You Say You Want an Evolu

8/8/2019 You Say You Want an Evolu

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"You Say You Want an Evolution..."

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Robert K. Bitting, Ph.D.

Director of External AffairsAlfred University

Alfred, NY 14802

PH: (607) 871-2486

FX: (607) 871-3469

E-mail: [email protected]

Bob works at Alfred University, and is an independent human resources consultant and

trainer. He has developed and presented over 100 workshops for industry, governmentagencies and academic institutions on the subjects of leadership, motivation, effective

communications, humor and change (among other topics). His clients have included

Motorola, Inc., Dresser-Rand, Inc., Friendship Dairies, Inc. and Cutco Cutlery, Inc. He

earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from SUNY Buffalo in 1988, with

an emphasis on industry, university and government interactions.

Bob's current responsibilities as Director of External Affairs at Alfred include

management of the Office of Communications and Publications, outreach and liaison

efforts with industrial and government research sponsors, interaction with foundations

and economic development agencies, coordination of selected international collaborative

programs, and administrative liaison to the Alfred University Development and PublicRelations Offices.

As Director of Operations in the Office of Sponsored Programs and the Center for

Advanced Ceramic Technology (CACT), his responsibilities include coordination,

oversight and reporting of fiscal and program activities, staff supervision, management of

the Industrial Affiliate's Program, intellectual property management, and development of

special proposals and grant applications.

Bob has published numerous articles related to research and economic development, as

well as articles on leadership, humor and change in the workplace. He is also an adjunct

associate professor in the School of Education at Alfred University, and regularly teaches

courses in psychology and entrepreneurship. He is an active community member, and is

currently the president of the Alfred Lion's Club and a member of the Alfred-Almond

Central School's school improvement team.

Bob lives in Alfred, NY with Dianne, his wife, who teaches second grade, and their

daughter Sarah, age 13, and son Michael, age 10.




Abstract

Becoming a human resources consultant and trainer seldom happens overnight, or

follows a straight and narrow course. Many training professionals have developed their

current activities as an extension of a series of related career moves. This article

describes the author's own experiences in contacting and working with companies and

other organizations, and offers some suggestions and examples along the way.


Robert K. Bitting, Ph.D.

I've been developing and presenting leadership training and supervisory development

programs for companies and other organizations since 1989. It's a challenging and

rewarding avocation which has evolved from, and complements, my job as a university

administrator. Developing and presenting training programs is fun, allows me to grow

creatively and professionally, provides me with some additional income (not enough to

quit my day job) and is opening up a whole new range of career possibilities.

It's also hard work, as I continually struggle to balance this job-on-the-side with my full

time job responsibilities and personal commitments. It's a one person show - two if youcount my computer, three if you count my folder-stuffing daughter - from marketing to

program development to follow-up.

My friends have asked me, "Bob, how did you get started doing this training stuff?"

Well, I don't recall the actual day I woke up thinking, "Train, Bob." It's been an

evolutionary process - a series of many steps which I'm still taking. I've taught public

school, and worked at a college as director of continuing education. For the past ten

years, my job at Alfred University has focused on industry-university interactions. My

degrees in counseling and higher education administration have continued to keep me

close to the classroom, where I teach courses in psychology and entrepreneurship.

You can get there from here.

I saw that many of the topics that are part of the psychology of effective teaching had

direct applications to many workplace situations. I became increasingly aware that there

was a need to better develop many employees' interpersonal skills and communication

and leadership techniques. These so-called "soft" skills, which are often among the most



difficult to master, cause organizations to suffer from un(der)trained supervisors, unclear

organizational goals, apathetic and unmotivated employees, lack of teamwork, and,

perhaps most importantly, the sense that being at work is absolutely, positively no fun -

and better not be!

I talked to some of my industrial colleagues, and listened carefully to what they saidabout these workplace concerns. As a result, I developed several basic outlines, and

began to contact area companies - and was surprised at how much activity I generated.

That was six years ago. Within the past year, I've even added "human resources

consultant and trainer" to my resume. I select training topics in which I'm interested, and

believe that I'm making a positive impact on the people and organizations with whom I

interact (based on immediate and long term feedback from participants). I've presented

over 100 multi-session training programs to companies, professional organizations and

government agencies. I also regularly present single session workshops, dinner talks, and

"could you stand up and say a few words?"

I'm rewarded for doing a good job: I enjoy myself (the thrill of a live "performance"),

people write nice things about me on the feedback sheets - at least the ones I keep - and I

get referred to other companies. I also get to see that my being there has lead to positive

changes in an individual and in the organization. These changes are reflected in the

objectives that I develop in conjunction with the company's human resources staff prior

to the actual training.

So here I am. Just how do I do what I do?

Trainers are generally anal retentive, and I'm no exception. I try to keep things neat and

organized. This means that I organize until I get organized enough to organize. Of course, this also means that I could spend all my time getting organized to do something

and never really get around to doing it (writing this article would be one example).

Therefore, I've developed a spastic, yet laid back, system to get things done. Here's how

I've approached companies and convinced them that I can improve the performance of

their people and their organization:

Develop a basic philosophy and establish several underlying themes that apply to all

your training.

What you're selling to a company, first and foremost, is you. Anyone (almost) canpresent content. But only you can present you. What are some of the guiding principles

in your own life? Training for other people and groups starts with understanding your

own values and relationships with others, and how those ideas relate to life in the

workplace. You must be sincere and passionate in your approach to the training process,

or you will ultimately be ineffective. The expression, "Nothing great is ever achieved

without enthusiasm" is an infectious motivator in dealing with others, and forms the

cornerstone for all the successes you will have as a trainer/consultant.



If the format allows, I usually spend a short period of time sharing a series of what I call

"key concepts" with my groups, and intersperse them throughout the program as

reinforcers. Often, I will use cartoons (make sure you get permission!) or other

interactive activities to introduce these concepts, and will select those ideas that are most

germane to the session at hand. These concepts include such ideas as the importance of effective listening, the synergistic power of people working together, realizing that

employees are people first and workers second, the need for people to take responsibility

for their own actions, and that it's okay to take your job and responsibilities seriously

while taking yourself lightly. Whatever concepts you choose, make sure that you believe

them yourself.

Invest in good computer equipment, and back up everything.

It's true: behind every good trainer is a good machine. Get what you need to become as

self-sufficient as possible. And don't just use your computer for word processing andprinting. Do the net-surfing thing. I've been amazed, just in the past year, at how many

contacts I've made and interviews I've had by going on-line. This kind of "instant

communication" can give you a powerful first-mover advantage in developing new

training opportunities and enhancing your professional reputation. Just recently, for

example, I've been quoted in Entrepreneur magazine, and Your Company, the

magazine of the American Express Company - both as a result of inquiries on the

internet. I've also been interviewed and quoted by several newspapers from around the

country.

Backing up data may seem like an unnecessary piece of advice, but it's a lesson I never

really learned until I had just finished writing ten pages of text, without saving it alongthe way. The power suddenly went out in the neighborhood. My wife, who was outside,

thought I was being attacked by an axe murderer. Lesson learned. My computer holds

over 500 separate documents pertaining to my consulting activities. This represents a

tremendous amount of intellectual property: letters, overheads, activity sheets, case

studies, presentation outlines, articles, etc. - as well as thousands of hours of work. I

constantly draw on information previously created, refine and update it, and add new

items. The more I do, the more I'm able to do. I keep backups at work, at home, and in

my briefcase (if you're going to be compulsive in just one area, this is it). Now, only a

disaster of untold magnitude, or a very large magnet, could destroy this information.

Wait a minute. Click. File. Save. There, that feels better.

Also, read, cut and file everything. I've built files on a variety of topics, and continually

cut out newspaper and magazine articles to use for presentations. Let's face it, there are

many experts out there. Bring perspectives other than your own into the classroom.

Cartoons and the article on page 7 of this morning's paper can drive home a point better

than any fictitious example. Real time examples keep your presentations current and

relevant.



Finally, make sure you use your computer to...

Develop a good database of contacts.

About three years ago, I realized that I had notes lying around everywhere about peopleI'd talked to, information I'd given them, and possible topics in which they were

interested. Before things got out of hand, I created a database of these contacts, and to

my surprise had close to 100 entries. The list has now almost doubled in size, and has

allowed me to easily keep track of whom I talked to, when, what we discussed, what I

sent them, when, or if, I should call them back, and what training or other services I

provided (as well as addresses, phone and fax numbers, and E-mail addresses).

I carry this directory with me at all times, and keep a copy under my pillow. The more I

work with it, the more I develop it and add new contacts. It also helps me to efficiently

follow up on existing leads. If I think of a new company to contact - maybe as I drive byit on a trip or read about it in the newspaper - I enter it in the list, even if I don't initially

know anyone to contact. Part of the fun is tracking down the right person to talk to in an

organization. Always get to know the secretary and/or administrative assistant in the

office of the big training cheese, and include his or her name in your database. This

person has the power of access to the decision-makers. Acknowledge and appreciate

their help in a sincere fashion, and you stand a much better chance of being able to...

Get your foot in the door without putting it in your mouth (making the "cold call").

Sometimes, contacts are easy. If you've lived and worked in an area for several years,

you've either met the person you need to talk to at a company, or you know someone whoknows someone in that company. Alfred, NY is not exactly the center of the universe,

but I've been quite successful identifying and working with companies and other

organizations within a 50-100 mile radius. This radius has grown with time, and there

have been opportunities to go out of state and out of the country to provide training.

Build your base locally, and expand from there. Be active in the community.

Know something about the company you're contacting before you contact them. Do

some homework. Read the paper. Go to the library. Whether you actually know the

person you're calling, or are introducing yourself for the first time, keep your message

brief and to the point. If, as in my case, a person may know you from your full-timeposition, make sure you sufficiently explain that this is a separate undertaking on your

part, so as to avoid any questions of conflict of interest.

My goal for the first call is to quickly determine possible interest and, if so, ask if I can

send a packet of materials for review. Make sure you have professional-looking

marketing and presentation materials to send. Along with a cover letter, I include a

folder which contains a desk-top publishing-produced brochure, a program summary, a



list of past clients, sample outlines, my resume or bio sheet, several short articles I've

written, and testimonial letters. These letters are a powerful selling tool, and a way of

"name-dropping" companies for whom you've worked. Offer to put prospective clients in

touch with contact persons at those companies, but make sure you clear it with the

contact person before you make the offer.

I wait two weeks and call again to see if they've received the information, and ask if

they'd like to meet to talk about things further. If I get a face-to-face meeting, there's a

70-75% chance of eventually providing some training. Remember everything you've

ever learned about good interview techniques, and put it to use. Be ready to give a brief

"mini-presentation" as a way to sell your wares. I'm convinced that this has gotten me

several contracts. For example, I was recently being interviewed, as were three other

trainers, for a job at a large manufacturing company. The supervisors who would receive

the training conducted the interview. I was asked to describe the topics I would cover to

improve communications within the group. Instead of passing out an outline and talking

about each item, I offered to show them what I'd do. I had these supervisors, many of

whom had worked together for years, do a simple listening exercise. They were amazed

to discover new, yet basic, things about each other - all within the space of five minutes.

I got the job.

Never say never. Sometimes it takes a year or two of periodic contacts/phone calls before

you connect. Companies and other organizations are constantly changing, and what

didn't happen today may happen a year or even two years from now. Keep in touch and

keep track of these changes, just don't be a pest. If you write an article for a newspaper

or a magazine, or develop a new training module or brochure, send it along. Let them

know you're still out there and that you continue to work for other companies.

While you actively wait for the next training opportunity, and do everything else you

normally do, don't forget to stay in shape, both physically and mentally. Relax once in a

while. Stephen Covey calls this "sharpening the saw" - all work and no play.... How you

look (fitness-wise) and how you present yourself, in both dress and manner, forms a

powerful first - and lasting - impression that can and should work to your advantage.

Read books and newsletters, and develop a personal library. Not everything you read has

to do with training. In fact, sometimes you can get overwhelmed with what I call

"compulsive reading". The Sunday New York Times often does this to me. Throw it

away or only buy it every other week. Bring some less intense activities into your

routine. Doing these kinds of things will significantly decrease your chances of dreaming

that while you're making a major presentation you realize that you're naked. Come on

now, admit it.

Do some loss leaders. Let them see what you can do. They'll want more.

People like to sample a new product before they buy it. You're that product. Be willing

to work into an organization. There are many ways to do this. Do a mini-session for a



group of the key decision-makers. Invite the training coordinator to a talk that you're

giving elsewhere. Target one group within an organization and work just with them. If

they like you, you'll be asked back to work with other groups. I've had success working

initially with middle level supervisors and managers. These people occupy the hallowed

"between a rock and a hard place" positions in the organization, and are being pulled

from above and from below. They've often had little formal supervisory training. Manyexperience difficulty in making the transition from being one of the bossed to the one

who bosses. As your relationship with this group develops, and their performance

improves, upper management will notice. It will then be easier to involve hourly

employees, and others - including the senior management team - in the training process.

I'm a firm believer in training across the organization, but you've got to start somewhere.

Find a champion within the company and develop a good relationship with that person.

Let's face it: the reason you're there is to make people's lives easier. To the extent you are

perceived as being helpful, you'll get more people to promote your activities within the

company, and your chances will be for long-term success will be greater. For example, if

you decide to target a small company, try to find third party funding, or share costs by

working with employees from several different companies. I've done several programs

this way, funded by the state and administered through a local community college.

In-house training generally involves more people and creates a shared learning

experience. This can be a strong selling point when approaching small companies with

limited training funds. You can come to them and provide quality, personalized training

for a number of their employees for much less than it would cost to send just one or two

people away to the big city. It will be more relevant, too. In other words ...

People don't want canned, they want homemade.

As you look out over a roomful of supervisors/employees, realize that you know virtually

nothing about the company, no matter how much homework you've done. This will help

you to remember that you're not the only one in the room who knows anything. Be

flexible. Sit back and facilitate, and let the group run with the ball. This may mean that

you have to modify your program, adding new topics while throwing out others.

I recently did a day-long seminar for eight managers of a local dairy company. They had

over 115 years of experience among them! They were the experts, not me. Although I

started with a set of objectives, I let the group drive the process. Within this context, I

was better able to apply what I knew to their situation, examining the processes by which

they were communicating with each other and dealing with issues and conflicts. The

worst thing you can do is try to cover every topic on your outline at the expense of letting

a real opportunity for insight pass. To get comfortable doing this, you have to...

Establish your own personal presentation style.



Go to some "train-the-trainer" workshops. You can pick up a variety of good

pedagogical techniques, tricks and games to make your own presentations more effective.

But remember, it's the combination of your personality and the personalities of the

trainees that will give life to your own training activities. That's what makes every

program I do, no matter what the topic, new and exciting. And that's why it's important

to keep your presentations interactive. After all, why should you have to do all the work?Finally, and most importantly, it's not enough to focus just on the content and on the

process. You have to...

Have fun!

Use your sense of humor in your presentations, and get others to use theirs, too. Humor

is one of the most effective tools you have at your disposal to help you and others handle

the ups and downs of everyday life - at work and at home. The ability to laugh at the

absurd, acknowledge the incongruous, and appreciate the ridiculous is a powerful tool

which all trainers should use frequently to make serious and meaningful points. I'm nottalking about joke-telling and stand-up comedy. There's a difference between being funny

and having a sense of humor. Few of us have the ability or desire to make up and tell (or

repeat) jokes to a large group of strangers. Laughing is a physical action. Having a sense

of humor is more cerebral. It's a mental attitude, a way of looking at people and events

around you and appreciating the unusual and the absurd. Humor is the observation and

celebration of the ordinary. It's anything that surprises us in an enjoyable way. All

organizations have a "cultural" sense of humor. Find out what it is and use it. Become

part of the YHTBT (you had to be there) crowd. It links you with the people with whom

you're working.

Humor has many uses: managing conflict, motivating people (people work harder foryou and with you if they like you - your likability is directly related to your sense of

humor), reducing stress and increasing morale, improving communications and

increasing creativity. Here's the equation: humor = perspective = relief = increased

creativity = new solutions to old problems.

Humor creates are positive "afterglow" that helps trainees retain content and allow them

to look at people and things in new ways. Humor helps others take themselves lightly

while continuing to take their responsibilities seriously, and your own use of self-

deprecating humor sends a powerful message to others that it's okay to take risks with

you and with a given situation - leading to increased learning effectiveness.

I have fun when I'm presenting, and people learn more effectively when they're enjoying

themselves, too. People should expect, and they deserve, to be entertained while they are

learning. But entertainment without substance is not what companies and individuals

want, or need. The biggest challenge when entering into any training arrangement is

identifying and prioritizing what a company and its employees need, and then deciding



how to deliver the goods. This calls for a considerable investment of time and energy

before the actual program delivery, working closely with the company's training and

human resources staff to determine reasonable and, when possible, measurable outcomes.

It calls for service after the sale. Most importantly, it calls for careful, active listening,

confidence and patience.

So far, it's been worth the work, and the wait.

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You Say You Want an Evolu