Presentation

Individual Training and Development

This week has professionally been very exciting for me.  I have worked as a high school football coach for the last 11 years.  I have coached offensive line and had great success with 2 state championships, 15 division 1 lineman, 2 NFL lineman, and (most importantly) 76 offensive linemen who have graduated with honors during their high school career.  While I have had great success as a position coach, I have not had the opportunity for advancement, until this week.  This week, I was named the offensive coordinator for the program that I love so much.  This is a huge deal for me, and one that I have to concentrate on improving my staff and myself so that we can maintain our excellent standards. 

This is where having specific courses of development is going to be very important.  I have outlined the four specific kinds of development that I would like to see implemented in our program for my development and the development of the rest of the staff. 

1.     Mentoring

“A mentor is an experienced, productive senior employee who helps develop a less experienced employee” (Noe, 2010, p. 371).  In coaching, there are often very stable members of coaching staffs, and then very new members.  Often there is a high percentage of burnout because the job is very stressful, the hours are horrendous, and there is very little, (and sometimes no) compensation.  Developing a system where veteran coaches are helping younger coaches both with the x’s and o’s of football and with how to handle and assimilate to the life of a football coach is imperative. 

This also could be a very reciprocal relationship because often-newer coaches have an enthusiasm that may have worn off of veteran coaches and that can be contagious.  I have also found that newer coaches have great ways to teach and connect with kids, and we can always use more of that in high school football. 

2.     Job Rotation

Job rotation  “involves providing employees with a series of job assignments in various functional areas” (Noe, 2010, p. 367).  During my tenure as a coach, I have only coached 1 varsity position: offensive line.  While many people, (myself included) would argue that this is probably the most difficult position to coach, I am not sure that I have done a service to myself or to my players by being stagnant.  Yes, I have incorporated new ideas and trainings into my coaching, but I have not had to learn a new position that would require me to have to think differently about every aspect of the game. 

Implementing job rotation on a coaching staff would mean that every few years a different coach takes over a new position.  This would allow fresh ideas to come into these positions, and for every coach to have a greater empathy and understanding about what it takes to coach and play each position. 

3.     Feedback models

The feedback when you are a high school football coach is pretty simple:  did you win?  But, there is so much more that goes into coaching than the actual outcome of the game.  How are practices organized?  Are you putting your best personnel on the field?  Are you creating schemes and adjustments that are correct and fit your personnel?  Is your offense moving the ball?  Is your defense stopping the ball?  These are just a few of the questions that make up a quality evaluation.

Using a model, such as a 360-degree feedback model takes feedback from “peers, customers, bosses and themselves” (Noe, 2010, p. 361).  Getting this feedback, both personally and as a staff would allow us to see what our necessary next steps are and what we need to do in order to create the best possible environment for our players. 

4.     Formal Education

For staffs such as mine that have been together for a long time, we can have the tendency to get passive and complacent in our thinking.  This is why it is necessary to have formal education every year.  There are a plethora of clinics for football coaches that will help sharpen our skills and introduce new ways of approaching practice, strength and conditioning and game planning.  The added bonus of technology means that we can access these clinics through the forms of webinars from our own homes, or from our team rooms where we can participate as a staff and break down exactly what this means for our staff.

Reference:

Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Training with Technology

Technology Training Options

The world of technology has trained the ability of training options.  There is now a myriad of options in order to have the best training available to students and employees.  Below are 5 technologies that I recommend for trainings. 

1.     Simulations- Simulations give trainees experience with an actual situation or problem that might arise during the course of their job.  The simulation allows the trainees to have time and experience solving the problem and dealing with exactly what to do if and when this occurs.  This allows trainees to make decisions and find out how those decisions would have turned out.  Simulations offer a “low risk” scenario and give experience making had decisions. 

Here is a link to a medical simulation that I found very informative, even not being from a medical background:  http://www.mysmartsim.com/

2.     Webcasting-I watched a docudrama about what school will be like in the year 2050.  Basically, the hypothesis was that brick and mortar schools won’t exist, and every one will learn through webcasting.  While this is an interesting scenario to think about, it brought to light the benefits and drawbacks of webcasting.  Webcasting “involves classroom instruction that is provided online through live broadcasts” (Noe, 2006, p. 326).  Webcasting allows for training to reach a very large geographic audience and allows for the collaboration of people.  During this off-season of football, I have participated in a number of football clinic webcasts and have found them interesting and informative. 

3.     Groupware-Sometimes having a meeting is made impossible by geographic factors or by people being in separate places at the necessary times.  Using a groupware type application, people are allowed to work on the same document simultaneously.  This will allow collaboration to be possible across a wide variety of subjects and times.  My district has recently implement the use of Google docs for this exact purpose.  Initially, there was only collaboration allowed between teachers. Now, students have access to Google docs and have begun to use this tool to collaborate with each other on projects and assignments.  This powerful tool has been amazing to use with students. 

4.     Software-Software can be used or developed to basically control, organize and teach anything that you can think of.  Allowing training to be done with software unleashes a great potential for trainees.  Software can be found or developed to meet the exact needs of the trainees and can be a very powerful training tool.

5.     E-Books-Adapting technology and training into the K-12 classroom is something that I am extremely interested in.  One way to do this is through the use of e-books.  An e-book is basically just a text found online, but the wide variety of titles and interest levels that can be found is astounding.  Additionally, e-books provide support that students who struggle with reading may desperately need.  “Through e-books, students are exposed to sound, animation, and interactive activities that scaffold learning and are able to master tasks that may not be accomplished independently” (Rhodes & Milby, 2007, p. 255). 

Reference:

Rhodes, J, & Milby, T., The Reading Teacher. 61(3) pp. 255-259

Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Company Organization

Blog Entry
Men’s Wearhouse is a men’s specialty retailer that has over 1,200 stores across North America.  According the Men’s Wearhouse website they carry a full selection of designer, brand name and private label suits, sport coats, furnishings and accessories.  The Men’s Wearhouse will also rent tuxedos. 
The management philosophy is also outlined on the website.  The company put together a code of ethics that is used by all senior management in the company.  The highlights of the code is that the company will always conduct business with highest standards of honesty, integrity, and with compliance with all applicable laws.  With this in mind the company’s objectives are to maximize sales, provide value to their customers, and deliver top-quality customer service while still having fun and maintaining their values.
If I was going to conduct a needs assessment for the Men’s Wearhouse to see if future training is needed,  I would want to get stakeholder feedback from management, customers, and employees.  In the organizational analysis I would want to ask the following questions to employees:

1.  How might training help your relationship with customers?

2.  What might customers, employees and management need to know about a training program done by Men’s Wearhouse? 

3.  How does this training program align with the objectives outlined by Men’s Wearhouse?

4.  What do you need from managers and peers to make training work?

I would want to ask management the following questions:

1.  What might the company, management, customers, and employees need to know about the training program?

2.  How would a training program align with the objectives of the Men’s Wearhouse?

3.  What features of the work environment might interfere with training?

4.  How will employees perceive a training program offered by Men’s Wearhouse?  For example, would they see it is a  reward, a punishment, etc.

The biggest objectives with company would deal with customer service.  I would want their feedback on the following:

1.  Do you feel like you receive good customer service from the employees at the Men’s Wearhouse?  Please explain.

2.  Do you feel like you are purchasing quality merchandise from the Men’s Wearhouse?  Please explain.

In the Person Analysis piece of the needs assessment I would need the following questions answered on the part of management:
            1.  Why types of situations call for training from you?
            2.  What keeps you from being a good trainer?

3.  What common types of performance problems to all employees have?  New hires?

4.  What are the basic skills needed for an employee to do a good job at Men’s Wearhouse?

For the Person Analysis I would want the following information from employees:

1.  Do you feel like you have been offered or had proper training to successfully perform your job?

2.  Do you feel that there are incentives for you doing a good job at the Men’s Wearhouse?

For the task analysis piece I would need to work with subject matter experts (SME) to do a task analysis to identify skills, tasks, and duties that employees of the Men’s Wearhouse use, should be using, and what would help them in the future.  Part of this is asking employees the following questions:

1.  What tasks do you do on a daily basis? What should you be doing on a daily basis that would make your job successful in meeting the objectives of Men’s Wearhouse?

2.  Do you feel the job you are doing help’s to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Men’s Wearhouse?

I would want management to answer the following questions:

1.  What tasks should employees be doing on a daily basis, what is required on a daily basis?

2.  Do you feel the job you are doing as a manager is helping to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Men’s Wearhouse?

In order to get a feel for the way training has been done in the past and for how training, if needed, should be done in the future I would want to look at the company strategic plan, study previous customer satisfaction surveys, employee satisfaction surveys, previous employee/management manuals or handbooks, and any previous training programs that have been implemented within the company. 


I would use the following techniques to acquire the information needed for the needs assessment:

1.  I would use observation so that I can perform task analysis to identify skills, tasks and duties done to perform the job of manager, employee at Men’s Wearhouse.

2.  I would use questionnaires and interviews to do the organizational analysis and person analysis, plus with a company as large as Men’s Wearhouse this is a cheap, efficient way to collect data.

3.  Interviews of all levels of management to get an idea of previous training.  To also learn what they feel the causes of any problems are and what they think could be possible solutions.

4.  I would want to see previous documentation.  I want to see previous training manuals, previous employee handbooks to get a sense of how things have worked in the company in the past.

5.  I would also use online technology.  This is a national company with over 1,200 stores.  This would be the most efficient and cheapest way of communication and data collection.

This is a tall task for company such as the Men’s Wearhouse to take on.  If done well, a good needs analysis could save a company such as this a ton of money.  Training is not always the answer.  A needs analysis could turn up that the company is doing a great job and that there just needs to be a few tweaks here and there.  On the other hand, the needs analysis could open up the eyes of management and employees alike on to what the company can do to improve relations with employees and customers to meet the needs of all of those involved.  A plan of improvement can be developed to create training so that that all stakeholders can perform better in the future. 
References:
www.menswearhouse.com
Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Company Organization

Blog Entry
Men’s Wearhouse is a men’s specialty retailer that has over 1,200 stores across North America.  According the Men’s Wearhouse website they carry a full selection of designer, brand name and private label suits, sport coats, furnishings and accessories.  The Men’s Wearhouse will also rent tuxedos. 
The management philosophy is also outlined on the website.  The company put together a code of ethics that is used by all senior management in the company.  The highlights of the code is that the company will always conduct business with highest standards of honesty, integrity, and with compliance with all applicable laws.  With this in mind the company’s objectives are to maximize sales, provide value to their customers, and deliver top-quality customer service while still having fun and maintaining their values.
If I was going to conduct a needs assessment for the Men’s Wearhouse to see if future training is needed,  I would want to get stakeholder feedback from management, customers, and employees.  In the organizational analysis I would want to ask the following questions to employees:

1.  How might training help your relationship with customers?

2.  What might customers, employees and management need to know about a training program done by Men’s Wearhouse? 

3.  How does this training program align with the objectives outlined by Men’s Wearhouse?

4.  What do you need from managers and peers to make training work?

I would want to ask management the following questions:

1.  What might the company, management, customers, and employees need to know about the training program?

2.  How would a training program align with the objectives of the Men’s Wearhouse?

3.  What features of the work environment might interfere with training?

4.  How will employees perceive a training program offered by Men’s Wearhouse?  For example, would they see it is a  reward, a punishment, etc.

The biggest objectives with company would deal with customer service.  I would want their feedback on the following:

1.  Do you feel like you receive good customer service from the employees at the Men’s Wearhouse?  Please explain.

2.  Do you feel like you are purchasing quality merchandise from the Men’s Wearhouse?  Please explain.

In the Person Analysis piece of the needs assessment I would need the following questions answered on the part of management:
            1.  Why types of situations call for training from you?
            2.  What keeps you from being a good trainer?

3.  What common types of performance problems to all employees have?  New hires?

4.  What are the basic skills needed for an employee to do a good job at Men’s Wearhouse?

For the Person Analysis I would want the following information from employees:

1.  Do you feel like you have been offered or had proper training to successfully perform your job?

2.  Do you feel that there are incentives for you doing a good job at the Men’s Wearhouse?

For the task analysis piece I would need to work with subject matter experts (SME) to do a task analysis to identify skills, tasks, and duties that employees of the Men’s Wearhouse use, should be using, and what would help them in the future.  Part of this is asking employees the following questions:

1.  What tasks do you do on a daily basis? What should you be doing on a daily basis that would make your job successful in meeting the objectives of Men’s Wearhouse?

2.  Do you feel the job you are doing help’s to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Men’s Wearhouse?

I would want management to answer the following questions:

1.  What tasks should employees be doing on a daily basis, what is required on a daily basis?

2.  Do you feel the job you are doing as a manager is helping to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Men’s Wearhouse?

In order to get a feel for the way training has been done in the past and for how training, if needed, should be done in the future I would want to look at the company strategic plan, study previous customer satisfaction surveys, employee satisfaction surveys, previous employee/management manuals or handbooks, and any previous training programs that have been implemented within the company. 


I would use the following techniques to acquire the information needed for the needs assessment:

1.  I would use observation so that I can perform task analysis to identify skills, tasks and duties done to perform the job of manager, employee at Men’s Wearhouse.

2.  I would use questionnaires and interviews to do the organizational analysis and person analysis, plus with a company as large as Men’s Wearhouse this is a cheap, efficient way to collect data.

3.  Interviews of all levels of management to get an idea of previous training.  To also learn what they feel the causes of any problems are and what they think could be possible solutions.

4.  I would want to see previous documentation.  I want to see previous training manuals, previous employee handbooks to get a sense of how things have worked in the company in the past.

5.  I would also use online technology.  This is a national company with over 1,200 stores.  This would be the most efficient and cheapest way of communication and data collection.

This is a tall task for company such as the Men’s Wearhouse to take on.  If done well, a good needs analysis could save a company such as this a ton of money.  Training is not always the answer.  A needs analysis could turn up that the company is doing a great job and that there just needs to be a few tweaks here and there.  On the other hand, the needs analysis could open up the eyes of management and employees alike on to what the company can do to improve relations with employees and customers to meet the needs of all of those involved.  A plan of improvement can be developed to create training so that that all stakeholders can perform better in the future. 
References:
www.menswearhouse.com
Noe, R. A. (2010). Employee training and development (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Training Elevator Speech

Project Creep

Scope Creep is defined as the attempted improvement of a product in the middle of a project (Portny, et. al, 2007).  While it is admirable when people are working towards a similar goal and want to make it the best that they possibly can there could be unintended problems such as no one knows what is happening or the project becomes too big to manage. 

In my professional life, I am now the offensive coordinator of a high school football team.  Four years ago, I was just the offensive line coach and another coordinator was at the head of the offense.  It became obvious that we needed a shake up in what we do, and we needed to install a new offense.  The five offensive coaches went away together for the weekend and literally locked ourselves into a hotel conference room and tried to install a new offense.  The first day we got a ton of work done. We drew up different formations, looked at personnel packages and schemed about different plays that we could run.  The second day however, the current coordinator and another coach got off on a tangent of the ability to run one play by blocking a different zone.  In theory, if this were to work it would be amazing, but the bottom line is that we are a high school football team, not an NFL team, and there is no way that our players could perform this kind of task.  However, since our project leader was DEAD SET that we could pull it off, we spent four hours drawing things out and trying to talk through what ONE PLAY would look like.  I left the weekend feeling discouraged and not listened to at all.  It was a terrible feeling and one that could have been avoided if we had stayed with the project goals.

If I had been the project manager, which I am now, I would have done a couple of things very differently.  First of all, I would not have allowed myself or my staff to deviate from the task at hand.  I would have constantly referred back to the objective of the meeting and redirected based on the objective, as I needed to.  Most importantly, I would not have allowed myself or others to lead the group so far off task that it was not possible to get back on.  As the coordinator I need to lead by example and make sure that the group stays focused on the task at hand. 

Reference:

Portny, S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2008). Project management: Planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.