Someone told me "Be careful, because the devil can hear your prayers too, doesn't always come with horns and a pitchfork; and can also come dressed up like everything you ever wanted!"
As is with most training programs, a real test of application happens when the eager learner encounters the moments they weren’t trained for. I’ve attended programs where the trainer says upfront “Do not try this at home”. It gets people laughing with that knowing sideways glances and grin and there is a certain finality to that. There is some truth to that because often, the lessons are meant for the workplace largely and secondly, they wear off once life returns to normalcy where old habits and practices kick in.
It need not be so. Our workshops are designed to prepare people “from within” first, and then for anything that life has to offer at home or at work. Anything that can potentially disrupt our effort and push us off course is studied during the workshop. It helps to be aware of the dark side of our own lives and lifestyles. The knack is not to indulge it beyond a certain point.
Let’s say one decided to make changes, and started the process of practicing what one has learnt diligently. The first three months then are crucial for the would-be Catalyst. We need to catch ourselves in thought, examine the Belief System and direct our actions aligned with our own Big Picture Personal Canvas© as often as possible till it is a habit.
We measure ourselves by what we are capable of doing and the others measure us by what we have already done. This history causes a gap through which we get measured out. If I have been a nasty person mostly and come back from a training program (or watch a video or read a book) and come back a reformed individual, announcing that I have changed, I need to factor the skepticism those other people have towards me for that same reason. They haven’t seen me in action consistently enough to believe that I have changed.
The one encounter we need to be mindful of, is the kind of exchange that happens between someone who is a staunch, embedded Proficiency Level 1 or 2, interacting with one who is clawing their way, slowly from a Level 2 to 3, or Level 3 to 4. It can be testy and feisty. This is every encounter you have in life, where you want to do something new, uplifting, untried, “out-of-the-box” or the “normal folksy way” of doing things and is actually a good thing to do and then there are these Residents of Levels 1 and 2 and sometimes 3, with their practicalities, unsolicited advice, culture talk, the persistent nagging and who knows what else that can suck the daylight and energy out of a blackhole. You don’t stand a chance... Usually. But there is an assertive way to approach this with compassion, gentleness and a philosophical finger hold. Our workshops are a good place to learn how to do it.
The setback experienced in interacting with lower levels is real and quite a test of your determination. Maybe they are just practice? They will pass, like a kidney stone, but they will pass. Those at Proficiency Levels 4 to 5 or Level 5 itself are usually well insulated, compassionate and will keep the “Social Space clean and breathable” for all. That much we have seen happen. They have their priorities and their Social Space usually is mostly made of folks who they have placed by choice and can manage responsibly.
How does learning get retained across your organization? How about one single program that functions as a replacement for 50 others? Contact us to find out more.
Our flagship Learning Experience, the Culture Catalyst Program© (CCP), based on two decades of Organizational Behaviour can help you and your Organization transform and deliver long lasting results. There is no quick fix. There is however a method, a process that increases the probability of lasting success.
While the program is strongly recommended for C-suites and Upper Management folks, it is equally relevant for current, emerging, future leaders and high potential employees. The details are on our website - Contact us today.