Focus Magazine - Spring 2014 - 49

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Information Used to Gain Insight
All respondents noted the use of subjective,
anecdotal knowledge, including discussions
with stakeholders, feedback and personal
observations, as commonly used techniques
to assess proactive perceptions. Respondents
have made this an area of focus for their
teams.

FIGURE 4

OVERCOMING GREATEST OBSTACLES TO PROACTIVITY

4a
OBSTACLE

HOW TO OVERCOME

Early planning

Drive meetings and decisions

Available resources

Make the case for resources

Factors Driving Proactiveness

Leadership - pushing back appropriately

Consulting training

Nearly all respondents rated stakeholder
perception as important drivers of
proactiveness (Figure 1), with one respondent
citing the company's future structure and
processes as a critical factor that drove the
need to be proactive.

Inability to identify behavior change

Questioning strategy

Inadequate staff level

Adding 3 full-time equivalents (FTE) from base of 1 FTE

Lack of stakeholder trust

Identified early wins to demonstrate effectiveness;
involved stakeholders in recruiting and hiring for
vacancies

Becoming More Proactive

Trainer mindset as order taker

Workshop on consulting

Thinking beyond immediate training
objective or problem

Understanding sales and marketing roles,
thinking downstream big picture

Educate stakeholders to develop training
plan jointly

Make training plan mandatory for each request,
signed by both parties

Break the cycle of being caught in the
middle of brand/sales leadership

Quantify time spent negotiating between
two groups

The most effective techniques for becoming
more proactive involved attending
stakeholder meetings, surveying and
analyzing learner needs, soliciting input and
working collaboratively with stakeholders.
(Figure 2)
Responses classified as "other" included:
*

*

Assessing how customers are evolving and
developing training to stay ahead of the
curve
Constant communication and clarity
around goals and objectives, working
within available resources.

Many training leaders will attest to the fact
that it is not enough to merely attend a
meeting. A proactive plan and conversation is
key to changing the perception of proactivity.

Adding New Skills
Adding new skill sets to a training team, both
through hiring and internal talent training,
also proved effective for participating
companies. (Figure 3) Three companies noted
that understanding and working in a managed
markets/managed care environment was a
particularly important skill that translated to a
more proactive stakeholder perception.

Overcoming Obstacles
Companies shared their three greatest
challenges to breaking the reactive cycle
along with ways the team was able to address
them and move toward greater proactivity.
(Figures 4a, 4b, 4c)
Figure 4a shows each company's greatest
obstacle and how it was overcome. In similar
fashion, Figures 4b and 4c list the obstacles
rated second and third with the team's
solutions.

Key Lessons Learned

4b
OBSTACLE

HOW TO OVERCOME

Prioritization

Trade-off decisions

Information transparency with stakeholders

Become embedded in decision-making teams

Workload

Agreement on training plans

Multiple priorities

Prioritization

Lack of integration with stakeholders

Regularly scheduled meetings with all stakeholders

Stakeholder sharing pertinent information

Demonstrating need to have seat at the table

Shifting relationship from problem solver
to partner

Constant communication, one-on-ones, field rides,
partnership, quality deliverables

Future organizational structure uncertainty

Still an issue

Lack of awareness of what is possible

Educate leaderships

4c
OBSTACLE

HOW TO OVERCOME

Seat at the table

Deliver results

Lack of infrastructure

Building one out

Innovative thinking

Recognize, reward, share innovation

Identifying decision makers

Align early

Inadequate staff training, experience

Certifying staff in training design and effectiveness

No clearly communicated business plan

Interview stakeholders to align training plans
to business needs

Stakeholder buy-in and support

Communication and trust

On-hold headcount issues

Still an issue

Time spent on lower-value training activity

Ensure work counts towards business needs

Companies also shared three key lessons
learned from their efforts to change from a

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Focus Magazine - Spring 2014

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