Organizational Behavior Changes

1. The Undiscovered Skill Set In Learning and Development Manisha Nagpal Chief Science Officer Dharma Life Sciences, #3, Second Floor(East Wing), Prestige Sterling Square, Madras Bank Road,Bangalore-560001, India

2. How do I enhance the productivity and growth of my organization? What can I do to bring out the best in my employees? What can I do to make my employees feel happy? These are a couple of questions that most professionals in the field of Learning and Development often reflect upon. Everyone wants answers to these questions and hence, the field of learning and development focuses on designing various programs and workshops that enhance those technical and soft skills of the employee, which align with the organizational goals. These skills encompass knowledge development, usage of technology, people and time management, peer learning, effective communication, etc. They also focus on conflict management, team building activities, and rewards for their employees in order to create a positive corporate culture. The impact of all these initiatives is still very low according to statistics. A long-term research project carried out by the Middlesex University for Work Based Learning found that 74% of employees believed that they are not achieving their full potential at work. And according to a 2015 ATD research study 62% managers believe that they are not doing a good job of meeting the learning needs of the employees, and about $13.5m is lost per year, per 1,000 employees due to ineffective training. So what are these programs lacking? In this conventional process of learning and 1

3. development, are we forgetting something more basic which is inhibiting every organization and employee from reaching their true potential? Here are the three most important reasons why most of these existing programs are not equipped to meet the outcomes that they are expecting: How do I enhance the productivity and growth of my organization? What ❶Failure to account for the varied backgrounds that each of the employees can I do to bring out the best in my employees? What can I do to make my come from-Though employees may be similar in terms of their education employees feel happy? These are a couple of questions that most level or years of experience or the nature of work they carry out, they may professionals in the field of Learning and Development often reflect upon. vary a lot in terms of what motivates them, approach towards problem solving, communication, etc. This makes it inherently important to design Everyone wants answers to these questions and hence, the field of learning a program which addresses what every employee needs specifically. and development focuses on designing various programs and workshops that enhance those technical and soft skills of the employee, which align with the organizational goals. These skills encompass knowledge ❷Not accounting for preparedness in learning- There is always something development, usage of technology, people and time management, peer more basic and inherent in employees that needs to be targeted before learning, effective communication, etc. They also focus on conflict they are ready to learn other general skills. For example, expecting an management, team building activities, and rewards for their employees in employee to communicate effectively without working on their nature of order to create a positive corporate culture. submissiveness or expecting a person to be open, flexible, and receptive to ideas, without working on their trust issues, level of empathy, or The impact of all these initiatives is still very low according to statistics. perfectionism is not very advantageous. This makes it more important to A long-term research project carried out by the Middlesex University for Work Based Learning found that 74% of employees believed that they are work on their personality trait factors before learning other technical and not achieving their full potential at work. And according to a 2015 ATD soft skills. research study 62% managers believe that they are not doing a good job of meeting the learning needs of the employees, and about $13.5m is lost per ❸Lack of insight and motivation for the employees to understand and year, per 1,000 employees due to ineffective training. So what are these respond positively to any learning initiative- There are times when programs lacking? In this conventional process of learning and employees go through programs without having enough of 2

4. an understanding of what the actual problem is and why they are being trained on it. Sometimes they may not be ready to take the initiative and act on the problem. It then becomes important for each employee to realize what they lack and the benefits they would get as a result of every learning initiative. This can help them become more willing to adopt and maintain a new desirable behavior. ❶Failure to account for the varied backgrounds that each of the employees come from-Though employees may be similar in terms of their education We all interact with and influence each other through our thoughts, level or years of experience or the nature of work they carry out, they may behaviors, and emotions. We all have our own distinct ways of perceiving vary a lot in terms of what motivates them, approach towards problem the world, motivation to carry out tasks, and making mistakes. It becomes solving, communication, etc. This makes it inherently important to design increasingly important to get everyone on the same level in terms of line of a program which addresses what every employee needs specifically. thinking, motivation, attitude towards work, etc., before specific technical and soft skills can be imparted. ❷Not accounting for preparedness in learning- There is always something more basic and inherent in employees that needs to be targeted before So what is theundiscovered skill? they are ready to learn other general skills. For example, expecting an employee to communicate effectively without working on their nature of Take a minute and reflect on the following situations: considering that submissiveness or expecting a person to be open, flexible, and receptive these employees have the same level of technical and soft skills- is there to ideas, without working on their trust issues, level of empathy, or something else which makes each of these people different from one perfectionism is not very advantageous. This makes it more important to another? What is inhibiting them from achieving their goals? work on their personality trait factors before learning other technical and soft skills. ❸Lack of insight and motivation for the employees to understand and respond positively to any learning initiative- There are times when employees go through programs without having enough of 3

5. ❶A manager or leader who focuses too much on detailing and correcting minor errors, that he/she misses out on the larger picture. Another manager on the other hand, who lacks empathy towards his/her team members, which makes everyone unhappy being part of that team. ❷ An R&D professional who never stands up for their ideas, never says 'No' to their colleagues and ends up doing a lot of work that lacks quality. Another R&D professional who is so impatient that they give up quickly when desired results are not quickly obtained. ❸ A sales executive who has all the knowledge to succeed but feels very nervous when addressing his/her clients. Another sales executive who finds it difficult to trust people, that he/she will always doubt the intentions of potential customers and will not be able to develop a healthy rapport with them. These are situations where employees vary considerably in terms of personality despite being in a similar position/role. Such personality characteristics actually inhibit employees from achieving the organization’s goal. In order to tackle this challenge, the learning and development field needs to provide the tools so that productive behaviors and thought processes can be developed. By identifying this, we would create a third spectrum of skills or the undiscovered skill set-called as Trait Skills which help balance personality traits. Once these skills are learnt, employees become better equipped to perform their jobs. 4

6. The Dharma Life Trait skills Management program addresses specific organizational goals by working on those behavioral changes that are essential to achieve that goal. Employees are enabled to develop trait skills that directly map on to the required behavioral changes. This increases employee productivity and makes them more flexible in terms of their behavior. This is done by moving boundaries that are placed on individuals by his/her genes, environment and the mind through scientific approaches. Using a combination of personal mentoring and various interesting activities provided through an app called Dharma Life, this program debunks the belief that personality traits cannot be modified or changed. To learn more on Trait Skills Development visit www.dharmalife.info, follow Dharma Life Sciences on LinkedIn, or contact Alban Jerome of Dharma Life Sciences at (+91) 7022325333 and alban@india.dharma.com. 5