| rpose: Show how immersion leadership training | | | | excels when attention is given to building bridges |
| makes strategic initiative success possible. | | | | between the lessons learned and the |
| Adults learn through experience. We learn | | | | student’s workplace and life. |
| behaviors through experience. This is the flagpole | | | | David Kolb explains in his book Experiential |
| fact of the educational world. This flag is visible | | | | Learning that a cycle of learning exists. It is a |
| for everyone to see, and it’s where | | | | good exercise to place our guided experience |
| educators know they need to be whether they | | | | onto his well-used framework. We provide the |
| are training hard or soft skills. Deborah Solomon | | | | opportunity for what he calls abstract |
| Reid of Tuck School of Business strikes a bell to | | | | conceptualization when we make the introduction |
| be heard by anyone considering this most | | | | of our focus subjects. Our students take these |
| fundamental element of adult learning. | | | | new concepts and use their time as a leader to |
| “While conceptual learning is important, the | | | | actively experiment with their implementation as |
| major leaps forward—these so-called | | | | they have a concrete experience. Finally, they |
| ‘aha!’ moments when mental | | | | have the opportunity to perform reflective |
| maps are rearranged—are most likely to | | | | observation. It is in this reflective period that we |
| happen when students encounter these theories | | | | derive lessons learned and build bridges to the |
| experientially.” The widespread use of | | | | workplace and life. |
| experiential training in the development of the soft | | | | In my book, No Excuse Leadership, I sadly |
| skills of leadership and teamwork can transform | | | | acknowledge that after the nine-week immersion |
| individuals and your organization. | | | | training that is U. S. Army Ranger School, some |
| The question is, “What transformation do | | | | people fail in life and in work. “The reason |
| you want?” What end state do you | | | | is simple – they failed to take advantage |
| envision for your organization, and what behavioral | | | | of at least two opportunities provided by the |
| alignment must take place in your employees | | | | school. They either did not think about what there |
| before that vision can be realized? The answer to | | | | was to learn or didn’t take action on the |
| that question often traverses the corporate | | | | lessons they did learn.” For various |
| culture. For instance, the characteristics necessary | | | | reasons, ranger school does not have a |
| for an agile and responsive company, one of the | | | | mechanism for such feedback and it is the |
| strategic focuses highlighted by IBM in their 2004 | | | | individual’s responsibility to take that extra |
| CEO survey, require employees, who value agility | | | | step. Fortunately for us, corporate immersion |
| and responsiveness. Properly guided experiential | | | | training can use a much shorter period of time |
| training can create fertile conditions for a rapid | | | | utilizing extensive feedback and achieve |
| adjustment in corporate culture, no matter the | | | | remarkable behavioral results. |
| direction you wish to go. Whether it is agility and | | | | The power of rapid repetition: |
| responsiveness, sustainability, or lean systems you | | | | The compression of time for behavioral changes |
| wish to ingrain, it can be done. However, to reap | | | | is because the same leadership patterns that |
| the greatest rewards you must make two | | | | exist in the workplace are mimicked in the |
| commitments. | | | | training, only they are rapid and clear. In the |
| First, you must embrace the experiential training | | | | unguided and unanalyzed workplace, decisions are |
| model for its ability to quickly influence behavior. | | | | made, yet the consequences of those decisions |
| Second, because everyone has a role in corporate | | | | are days or months in the future and are rarely |
| culture you must commit to training nearly | | | | completely seen or understood. Certainly, the |
| everyone. I acknowledge that this is a | | | | interpersonal communication aspects of |
| tremendous distance to go for most companies. | | | | impressions, perceptions and clarity are never |
| You will see that there are many powerful uses | | | | addressed. Compress this pattern and repeat it |
| for experiential training that will enhance your | | | | multiple times in a matter of days in a guided |
| company’s performance without a | | | | environment where the decision-consequence link |
| wholesale assault on your corporate culture. Any | | | | is clear, and you will rapidly change behaviors. |
| significant impact on your leadership core should | | | | After traveling the cycle once, it would be nice to |
| be embraced. However, if you are looking for | | | | stop there and pat each other on the back, but in |
| that sweeping modification, you need to plan and | | | | immersion training, there is always more to do to. |
| resource for results. Bring a ladder tall enough to | | | | There is a superposition achieved by moving |
| at least reach the lowest branches. | | | | immediately into another round of introduction, |
| Changing values for maintainable strategic | | | | experience, analysis and bridging; then another and |
| initiatives: | | | | then another, etc. This training gets leaders |
| Frances Hesselbein said, “Soft skills are | | | | leading; making mistakes, evaluating decisions, and |
| now hard,” and she is right. In so many | | | | doing it again in rapid succession. |
| strategic initiatives, particularly in sustainability and | | | | This superposition of progress was logged by a |
| lean systems, we must get into the | | | | university study performed on the Leading |
| person’s brain and adjust their value | | | | Concepts’ Ranger TLC (teamwork, |
| system. That’s not easy. Experiential | | | | leadership, communication) Experience, a four-day, |
| training and immersion training as I’ll define | | | | 80 hour training course. It showed consistent |
| here require a thoughtful approach by leaders | | | | improvement in the areas of trust in peers, group |
| determined to make improvements and dedicate | | | | awareness, group effectiveness (cohesion), group |
| the necessary resources to do so. | | | | bonding and interpersonal communications. |
| When I refer to experiential training, I mean a | | | | Although those were the only areas considered in |
| guided experience intended to teach specific | | | | the study, the lessons can be much farther |
| lessons. Immersion training is an extended use of | | | | ranging. In addition to the focus areas selected for |
| experiential training where no other focus is | | | | instruction, a recent Entrepreneur Magazine article |
| allowed. Immersion training (table 1) uses all | | | | showed how immersion training can inspire people. |
| available time allotted for the achievement of the | | | | “Many enter leadership training believing |
| intended results. The understanding is that the | | | | their most valuable lessons will be in the areas of |
| entire day is a training environment. There are no | | | | policies and procedures, but they come away with |
| distractive devices that connect the students to | | | | more fundamental insights that are ultimately |
| work or home, and there is no happy hour or tee | | | | more valuable.” The article went on to say |
| time. No matter the number of days, and more | | | | that, “owners who rated their experiences |
| than one is preferable, the objectives of the | | | | most highly were those who detached |
| course have the un-interrupted attention of the | | | | themselves the most.” |
| students. | | | | Those who are detached the most and who have |
| Table 1. Immersion training is characterized by: | | | | no outside distractions have the greatest |
| Experience Based (table 2, 2a) - Students are | | | | opportunity to develop a clear picture of what the |
| involved; physically and emotionally. Not in role | | | | teaching and experience mean to them. They |
| playing but with actual responsibility within the | | | | have time to reflect, not only during the analysis |
| scenario. Their decisions have consequences. | | | | and bridge period, but during their downtime also. |
| Distraction free - For the duration of the training, | | | | It is that hidden after-hours time that can lock the |
| there are no connections, such as cell phone, | | | | principles and values into a person’s |
| pager, laptop, to non-scenario, outside | | | | decision cycle. Facilitation of the learning of the |
| responsibilities. | | | | intended message as clearly and deeply as |
| Multiple day - More time for repetition of | | | | possible is the beginning of the future, and it is |
| scenarios, which aides in internalization of intended | | | | another product of experiential training that |
| lessons. Facilitates application of lessons in real life. | | | | less-involved methods cannot match. |
| Extended work hours - More time for repetition | | | | Have your message received clearly: |
| of scenarios, which aides in internalization of | | | | One of the reasons there is so little progress on |
| intended lessons. Facilitates application of lessons in | | | | the soft-skills despite mountains of writing, |
| real life. | | | | speaking and training, is because the teachers are |
| Narrow focus - Allows for frequent reoccurrence, | | | | writing on a crowded blackboard of the |
| reinforcement and internalization of intended | | | | student’s education. The distortion of |
| lessons. Facilitates application of lessons in real life. | | | | writing with a big piece of chalk in the small, open |
| Reflection - Distraction free environment allows | | | | places of the blackboard, or in giant letters over |
| for down-time assimilation of lessons. Facilitates | | | | existing writing, obstructs even the understanding |
| application of lessons in real life. | | | | of the intended lessons. If proper understanding is |
| Regardless of the variables chosen for the | | | | never achieved then the persistence needed to |
| realignment of your corporate culture, teamwork, | | | | take a lesson and create a habit cannot start. |
| leadership and communication must be the | | | | Compounding the difficulty of implementation of |
| constants. When those components are taken | | | | new behaviors is the fact that the work |
| out, all other initiatives suffer. In the IBM 2004 | | | | environment, where these behaviors are intended |
| CEO survey, they “recognize that it is the | | | | to work, is not a guided experience. There is a |
| skills of their people and their capacity for change | | | | mash of activities that don’t lend |
| and leadership that will ultimately determine the | | | | themselves to 8-1/2 x 11 margins. If we get to |
| outcome.” | | | | the point of attempted application, we see |
| Bob Doppelt, a leading researcher on sustainability, | | | | mutated lessons, adapted by a person in a job |
| writes, “Leading organizations are blessed | | | | where the cause and effect of leadership are |
| with – or take explicit steps to develop | | | | rarely evident. The results are mutated and |
| – exemplary leadership at the top and | | | | misattributed if they are recognized at all. This |
| throughout the enterprise. It is not possible to | | | | approach leaves everyone shrugging their |
| initiate or sustain the tremendous transformation | | | | shoulders in frustration. |
| required to become more sustainable without | | | | Some would rightly say that it is precisely a |
| exceptional leadership.” | | | | person’s background, education and work |
| Warren Bennis put it this way, “Without | | | | experience that make it possible for them to |
| leaders who can attract and retain talent, manage | | | | learn new materials quickly. They are able to link |
| knowledge, and unblock people’s capacity | | | | new information with existing experience to |
| to adapt and innovate, an organization’s | | | | create new understandings. That is completely |
| future is in jeopardy.” | | | | accurate, and extremely valid in a hard skill. The |
| If you don’t have leadership, you will lose | | | | problem this encounters in the soft-skill |
| the capability to fully exploit the preparedness for | | | | environment is that people’s existing |
| the new culture that this training makes possible. | | | | leadership experience, if they have any, is trial and |
| You can spend all of your training time and effort | | | | error and seldom firmly planted in accurate guiding |
| on sustainability or agility, and your company will | | | | principles. Their experience then becomes the |
| become very smart on these subjects. You can | | | | confusing scribbling on the blackboard. |
| use experiential training to make the lessons real, | | | | The way to overcome the whiteout conditions of |
| but if you don’t have an expansive, | | | | the student’s education is to find their |
| dedicated and perseverant leadership foundation, | | | | clean blackboard. You must have a place where a |
| you will fail. | | | | clear message can be communicated, and in a |
| One of the key advantages you have by making | | | | method that will change behaviors beyond the last |
| the commitment to a broad immersion campaign | | | | slide. |
| is that through the process, you will not only | | | | The immersion method gives you a clean |
| steer your corporate culture, but you will also | | | | blackboard for nearly everyone in your company. |
| enhance every aspect of your ability for success | | | | In the top left hand corner of the board write |
| by creating a prevailing culture of leadership. | | | | “Guided Leadership Experience.” |
| Fortunately, leadership principles are nearly | | | | (table 2) Underneath that, write, “Actual |
| universal. The same principles that are used to | | | | Leadership Experience.” For the most |
| successfully lead a project team are used to lead | | | | efficient progress, these two must go together. |
| a sales organization or a tech staff. The better | | | | Actual experience is often called on-the-job |
| those principles are incorporated into the operating | | | | experience, the preponderance of which is |
| habits of your people, the more advantage you | | | | unguided. Guided experience is what we call |
| will have. | | | | professional development. To add to my definition |
| In addition to the critical leadership aspect of the | | | | of experiential training, it starts beyond books, |
| training, you will customize your training to include | | | | speeches and seminars at a level where a person |
| those areas you want most understood and | | | | is making leadership decisions that will have |
| valued. A narrow focus is more effective, and I | | | | consequences. |
| recommend only one or two. Fortunately, when it | | | | Table 2. Guided Experience is characterized by: |
| comes to cultural issues a short list should be | | | | Focus subject instruction - Education on focus |
| more than sufficient. You are in the process of | | | | subjects. (Teamwork, Leadership, Communication) |
| turning an ocean liner with momentum, so the | | | | Free-play scenarios - Leaders and followers |
| unsettling notion of a realigning of company values | | | | experience real stresses of teamwork and the |
| must be prepared for by an extraordinary event. | | | | consequences of their actions with as few |
| Doppelt’s first intervention for creating a | | | | controls as possible. |
| sustainable organization deals with change. | | | | After action reviews - Discovery, structured |
| “Disrupting an organization’s | | | | around focus subjects, by students of lessons |
| controlling mental model is the first – and | | | | learned and discussion of potential improvements. |
| most important – step toward the | | | | Table 2a. Guided Experience is augmented by: |
| development of new ways of operating. Little | | | | Bridge building - Creating links from the lessons |
| change will occur if this step is | | | | learned to work and life application. |
| unsuccessful.” | | | | Post training follow-up - Consistent reinforcement |
| The nature of immersion training is that it gets | | | | of lessons learned through complimentary |
| under your skin. It’s disruptive because in | | | | instructional material, chain of command |
| order to align the training with how adults learn | | | | interaction, and advanced guided experiential |
| best, people have to be allowed to fall down, be | | | | training. |
| uncomfortable, challenged, stressed and | | | | Guided leadership experience is nearly |
| sometimes broken. This seems to go against our | | | | non-existent. To be fair, most of the top business |
| desire to protect people’s self-esteem. | | | | schools have incorporated experiential training and |
| Understand that true self-esteem and confidence | | | | role-playing into their curriculum. Unfortunately, the |
| comes from achievement not coddling. One of | | | | guided nature of the experience does not have a |
| the greatest things we as leaders can do to build | | | | foundation of actual experience on which to build. |
| up the capacity of our people is to allow them the | | | | In an informal survey of one of the top business |
| chance for achievement. | | | | schools, only 10-15% of the student body had |
| Immersion training allows for the complete | | | | ever had leadership responsibility for other people |
| involvement of each of the participants at every | | | | prior to enrollment. |
| step, whether a leader or follower. It allows for | | | | Harvard Business School professor Linda A. Hill in |
| the immediate illumination of the relationship | | | | her book, Becoming a Manager warns, |
| between actions and consequences. It provides | | | | “Newly minted MBAs who have never had |
| the ability to learn how to do things better | | | | subordinates reporting to them before may take |
| through educated analysis and experimentation. It | | | | jobs in which they will have considerable people |
| allows the consequences of mistakes to be | | | | management responsibilities, with little sense of |
| experienced in a training environment and not in | | | | the risk in doing so.” |
| the office environment, where they would be | | | | This leadership risk can be mitigated, not only for |
| much more costly. It compresses the on-the-job | | | | the new MBA, but for everyone – |
| learning cycle from months and years down to a | | | | EVERYONE. Leadership is risky. Arranged properly, |
| number of days. It is an experience that aids in | | | | it is the leader’s leather chair that is on |
| the internalization of positive practices of | | | | the line for consequences of decisions made. By |
| teamwork, leadership, communication and the | | | | giving the person the best possible chance for |
| variables you choose. | | | | success, the risk of monetary, morale and |
| Begin and end properly: | | | | self-esteem losses are all mitigated. The best |
| At the beginning and end of this visceral, | | | | chance for success is achieved when leaders at all |
| emotional experience are the critical pieces of | | | | levels are allowed the privilege of testing and |
| instruction and analysis. The format of the | | | | developing their leadership skills in non-job |
| experience is of ultimate importance, but in order | | | | threatening, guided environments. |
| to keep it from wastefully spilling out of the ends, | | | | Conclusion: |
| the classroom time is the cinch. | | | | Write your message on the clean blackboard of |
| The introduction is where the primary focuses are | | | | guided leadership experience and purposefully |
| defined. It is where their meaning and importance | | | | develop your company’s leadership core. |
| are explained. Next, the students get to actually | | | | Immersion training offers the best way to |
| lead and follow in their experiential environment. | | | | communicate a clear message that will quickly |
| They get to make decisions that have | | | | change people’s behaviors. The relatively |
| consequences. They get to feel the stress of | | | | dramatic nature of the training also prepares |
| having eyes and expectations on them, and they | | | | people for receptivity to new information that can |
| get to learn what it means to make a decision | | | | in turn transform your corporate culture – |
| and stand by it. Everyone gets to operate as a | | | | no matter what you want it to be. |
| team and learn to depend on each other towards | | | | Individuals are the building blocks of teams, of |
| the accomplishment of an objective. | | | | companies, and of corporate cultures. The good |
| The cinch at the end is when together they get | | | | news is that you do have the ability to influence |
| to participate in the important closure of an after | | | | and build individuals in a rapid fashion. You have to |
| action review, or a post-mortem. They get to | | | | remain dedicated to the ideal and with a firm hold |
| analyze their experience with respect to the | | | | on the flag pole of experiential training. |
| course focuses, and create better ways to | | | | Copyright 2005 Brace E. |
| perform in the future. The experience really | | | | |