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The egg-ideal in training

The egg, one of the most perfect protein sources, is a good analogy for training, an issue that is becoming ever more pivotal to companies` competitive-edge.
Jill Hamlyn
By Jill Hamlyn, Managing Director
Johannesburg, 02 Mar 2001

The humble egg has a lot to be proud of. It is one of Nature`s most perfect sources of protein, so much so that other proteins are measured against it. It is also extremely versatile: it can be poached, fried, scrambled, made into an omelette, coddled or boiled. A few years back, experts cautioned against eating too many eggs due to their cholesterol level. However, new research has proved that eggs contain less cholesterol than previously thought.

Like an egg, training is versatile, yet it is an independent entity.

Jill Hamlyn, MD, People Business

The egg is a good analogy for training, an issue that is taking up more and more space in the forefront of business. This has, to a large extent, been encouraged by skills development legislation and more money being put aside in the 2001/2002 budget for education and training.

Organisations know, or should know, by now, that training is vital to maintain a competitive-edge in the ever-changing business market. Many companies have found that maintaining this competitive-edge is just one advantage to be gained from training. Conventional wisdom dictates that people who have been invested in show greater returns as individuals and in their working relationships, with all round benefits.

Building blocks

In the same way that an egg is a perfect protein, and protein is one of the building blocks of the body, so training is one of the building blocks of a company. People who do not get enough protein in their daily diets fall prey to all sorts of deficiency diseases, feeling sluggish and fatigued. A company that does not invest enough in itself in terms of training will not die, but will take longer to catch up to the competition and will find itself continually overtaken on both sides.

There has long been a division in the IT industry between the so-called soft and hard skills (think soft and hard boiled eggs here) with various proponents arguing that hard skills are more important and palatable than soft skills and vice-versa. In the corporate world, each is as important as the other in different spheres. People in a position that demands technical skills would founder without those skills, while people in a sphere that comprises mainly human interaction will soon find out that the job that they have to do is much harder and far less rewarding without a certain set of interpersonal skills.

The technical skills that are needed by an organisation are usually easier to obtain because it is easier to pinpoint precisely what is needed, when, where and how to get it. Because interpersonal skills have for so long been regarded as "soft", there is sometimes a great deal of confusion around what exactly is needed and how it can be obtained. There is also the danger that interpersonal skills are left by the wayside as the speed of technological advancement demands that technical skills be kept up to date.

So, where does an organisation go from here? Identifying areas that could be improved or good areas that would be profitable to invest in is the first step along the road to training. A good training organisation will help in the identification process and tailor-make a package to suit the needs of the organisation and the individual or team to be trained. From communication, public speaking and listening skills, to leadership, conflict management and interviewing skills, there are as many skills to be gained as there are spheres in business. A good training programme will help build the skills needed and lay the foundation for others.

Binding ingredient

Has anyone ever tried to bake a cake without eggs? It is well nigh impossible to do so. Eggs are the ingredients that bind the flour, butter, sugar, cocoa and milk together. In much the same way, training binds a team together. Each individual is brought together under the training umbrella and no matter how diverse each person was at the beginning, by the end of the programme they all have something in common. They were trained by a particular trainer in a particular way. They learned how to communicate with each other, identified and drew on each other`s strengths and came together as a cohesive whole, a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. They now have a common set of skills that can be used to their advantage as well as the advantage of the organisation.

Like an egg, training is versatile, yet it is an independent entity. The trainer is an autonomous person who is removed from the politics of an organisation. It is therefore easier for the training process to proceed smoothly according to the needs identified and, because the trainer is unbiased, there need be no fear of possible negative repercussions during or after the programme. An unbiased trainer is also more easily able to identify areas that need to be worked on and can facilitate open and honest communication during the training process.

There is so much human potential around us that is just waiting to be tapped. Each of us has a wealth of ideas and experiences that can enhance the way we live and work. Training is a way to ensure that we obtain optimal nutrition in our environments. With the right training, organisations no longer need to just to run in the rat race. They can fly.

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