Terminals Prong

EMPTY YOUR CUP - The Key to Induction Training

EMPTY YOUR CUP

THE KEY TO INDUCTION TRAINING

Tips for the Induction Trainer

By

VIKRAM KARVE

I have participated in, designed and conducted all types of training programmes - formal, informal, programmed instruction, cognitive, affective, simulation, tailor-made, on-the-job (OJT), even peripatetic training, but the one that I found most rewarding and satisfying was Induction Training. My induction trainees too feel the same way. So here are some musings on the
Art of Induction Training
.

EMPTY YOUR "CUP"

The first thing I tell a fresh batch of induction trainess is this famous Zen Story – EMPTY YOUR CUP

The Japanese master Nan-in gave audience to a professor of philosophy. Serving tea, Nan-in filled his visitor's cup, and kept pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he could restrain himself no longer: "Stop! The cup is over full, no more will go in." Nan-in said: "Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

The aim of induction training is to facilitate seamless integration of newly inducted employees into an organization by achieving harmony and a sense of alignment between individual values and organizational values.

Good induction training will make it easy for the new employee to seamlessly blend into the corporate culture of the organization, and also for the organization to smoothly absorb the new employee within its fold.

FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF INDUCTION TRAINING

Are you a dog lover? Do you have a pet dog? Have you ever trained dogs?

If your answer is YES, then I am sure you know key to Induction Training…!

Just as you welcome a new dog into your home, help him adapt, acclimatize, socialize, feel comfortable, settle in and integrate into your family, in the same way, induction training comprises acclimatizing new employees into the organization with the objective of integrating individuals into an effective whole.

While a puppy dog usually settles in very quickly and adapts to the new environment quite easily, an adult dog often takes longer to acclimatize and may experience adjustment problems.

Similarly there is a difference between the attitudes of "freshers" recruited directly from college campuses and lateral inductees at senior levels who already have work experience in other organizations and may have to "unlearn" some of their earlier ways before learning the new. Both categories must "empty their cups" - the freshers must realise that they are no longer students and those with work experience must try anf unfreeze some of their attitudes formed in earlier organizations.

There are two facets to training dogs – obedience training and behavioural training – one pertaining to
logical "left half" of the brain
and the other facet relating to the
intuitive "right half" of the brain.

Similarly induction training too has two aspects:

1. The "hard" left-brain domain specific training with the objective of identifying and eliminating knowledge and skill gaps by inculcating in the trainee the required domain specific knowledge and specialized skill sets and proficiencies to make good gaps in domain knowledge and cover up specialized skill deficiencies in order to bridge the knowledge, skill and performance gaps to enable the inductee to fit into his role and efficiently perform his designated tasks in the organization, and
2. The "soft" right-brain value based training to facilitate seamless integration of newly inducted employees into an organization by achieving harmony and a sense of alignment between individual values and organizational values by reducing value mismatches and encouraging value congruencies.

To put it succinctly,
the aim of induction training is to add value to the trainee in order to enable the trainee to add value to the organization.

As regards the
"hard"
part of
induction training
is concerned, it can be designed using
structured training design methodology
incorporating need analysis, requirements formulation approach and implemented and evaluated systematically.

Like I drew the analogy with dog training, this "hard" aspect of induction training is akin to formal obedience training for dogs. Now you will train the dog depending on the role you intend for the dog – guard dog, watch dog, guide dog, sniffer dog, detection dog, police dog, search and rescue dog, working dog, shepherd ( livestock guardian ) dog, family dog, companion, therapy dog, lap dog etc – and you can clearly assess the trainee and evaluate the efficacy of the training. This "hard" aspect of training may entail quantitative training evaluation metrics to assess and qualify the trainees and also get an idea of the efficacy of training and the trainers.

Of course, you must remember that no two dogs are the same and there are breed-specific traits too…!

The objective of the
"soft"
aspect of
induction training
is to
facilitate seamless integration of newly inducted employees
into an organization by achieving harmony and a sense of alignment between individual values and organizational values.

INDUCTION TRAINING PEDAGOGY

Learning
comprises two pedagogic processes:

Getting knowledge that is inside to move out,

and

Getting knowledge that is outside to move in.

Thus the
approach to induction training
must be
two pronged
:

Encourage and mentor the trainees to look inwards
, introspect, ruminate and
discover
their own
personal

values
[
inside
--
out
]

and

Clearly acquaint
, apprise, educate, edify and
enlighten
the trainees about
organizational values
[
outside
--
in
] and try to
inculcate organizational values
in the new inductees.

This will enable the trainer and trainees to identify the degree of
value congruence
(
harmony
) and
value dissonance
(mismatches) between individual and organizational values and then by suitably employing techniques like
Force Field Analysis
or
Soft Systems Methodology
we can mutually achieve
strengthening of value congruencies
whilst
mitigating value dissonance
thereby
enabling harmonious induction of the new employee into the organization.

Thus, induction training will make it easy for the new employee to seamlessly blend into the
corporate culture
of the organization.

ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES
and
CORPORATE CULTURE

Organizational Values
may be categorized into:

1.
Stated
Values
2.
Visible
Values
3.
Invisible
Values

Stated Organizational Values
can be ascertained by studying various documents, HR, Quality and Operating Procedures, service rules and regulations, vision and mission statements pertaining to the organization.

For example, Organizational
Ethical Values
will be enshrined in the
Code of Conduct
.
If the organization values
punctuality
there will exist laid down penalties for late-coming and absenteeism and, maybe, certain positive incentives for regularity in attendance and timely completion of work. What constitutes misconduct and proper workplace demeanour will be clearly stated where
discipline
is valued.

Visible

Organizational Values
are evident from visible manifestations like Dress Code (Formal, Informal, Functional, Uniform), Titles and Job Descriptions, Organizational Structure (Flat versus Hierarchical), Work Culture (traditional, line-staff, bureaucratic, functional, process, time-based, network, matrix, scientific temper, family), Salary, Perks and Compensation Structure, Workplace Environment (interpersonal relationships, feedback, grievance redressal mechanism and its implementation, gender sensitivity, encouraging environment for innovation, creativity and feedback, and a positive happy friendly workplace atmosphere).

Invisible Organizational Values
can be sensed as
"vibes"
and can be derived from intangibles like morale, undercurrents, office politics, private conversations, an atmosphere of intrigue, secrecy and rumours, an air of complacency, attitudinal issues, or even positive manifestations like
"
feel good factor".

It is important for the
induction trainee
to
explore all three manifestations of organizational values
–
Stated, Visible
and
Invisible Values
– and
discover congruencies
and
mismatches.

For example, a
Stated Organizational Value
may be
"People are our most important asset"
but Visible and Invisible indicators may reveal a different story...

INDIVIDUAL
or
PERSONAL VALUES

Personal Values
comprise:
1.
Instrumental Values
, and
2.
Terminal Values

Instrumental Values
are core values, permanent in nature, comprise personal characteristics and character traits.

Instrumental Values
refer to preferable modes of behaviour and include values like
honesty, sincerity, ambition, independence, obedience, imaginativeness, courageousness, competitiveness
, and also some
negative traits
too.

Instrumental Values are difficult to change.

Terminal Values
are those things that we tend to work towards or we think are most important and we feel are most desirable –
terminal values are desirable states of existence.

Terminal Values
include things like
happiness, self respect, family security, recognition, freedom, inner harmony, comfortable life, professional excellence
, etc.

Unlike Instrumental Values, which a permanent in nature,
Terminal Values are amenable to change
and it is here that both the induction trainer and trainee must focus in order to derive optimal benefit for both the employee and the organization.

In a nutshell,
Terminal Values

signify the objectives of the life of a person
– the ultimate things the person wants to achieve through his or her behaviour (
the destination he wants to reach in life
) whereas
Instrumental Values
indicate the
methods
an individual would like to adopt for achieving his life's aim (
the path he would like to take to reach his destination
).

VALUE BASED INDUCTION TRAINING

The
aim of induction training
is to create an
alignment
between
personal values
and
organizational values
.

As an induction trainer you cannot "set" organizational values, you can only help the trainees discover them.

Also
you cannot "install" new core instrumental values
into people – but
you can
surely through proper induction training
instil desirable terminal values
in the trainees.

Creating alignment is a two-part process:

The first is identifying and correcting misalignments,

and

The second is creating new alignments.

The
aim of value based induction training
is to
reinforce mutually desirable instrumental values and instil appropriate terminal values
to
strengthen the harmony between individual and organizational values
in order
to facilitate seamless integration
of the new employee into the organization.

Induction training will also help the trainee and the trainer identify rare cases where there exists an
irreconcilable disconnect
between
organizational values
and
personal instrumental values
, which cannot be resolved, and in such cases help facilitate amicable exit of the trainee from the organization at the earliest stage, well before the trainee begins his career in the new organization as this will be mutually beneficial and in the interest of both the organization and the trainee.

To sum up, induction training makes it easy for new employees to seamlessly blend into the corporate culture of an organization, and also facilitates the organization to smoothly and harmoniously absorb new employees within its fold.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

© vikram karve., all rights reserved

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve:
http://karvediat.blogspot.com

Professional Profile of Vikram Karve: 
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

About the Author

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU and The Lawrence School Lovedale, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

Email: vikramkarve@sify.com

Professional Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

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