Frederick, MD Government and Military

119 117 Smiths Medical NFP 2,338 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes St. Paul, MN 7,160 Medical Devices Global

120 115 LQ Management, L.L.C. NFP 8,182 NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Irving, TX Global Hospitality

Empowering our Associates to succeed today and equipping them with the skills to grow lifelong careers at Mars.

www.mars.com

Mars University is honored to be among

TRAINING MAGAZINE’S TOP 125 LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS IN 2014.400,000 global learning hours, 11 colleges,240 award-winning learning experiences.


RANKINGS 116-120


Haskell Technical development fuels both individual professional growth and achievement of corporate goals. Haskell’s structured development of career-specific technical content is relevant, fresh, and immediately applicable. While administered by HR, faculty for the Program for Technical Development (PTD) are both in-house subject matter experts and outside consultants. Courses include: PTD 2.0 – Fundamentals of Design & Construction, PTD 3.0 – Construction Management, PTD 4.0 – Design & Design Management, PTD 5.0 – Project Director Development, and PTD 6.0 – Program for Marketing Professionals. These multi-session, year-long programs develop Haskell’s people in high-impact positions, supporting growth of revenues and pursuit of excellence.

Aditya Birla Minacs Altitude, a career progression intervention for front-line staff, combines classroom instruction with a coaching and mentoring framework. Altitude focuses on behavioral and functional skills to support an associate’s transition to a team leader role. To assist Altitude graduates in completing self-identified action items from the workshop, Aditya Birla Minacs offers a program called Mentor Magic. Successful supervisors are chosen based on their experience and performance to play the role of mentors. Here, mentees work with mentors on the action items that have been identified in the Altitude program. The mentoring activities include job shadowing, reverse mentoring, and coaching sessions.

Veterans Affairs Acquisition Academy The Program Management (PM) Fellows program follows an holistic internship model. The program is designed to accelerate development of general business, leadership, and technical PM skills within a specific career field (IT, construction, and health care) to enable participants to make an immediate impact within their organization. To date, 21% of Fellows received promotions in their first year of participation in the program. Supervisors responding to questionnaires on Fellows’ performance on the job gave the program a 91.4% satisfaction rating. The program receives an overall approval rating of 98.4%, and the average course rating for the 872.5 student contact hours for the whole 18-month program is 4.64 out of 5.

Smiths Medical Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) is for supervisors and managers throughout Smiths Group. LEAD focuses on becoming a successful and effective leader at Smiths in 3 areas: Understanding Your Leadership Role, Knowing the Business, and Leading Others. As a result, leaders align personal actions to the company’s mission, vision, key goals, imperatives, and values. Blended learning is used, including self-study, Webinars, individual assignments, group project, peer coaching, and instructor-led sessions. Participants have opportunities to practice learned skills using current real-world challenges, and craft a plan to apply the learning on the job. Currently, 17% of Smiths Medical leaders have completed the program, with the remaining to be completed by December 2015.

LQ Management, L.L.C. At La Quinta, it’s all about the rooms, and what employees do matters. To support this laser focus, La Quinta developed a Heart of the House certification program with various “belts,” much like in martial arts. The company feels so strongly about the importance of everyone knowing how to clean rooms the La Quinta way that it encourages all hotel and corporate employees to become certified. This underscores the value La Quinta places on these skills and fosters healthy competition as everyone strives to earn a black belt. La Quinta has 840 certified employees, and this number increases by 4-6.25% each week. Results of this program include a 0.4% increase in Medallia Service Quality Scores.

We’re part of the celebration.

At WellSpan, we not only celebrate our employees’ professional goals, we support them — by providing opportunity, encouragement, and, if needed, a helping hand. We are honored to have been chosen by Training Magazine as a Top 125 organization. Like our colleagues, we recognize that ongoing educationis critical to building a culture that facilitates an exceptional customer experience. Today, as we observe this recognition, we are proudto offer our congratulations and to be part of the celebration.


121 * Mars, Incorporated NFP 12,000 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes McLean, VA 72,000 Manufacturing Global

122 * BNSF Railway NFP 42,867 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Fort Worth, TX 43,013 Transportation/Utilities Global

123 * BigMachines, Inc. NFP 340 U.S. NFP/NFP/NFP NFP NFP Yes Yes Deerfield, IL 408 Global Technology

124 123 Consigli Construction NFP 520 U.S. 2/2/30 NFP NFP Yes Yes Company, Inc. Milford, MA Construction

125 116 Novo Nordisk Inc. $6.1B U.S. 5,695 U.S. 85/0/11 $30.5M 6 Yes Yes Plainsboro, NJ 34,731 Health/Medical Svcs. Global



ADVANCING INNOVATION ADVANCING COMMERCE

Congratulations to our MasterCard team for providing the training and resources our employees need to maximize their talents, achieve their full potential, and drive our success. We are so very proud to be a Training TOP 125 organization.

Developing a best-in-class global workforce takes passion, energy and effective training—at MasterCard, we never stop learning.

Global Talent Development

RANKINGS 121-125


Mars, Incorporated People managers play a critical role at Mars. Effective managers drive associate performance and engagement and reinforce Mars’ commitment to The Five Principles. The transition from being an individual contributor to a manager is one of the most difficult changes in an associate’s career at Mars. Leadership@Mars is a 3-part learning opportunity to help managers develop the skills they need at different times in their leadership journey. By 2012, 2,422 Mars line managers had completed Part 1; 828 had completed Part 2; and 210 leaders had completed Part 3—affecting more than 22,000 Mars associates.

BNSF Railway Since 2001, all BNSF leaders have attended the 2-day People Leader Training (PLT) annually. PLT is always focused on the BNSF Leadership Model and is led by a facilitator and 1 coach per 5-6 participants. Through PLT, 100% of BNSF’s exempt population receives development from a credentialed coach. Coaches facilitate peer discussions and experiential exercises and help participants make critical connections between the leadership content and their work. The coaches receive an overall value rating of 6.40 on a 7-point scale. Through PLT and other leadership development efforts, BNSF prepares leaders for future challenges; 90% of BNSF’s top leadership roles are filled internally. OTI

BigMachines, Inc. Developed in 2009, BigMachines’ Sales Training program focuses on 4 primary foundational areas: Company and Industry Basics, BigMachines Product Knowledge, Solution Selling, and Sales Process and Execution. This program has enabled significant growth year over year, which has fueled continued growth within the organization. This foundational program also was integral to the success of launching the new product, BigMachines Express. The newly formed BigMachines Express sales team was easily able to adapt the program to their specific needs, leading to exceeding revenue targets in the first year since launching this new product.

Consigli Construction Company, Inc. Along with its leadership development curriculum, Consigli Construction created an emerging leaders program in 2011. Since the start of the program, the company has had approximately 30 leaders. It has retained 27 of those leaders over the last 3 years and promoted approximately 4 upon completion, averaging a 40% promotion rate after year 2. The multi-faceted program is primarily a 2-year commitment. Year 1 focuses on theory, philosophy, and applicable technique. Year 2 focuses on exposure and application. In 2013, Consigli Construction mapped out a longer-term view of the program to make sure it wasn’t losing sight of its leaders’ development. This included a new leadership development plan and associated metrics such as number of promotions, number of special project assignments, and success rate in the new roles.

Novo Nordisk Inc. At Novo Nordisk Inc., all new hire sales representatives undergo a High-Stakes Testing process to ensure they have the requisite product and disease state knowledge to represent the company. In 2012 alone, the organization delivered and scored more than 1,700 High-Stakes tests. This certification is one example of how the company ties all of its processes to the Novo Nordisk Way and its ambition to strengthen its leadership in diabetes and change possibilities in hemophilia by ensuring its representatives have the knowledge to discuss what is best for patients.

WELL-TRAINED, READY TO WORK FOR YOUTraining our talent is second nature at ValleyCrest. It’s how we continue to design, build and maintain beautiful landscapes across the country.

What an honor to be the only landscape company recognized four years in a row by Training Top 125.

www.valleycrest.com



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BEST PRACTICES AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING: ACCELERATING FIRST-YEAR SALES PERFORMANCEOne area ADP business leaders continuously seek to improve is decreasing time to productivity of newly hired sales representatives in a rapid, agile way. Accelerating First-Year Sales Performance was created in 2013 to address this challenge and support ADP’s strategic goal of Agility

(building and selling great products faster). • A cross-functional team between Sales Learning and Univer-

sity Recruiting was formed with the common goal of hiring talent and accelerating their first year of performance.

• The team was trained in the Agile Software Development Methodology to guide their way of doing business.

• The team identified an innovative approach to achieving its goal and submitted a request for proposal (RFP) to become the official product sponsor for the National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC). ADP had been a member of NCSC since 2009. NCSC is the largest, oldest role-play competition

Training editors recognize innovative and successful learning and development programs and practices submitted

in the 2014 Training Top 125 application.

© 2013 Avanade. All rights reserved.

in existence and has the goal of promoting the sales profes-sion and reducing the time required to prepare graduates for sales careers. More than 10,000 university students use NCSC training materials to prepare for regional and national com-petitions. Studies show that graduates experience 25 percent lower turnover and have a 50 percent faster ramp-up time.

• ADP’s payroll and tax solution was selected for the NCSC. It has a mobile app and an interactive demo in the iTunes and Android App stores, ideal for students to practice and demonstrate on the go.

• The training program was developed in three months. A dedicated training site was created, including a multimedia program teaching payroll fundamentals, product knowl-edge, and sales-specific knowledge. Information about the program was included in a sales text book distributed to more than 64 universities. A support infrastructure was developed that included Webinars for professors; a Website with marketing, training, and role-play activities; and a toll-free number to have questions answered by an ADP support specialist. Some 19 videos had a total of 11,198 views, and the Website had 6,641 unique visitors and 58,036 page views.

Results: In FY’13, 161 associates were hired from the program—almost double the number since joining NCSC in 2009. In addition, associates were tracked over a 90-day peri-od and their overall sales were more than $204,000—almost 10 percent higher than the previous year’s new hires.

BAYLOR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM: LEAN AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENT TRAININGBaylor Health Care System is committed to maintaining its not-for-profit status so that it can continue to serve all who need help. This increases the organization’s responsibility to decrease waste/cycle times, and improve patient satisfaction/outcomes. One significant way Baylor did this in FY’13 was by implement-ing Lean Methodologies and Process Improvement tactics in several of its hospitals and corporate departments. When a Process Improvement/Lean intervention is planned, a focused training program also is implemented.

The Lean Academy is 20 hours of training spread over 10 weeks. Students learn to make major changes to a large process. STEEEP Academy (Safe, Timely, Effective, Efficient, Equitable, Patient-centered care) is 40 hours of training spread over six months. Students learn to make rapid changes over time. Lean helps with major value stream processes, while STEEEP helps with more lo-calized tactics and problems. In both academies, teams learn how to measure the right processes and outcomes in the right ways.

Highlights from the FY’13 teams that had a significant impact on Baylor’s quality and finance goals include:

Lean: The Corporate Supply Chain Management team tar-geted the contracting process. It eliminated two-thirds of the process cycle time, reduced nine of the 12 entry points, devel-oped a decision tree for different types of contracts, reduced errors/re-work, and reduced cycle time for RFQs from 40 days to 13 days. Total saved: $10.9 million.

STEEEP: The Baylor Plano hospital 30-day re-admission team

redesigned the patient discharge process to reduce the chances of the patient returning within 30 days, because hospitals with excessive re-admissions will have a Medicare/Medicaid pay-ment reduction. They designated someone to be the Discharge Advocate on each unit, and adopted a teach-back method to help patients learn the steps of their at-home care. They saw a 44 per-cent decrease in re-admission over six months. This improved the quality of life for the discharged patients, and increased Bay-lor’s ability to receive reimbursement from the government.

The Baylor Garland Code Blue Nurse/Physician Communi-cation team needed to improve the communication between nurses and physicians to prevent Code Blue situations that ul-timately moved a patient from the nursing unit to the more expensive ICU. They benchmarked with a pilot and air traffic controller to learn how they communicated during challeng-ing times. They developed a communication protocol, trained staff, and realized an annual savings of $79,500 by avoiding the higher costs of the ICU for the patient. When this was spread to 13 other units, the savings was $1.2 million.

CHG HEALTHCARE SERVICES: WELLNESS COACHINGCHG’s recent challenge has been to move beyond a “training company” and become a true learning organization. No other de-partment has done more to aid the pursuit of becoming a learning organization than CHG’s Wellness department. Three highlight-ed components of CHG’s wellness and coaching model include incentive-based learning, on-site wellness coaching, and collabo-ration between Wellness and the company’s formal training body.

The backbone of Wellness’ educational program is Wellness-Pays, an incentive structure that capitalizes on the benefits of game-based learning while allowing employees to earn health-care discounts by attending classes and other qualifying events. One of these events is the company’s financial education series. The goal of the series is to educate, raise awareness, and boost participation in the company’s 401(k) program. Thanks to WellnessPays, a quarter of the workforce attended these finan-cial seminars, and 401(k) participation increased 4.7 percent.

The Wellness team’s original model focused on the physical, financial, and emotional areas of an employee’s life. But eventu-ally a new holistic model was embraced, adding four additional areas for development, including “Professional.” The addition of this component not only helped validate the efforts of Cor-porate Training but presented an opportunity for the teams to partner on key initiatives and cross-promote programs.

The first of these efforts involved using WellnessPays to in-centivize a Corporate Training class addressing Emotional Intelligence. The WellnessPays incentive provoked a quarter of CHG’s workforce to attend the elective class, a 44 percent atten-dance spike from the previous employee development offering.

The final component of the strategy was to provide employ-ees with on-site health and wellness coaching. Confidence was placed in the concept that if employees were properly educated on relevant health topics, if health screenings and follow-up coaching sessions were emphasized, and if prevention was a fo-cus throughout, then any costs incurred from the investment in


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a wellness center would be offset by a decrease in saved claims costs. It turned out to be true. The initial cost of the center re-quired an investment of $50,000 a month, but average savings on claims paid out by the company exceeded $90,000 a month. As the immediate success of the facility justified an expansion to other offices, the monthly cost is now $66,000, while monthly savings have reached $150,000. Some 88 percent of employees responded affirmatively to the statement that CHG’s wellness programs have been beneficial to their overall health and well-being (+11 percent from program inception).

MCCARTHY BUILDING SERVICES, INC.: CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY TRAINING INITIATIVEGiven that technology continues to revolutionize the way McCarthy Building Services does business, it is a key compo-nent of the company’s corporate strategic goal of exceptional project execution. McCarthy has seen an increase in the number of technology rollouts (more than 30) since 2008, requiring it to fine-tune its training approach, which resulted in the Training team partnering regularly with the IT team to ensure success.

McCarthy now takes a holistic approach to support lasting and successful change for each technology initiative. Today, training is just one of five components, but it yields stron-ger knowledge transfer and decreases time to proficiency. McCarthy’s approach incorporates two distinct elements:

1. The concept of “Project Assurance” by Rob Prinzo (as in-troduced in the Training magazine article, “6 Best Practices to Achieve Implementation Success,” August 12, 2011)

2. The 5-Step Dormant Change Management Model from the user’s perspective:

• Advertise• Inform• Demonstrate• Train• SupportThe Training team partners with the vice president of IT and

IT project managers to train on this new approach, focusing on:1. The need for a broader approach than just initiative roll-

out and change management as an element of the critical path of the project

2. Following the Change Management Model3. Integrating the training team at project inception4. Measuring resultsAn example using this new approach is the rollout of BIM

360. This iPad-based Field Management solution was intro-duced to enhance collaboration and productivity on project sites. Communication began well in advance of implementa-tion, including videos of successful utilization in the field. Training was broken into two six-month phases, separating the training program by functional areas of the application. For each phase of the rollout, the implementation and train-ing team delivered project-specific trainings, including a “discovery” kickoff meeting and setup training, followed by an end-user training session at the time of launch. As a result of the training, McCarthy achieved 912 training completions

to date, and its Rancho Mirage project saved 12 to 15 sched-ule days (equating to 120 man days) and $72,000.

VALVOLINE INSTANT OIL CHANGE: BENCH PLANNINGBecause Valvoline Instant Oil Change (VIOC) operates in a high turnover industry, the company has defined bench planning as the process of preparing for the replacement of any employee—not just executives—at any time.

With this mindset, the Training Department set out to devel-op a system capable of determining the readiness of each and every employee in relation to his or her next promotion. Each month, VIOC managers rate all employees on their readiness for promotion to the next level based on a series of objective and subjective criteria. Employees are said to be “ready to-day” or ready within a certain period of time (six months, 12 months, etc.). Employees who are not capable of developing further are rated as such. Managers set development plans to get each developing employee to the “ready today” level. Rat-ings are entered into a company-wide system and agreed upon by multi-unit managers before they are finalized.

The system produces reports used by multi-unit managers to identify stores and areas where ready talent is not available and take steps to put better succession plans in place. Managers also can identify “blockers”—employees who are not willing or able to develop further, yet stand in the way of promotion for other employees.

Because the system makes the need to develop employees readily apparent, it has driven training at all levels in the com-pany. Managers ask for help developing assistant managers to the “ready today” level, but they also ask for help developing the technicians who will take their place, and the new technicians they will need to hire for backfill at that level. The Training De-partment also can look at the system proactively and determine the geography and levels where training is needed, often before the field organization realizes it.

Senior management uses these same reports at a company level to judge the readiness of talent for expansion in a given area. The number of assistant managers ready for promotion immediately has become a key scorecard metric for the company. This num-ber has doubled since the program was implemented.

Since implementation, manager bench strength has increased from zero to 37 percent. “A-rated” managers have increased by 31 percent in the same period. Given the average performance of an “A” manager over a “B” manager, the value of that increase is $2.69 million in operating profit.

OUTSTANDING TRAINING INITIATIVES BNSF RAILWAY: APPROACHING OTHERS ABOUT SAFETYApproaching Others About Safety (AOAS) is a train-ing program for all BNSF employees that focuses on peer

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interaction. It is the single largest training program BNSF Railway has ever undertaken, touching all 43,000 employees. AOAS is the linchpin in providing feedback up, down, and across the organization. The goal is for BNSF employees to be confident and effective when speaking to each other about safety and focus on exposures that are key to staying safe.

AOAS was created with the involvement of many BNSF em-ployees. Focus groups were conducted with union employees within each functional group: Transportation, Mechanical, Engineering, Intermodal, and Telecom. These employees provided feedback on the design of the program, attended pilot sessions, and assisted with the production of videos to ensure that materials were specific to their craft. The pro-gram launched in January 2013. To date, more than 26,500 employees have experienced the training.

TRAIN-THE-TRAINER AND CRAFT TRAINING

• BNSF trained 450-plus BNSF union employees on AOAS content and facilitation skills during an 18-hour train-the-trainer class.

• Those 450-plus union employees facilitate four-hour training classes, which are available to more than 36,000 union employees across the Operations department.

• Five versions of both the train-the-trainer and the craft-level program were developed to help tailor training to the specific craft groups.

• Training focuses on the exposures that result in 97 percent of injuries, specifically the critical or primary exposure areas, including: line of fire/release of energy, pinch points, ascending/descending, walking/path of travel, and life-saving processes.

• Employees learn the value of providing feedback in the mo-ment, including positively when they recognize someone is working safely or correctively when they perceive someone is at risk, and pausing work for safety discussions.

• Employees learn the most effective ways to approach co-workers and how to respond when approached.

• A separate four-hour training program for BNSF’s Front-Line Supervisor (FLS) focuses on the same concepts and explores their role as leaders in modeling the skills and building a safety culture that supports Approaching Others About Safety.

Results: BNSF’s Reportable Frequency Ratio was .99 YTD thorough August 31, 2013, a 9 percent improvement on a year-over-year basis. Total Injuries were 13 percent lower, meaning 100 fewer employees sustained injuries compared with the same time period in 2012. The Severity ratio was down 16 percent YTD at 22.77 vs. 27.19 YTD 2012. Reportable Rail Equipment Accidents by Train Mile Ratio were down 7 percent year over year.

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES: CUSTOMER 2.0There is a fundamental shift taking place in the cus-tomer service industry as technology increasingly allows customers to self-service. Call centers are experiencing a higher percentage of complicated customer requests in place

of their previous “easy calls.” In 2013, Discover Financial Services began an aggressive

program to prepare for the future. The Training Center of Excellence launched a blended self-paced New Hire program called Customer Service 2.0. The program was designed to foster specific attributes in customer service representatives (CSRs), including:

• Devotion to customer satisfaction• Self-reliance and self-direction• Creative problem solvingLearners were put in control of their own education as a

means of achieving these objectives. Drawing on inspiration from the Khan Academy, Discover “flipped the classroom,” converting 70 percent of the training content from instructor-led training to e-learning, video instruction, and self-study.

An online syllabus provided learners with expectations, goals, requirements, and links to access coursework. Learn-ers were connected through an online community, using threaded discussions to ask questions and share experiences; polls were used to gather opinions. Learners were provided with structured on-the-job training (OJT) opportunities upon passing Level 2 assessments for each major foothold of the program.

Instead of staffing each class with a New Hire Trainer whose job was simply to convey information, Discover staffed each Customer Service 2.0 class with a New Hire Advisor, whose core responsibility was to guide learners through the new hire experience, set aggressive individual goals with learners, eval-uate employee performance, and provide individual coaching. Advisors used assessment results, OJT performance metrics, and direct observations to form a focused coaching program.

Using Discover’s gaming platform, Discover Rumble, the Training Center fostered productive team-based competition. Each class was broken into two groups, which participated in daily and monthly online “missions” and between-call “micro-games.” Individual points accrued to team scores, which were displayed in real time on leader boards.

Results: When compared to similar employees who have gone through Discover’s standard training programs, Cus-tomer Service 2.0 trainees demonstrated dramatically improved problem-solving skills, greater self-direction, and improved key business metrics such as:

• 8 percent higher customer satisfaction scores• 6 percent higher employee satisfaction scores• 35 percent lower risk defects• 42 percent lower employee attrition

FIRST DATA CORPORATION: SIX SIGMA ACCREDITATION PROGRAM The Six Sigma Accreditation Program represents one of sev-eral strategic initiatives under a wider “Fit for the Future” strategy, the objective of which is to raise standards in func-tional areas across First Data Corporation’s Acquiring EMEA business. The program was designed to address a gap in the company’s Project Manager Capability Framework in terms of technical skill, methodology, and standards.


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Program evaluation was tied to ROI, Business ROE indicators, and Human Capital Management, for example:

• Provide greater alignment with voice of the customer• Improve quality of project execution • Drive continuous improvement culture change and cross-

functional best practices• Create an accredited Green/Yellow Belt talent pool across

EMEA with a common language, methodology, standards • Support career pathing and succession planning • Foster a Six Sigma Culture and community of practice

across the EMEA regionFollowing consultation with senior stakeholders, executive

sponsors were identified and an internal Six Sigma Accredita-tion developed incorporating Advanced Yellow and Green Belt Tracks, tailored to process improvement for First Data’s indus-try and project management environment.

Both tracks strive to adhere to the 70:20:10 model offering a blend of e-learning; instructor-led skills development; one-to-one coaching; and on-the-job transfer of learning activities, including performance support, online community of practice collaboration, Six Sigma fair days, Yellow Belt assignments, and Green Belt projects linked to business initiatives with measur-able key performance indicators (KPIs). There is also a traceable cascade from business goals to individual projects.

Yellow Belt participants complete an e-learning module and assessment as a prerequisite to attending a skills development workshop followed by a formal examination and transfer of learning assignment.

The Green Belt Accreditation is granted upon the success-ful completion of a skills examination and project execution. First Data begins with a facilitated Project Selection workshop designed to ensure projects are both Six Sigma and Accredita-tion appropriate. Green Belt participants then are assigned their projects and join project leads, champions, and line managers on an engagement and project chartering workshop. This is fol-lowed by five monthly blocks of technical skills development, project action planning, coaching, project work, and a tollgate review based around the five stages of the Six Sigma DMAIC model. Once all blocks have been completed, Green Belts sit for a formal examination and have their projects reviewed by an external examiner for successful execution and application of methodology.

Results: Green Belt Accreditation projects are on track to con-tribute a minimum average ROI of 600 percent. Yellow Belt assignments resulted in the number of days to hire decreasing from 75 to 45. Within three months of accreditation, nine of the 70 accredited reported increasing capacity by a full-time equivalent of 17 FTE by focusing on waste, defect reduction, and rework.

FIRST HORIZON NATIONAL CORPORATION: CALL CENTER FOCUSFirst Horizon National Corporation’s Call Center unit tradi-tionally reported higher turnover than other units, and it was revealed through 2012 EVS (employee viewpoint survey) scores

that these employees were experiencing low morale. Training reached out to this unit’s business leaders and front-line employ-ees to plan a three-point approach.

1. Create a task force that members named First Link Imple-menting Change and Knowledge (FLICK). The objective was to target employee morale in a collaborative, safe en-vironment. The FLICK task force is made up of leaders and direct reports, and an instructor from training facili-tates meetings and provides real-time coaching support and training. The task force meets throughout the year and develops ideas to foster teambuilding, including team huddles, one-on-one meetings between leaders and direct reports, fun days, and communication skills. Key metrics from 2013 EVS results show the following favorable increas-es: Psychological Capital increased from 83 to 90 percent, Loyalty from 67 to 76 percent, Promotability from 61 to 73, and Training and Development from 73 to 82 percent.

2. Redesign the front-line employee new hire program. The learning strategy needed to foster faster time to proficiency and reduce employee turnover. One challenge was the way Call Center training was delivered. Call Center employees have four levels of learning that must be completed to match the four levels of customer calls received. It often took 18 months to complete the four levels because of wait times for instructor-led sessions. The business unit and Learn-ing strategists implemented a newly designed program in which the blended learning environment delivered computer-based trainings (CBTs), in-person or virtual classroom events, recorded Webinars, game-based CBTs, and role-play in one-on-one coaching and peer-to-peer learning. This new program now allows all learners to com-plete all levels in as little as 30 days.

3. Address interactions with internal and external customers. The program, Creating a Differentiated Customer Service Experience: Firstpower on the Move, was tailored specifi-cally for the Call Center. Call Center employees reinforced key skills; explored the LEAD module (listen, empathize, ask questions, deliver message); and identified behavioral styles for themselves, peers, and leaders.

Results: Quality scores increased from 92 to 94 percent, and the transfer rate dropped from 10 percent to less that 1 percent. In 2013, First Tennessee Bank was up 11 points and four spots, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. Average total loans in the regional bank were up 12 percent from a year ago, and average core de-posits in the regional bank increased 9 percent year over year.

WALGREENS: LEADERSHIP LEAPIn 2012, Walgreens realized that in order to overhaul operations, drive the well experience, and transform the role of community pharmacy, it needed to focus development efforts on a crucial yet underserved part of its leadership team: its assistant store managers (ASMs), who run day-to-day store operations and, thus, impact most Walgreens customers.

In response, Walgreens re-engineered its current ASM program

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and created LEAP (Lead, Engage, Advance, Perform), a rigor-ous new 12-week Assistant Store Manager Trainee (ASM-T) leadership development program.

In researching the program design, Walgreens identified gaps to becoming a successful ASM, probed the revised ASM role with operations leaders, and collaborated with store operations and subject matter experts to better understand trainee needs. It then mapped all needed competencies to its Walgreens Lead-ership Model (WLM) and designed learning activities around them. With Training partnering with Field HR, program can-didates were selected based on standardized criteria aligned to the WLM.

LEAP development activities are 80 percent experience and exposure and 20 percent classroom training (three workshops focused around WLM pillars). In addition to coaching, men-toring, tailored development plans, on-the-job projects, online learning, role-plays, educational gaming, and setting project goals, LEAP components include:

• Journaling: Participants receive a journal and are expected to write and reflect on their experiences for developmental planning and personal growth.

• Movie-type “trailers”: High-energy promos are delivered via the learning management system (LMS) to help introduce and create excitement prior to workshops.

• Reality-based documentary videos: Learners watch clips on the LMS before and after each workshop. Videos track two

program “participants” (played by actors) talking about their LEAP experiences and challenges. This helps learners see their own challenges as normal, alleviating anxiety; for some, LEAP is their first rigorous training.

• Action learning project: ASM-Ts partner with peers over the course of the 12 weeks to develop a strategic business case addressing a district-based challenge. District and market leaders facilitate key workshop activities. This allows them to share their knowledge while demonstrating a collabora-tive leadership style.

Following LEAP, ASM-Ts can pursue additional role-specific development activities for up to two years to keep their skills fresh.

To successfully complete LEAP and move into the selection process for ASM, participants must have a cumulative 70 per-cent for all scored LEAP work.

Results: After more than 220 classes and 3,000 ASM-Ts trained:

• The average LEAP final exam score is 81.2 percent. • Engagement scores among this audience improved 15 per-

cent in a single year, with all development-related questions in the 75th percentile.

• Participant turnover is 1.15 percent vs. 3.44 percent of team members in the same job but not in the program.

• LEAP contributed to the 5 percent improvement in cus-tomer satisfaction in the last year. t


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motion, get the big raise, beat the competition, happiness will follow. But recent discoveries in

www.trainingmag.com114 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 training

the field of positive psychology have shown that this formula is actually backwards: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. If people raise their success rates over their en-tire life, their happiness rates flatline, remaining relatively unchanged. But when we cultivate positive brains first, nearly every business outcome we can test for rises significantly. As I have described in my books, “The Happiness Advantage” and “Before Happiness,” this discovery repeatedly has been borne out by rigorous research in psychology, neuroscience, and management studies. And in an article that made the cover of Harvard Business Review based upon the research I performed at KPMG and UBS, I concluded, “the greatest competitive advantage in the modern economy is a positive and engaged brain.”

New joint research conducted with Training magazine and an experiential workshop based on “The Orange Frog” parable prove the competitive advantage of positive psychology in the workplace. BY SHAWN ACHOR

Training Exclusive

NO, THIS ISN’T ZAPPOS, or the latest technology start-up. Nationwide Insurance employees demonstrate that happiness has gone mainstream.

Happiness, however, is a loaded word, which is exactly why I use it. There are more innocuous terms, but “happiness” gets to the core challenge of creating positive change. Poet Robert Frost wrote, “Happiness makes up in height what it lacks in length.” This line sums up what many think about happiness, especially in the workplace: It’s short-lived and situational. The deeper in-ference is that we’re powerless to consciously sustain happiness. Thus, many believe that our happiness at work remains solely under the tyranny of our genes and our external environment. However, the exciting pattern we are seeing emerge in the re-search is that this conclusion is false. Happiness can be a choice. If we link mindset and behavioral change created by small posi-tive habits, we can create long-term, quantifiable positive change at any level and at any age.

In this article, I will share the results of new research that I jointly conducted with Training magazine, evidencing the links between happiness, optimism, and productivity—as well as showing that change is possible. Using Nationwide Insurance as a primary case study, we will show how embrac-ing the happiness advantage can enable a culture of adaptive, proactive leaders at all levels. In short form, there are three main conclusions from our research:

1. Happiness is a choice.

2. Happiness spreads.

3. Happiness is an advantage.

ENSURING HAPPINESSIf happiness is an individual choice, what can an organization do to foster positive change? To explore this question, I recently took a trip to Nationwide in Columbus, OH, with my partners, Greg Kaiser, Kevin Karaffa, and Greg Ray from International Thought Leader Network (ITLN), to visit with people involved in the ground-breaking rollout of The Happiness Advantage/Orange Frog Initiative.

This customizable experiential workshop is based upon a parable I wrote called “The Orange Frog.” Why a parable? I love research, but I also know that many people don’t take time to read whole books. If one cannot assimilate informa-tion quickly and with an emotional hook, this research might go unheeded. As an undergraduate at Harvard, I studied how one communicates their beliefs so that those beliefs become adopted by others, and I found that parables are one of the most effective ways of creating paradigm shifts.

As the parable goes, Spark was exactly like every other frog in his pond with one notable exception. Spark emerges from a tadpole with a slight but noticeable orange spot. And this orange spot makes Spark feel uncomfortably different. Spark begins to make a disconcerting observation; when he does things that make him feel positive, his orange spots increase. Spark is left with a difficult decision: Be normal, which makes him less conspicuous and helps him “fit in,” or continue do-ing those things that make him happier, more productive, and become completely orange. Spoiler alert: Through the positive habits and leadership of Spark, he infects the other three ponds on the Island with his orange-ness. And the reader learns that being orange is both adaptive and contagious as the frogs

deal with Herons and Storms. The Orange Frog parable is designed to deliver several key lessons about the happiness advantage and serve as rallying language for teams.

Here’s how it worked at Nationwide: Early in 2012, Nation-wide invited me to speak at its Leadership Council meeting led by CEO Steve Rasmussen. Afterward, Vice President of Sales Planning & Development Curt Wohlers and Associ-ate Vice President of the Nationwide Sales Academy (NSA) Jeff Pireu brought together a team that could influence a wide variety of “touch points” in the organization. Together with this team, we came up with an “operational charter” connecting happiness to their business strategy. This was a critical first step and one that organizations often fail to take when instituting trainings, which results in doing “flavor-of-the-month trainings,” which have no long-term impact upon the culture. If long-term change is the goal, you cannot throw individual pilot programs at a wall to see what sticks; you need a chartering session to talk about sustainability from the get-go. And you need buy-in from the leadership. As Pireu says, “At NSA, we practice what we teach. Jeff and Mike Lewis, director of Learning & Performance at NSA, re-quired everyone who works at NSA to attend an Orange Frog workshop and participate in post-workshop activities to sus-tain the effort. The results have been incredible in setting the stage for the positive and effective learning culture they want to be recognized for.”

The operational charter is required homework to be memo-rized by all employees in the training, serving two purposes:1. To set the social script that a positive mindset is crucial to

the business.

2. To provide an effective communication vehicle for spread-

ing the message internally and externally.

The charter, in turn, helps empower champions of this ap-proach, who help promote the positive change internally. As Gary Baker, president of Insurance Intermediaries, Inc. (III), a wholly owned Nationwide affiliate company, told me, “We want to empower folks to be a part of the process of growth.” Here is the script of their charter:

We are catalyzing a culture shift toward a more positive mindset…by showing people that what they think and what they do matters.

Supporting Nationwide strategies by: Strengthening Relationships, Embracing New Opportunities, and Adapting Positively to Member Needs


Behind the Research

The research referenced in this article was conducted as a joint project between Training magazine, GoodThink Inc., and International Thought Leader Network. Preliminary and ongoing analysis of the data is being provided by Karl Haigler, a leader in connecting research to business outcomes, and Shawn Achor. A more definitive study is available to all Training magazine participants and may be obtained by contacting: [email protected]. Organizations interested in participating in future research regarding happiness in the workplace should send an inquiry to the e-mail address above.

www.trainingmag.com

These last three items were directly incorporated fromNationwide’s business strategy, thus connecting the trainingto the overall mission of the organization.

We then partnered to execute a series of two-day workshopscalled “The Happiness Advantage and The Orange Frog—APathway to Success.” The workshop uses a proprietary mappingmethodology to align Orange Frog core content to leadershipcompetencies and the company’s objective. Using Gallup’s Q12and our Workplace Environment survey to measure success,two business units (NSA and III) were shown to experiencesignificant positive shifts in their associates’ engagement levelsand created a more positive culture. The NSA’s Grand Mean en-gagement score increased to a 4.25 out of 5.0 (an above-averageincrease and up from 4.02 the previous year). The organizationalso experienced an overall increase of 9.69 percent in six areasof Q12 employee engagement scores. Significant progress wasmade in the category Q12—“This last year, I have had oppor-tunities to learn and grow”—increasing from 3.83 to 4.43. TheQ6 category—There is someone at work who encourages mydevelopment—also experienced a positive increase to 4.40(up from 3.88). The Orange Frog Principles of Falling Up andMindset Matters can be tied directly to these increases as theyallow associates to rewrite the way they mentally record set-backs and deliberately position themselves for success.

The workshop also includes a process where Level 3 results (re-lated to the three strategic business imperatives) are observed,recorded, and measured in a process called “Pond 4 Reports.”Some 87 reports have been recorded within a 12-month peri-od. A sample testimonial from an associate who completed aPond 4 Report includes: “I had a co-worker I made a habit of

avoiding… it finally got to the point that we could not effective-ly work together. I decided at that point to focus on what I coulddo to make relations better, going out of my way to know moreabout my co-worker. I started to see their point of view, whichled to barriers breaking down. Now we have a strong relation-ship that has led to more success for both of us.”

As Pireu says, “The chartering, immersion, and train-the-trainer phases included lots of hard work…but the end resultwas all worth it. To date, the Happiness Advantage/OrangeFrog workshop is one of the highest-rated courses we offerat the academy.” That was just the beginning. Nationwideis now at the vanguard of Fortune 100 companies adoptingpositive psychology to create more successful cultures.

MAKING RESEARCH JUMP OFF THE PAGEWhen I visited Gary Baker’s team at Nationwide, I was thrilledto see that the walls of his office were painted orange and therewere stuffed frogs scattered among the cubicles. There wereeven large framed pictures on the wall of their teams serv-ing at soup kitchens wearing bright orange shirts. But it’s notabout externals, as you could see by the enthusiasm and posi-tivity of the teams in those offices. They actually seemed to behaving fun while doing their work.

In our fast-paced modern world, an insidious behavioral normor “social script” has been created that essentially says, “If you arehaving fun or enjoying your work, you must not be working hardenough.” This creates an internal conflict with our own nature,for science definitively has shown that when we are filled withpositive emotions, our brains actually work much better and ourresults improve. And while we all know this instinctively, this

negative social script puts us at odds with our mosthuman instincts—creating stress and an epidemic ofdis-engagement. Unfortunately, the power to conformis immensely strong and after a bit of time, most of usconform and slowly we disengage.

The Happiness Advantage/Orange Frog workshopwe developed with Nationwide directly confrontsand rewrites this social script and provides a nar-rative pathway for people to reach a more positivemindset, attain higher levels of optimism and deepensocial connection. Through the stories of the variousfrogs, they also learn the best practices of resilientleaders, become more adaptable, develop a capacityto “see” more opportunities, which leads to better re-sults. From an organizational perspective, such shiftscan best occur when the individual and the organiza-tion mutually demonstrate that what we do mattersand what we think matters.

On this point, I had an interesting conversation at7 a.m. with a Nationwide associate named Mark inhis office in Columbus about the role of habits. Per-haps Mark had read Robert Frost’s poem because wespent awhile discussing how happiness, and its re-sulting advantages, can be short-lived if you do notdevelop mindset change and behaviors that can leadto lasting, sustainable positive change. When I asked

THE SPARKETTEAs a researcher, I’m fascinated by what sparks positive

change. At Nationwide, I heard stories about and finally

met “Sparkette” (as she refers to herself). She is definitely a

woman who exhibits the defining characteristics of a positive

outlier (believes both her mindset and her behavior matter)

and is out to make a difference. Having attended a test pilot

of the Orange Frog Workshop, Julie Hoover says, “I recognized

there was something here that we needed. I didn’t have the formal authority to

make a decision to bring this in, but I realized I did have the wherewithal to do something about it.”

“I started riding the elevator with a stuffed orange frog,” she revealed.

“Getting strange looks was part of my strategy—I rode that elevator up and

down and talked to everybody who asked about the frog. I shared the book,

the research (and a fair number of orange frogs) until I finally figured I had

enough interest and support to take my case forward.”

Nationwide Vice President of Sales Planning & Development Curt

Wohlers says Julie presented the idea to him, and the changes evident in

her own behavior and convictions convinced him that this program must

have merit. It wasn’t long after that Wohlers and Jeff Pireu, associate vice

president of the Nationwide Sales Academy, brought together a team of

people around the organization who could influence a wide variety of posi-

tive influence touch points. This is the team that eventually came up with

the Operational Charter connecting happiness to business strategy.

HappilyOrangeAfterHH


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him if he did any daily habits, Mark shared his simple ritual offrequently starting his day by writing down things for whichhe is appreciative. Some mornings, Mark is inspired to sharehis gratitudes on the company’s internal social media platform,Yammer. Such a small habit, one minute in length, by oneperson—it seems so insignificant. But small changes spread.

Mark Pizzi happens to be the president and COO of Nation-wide Insurance. He says, “I have to work at it; I am no differentthan anyone else. The boldness with which we act to rebuildpeople’s lives, and our business results, ties to how we think. Wewant to embed positivity into Nationwide’s DNA.”

As I note in “The Happiness Advantage,” and as I’m about todescribe in our joint research with Training magazine, smallchanges lead to huge advantages for an individual and anorganization.

RESEARCHING POSITIVE CHANGEPizzi’s conclusions are confirmed by the new joint researchwe just completed with Training magazine, in which 900 pro-fessionals, mostly in the field of organizational development,participated in a project that consisted of a two-week assign-ment to incorporate a new positive habit into their daily workroutine: writing down three gratitudes (similar to Pizzi’s habit),writing a positive e-mail for two minutes a day to someone theyknow, or journaling for two minutes about a positive experi-ence. Some 436 of the participants responded in the post-surveyregarding their ability to sustain the positive habit.

We assessed multiple variables about perceived well-being, so-cial support, productivity, stress, creativity, optimism, etc. Thefirst thing we discovered was the average score for the entirepopulation rose when they created a habit out of just one of thethree activities we suggested. Every metric showed a positive ef-fect compared to the control group of individuals who did notcreate a positive habit. Then we started looking even closer,specifically focusing on optimism, productivity, and stress. Wealso examined two sub-groups: people who were most diligentin incorporating the habit and those who were less diligent.

Those who incorporated the positive habit moved from a

3.09 to a 4.10 on a 5-point stress scale (with higher being lowerstress). The diligent group also moved from a 4.62 on energyto 5.24 on a 7-point scale. In addition, we found a significantcorrelation between optimism and workplace productivity,statistically significant at a 95 percent level (r=.31). In ad-dition, people who provided social support at work showedstrong correlations with being happier at work (r=.40), con-firming previous research showing that social connection iscrucial to job satisfaction and life satisfaction.All in all, those who successfully created the positive

habit for two weeks during the experiment with Trainingmagazine showed a 20 percent decrease in stress, had

12 percent higher energy, and were twice as likely to

rate themselves as higher on the happiness measure.

Our joint research project reflects findings consistent withprevious research. We were not surprised to find there was alsoa high degree of consensus among survey respondents (pre-and post-) that “increased happiness in an organization couldpositively improve business results”—83.3 percent of the morediligent completers and even 76.65 percent of the less diligent atcreating their habits.

As the president of Nationwide Insurance says, “Nothinggets better when we look at it negatively. As a leader, youmust care about people, so as a leader, genuinely helping the‘whole person’ improve their outlook and behavior (whilemaintaining accountability) is essential to people embracinggrowth and working with a competitive edge.”

COLORING CHANGECreating positive change affects more than just performanceand mindset metrics; it affects the bottom line. One of thebest examples of this research coming to life is III, an insur-ance brokerage company that provides insurance outside ofNationwide’s primary personal coverage lines (auto and home),including a mix of personal, commercial, life, and health insur-ance lines, as well as financial products. In 2013, the companyundertook a major strategic initiative that included incorporat-ing new lines of business, establishing bold new diversification

DRESSED IN THEIR BEST ORANGE, Nationwide’s Insurance Intermediaries, Inc. (III) business unit team spread the positive word at a charitable outing.



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targets for agents, innovating its entire marketing and productdelivery strategy, and augmenting its traditional relationshipwith agents and policyholders. III executives knew the levels oforganizational change, process change, and technology changerequired to achieve their business objectives demanded a newmindset of positive empowerment, an ability for employees tobe adaptive beyond current levels, and a culture of positivity toaccomplish these aggressive change efforts.

In early 2013, III took part in The Happiness Advantage/Orange Frog Workshop conducted jointly by ITLN and theNSA. Shawn, one of the first III participants, says, “Theorange mindset soon became a new way of thinking insidethe organization, and soon the entire III staff participated.”

As another associate, Michelle, describes, “there has been ahealthy mindset shift among our staff away from the ‘chain-of-command way of thinking.’ Many of us used to feel like wehad to wait for changes to come from the top and eventuallytrickle down to us. Now we have more of an empowermentmentality, and we’ve learned to meet change head on with apositive mindset. We also understand we have a voice andthere are many ways to not only feel empowered but to im-prove the way we work together and individually. Change isno longer dreaded but seen as positive steps for our companyand our own career growth.

III completed our Workplace Environment survey where theSubjective Happiness metric went from a 5.8 to 6.0 (out of a 7.0scale), and the Satisfaction with Life metric went from a 27.3 toa 28.2 (out of a 35.0 scale). The III data support the theory ofthe happiness advantage, and the organization is experiencinggrowth among its competitors. III is currently more than $25million over its plan with revenues of more than $100 millionover the prior year, success III President Gary Baker attributesin part to Orange Frog, stating that some of the organization’sbest production came in the months following the workshop.III associates now have started a program whereby they trackthe important things they accomplish each day and have anaccountability partner review their accomplishments eachday. Baker says his team now is “embracing new opportunitiesthrough noticeable and numerous examples of business processimprovements. People are providing ideas; they are not afraidto share; and positive change is starting to flow.”

To sustain the happiness advantage, III began institutingchanges based upon the trainings. I had the opportunity towitness firsthand one of my favorites, called “Huddles.” Teamsin the call center are brought together once a day to assess theprogress made by each person, recorded on a large erase boardwith goals set for various business objectives and daily/weeklyoutcomes. There is also an emotional barometer with picturesof each team member that they move according to their positiv-ity or negativity that day. When someone is down emotionally,the team rallies to help them accomplish their goals, return topositive, or just feel socially supported.

Positive interventions like this one are working. Growth inapplications at III is up 237 percent compared to last year withrecord revenues. According to Baker, who sported an orangetie during my visit, “While we can’t say exactly how much yet,

we definitely attribute part of our success to the Orange Frogtraining. We now celebrate the power of social scripts we be-lieve in as an organization. They come alive generating strongerrelationships internally and with our customers, too. Our posi-tive behaviors have facilitated positive results. The HappinessAdvantage/Orange Frog Workshop has given everyone a frame-work of seven different methods to generate positive impacts andtake change head-on.”

As we see far too often, change efforts without true engagementis hard to sustain. Eventually, business as usual begins to set in.Real culture change must be long term and quantifiable. As wehave seen at Nationwide, continually connecting desired busi-ness outcomes with actionable positive principles and pro-activeengagement can yield surprisingly impressive results.

THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGEThe more we research, the more we are convinced that whileintelligence and technical skills are crucial, the greatest competi-tive advantage in the modern economy is a positive and engagedbrain. My work in 50 countries with more than a third of theFortune 100, and one of the largest studies at Harvard on hap-piness, further is confirmed by the joint research project withTraining magazine and ITLN, and the case study at Nationwide(to view videos of my interviews with Nationwide execu-tives, visit www.trainingmag.com/happiness).

One of the most powerful forces in human nature is our be-lief that change is possible. We have learned that reprogramming

our brains to become more positive, more adaptive, and more

resilient in order to gain a competitive advantage at work is not

only possible, it is essential in rapidly changing environments. Butinformation alone is not transformation, which is why the nextstep is so important: cascading these findings and trainingsto more organizations to create deep and sustained change sothat happiness becomes not a short-term, chance event at work,but a sustained lifelong practice. Happiness does not have to beshort in length; it can be a continual choice. And the more weestablish researched ways for individuals to make this choice,the greater the advantage we gain.

Our project further confirms the link between optimismand productivity. As we continue to delve deeper intothe Training magazine data, we expect to find even moreinteresting results—and we will continue to try and find or-ganizations that will collaborate on research with us to testnew hypotheses and connect findings directly to quantifiablebusiness results. This field until now largely was confined toacademia and laboratory experiments. The true nature ofhappiness and its value lies in better understanding it in thecontext of business and our lives at work. t


Shawn Achor is the internationally best-selling author of “The Happiness Advantage” and “Before Happiness.” Achor spent 12 years at Harvard before traveling to 50 countries, bringing his positive psychology research to more than a third of the Fortune 100. His research with collaborators at Yale University made the top social psychology journal in 2013; his work was featured on the cover of Harvard Business Review, and his TED talk has 5 million-plus views.


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uch has changed since the global recession. Budgets are tight, accountability is

everywhere, and business results are expected routinely. All functions in an orga-

nization, including Learning & Development, face tremendous challenges to show

value. The good news is that the Learning & Development community is respond-

ing with changes in their approach to evaluation. Here are seven metrics trends

that are occurring globally and particularly in the U.S.


Training Exclusive

All functions in today’s organizations face tremendous challenges to show value. As a result, the Learning & Development community is responding with changes in its approach to measurement, evaluation, metrics, and analytics. BY JACK J. PHILLIPS, PH.D., AND PATTI P. PHILLIPS, PH.D.

M1. There is increased focus on the impact and return

on investment (ROI) of major programs.

Although this trend has been evolving for years, the movement has been significant in the last five years—it is being driven by the recession itself. In 2008, many

companies found themselves to be bloated, bureau-cratic, and inefficient, and they began to trim their organizations during the recession, even if they were still financially strong. Senior executives and the chief financial officer are vowing to make sure their

Global Trends in L&D Analytics

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organizations are efficient, responsive, lean, and mean. This is causing major projects to be pushed to the impact and ROI analysis, showing a connection to the business and the fi-nancial ROI, the ultimate measure of success. In some cases, an ROI forecast is required before the program is designed, developed, or implemented.

Top executives crave impact and ROI data. A major study, supported by ASTD, showed that the No. 1 measure desired by CEOs from Learning & Development is business impact (“Measuring for Success: What CEOs Really Think About Learning Investments” by Jack J. Phillips and Patricia Pul-liam Phillips; ASTD, 2010). With input from 96 Fortune 500 CEOs, this study revealed that the No. 2 measure is ROI. At the same time, these executives indicated that the current level of measurement is far from where they want it. Only 8 percent said that they see the business impact now, while 96 percent wanted to see it. For ROI, 4 percent see it now, and 74 percent want to see it in the future.

An important target for this level of analysis and account-ability is soft skills, where it is more difficult for an executive to see the value. When the programs are important and ex-pensive, executives especially want to see the value. In a study of 232 Global Leadership Development directors, 88 percent said there was an emphasis on ROI, and the No. 1 reason was the pressure for cost and efficiency (“Measuring Leadership Development: Quantify Your Program’s Impact and ROI on Organizational Performance” by Jack J. Phillips, Patricia Pulliam Phillips, and Rebecca L. Ray; McGraw Hill, 2012). This same study revealed that for leadership development, 34 percent of programs are measured at Level 3, Application; 21 percent measured at Level 4, Business Impact; and 11 per-cent at Level 5, ROI. These are the most ambitious numbers we’ve seen from leadership development.

2. The budget for measurement, evaluation, metrics, and

analytics (MEMA) is increasing.

The Learning community has underinvested in measure-ment, evaluation, and metrics. Consequently, during the recession, many Learning leaders were not able to show the value of major programs and projects. Routine account-ability at the level of evaluation sought by executives did not exist. Most organizations without a comprehensive ap-proach to MEMA were spending approximately 1 percent of the budget on tools. Proactive Learning leaders are justify-ing additional expenditures by showing the value of current projects. Learning leaders are using the results to move to a best practice of 5 percent of the Learning budget to be spent on metrics and evaluation.

3. Responsibility for MEMA rests with all the team. This trend has been shifting for some time, but it accelerated during the recession. Two decades ago, there was a move to centralize evaluation and have a core group of people with that responsibility. Although this appeared to be efficient, it often was ineffective. Every other member of the team—the designers, developers, facilitators, participants, and even

managers of participants—would indicate that measure-ment and evaluation was not their responsibility, claiming the evaluation team should be doing this. Proactive Learn-ing leaders have recognized that evaluation is everyone’s responsibility, and sharing the responsibility makes it much more effective. It reduces the resistance and keeps everyone accountable. Often, it is more efficient in terms of resourc-es, because they all have their full-time job with part-time evaluation. Still, in large organizations, a small core group is available for very technical issues.

4. Finance, Accounting, and the CFO are more involved

in L&D.

This trend has both good news and bad news, but is probably obvious to most Learning & Development functions. You don’t have to look far to see increased involvement of the Finance and Accounting departments, not only for Learn-ing & Development but for other functions, as well. The CEO is pressuring the CFO to use the concept of ROI, which originally was developed to show the return on investing in capital expenditures (buildings, tools, and equipment). The concept now has moved to non-capital areas such as Human Resources, Marketing, Technology, and Quality. This has brought the CFO into the process as he or she imple-ments ROI into these areas. According to Gartner research, many chief human resource officers (CHROs) are reporting to the CFO. Since most Learning & Development functions report to the CHRO, this brings the CFO into the reporting chain of command for some Learning functions. Proactive CLOs are stepping up to this challenge, making sure they have CEO- and CFO-friendly data, bringing Finance and Accounting into the process, and pursuing them as a col-league, not as an enemy.

5. Learning leaders are more proactive with impact/

ROI analysis.

Before the recession, many learning leaders would wait for the request to pursue a more rigorous analysis, particularly ROI. Unfortunately, the recession showed that approach to be disastrous. When the Learning & Development function is asked for this ultimate level of accountability and nothing has been put in place, it’s often too late. This places the Learning team on the defensive, with a short time line, and on the top executive agenda—not a good place to be. Proactive leaders learned their lesson and they are not waiting for the request. They are building capacity and experimenting with impact and ROI. They want to be driving the process, not reacting to it. They want to set the agenda, time line, and pace.

6. There are still barriers to impact/ROI use.

Although the concept of connecting learning to impact is all traceable to the early 1950s, and the use of ROI traces to the 1970s, the concept still does not enjoy the widespread use executives prefer. Some significant barriers must be overcome. Proactive Learning leaders are minimizing, dif-fusing, demystifying, removing, or going around those


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barriers. Here are the top five:• Fear of results. As you can imagine, any program owner is

nervous when someone is conducting an ROI study on his or her program and it’s negative. How will it affect me or my program, or my performance? Will it be discontinued,

diminished, or not respected? While these thoughts are common, proactive leaders are managing the process. They use ROI as a tool for process improvement, not per-formance evaluation for the team.

• The perceived complexity of ROI use. Some proponents of ROI have created this fear by trying to develop compli-cated formulas. In reality, ROI is a ratio first encountered in fourth-grade mathematics.

• Perceived cost of an ROI study. Some think ROI costs too much, and they don’t have a budget or the time. In real-ity, costs are small. For a major program, the total cost of an ROI study is usually less than 1 percent of the pro-gram cost. It rarely goes over 5 percent, and that’s when a particular program is inexpensive. Proactive Learning leaders learn to manage this cost by building internal capability.

• They don’t know how to do it. This was a good defense 20 years ago, but not any more. Impact/ROI evaluation is now a part of the preparation for Learning & Devel-opment and Human Resource Development degree programs. ROI certification is offered globally, with more than 7,000 individuals having participated in the ROI certification offered by the ROI Institute.

• The client hasn’t asked for it. As mentioned in trend #5, this is a disaster. Proactive Learning leaders are remind-ing the team that we want to be in control of this issue.

7. Impact/ROI evaluations have many uses. Proactive Learning leaders are pursuing a more comprehensive

measurement and evaluation system, linking Learning & Development to the business in credible ways and occa-sionally developing ROI studies for major programs. This proactive evaluation generates many great uses: • Increase funding. Since the recession, this is the No. 1

reason for pursuing this issue. • Satisfy executives in a request for account-

ability. Before the recession, the No. 1 reason for exploring impact and ROI was to meet a particu-lar request from an executive group. • Improve programs. This is the preferred reason for using impact and ROI and is the No. 1 reason advocated by the ROI Institute. • Increase support. A key target for communi-cating results is participants’ managers. Showing the results at the impact level essentially ties the learning to the key performance indicators (KPIs) of these managers. That’s what’s needed for them to provide the level of support needed to make learning a useful process. • Build business partnerships. To be effective, partnerships drive programs, funding, and new initiatives and make the process work smoothly. When executives see that L&D is making a con-tribution, they are more willing to be a viable business partner. Proactive Learning leaders are translating the business contribution of L&D to

a successful business partnership. • Improve client relationships. The ultimate client—the

person who funds the program—has a much better im-age of learning and involvement when he or she sees learning as a valuable business contributor.

• Earn a seat at the table. For more than a decade, we have heard the comment that the Learning & Development leader (i.e., the CLO) should be involved in decision- making at appropriate high-level meetings. When a business contribution is clearly there, it’s much easier to earn and keep a seat at the table. t

An expert on accountability, measurement, and evaluation, Dr. Jack J.

Phillips provides consulting services for Fortune 500 companies and major global organizations. Dr. Phillips is chairman of the ROI Institute, Inc.; the author or editor of more than 50 books; and creator of the ROI Methodology, a process that provides bottom-line figures and account-ability for all types of learning, performance improvement, Human Resources, technology, and public policy programs. For more informa-tion, call 205.678.8101 or e-mail [email protected].

Patti P. Phillips, Ph.D., is president and CEO of the ROI Institute, Inc. She earned her doctoral degree in International Development and her Master’s Degree in Public and Private Management. While working for a large electric utility, she played an integral part in establish-ing Marketing University, a learning environment that supported the needs of new sales and marketing representatives. An accountability, measurement, and evaluation expert, Dr. Phillips is also the author and co-author of several books, including “The Bottom Line on ROI” (CEP Press, 2002), which won the 2003 ISPI Award of Excellence.


To be effective, partnerships must drive programs, funding, and new initiatives and make the process work smoothly. When executives see that L&D is making a contribution, they are more willing to be a viable business partner. Proactive Learning leaders are translating the business contribution of L&D to a successful business partnership.


A training professional with experience designing, de-veloping, and implementing training and developmentprograms at companies such as Accenture and BestBuy, I was the new leadership’s first hire. As director ofEmployee Development, I was challenged to transformMasTec’s Utility Services Group into one with a cultureof learning and to create programs that would not onlypromote the safety and competence of employees, but

hen MasTec North America, Inc.’s Utility

Services Group came under new leadership

just over a year ago, it identified an oppor-

tunity to focus on employee development

almost immediately. The competition

within the utility construction industry is fierce, so whatev-

er MasTec could do to recruit, develop, and retain the best

employees would prove to be a competitive advantage.


John Congemi is director of Employee Development, Utility Services Group, MasTec North America, Inc.

Training Exclusive

MasTec’s Utility Services Group embarks on an endeavor to create programs that not only promote the safety and competence of employees, but also tie learning to career progression and pay-rate increases. BY JOHN CONGEMI

Walso tie learning to career progression and pay-rateincreases. Throughout this year, I’ll be document-ing MasTec’s journey with an exclusive case studyhighlighting the latest progress and lessons learnedin each issue of Training magazine.

GETTING STARTEDMasTec’s leadership laid the foundation for thechanges that would lie ahead. They created buy-inand support with operations teams and suppliedthe funds and budget to ensure that overarching

employee development initiatives would be set up for success. Oncea path was cleared, the strategy was to “get out of the way and let theEmployee Development Team do what they do best.”

My first course of action was to get know the employees and get afeel for the work they do every day. I’m new to the utility construc-tion industry and figured the best orientation would be to put on somesteel-toed boots, a vest, safety glasses, and a hard hat and join the menand women working in the field. After all, how could I help the organi-zation train and develop our employees without a full understandingand appreciation of what they do? It turns out rolling up my sleevesand getting a little dirty went a long way toward establishing respect

and credibility with the employees, too.After spending time with dozens of crews in the

field and meeting with the Utility Services Group Operations managers and Safety professionals, the Employee Development Team presented a prelimi-nary plan to Utility Services Group senior executives. Although the team also is destined to create recruit-ing and retention programs going forward, the initial focus is on three primary training and development objectives:

1. Create a consistent New Hire Orientation

curriculum

2. Implement an online learning management

system (LMS)

3. Launch a new Lineman Apprenticeship Program

NEW HIRE ORIENTATION Although each MasTec Utility Services Group division and office was doing a great job of on-boarding its new employees, each was doing so a little differently. Supervisors and managers had established their own “training kits” from which they facilitated safety training and a general ori-entation for new employees. The first deliverable the Employee Development Team will set out to create is a New Hire Orientation curriculum that will ensure that each new employee receives a consistent, high-quality introduction to key or-ganization and safety concepts. The Employee Development Team partnered with the Utility Services Group’s Safety Team to identify the 16 most important skills and concepts a new em-ployee needs to understand and perform before stepping into the field. These modules will serve as a prerequisite for receiving a hard hat.

Each module will be created as a video that en-ables leadership to provide a vision of good safety habits to all new employees. The instruction will be presented in both English and Spanish to ensure that Spanish-speaking em-ployees have equal access to the content. The instructional videos will be filmed in a variety of field settings to ensure all employees, regardless of their job title or specific role, can relate. The objective is to provide consistent, world-class onboarding instruction to every new hire joining the organization.

LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMAn online LMS will serve as a foundation for the training and development initiatives MasTec’s Utility Services Group has planned. Up until now, the great majority of the training has been instructor-led. Even when technology was utilized, it required a supervisor or instructor to proctor a DVD view-ing session. Tracking participation and completion was even less efficient. Course completions were tracked via sign-in roster sheets that had to be photocopied and placed into each employee’s file. All that is about to change as the organiza-tion prepares for one of its largest change initiatives to date: the selection and implementation of an online LMS.

The goals for the LMS were clear:• Increase accessibility of training content• Provide flexibility and variety in how training is

conducted and completed• Improve the process of registering and approving

employees for training• Create reporting tools that give visibility to training

requirements, participation, and completionBecause there is a strong need for hands-on training in the

utility construction industry, e-learning is never going to completely replace instructor-led training sessions at MasTec. But even the instructor-led courses will benefit from the LMS due to the improved scheduling capabilities and reporting functionality. It’s all about modality options and an enhanced ability to track training.

LINEMAN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMIt is imperative that future training programs be tied to professional and financial opportunities and incentives. Organizational leaders know that effective training will help ensure the safety and well-being of all MasTec Utility Services Group employees and customers, but many em-ployees often wonder, “What’s in it for me?”

An apprenticeship program accredited and recognized by the United States Department of Labor gives employees a clear career roadmap. The program will provide structure that in-corporates career progression and pay-rate increases tied to training and job performance accomplishments. Whether an employee is an overhead or underground lineman, he or she can participate in the apprenticeship program, which pro-vides additional hours of training in exchange for the extra commitment from the employee.

Upon completion of the program, the employee will earn “Journeyman” status and will receive official certificates from both MasTec and the U.S. Department of Labor. The skills built, training received, financial incentives, and recognition from the company and U.S. Department of Labor all contribute to an increased sense of pride and connection to the organiza-tion. This helps answer the question, “What’s in it for me?”

There’s no doubt that MasTec’s Utility Services Group has its work cut out for it as the team scopes, builds, and implements each of these initiatives. But they’re excited and confident that they’re heading in the right direction, and Training magazine will be there to track their progress every step of the way. We’ll follow the steps forward that the team has made in transform-ing their organization, as they share their victories and lessons learned along the way. It promises to be an extraordinary journey. t


• Roll up your sleeves and jump into the field to best get to

know your end customers.

• Set long-term, “big-picture” goals, then dive into short-

term objectives to start bringing the larger plan to life.

• Remember that with the right buy-in and motivation, it’s

never too late to reinvent your organization and create a

“culture of learning.”

QUICK TIPS TO GET STARTED

best practices


Would the leaders of your organiza-tion be willing to serve as teachers of strategy, innovation, new product

development, or a new diversity initiative? How well equipped are they at using blogging and oth-er social media to teach?

Ed Betof popularized the idea in his book, “Leaders as Teachers.” Ed is a senior fellow at The Conference Board, president of Betof Associates LLC, former senior fellow and academic director of the Executive Program in Workplace Learning Leadership at Wharton, and former worldwide vice president of Talent Management and chief learning officer at global medical technology company BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company). His new book, “Leaders as Teachers Action Guide” (ASTD Press), available in spring 2014, provides an opportunity to examine the evolution of the Leaders as Teachers movement in training and development.

“Leaders as Teachers” has been successfully im-plemented at many organizations, with BD often cited as a leader. At BD, more than 550 leaders were used as teachers. The motivation for such initia-tives is to create “learning organizations,” which, according to Noel Tichy, the author of “Leader-ship Engine,” are “more agile, come up with better strategies, and are able to implement them more effectively.” A key principle behind the Leaders as Teachers approach is that no group of people has greater responsibility to drive the agenda of the or-ganization than its leaders.

BENEFITS OF LEADERS AS TEACHERS

Leaders as Teachers has been especially useful for teaching business strategy, change processes, and other business imperatives as leaders tie the concepts to actual business needs.

According to Betof, there are several benefits from this approach:

• Leaders benefit from preparing to teach others.• Leaders have hands-on experience.• Learners obtain company-relevant information

tied to the organization’s goals and strategies. • The process helps drive the business agenda.

• It develops the leaders as professionals.• The leaders learn from the participants.• Leaders learn to be better leaders and team

members.• Leaders become more self-aware, which leads

to self-improvement and better solutions to business problems.

• When leaders teach, it helps in any culture change initiative.

• Leaders as Teachers helps to clarify the organizational mission and values.

• It increases communication flow extensively.• Leaders hear things they would never hear

otherwise.• It is a cost-effective learning method,

enabling external experts to be brought in only when needed.

• Leaders as Teachers fosters talent scouting, the opportunity to observe and listen to others and meet people leaders otherwise would not necessarily meet.

• It also leads to reverse talent scouting, giving em-ployees a chance to meet and develop insights about their leaders that are based on experience.

• Collaboration is improved by using the latest technology for immediate feedback.

• New ideas can be taught via blogs and online streaming of points of view.

• Cultural sensitivity improves, since local leaders can deliver the programs.

• There are numerous opportunities for leaders to ask critical questions and hold up a mirror—the power of teaching in the moment.

HOW LEADERS TEACH AND ARE TAUGHT

Some leaders are coached in teaching methods, while others co-teach with internal instructors. Profession-als design the courseware. There are several ways in which leaders teach:

• Co-teaching a course• Speaking about leadership experiences• Lunch and Learns• Town Hall meetings• Coaching off-line during breaks

Leaders as Teachers: The Next GenerationLeaders as Teachers has been especially useful for teaching business strategy and change processes as leaders tie the concepts to actual business imperatives. BY NEAL GOODMAN, PH.D.

Neal Goodman, Ph.D.,

is president of Global

Dynamics, Inc., a

training and development

firm specializing in

globalization, cultural

intelligence, effective

virtual workplaces, and

diversity and inclusion.

He can be reached at

305.682.7883 and at

ngoodman@global-

dynamics.com. For more

information, visit www.

global-dynamics.com.

Dan HillSr. Learning Consultant

Joan MacDonaldNational Practice Consultant,

Quality Care & Service

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EXAMPLES OF LEADERS AS TEACHERS AT WORK

In a project to introduce a diversity and inclusioninitiative in Latin America, Johnson & Johnson hadan independent company prepare the presentationand the script and then rehearsed it with several ofJ&J’s top Latin leaders who taught three 20-minutesessions on “Micro-Inequities,” “Unconscious Bias,”and “What Diversity Means to Me” to attendees ofTown Hall meetings across South Amer-ica. This demonstration of the leaders’commitment to promote and discuss di-versity and inclusion had a much greaterimpact on demonstrating the credibilityof the topic and the organization’s com-mitment than if the course had beendelivered by internal or external trainers.

In the second example, expats on as-signment or who recently returned froman international assignment are invit-ed to speak on a panel to the participants in a courseon “Working Globally,” which is taught by an outsidefirm. The real-life stories and links to business casesadd significant value to the program. So many expats

expressed an interest in teaching that there is a waitinglist to speak. An unexpected consequence of the expats’participation is an increase in the number of applicantsfor overseas assignments.

I’d like to request that any organizations alreadybenefiting from a “Leaders as Teachers” approachto training and development send me their bestpractices and experiences for a future column.

Those who would like to try this approach will ben-efit from Ed Betof ’s two books. Please contact me [email protected] for additional in-formation. t

best practices

A key principle behind the Leaders as Teachers approach is that no group of people has greater responsibility to drive the agenda of the organization than its leaders.


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A combination of two or more distinct “agile” concepts could lay the groundwork for a highly successful training project. By Megan Torrance

I

Megan Torrance has more than 20 years of experience in the learning industry, covering instructional design, e-learning development, instructor-led training, technical writing, learning management system (LMS) deployment and administration, change management, and project management. She is the chief energy officer (CEO) of TorranceLearning, an e-learning design and development firm near Ann Arbor, MI.

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APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sept. 22, 2014

Tony O’Driscoll is

regional managing

director of Duke CE in

Singapore, where he

focuses on identifying

and implementing

next-generation

learning strategies

and approaches

that accelerate the

development of

Leadership Sense-

Abilities in this rapidly

growing part of the

world.

Over the years, I have had the privilege to work with several senior learning leaders whose organizations regularly earn a spot on the

Training Top 125 list. While pondering what sepa-rates those who consistently achieve the pinnacle of success in Training and Development, I isolated three key areas I believe contribute significantly to their achievement:

1. These successful learning leaders understand where their organization is positioned within its lifecycle and they are well versed in their company’s strategic intent. During their lifetime, organizations move through several stages of development:

• They start off young and small, where the prima-ry focus is on creativity and innovation.

• Next, they recognize that leaders must be more directive and focused in marshaling the orga-nization’s resources and capabilities around customer needs.

• Then they recognize that leaders have to substi-tute direction for delegation as the organization’s size, offerings, and span of control grows.

• Finally, they recognize the need to better balance delegation and coordination to ensure that the bureaucratic process that sustains the current business does not dampen the ability to identify new opportunities for growth.

By matching the stage in the organizational life-cycle with the strategic intent of the business, these learning leaders can map out specifically the learn-ing and development needs of the organization over a staged time horizon.

2. These successful learning leaders recognize that while return on investment (ROI) metrics are im-portant, return on expectations (ROE) metrics are even more so. Different stakeholders view the val-ue that learning delivers in different ways. Senior executives typically view learning as a mechanism to enable innovation, globalization, transforma-tion, and strategy implementation. Senior business leaders, on the other hand, view learning as a mech-anism to improve performance, enable business unit productivity, and manage talent. Human Resource leaders typically view learning and development as

a mechanism for developing leadership capability and skill building. The savvy learning leader under-stands how to position learning offerings such that they align with the expectations of each stakeholder who is sponsoring the learning.

For senior executives focused at the enterprise level, emphasis is placed on how the investment in learning supports growth and transformation-level objectives. For senior business leaders focused on business unit performance, emphasis is placed on how the invest-ment in learning can build a talent pipeline, improve business performance, and enable business unit suc-cess. For senior HR leaders, emphasis is placed on how the investment in learning is optimized to de-velop the skills and capabilities required to enable the organization to succeed. By aligning the positioning of the learning investment with the expectations of the sponsors required to support it at each level, suc-cessful learning leaders can garner support for larger and more strategically relevant learning initiatives.

3. These successful learning leaders realize that the design of the learning must be grounded in key experiences or situations that are relevant to the participants. Savvy business leaders ensure that the program designs are problem or opportunity based. They also look to internal leaders to bring real oppor-tunities and issues to the learning environment, and they encourage learning formats in which leaders can learn together collaboratively.

As you read through the profiles of the Top 5 in this edition, test my assertion by asking yourself:

• Does this learning leader understand where his or her business is positioned organizationally and strategically?

• Does this learning leader understand the differ-ent expectations of the learning sponsors?

• Are the programs showcased here more problem centered and issue based? Do they involve more collaborative learning than platform teaching?

It is my hope that by using these questions to parse the excellent efforts of this year’s Top 125, you may glean some keen insights on how to help your own organization land a spot or move up the ranks on the Training Top 125 next year.

Separating the Best from the Rest Successful learning leaders understand their organization’s strategic intent and their stakeholders’ expectations. And they focus on learning that is task oriented and collaborative. BY TONY O’DRISCOLL

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Bob Pike, CSP, CPAE,

CPLP Fellow, is known

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He is the author of more

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using bobpikectt.

H ow do you prepare for your training ses-sions? How do you prepare the subject matter experts (SMEs) to present in your

classes? Often, we are eager to give people course content and assume the presentation process will take care of itself. That’s a mistake we can’t afford to make—especially when a training program is using multiple presenters.

At most of the conferences I attend, people are on in-formation overload before they get halfway through. Why? Because many presenters design their presenta-tions in a vacuum. They act as though the knowledge and skills contained in their presentations are the only information people are exposed to. They overuse lec-ture and provide illegible visuals (and with their first PowerPoint slide, they say, “Now I know you can’t read this, but…”). They spend too little time making their handouts valuable through preparation, and do a poor job of demonstrating the relevance of course materials to workplace situations.

As trainers focused on results, we must consider and make adjustments for:

• The time of day our information is presented• How much other content is being provided

before and after our content block• How much experience people bring to the

program• Participants’ likely learning style• What material goes into each section of a hand-

out (“need to know” vs. “nice to know” vs. “where to go”)

We constantly have to keep in mind that train-ing is a process, not an event. If our participants haven’t caught it, we haven’t taught it. Until the information and skills are being used on the job, the process of training isn’t finished.

REVISING THE DELIVERY

I worked with one large group of trainers to im-plement these ideas for an upcoming annual corporate training event. In the past, evaluations have been marginal. We invested a day-and-a-half with 100 of them to look at how to do their best sessions based on the five considerations above—and a few more particular to their situation. We focused on how to deliver their best 90 minutes. We

helped them break their content into logical chunks of 20 minutes or less (most chunks end up being 10 to 12 minutes). We showed them how to help partici-pants revisit key content, rather than the instructor reviewing information.

The trainers then had three weeks to develop new handouts and visuals based on the guidelines we de-veloped. Then they had two weeks of additional prep time working with two other trainers/presenters. At the end of those two weeks, we met again. The group of 100 was subdivided into groups of six to videotape and critique their conference presentations—the first 10 minutes, 10 minutes from the middle, and then the last 10 minutes.

Subgroups of three then reviewed the videotapes, allowing each presenter to self-critique first, followed by additional feedback from the other two trainers/presenters. The focus was on delivering content in a way that kept the energy up. After critiquing and coaching one another, they had an additional month to polish their presentations before a second video-taping session. At the conference, one of our trainers was on site for several days to provide any final coach-ing people wanted and to do on-site evaluation.

The results: the highest conference evaluations in 10 years, and six months later, field reports of how what was learned at the conference was being used and how that was translating into increased sales and improved technical support. A lot of time and expense, you say? What’s the salary, time out of the field, travel, and lodging cost of bringing 10,000 people into town from all over the world to listen to five days of 90-minute presentations that will be the foundation for sales and support efforts for the com-ing year? What happens when more than half that time is wasted because people are burned out from ineffective presentations?

As trainers, we are in the business of helping our organizations achieve improved results through people. The only way we can do that is by remem-bering to blend content with optimal delivery, so what we teach transfers out of the classroom and into the workplace.

Is there a question you’d like me to answer in a fu-ture column? E-mail me at [email protected]. Until next issue, add value and make a difference.

Stand and DeliverDelivery process is equal to content in importance, especially when learning is information intensive. BY BOB PIKE, CSP, CPAE, CPLP FELLOW

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Online Certificate Online Certificate

Advanced Articulate Storyline for

eLearning Certificate

Ray Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute e-Learning,

Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories

to Engage e-Learners and Do-it-Yourself

e-Learning: 100 Ways to Simplify Design and

Development; Kevin Thorn, Award-Winning elearning Designer, Chief NuggetHead/Owner, NuggetHead Studioz, Author, LearnNuggets.com; Tom Gafford, Technology Guru, Vignettes Learning.

BONUS ITEMS! You will receive 10 Storyline sources files and guides so you can “reverse engineer” how the advance applications are applied in real-projects. You will also receive numerous guides and step-by-step exercises so you can apply the ideas immediately.

A series of 4 sessions starting

February 18, 2014 OR April 15, 2014

February course rates: Early Bird Rate on/before Jan. 18 is $745 Registration after Jan. 18 is $895

April course rates: Early Bird Rate on/before March 15 is $745 Registration after March 15 is $895

Designing eLearning with Captivate

Certificate

Joe Ganci, www.captivatejoe.com

This course will use the latest version of Captivate. You may use prior versions of Captivate; however, there will be a few features that you will not be able to access if you are using an older version.

BONUS ITEMS! You’ll receive a step-by-step guide to designing eLearning with Captivate as well as extensive exercise files.


March 3, 2014 OR October 6, 2014

March course rates: Early bird rate on/before February 3 is $845 Registration after February 3 is $995

October course rates: Early bird rate on/before Sept. 6 is $845 Registration after Sept. 6 is $995

Instructional Design: Performance-

Based and Results-Focused Certificate

Darryl Sink, President, Darryl L. Sink & Associates, Inc., Author, Learning and

Performance Tips Newsletter

BONUSES! You’ll receive a 101-page participant guide containing job aids, examples, worksheets and key points to remember for you to use as you design and develop your courses. You will have the opportunity to submit your project work during the certificate program for feedback by your instructor.


March 4, 2014

Early bird rate on/before February 4 is $845 Registration after February 4 is $995

Creating Engaging eLearning with

Articulate Certificate: From Non-

Programming to Advanced Interactions,

Ready-to-Use Models and Source Codes

Ray Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute e-Learning

and Do-it-Yourself e-Learning: 100 Ways to

Simplify Design and Development; Tom Gafford, Technology Guru, Vignettes Learning; Kevin Thorn, Award-Winning E-learning Designer, Chief NuggetHead/Owner, NuggetHead Studioz, Author, LearnNuggets.com.

BONUS! In this certificate, we even go even further than the basics. We’ll provide you with a hands-on opportunity to explore Storyline as well as ready-to-use models and valuable source codes so you save even more time; learn faster and save thousands of dollars.


March 11, 2014 OR May 13, 2014

March course rates: Early bird rate on/before Feb. 11 is $745 Registration after Feb. 11 is $895

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Training magazine brings you a series of online certificate programs to help you jump start your career and enhance your professional know how. You’ll find the in-depth content you’ve come to expect from Training magazine, in a format that fits around your busy schedule and inside your budget.

eBAdges: You’ve EArned ItWhen you successfully complete a Training Live + Online certificate program, you’ll also receive a digital credential (eBadge). eBadges are transforming how your hard-earned achievements are recognized, shared and rewarded. You can showcase eBadges in your email signature line or on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Enhance your reputation and signal clients, collaborators, and employers that they should take notice of you!

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Lead Presenter: Maria Chilcote, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic; Co-Presenter: Adrienne Kirkeby, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic; Guest Presenter: Melissa A. Smith, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic


April 30, 2014 OR October 1, 2014

April course rates: Early bird rate on/before March 30 is $1,145 Registration after March 30 is $1,295

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Social Media for Trainers Certificate

Dr. Jane Bozarth, Author, Social Media

for Trainers


May 9, 2014 OR September 4, 2014

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Training Manager Certificate:

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Lead Presenter: Melissa A. Smith, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic; Co-Presenter: Linda Ernst, Senior Instructor, The Training Clinic; Guest Presenter: Maria Chilcote, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic

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May 14, 2014 OR October 8, 2014

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Melanie McCarter, Certified Instructional Designer and Developer, Russell Martin and Associates

BONUSES! You will also receive a quick technique job aid to help you remember what you’ve learned and show others how to get better at project management back at the office. You may earn eight (8) Project Management Institute (PMI) Professional Development Units (PDUs) when you successfully complete this certificate.


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Ray Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute e-Learning,

Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories

to Engage e-Learners and Do-it-Yourself

e-Learning: 100 Ways to Simplify Design and

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Early bird rate 30+ days prior to course start date is $645

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A series of 4 Sessions...

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After successfully completing one of our online ‘certificate’ programs, you will receive a professionally produced Certificate of Completion signed by your instructor and suitable for framing.

talent tips

Most of us have either sat around a camp-fire ourselves and sang the words or we’ve joined along with our own or oth-

er people’s children in a sing-along of “If You’re Happy and You Know It…” followed by the ran-dom actions chosen by each singer depicting what makes him or her happy.

If only it were that easy to replicate happiness in the workplace by simply clapping our hands together!

So what does it really take to make us happy at work?

HAPPINESS IS…

Happiness is not just an emotional quality of be-ing. Within the workplace context, happiness is also a person’s sense of satisfaction with work and life in general.

Nic Marks, founder of the Centre for Well- Being based in the United Kingdom, developed the “Happiness at Work Survey,” which can be taken at http://www.happinessatworksurvey.com. Marks highlights factors impacting happiness at work, namely, enjoyment of the work itself and do-ing what you do best, along with your pride in the organization you work for and the quality of the management you receive.

These factors strongly influence how you per-form on the job. Being able to do the work you love and are good at goes a long way toward job sat-isfaction. Marks highlights how a well-managed organization affects the degree of collaboration between teams and departments and the support received to get the work done.

The Happiness at Work Survey compares happi-ness at home and work, examines feelings toward the job itself, your relationships at work, the state of the organization itself, and even the social impact or value your work has.

IMPACT OF HAPPINESS ON WORK

According to the World Happiness Report 2013, edited by researchers John Helliwell, Richard La-yard, and Jeffrey Sachs, the United States ranked in 17th position on level of happiness out of 156 countries worldwide.

Their findings suggest happy people live longer,

are more productive, earn more, and are better citi-zens. Helliwell and his colleagues recommend that countries place as much emphasis on their citizens’ mental health as they do on economic growth.

Zappos founder Tony Hsieh and the Deliver-ing Happiness group out of Las Vegas point to Gallup evidence that disengaged employees cost the American economy up to $350 billion a year due to lost productivity, as an indicator of what unhappiness costs us.

These “actively disengaged” workers were de-fined as “individuals who are unhappy at work and act out their unhappiness.” Unhappy employees affect those around them by their negative atti-tudes, likelihood for low performance, increased sickness and absenteeism, and other factors that sabotage productivity.

BRINGING HAPPINESS TO WORK

Harvard lecturer Shawn Achor, author of “Before Happiness” and “The Happiness Advantage” and Training 2014 keynoter, states 90 percent of long-term happiness is derived from how your brain processes the world and your life experiences. You might think, “If I work harder, I’ll be more suc-cessful. Then if I’m more successful, then I will be happier.” The reality is that our view of the world will determine our outlook. Happiness, Achor points out, is an inside job (see p. 114 for more on Achor’s perspective).

Srikumar Rao, the author of “Happiness at Work,” says we must dispense with this flawed “if/then” model for happiness. “There is nothing you have to get, do, or be in order to be happy,” he writes.

Achor suggests doing different activities on a regular basis to draw upon positive psychology principles to bring happiness into the workplace. For example, to create a lasting positive change, he recommends writing down three new things you are grateful for each day over a 21-day period. You might even start journaling these reflections. This will help change your personal outlook.

One way to bring happiness to others is to send out an e-mail of gratitude to someone each day before reading or responding to other e-mails in your in-box. This starts the day off positively for the recipient, as well as yourself, by sending out positive messages.

If You’re Happy and You Know It…

Roy Saunderson is

author of “GIVING

the Real Recognition

Way” and Chief

Learning Officer of

Rideau’s Recognition

Management

Institute, a consulting

and training firm

specializing in helping

companies “get

recognition right.” Its

focus is on showing

leaders how to give real

recognition to create

positive relationships,

better workplaces, and

real results. For more

information, contact

RoySaunderson@

Rideau.com or visit

www.Rideau.com.

Learning to leverage happiness in the workplace starts one person at a time. BY ROY SAUNDERSON


Dr. Donald Moynihan of the University ofWisconsin – Madison found that helping others atwork actually makes us happier. Even if it is justfor a few minutes, altruistic acts make us feel bet-ter about ourselves. In fact, his research identifiedthat “being motivated to help and believing yourwork makes a difference is associated with greaterhappiness in our analysis.”

Helping others even makes us feel like we havemore time, according to Dr. Cassie Mogilnerfrom the University of Pennsylvania’s WhartonSchool of Business. Her findings revealed thatwhen people helped others for just 10 to 30 min-utes a day, they felt less time-constrained thanthose who had wasted their time.

HAPPINESS HELPS US LEARN BETTER

You knew, of course, that being happy makes youa better learner. It seems happiness and learningare closely linked in our minds. Research by Dr.Manfred Spitzer, a professor of psychiatry at theUniversity of Ulm, showed that people who havepositive experiences activate the nucleus accumb-iens area of the brain, which is also responsible for

accelerating the learning process.Dr. David Rock, co-founder of the NeuroLead-

ership Institute, identified similar findings. Henotes: “There is a large and growing body of re-search that indicates that people experiencingpositive emotions perceive more options whentrying to solve problems, solve more non-linearproblems that require insight, [and they] collabo-rate better and generally perform better overall.”

As Learning & Development professionals, wemust generate greater happiness and positiveemotions around our learning design and devel-opment. We need to ask our learners how we canhelp them gain a greater appreciation for the sub-ject matter being taught or demonstrated.

You and I cannot pretend we can be happy at workall the time nor can we make others happy. This isneither realistic nor desirable. Unhappy experienc-es happen, and negative emotions are normal.

But we can learn to be happy more regularly andconsistently on the job. Then we can positivelyinfluence those around us to be able to claptheir hands when they personally know they arehappy, too!


> Redesigned for the Training Audience

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The new TrainingMag.com is the online resource for training professionals. Visit our reimagined and reinvented digital portal for easy access to Training’s online-only content, face-to-face events, online certificate programs, free Webinars and white papers, exclusive content from the Top 125, and more.

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2014!

last word

A: A great way to understand another person’s point of view is to describe the situation the way the other person would tell the story to them-selves, their friends, and their colleagues.

With few exceptions, people tend to see them-selves in a positive light. We feel that we act rationally and justly, show others appropriate respect, and are good people. We are the protago-nists, if not the heroes, of our life’s story.

Unfortunately, when a conflict surfaces, we tend to cast our counterpart in the role of antagonist or villain. We attribute all kinds of negative as-sumptions and characteristics to them. It’s how we easily make sense of the world, while protect-ing our “hero” status.

Our counterparts are no different. When they analyze that same conflict situation, they put themselves in the “hero” role. And they draw on all kinds of data to support their position.

So if you want to get a sense of how they look at the world, describe it the way they would…with them being the protagonist at center stage.

For example, salespeople often experience cli-ents pushing back on price. When I consult to these salespeople, they tend to describe the cli-ents as greedy, insensitive, and/or obtuse. “The client is trying to squeeze me, because they feel they have the upper hand. They don’t even care if this eliminates our profit. Or maybe they just don’t understand what we’re bringing to the ta-ble, even though I’ve tried explaining it to them a thousand times.”

I ask these salespeople, “If I asked your client to tell me what was going on in your situation, what would he or she say to me?” I emphasize that the client most likely would not say, “I am a greedy person who likes to squeeze salespeople as much

as I can. I don’t want them to make any money off of me. Who cares if they could offer me real value?!”

What happens next can be transfor-mative. Salespeople are pressed to see the client in a more complex and fa-vorable light. They realize the client

has a separate set of pressures and constraints that they must respond to. For example, a sales-person might envision that his client’s narrative could be: “I just stepped into this job, and I’m under tremendous scrutiny from my boss. I’ve been given a budget I must adhere to, even if I think it’s too low. I’ve looked at a few providers, and several of them could meet our needs. How-ever, I want to give the business to this person, because I respect the way he’s approached the sale. At the same time, he keeps promoting cer-tain aspects of his offering that really don’t mat-ter to me. I don’t want to insult him, but I can’t justify paying for something we don’t need. So I’m doing my best to send him the work while staying within budget.”

To most effectively tell your counterpart’s story, try to consider the following:

• External factors and other parties that might be influencing or pressuring your counterpart

• The emotional impacts of the situation on your counterpart

• Your counterpart’s interests—the underly-ing motivators behind their demands (why they are asking for what they’re asking for)

• How your counterpart might see you and interpret your actions. You can poll your friends and colleagues about how they might see you if they were in your counter-part’s metaphorical shoes.

You’ll know you’ve done a good job if you come away feeling sympathetic to your counterpart and their situation. And with your new insight, you’ll be ready to better address their needs and concerns and to collaboratively problem-solve with them rather than against them. t

Stepping Into Their Shoes

Michael Rosenthal

is managing partner

of Consensus (www.

consensusgroup.

com), a negotiation

and conflict resolution

firm headquartered

in New York and with

regional offices in the

Middle East that offers

an array of services

through three practice

areas: Consulting,

Training & Development,

and Peace Building.

For more information,

contact mrosenthal@

consensusgroup.com.

To get a sense of how other people look at the world, describe it the way they would…with them being the protagonist at center stage. Then you’ll be ready to better address their needs and concerns and to collaboratively problem-solve with them rather than against them. BY MICHAEL ROSENTHAL


Q Much of our training—from Emotional Intelligence to Consultative Selling—promotes the idea of considering another person’s

perspective. That’s easier said than done. Can you offer any advice on how to put it into practice?

Jiffy Lube and the Jiffy Lube design mark are registered trademarks of Jiffy Lube International, Inc®. © 2014 Jiffy Lube International, Inc.

Jiffy Lube® is proud of the recognition received for our commitment to training. Jiffy Lube University serves 20,000 Jiffy Lube service center employees acrossthe country. Last year, these employees completed over 2.2 million hours of training, all with one mission in mind—to help our customers Leave Worry Behind®.

Jiffy Lube would like to thank the Jiffy Lube Association of Franchisees Training Committee, Shell Oil Company and the groups who helped us provide an award-winning training program to Jiffy Lube employees throughout the Jiffy Lube System.

AT JIFFY LUBE®, WE’RE HIGHLY TRAINED AND HIGHLY HONORED TO BE A 2014 TRAINING TOP 125 AWARD WINNER.

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Advanced Articulate Storyline for eLearning CertificateRay Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute eLearning, Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners and Do-it-Yourself eLearning: 100 Ways to Simplify Design and Development.

Kevin Thorn, Award-Winning eLearning Designer, Author, LearnNuggets.com.

Tom Gafford, Technology Guru, Vignettes Learning.

Ready to take your Articulate Storyline skills to the next level? This certificate builds upon your existing foundational Storyline knowledge and provides you with the hands-on experience needed to develop and build advanced interactions, extend the functionality of Storyline and gain a better understanding of project workflow. We’ll explore the development of custom interactivity including States, Layers, Triggers, Variables and Conditions and provide you with tips and tricks you can immediately apply to your own projects.


The certificate is designed for those who are familiar with the basic features of Storyline such as scenes, storyviews, slides, layers, triggers, timelines, importing text-characters-videos, creating simple tests and assessments and other basic functions. Developers, designers and leaders will also benefit by learning the cost effectiveness, speed of development, reusability, flexibility and scalability of Storyline as an advanced authoring software.

4 SESSIONS STARTING FEBRUARY 18, 2014 OR APRIL 15, 2014

February course rates: Early bird rate on/before January 18, 2014, is $745 Regular rate after January 18, 2014, is $895

April course rates: Early bird rate on/before March 15, 2014, is $745 Regular rate after March 15, 2014, is $895

Designing eLearning with Captivate CertificateJoe Ganci, www.elearningjoe.com, [email protected]

This certificate takes you through the process of building a course from scratch using Adobe Captivate* and provides you with the knowledge and hands-on practice you need to build and edit excellent eLearning lessons. eLearning tools expert Joe Ganci will share his 31 years of innovative design and development experience to take you from Captivate basics to advanced techniques. Through demonstration and take-home exercises you will complete an online SCORM- and Tin Can-compliant course project using Adobe Captivate.

* This course will use the latest version of Captivate. You may use prior versions of Captivate, however, there will be a few features that you will not be able to access if you are using an older version.

BONUS ITEMS! You’ll receive a step-by-step guide to designing elearning with Captivate as well as extensive exercise files.

This certificate is designed for those wishing to learn to develop elearning. Managers will benefit from seeing the creation and development processes so they may accurately estimate course development time and cost.

4 SESSIONS STARTING MARCH 3, 2014 OR OCTOBER 6, 2014

March course rates: Early bird rate on/before February 3, 2014 is $845 Regular rate after February 3, 2014 is $995

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About Online ProgramsTraining magazine’s online certificate programs take place entirely online with a range of features, including interactive webcasts, group discussions, and asynchronous and collaborative activities with your peers to give you practice and help absorb and integrate information from each session. These online programs are designed with your busy schedule in mind, while still providing the top-notch content you seek. By the end of each program you will have jump-started your career and enhanced your professional know-how.

Developing Short and Instant Learning Certificate Ray Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute eLearning, Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners and Do-it-Yourself eLearning: 100 Ways to Simplify Design and Development.

David Litman, Vice President, Vignettes Learning. David has managed projects for Pacific Gas and Electric, Ashford University, Netafim, CallSource, Underwriters Laboratories, and many others in developing micro-lessons, micro- scenarios and micro-games.

Learners and managers are demanding more effective and efficient learning times due to rapidly changing topics, on-the-job performance needs, an abundance of mobile learning tools and faster and more reliable Internet connections. This interactive certificate invites you to “rethink” and “invigorate” the design of your current content for faster development and easier learning suited for those who are on-the-move, on-the-job and connected with mobile technologies. We?ll examine the methods of micro-learning content design and delivery that facilitates quick transfer of knowledge and application. This certificate is appropriate for those who design and implement rapid eLearning, mobile learning, performance support learning, and collaborative learning environments.

This is not a software course. This certificate is not about authoring and mobile software. It focuses on content development, design and delivery. It does not promote a singular product, but rather uses multiple products for illustration purposes. The course will focus on elearning and performance support systems rather than classroom training.

BONUS ITEMS! You will receive a FREE copy of Ray’s book 3-Minute eLearning: Micro-Learning Design and Development. You’ll also receive 15 models for micro-learning: live demos and examples that you may download and own as part of your in-house references.

This certificate is appropriate for subject matter experts, training designers, and elearning designers and developers. Note: This certificate focuses on elearning and performance support systems rather than classroom training.

Early bird rate 30+ days prior to course start date is $645 Regular rate within 30 days of course start date is $795

4 SESSIONS...COMING SOON IN 2014!

Instructional Design Certificate: Performance-Based and Results-Focused Darryl Sink, President, Darryl L. Sink & Associates, Inc., Author, Learning and Performance Tips Newsletter

This interactive certificate uses real world, practical examples to explore each phase of the instructional design process and shows you how to apply them in your project. You’ll work on your own elearning or instructor-led project and learn just what you need to produce a highly effective end product. We’ll examine the business and individual needs for your training program, how to accommodate adult learners, instructional strategies to meet your goals, and more. You will receive numerous job aids and examples to hit the ground running.

BONUS! You’ll receive a 101-page participant guide containing job aids, examples, worksheets and key points to remember for you to use as you design and develop your courses. You will have the opportunity to submit your project work during the certificate program for feedback by your instructor.

This certificate is designed for those on the front-line of designing, developing, writing, and delivering training through instructor-led, elearning, and blended methods.

4 SESSIONS STARTING MARCH 4, 2014

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Creating Engaging eLearning with Articulate Certificate: From Non-Programming to Advanced Interactions, Ready-to-Use Models and Source Codes

Ray Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute eLearning, Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners and Do-it-Yourself eLearning: 100 Ways to Simplify Design and Development.



eLearning development has been evolving with newer, easier and faster authoring software. And the recently-released Articulate Storyline has received positive reviews from both novices and experienced elearning developers. It is useful for basic designs but powerful for more advanced interactions as well. With its easier (no programming required) and robust capabilities, you can spend more time improving your elearning effectiveness and appeal, rather than battle with complex software. Now’s your chance to get a head start.

BONUS! In this certificate, we even go even further than the basics. We’ll provide you with a hands-on opportunity to explore Storyline as well as ready-to-use models and valuable source codes so you save even more time; learn faster and save thousands of dollars. This is the ONLY Articulate Storyline course that has 15 guided step-by-step exercises in documentation to help in skill building AND more than 30 free source files for reverse engineering!

The certificate is designed for non-programmers who wish to learn basic and advanced authoring features of Storyline. You will get the opportunity to build a real-world elearning lesson sample. During this process, you will learn the features in Articulate Storyline that you will need to complete your small project.

4 SESSIONS STARTING MARCH 11, 2014 OR MAY 13, 2014


May course rates: Early bird rate on/before April 13, 2014 is $745 Regular rate after April 13, 2014 is $895

Training Coordinator Certificate: A Consulting Approach to Coordinating the Training FunctionLead Presenter: Maria Chilcote, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic;

Co-Presenter: Adrienne Kirkeby, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic;

Guest Presenter: Melissa A. Smith, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic

Take a consulting approach to coordinate and administer training more efficiently and effectively! We’ll show you how to develop a training plan, be active — not reactive, and maintain management support for training. You’ll explore how to hire consultants, coach and develop subject matter experts as trainers, set up a resource center, market and administer a registration system, and schedule training (along with facilities and materials coordination). You’ll learn skills to help you better clarify your role in your organization; transition to an internal consulting approach and partner with internal customers; diagnose problems within your organization and put together a proactive plan to address them; identify what good training looks like so you can be a wise consumer of training products and services; easily develop and maintain training resources; manage training enrollment, record keeping, and follow-up and create effective training schedules.

BONUS! You can earn CEUs by completing this certificate.

This certificate is designed for training coordinators and administrators and instructors who coordinate a training function for an organization or business unit, or those interested in becoming more efficient and effective. As part of this session, you will receive the tools and skills necessary to be more proactive in your ability to meet and anticipate your organization’s needs.

4 SESSIONS STARTING APRIL 30, 2014 OR OCTOBER 1, 2014

April course rates: Early bird rate on/before March 30, 2014 is $1,145 Regular rate after March 30, 2014 is $1,295

October course rates: Early bird rate on/before September 1, 2014 is $1,145 Regular rate after September 1, 2014 is $1,295

Social Media for Trainers CertificateDr. Jane Bozarth, Author, Social Media for Trainers

Social media is no longer seen as a fad — it’s a revolution. Whether you work in a traditional or virtual classroom, social media provides a low-cost way to broaden your reach and increase the impact of your trainiang. Based on the bestselling book Social Media for Trainers, this interactive certificate invites you on a guided tour of several popular and powerful social media tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, Wikis, microblogs (Twitter) and explores concrete, specific ways to incorporate them into your own training practice. We’ll examine their unique features, discuss how to leverage the strengths of each, explore which best fit your training needs and learn how to set up your own accounts. Appropriate for classroom and virtual classroom facilitators, and instructional designers, the course also covers the basics of social learning, informal learning, and communities. While we discuss concepts such as learning communities and overcoming barriers, the focus of this program is on specific training activities that can be facilitated using social media tools.

This certificate program is designed for classroom and virtual classroom facilitators, and instructional designers.

3 SESSIONS STARTING MAY 9, 2014 OR SEPTEMBER 4, 2014


September course rates: Early bird rate on/before August 4, 2014 is $645 Regular rate after August 4, 2014 is $795

Training Manager Certificate: Managing the Training Function for Bottom-Line ResultsLead Presenter: Melissa A. Smith, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic;

Co-Presenter: Linda Ernst, Senior Instructor, The Training Clinic;

Guest Presenter: Maria Chilcote, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic

With the right practices, any training program can accelerate performance, while delivering economic benefits. In this certificate program, you’ll find out how by gaining in-depth focus and practical methods on managing the entire scope of your organization’s training effort. You will examine practical ways, sound techniques, and proven ideas to manage your organization’s training and yield tangible, bottom-line results.

BONUS! You’ll receive the Training Manager’s Tool Kit which contains a Training Department Benchmarking Tool, 100-point Classroom Instructor Skills Inventory, and a Performance Improvement Plan Template. PLUS you can earn up to 1.9 CEUs by completing this certificate.

This certificate program is designed for training managers, performance consultants, “departments-of-one” who run a training function for an organization or business unit, or those interested in joining their ranks. People in each of these areas will find these four fast-paced sessions engaging and full of proven ideas, tools, tips, checklists, and more.

Early Bird rate on/before September 9, 2013 is $1,145 Regular rate after September 9, 2013 is $1,295

4 SESSIONS STARTING MAY 14, 2014 OR OCTOBER 8, 2014

May course rates: Early bird rate on/before April 14, 2014 is $1,145 Regular rate after April 14, 2014 is $1,295


Project Management for Learning Professionals Certificate: Reduce the ReworkMelanie McCarter, Certified Instructional Designer and Developer, Russell Martin and Associates

If you leave your desk every day frustrated by what you’ve accomplished and what’s left to be done, this is the content you’ve been waiting for! Learn how to juggle your projects and get more done with less rework. Whether working on online or live course development, LMS implementation, or new process design, this certificate will teach you a simple, minimal process with techniques to get more done with less help. You’ll learn how to start a project correctly, build a simple and flexible project schedule, manage the insanity of your projects, end a project, and improve your own project management strength through quick post-project reviews. This program will provide you with tools that will work with software you already have, completely consistent with the guidelines set by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Bring your gnarliest project with you. You will complete this certificate with your project ready to roll, a great network, and a job aid to use for the next successful project.


This certificate program is designed for anyone interested in doing more with less. As workload increases and technology chases us 24/7, this program will help you organize your work, manage the hand-offs with others and leave work feeling less overwhelmed. If you leave your desk everyday frustrated by what you've accomplished and what's left to be done, this is the content you've been waiting for.”

4 SESSIONS STARTING SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Early bird rate on/before August 12, 2014 is $845 Regular rate after August 12, 2014 is $995

Scenario-Based eLearning Design CertificateRay Jimenez, Author, Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners

David Litman, Vice President, Vignettes Learning.

Learn the step-by-step process of designing and developing scenario-based elearning programs that heightens elearners involving and learning. This highly interactive program focuses on raising the level of engagement of elearning courses and practical steps to control costs. This hands-on course provides opportunities to apply ideas in your projects immediately. This certificate focuses on effective and cost-effective design and development — practical and useful, not theories or software use.

BONUS! You’ll receive the digital version of the book Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners.

This certificate program is designed for subject matter experts who are responsible for implementing scenario elearning; instructional designers who must convert content or create highly engaging elearning; designers and developers who need to add high inter action and engaging of their elearning courses and managers and leaders who must lead and manage design and development of scenario-based elearning courses.



Training Live + Online certificate programs are pre-approved by the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). Earn up to 12 points towards your CPT re-certification with any Training Live + Online certificate program. For more information visit www.ispi.org/cpt.

Rates are for one (1) participant.

Group Discounts Make your training dollars go farther! Train as a Team and save.

Need Customized Group Training? Many of our online programs can be customized to fit your specific corporate training needs.

For group discount information and customized group training options contact: [email protected]

For complete descriptions, visit www.TrainingLiveandOnline.com.

Upon successfully completing your certificate program, you will receive a professionally produced Certificate of Completion signed by your instructor and suitable for framing.

eBadges: You’ve Earned ItWhen you successfully complete a Training Live + Online certificate

program, you’ll also receive a digital credential (eBadge). eBadges are transforming how your hard-earned achievements are recognized, shared and rewarded. You can showcase eBadges in your email signature line or on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Enhance your reputation and signal clients, collaborators, and employers that they should take notice of you!

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Training magazine’s SPRING 2014


Register EArlY...

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Advanced Articulate Storyline for eLearning CertificateRay Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute eLearning, Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners and Do-it-Yourself eLearning: 100 Ways to Simplify Design and Development.



Ready to take your Articulate Storyline skills to the next level? This certificate builds upon your existing foundational Storyline knowledge and provides you with the hands-on experience needed to develop and build advanced interactions, extend the functionality of Storyline and gain a better understanding of project workflow. We’ll explore the development of custom interactivity including States, Layers, Triggers, Variables and Conditions and provide you with tips and tricks you can immediately apply to your own projects.


The certificate is designed for those who are familiar with the basic features of Storyline such as scenes, storyviews, slides, layers, triggers, timelines, importing text-characters-videos, creating simple tests and assessments and other basic functions. Developers, designers and leaders will also benefit by learning the cost effectiveness, speed of development, reusability, flexibility and scalability of Storyline as an advanced authoring software.

4 SESSIONS STARTING FEBRUARY 18, 2014 OR APRIL 15, 2014

February course rates: Early bird rate on/before January 18, 2014, is $745 Regular rate after January 18, 2014, is $895

April course rates: Early bird rate on/before March 15, 2014, is $745 Regular rate after March 15, 2014, is $895

Designing eLearning with Captivate CertificateJoe Ganci, www.elearningjoe.com, [email protected]

This certificate takes you through the process of building a course from scratch using Adobe Captivate* and provides you with the knowledge and hands-on practice you need to build and edit excellent eLearning lessons. eLearning tools expert Joe Ganci will share his 31 years of innovative design and development experience to take you from Captivate basics to advanced techniques. Through demonstration and take-home exercises you will complete an online SCORM- and Tin Can-compliant course project using Adobe Captivate.

* This course will use the latest version of Captivate. You may use prior versions of Captivate, however, there will be a few features that you will not be able to access if you are using an older version.

BONUS ITEMS! You’ll receive a step-by-step guide to designing elearning with Captivate as well as extensive exercise files.

This certificate is designed for those wishing to learn to develop elearning. Managers will benefit from seeing the creation and development processes so they may accurately estimate course development time and cost.

4 SESSIONS STARTING MARCH 3, 2014 OR OCTOBER 6, 2014


October course rates: Early bird rate on/before September 6, 2014 is $845 Regular rate after September 6, 2014 is $995

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Simply register a month in advancewww.TrainingLiveAndOnline.com

About Online ProgramsTraining magazine’s online certificate programs take place entirely online with a range of features, including interactive webcasts, group discussions, and asynchronous and collaborative activities with your peers to give you practice and help absorb and integrate information from each session. These online programs are designed with your busy schedule in mind, while still providing the top-notch content you seek. By the end of each program you will have jump-started your career and enhanced your professional know-how.

Instructional Design Certificate: Performance-Based and Results-Focused Darryl Sink, President, Darryl L. Sink & Associates, Inc., Author, Learning and Performance Tips Newsletter

This interactive certificate uses real world, practical examples to explore each phase of the instructional design process and shows you how to apply them in your project. You’ll work on your own elearning or instructor-led project and learn just what you need to produce a highly effective end product. We’ll examine the business and individual needs for your training program, how to accommodate adult learners, instructional strategies to meet your goals, and more. You will receive numerous job aids and examples to hit the ground running.

BONUS! You’ll receive a 101-page participant guide containing job aids, examples, worksheets and key points to remember for you to use as you design and develop your courses. You will have the opportunity to submit your project work during the certificate program for feedback by your instructor.

This certificate is designed for those on the front-line of designing, developing, writing, and delivering training through instructor-led, elearning, and blended methods.

4 SESSIONS STARTING MARCH 4, 2014

Early bird rate on/before February 4, 2014 is $845 Regular rate after February 4, 2014 is $995

Creating Engaging eLearning with Articulate Certificate: From Non-Programming to Advanced Interactions, Ready-to-Use Models and Source Codes

Ray Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute eLearning, Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners and Do-it-Yourself eLearning: 100 Ways to Simplify Design and Development.



eLearning development has been evolving with newer, easier and faster authoring software. And the recently-released Articulate Storyline has received positive reviews from both novices and experienced elearning developers. It is useful for basic designs but powerful for more advanced interactions as well. With its easier (no programming required) and robust capabilities, you can spend more time improving your elearning effectiveness and appeal, rather than battle with complex software. Now’s your chance to get a head start.

BONUS! In this certificate, we even go even further than the basics. We’ll provide you with a hands-on opportunity to explore Storyline as well as ready-to-use models and valuable source codes so you save even more time; learn faster and save thousands of dollars. This is the ONLY Articulate Storyline course that has 15 guided step-by-step exercises in documentation to help in skill building AND more than 30 free source files for reverse engineering!

The certificate is designed for non-programmers who wish to learn basic and advanced authoring features of Storyline. You will get the opportunity to build a real-world elearning lesson sample. During this process, you will learn the features in Articulate Storyline that you will need to complete your small project.

4 SESSIONS STARTING MARCH 11, 2014 OR MAY 13, 2014



Training Coordinator Certificate: A Consulting Approach to Coordinating the Training FunctionLead Presenter: Maria Chilcote, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic;

Co-Presenter: Adrienne Kirkeby, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic;

Guest Presenter: Melissa A. Smith, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic

Take a consulting approach to coordinate and administer training more efficiently and effectively! We’ll show you how to develop a training plan, be active — not reactive, and maintain management support for training. You’ll explore how to hire consultants, coach and develop subject matter experts as trainers, set up a resource center, market and administer a registration system, and schedule training (along with facilities and materials coordination). You’ll learn skills to help you better clarify your role in your organization; transition to an internal consulting approach and partner with internal customers; diagnose problems within your organization and put together a proactive plan to address them; identify what good training looks like so you can be a wise consumer of training products and services; easily develop and maintain training resources; manage training enrollment, record keeping, and follow-up and create effective training schedules.

BONUS! You can earn CEUs by completing this certificate.

This certificate is designed for training coordinators and administrators and instructors who coordinate a training function for an organization or business unit, or those interested in becoming more efficient and effective. As part of this session, you will receive the tools and skills necessary to be more proactive in your ability to meet and anticipate your organization’s needs.

4 SESSIONS STARTING APRIL 30, 2014 OR OCTOBER 1, 2014

April course rates: Early bird rate on/before March 30, 2014 is $1,145 Regular rate after March 30, 2014 is $1,295


Social Media for Trainers CertificateDr. Jane Bozarth, Author, Social Media for Trainers

Social media is no longer seen as a fad — it’s a revolution. Whether you work in a traditional or virtual classroom, social media provides a low-cost way to broaden your reach and increase the impact of your trainiang. Based on the bestselling book Social Media for Trainers, this interactive certificate invites you on a guided tour of several popular and powerful social media tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, Wikis, microblogs (Twitter) and explores concrete, specific ways to incorporate them into your own training practice. We’ll examine their unique features, discuss how to leverage the strengths of each, explore which best fit your training needs and learn how to set up your own accounts. Appropriate for classroom and virtual classroom facilitators, and instructional designers, the course also covers the basics of social learning, informal learning, and communities. While we discuss concepts such as learning communities and overcoming barriers, the focus of this program is on specific training activities that can be facilitated using social media tools.

This certificate program is designed for classroom and virtual classroom facilitators, and instructional designers.

3 SESSIONS STARTING MAY 9, 2014 OR SEPTEMBER 4, 2014


September course rates: Early bird rate on/before August 4, 2014 is $645 Regular rate after August 4, 2014 is $795

Training Manager Certificate: Managing the Training Function for Bottom-Line ResultsLead Presenter: Melissa A. Smith, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic;

Co-Presenter: Linda Ernst, Senior Instructor, The Training Clinic;

Guest Presenter: Maria Chilcote, Managing Partner, The Training Clinic

With the right practices, any training program can accelerate performance, while delivering economic benefits. In this certificate program, you’ll find out how by gaining in-depth focus and practical methods on managing the entire scope of your organization’s training effort. You will examine practical ways, sound techniques, and proven ideas to manage your organization’s training and yield tangible, bottom-line results.

BONUS! You’ll receive the Training Manager’s Tool Kit which contains a Training Department Benchmarking Tool, 100-point Classroom Instructor Skills Inventory, and a Performance Improvement Plan Template. PLUS you can earn up to 1.9 CEUs by completing this certificate.

This certificate program is designed for training managers, performance consultants, “departments-of-one” who run a training function for an organization or business unit, or those interested in joining their ranks. People in each of these areas will find these four fast-paced sessions engaging and full of proven ideas, tools, tips, checklists, and more.

Early Bird rate on/before September 9, 2013 is $1,145 Regular rate after September 9, 2013 is $1,295

4 SESSIONS STARTING MAY 14, 2014 OR OCTOBER 8, 2014

May course rates: Early bird rate on/before April 14, 2014 is $1,145 Regular rate after April 14, 2014 is $1,295


Project Management for Learning Professionals Certificate: Reduce the ReworkMelanie McCarter, Certified Instructional Designer and Developer, Russell Martin and Associates

If you leave your desk every day frustrated by what you’ve accomplished and what’s left to be done, this is the content you’ve been waiting for! Learn how to juggle your projects and get more done with less rework. Whether working on online or live course development, LMS implementation, or new process design, this certificate will teach you a simple, minimal process with techniques to get more done with less help. You’ll learn how to start a project correctly, build a simple and flexible project schedule, manage the insanity of your projects, end a project, and improve your own project management strength through quick post-project reviews. This program will provide you with tools that will work with software you already have, completely consistent with the guidelines set by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Bring your gnarliest project with you. You will complete this certificate with your project ready to roll, a great network, and a job aid to use for the next successful project.


This certificate program is designed for anyone interested in doing more with less. As workload increases and technology chases us 24/7, this program will help you organize your work, manage the hand-offs with others and leave work feeling less overwhelmed. If you leave your desk everyday frustrated by what you've accomplished and what's left to be done, this is the content you've been waiting for.”

4 SESSIONS STARTING SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Early bird rate on/before August 12, 2014 is $845 Regular rate after August 12, 2014 is $995

Training Live + Online certificate programs for Performance Improvement (ISPI). Earn up to 12 points towards your CPT re-certification with any Training Live + Online certificate program. For more information visit

For complete descriptions, visit www.TrainingLiveandOnline.com.

Developing Short and Instant Learning Certificate Ray Jimenez, Author, 3-Minute eLearning, Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners and Do-it-Yourself eLearning: 100 Ways to Simplify Design and Development.

David Litman, Vice President, Vignettes Learning. David has managed projects for Pacific Gas and Electric, Ashford University, Netafim, CallSource, Underwriters Laboratories, and many others in developing micro-lessons, micro- scenarios and micro-games.

Learners and managers are demanding more effective and efficient learning times due to rapidly changing topics, on-the-job performance needs, an abundance of mobile learning tools and faster and more reliable Internet connections. This interactive certificate invites you to “rethink” and “invigorate” the design of your current content for faster development and easier learning suited for those who are on-the-move, on-the-job and connected with mobile technologies. We?ll examine the methods of micro-learning content design and delivery that facilitates quick transfer of knowledge and application. This certificate is appropriate for those who design and implement rapid eLearning, mobile learning, performance support learning, and collaborative learning environments.

This is not a software course. This certificate is not about authoring and mobile software. It focuses on content development, design and delivery. It does not promote a singular product, but rather uses multiple products for illustration purposes. The course will focus on elearning and performance support systems rather than classroom training.

BONUS ITEMS! You will receive a FREE copy of Ray’s book 3-Minute eLearning: Micro-Learning Design and Development. You’ll also receive 15 models for micro-learning: live demos and examples that you may download and own as part of your in-house references.

This certificate is appropriate for subject matter experts, training designers, and elearning designers and developers. Note: This certificate focuses on elearning and performance support systems rather than classroom training.



Scenario-Based eLearning Design CertificateRay Jimenez, Author, Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners

David Litman, Vice President, Vignettes Learning.

Learn the step-by-step process of designing and developing scenario-based elearning programs that heightens elearners involving and learning. This highly interactive program focuses on raising the level of engagement of elearning courses and practical steps to control costs. This hands-on course provides opportunities to apply ideas in your projects immediately. This certificate focuses on effective and cost-effective design and development — practical and useful, not theories or software use.

BONUS! You’ll receive the digital version of the book Scenario-Based Learning: Using Stories to Engage eLearners.

This certificate program is designed for subject matter experts who are responsible for implementing scenario elearning; instructional designers who must convert content or create highly engaging elearning; designers and developers who need to add high inter action and engaging of their elearning courses and managers and leaders who must lead and manage design and development of scenario-based elearning courses.



Training Live + Online certificate programs are pre-approved by the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). Earn up to 12 points towards your CPT re-certification with

Online certificate program. For more information visit www.ispi.org/cpt.

Rates are for one (1) participant.

Group Discounts Make your training dollars go farther! Train as a Team and save.

Need Customized Group Training? Many of our online programs can be customized to fit your specific corporate training needs.

For group discount information and customized group training options contact: [email protected]

Upon successfully completing your certificate program, you will receive a professionally produced Certificate of Completion signed by your instructor and suitable for framing.

eBadges: You’ve Earned ItWhen you successfully complete a Training Live + Online certificate

program, you’ll also receive a digital credential (eBadge). eBadges are transforming how your hard-earned achievements are recognized, shared and rewarded. You can showcase eBadges in your email signature line or on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Enhance your reputation and signal clients, collaborators, and employers that they should take notice of you!

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Keller Williams Realty ft. in Training Magazine 2014