My dear friend John (aka Snake Oil) took an early retirement. He had spent several illustrious years as a trainer then decided to give it all up and venture into other arenas. This included several small real estate investments, a storage facility and a coffee shop. I have known John for over 30 years and no matter how big the gap of time we usually pick up where we left off and always have some great laughs.
John contacted me a while back, soon after an amiable divorce, and said he was considering going back into training. Even though he is at the top of his game I encouraged him to reinvent himself and the services that he would provide. I’m sure it came as a bit of a shock to receive such a suggestion but the economic downturn has forced us to re-examine everything we do in business. This goes way beyond the logistics of marketing programs and filling seats it also profoundly targeted at the very topics that are being offered. Even programs that have been considered foundation based courses are challenged to be recast to fit the new operating model (which by the way is still a work in process).
So what does this mean? It means that we need to innovate in anticipation and prediction as to what will happen 1, 2 or even 3 years into the future. Much of this evolutionary innovation is not something that can be trained into a person, relegated to committee development or created through pragmatic process. Rather the creation of innovation comes from an inane ability of the person. Even the most brilliant minds may be devoid of ‘green’ thought. As a result when innovation does arise it also faces the many challenges as to whether anyone is sufficiently equipped to evaluate its merits. The most sound way of validating innovative merits is to utilize our pragmatic market or scientific disciplines. These tools take us from dream to implementation reality. For this reason innovation is not simply a brilliance in ideas but a free range form of research that requires pragmatic testing.
So back to my friend John… his challenge (if not blessed with the innovation gene) will be to compress 40 years of experience into several small microns that can then be parsed against an anticipatory vision of what the new world order might be. As with most innovation ventures it is based on a problem, and our problem is an economic malaise where proven practices now produce unanticipated results. Training will not be simply a commodity but a service, and that service must be supported by a framework of continued connective interchange. Reaching the needy (consumer) will require a framework that transcends locations, time zones, instructor mobility and even pricing that is so heavily influenced economic upheavals. A program of study will involve ongoing advisory elements to reduce implementation risks. It is easy to continue as is and find excuses for why, it is challenging to question everything in the pursuit of leadership.
As for outsourcing… well it involves old friends, innovation and lots of education at operational and leadership levels. Beyond this I will be leaving for Asia and hope to enjoy some new cultures and old friends.
Until next time feel free to contribute your thoughts or send an email to me at jdurant@Int-IOM.org
