Twenty Sixteen - See A Need, Fill A Need

Here is me introducing to you my mini weekly learning series on speaking fluent English. This is my first version that I actually used in my train the trainer certification evaluation. As a Workplace Trainer cum Training Executive cum HR Generalist, I am expected to analyze, plan and execute training road-map for year twenty sixteen..well every year technically. 

Before I jump into the juicy details of my English program, let me share with you a little something that I do at Penchem Technologies as a HR/Training Executive. The first and foremost thing that any organization need is a game plan to ensure employees hired a very well equipped with a set of competencies that are required to perform current job and future expansions. These competencies can than be broken down in to several categories than clustered into pillars. 

A good competency model will and should cover competencies required by the organization, moving down to functional level and a good set of leadership competencies to grow both employee's expertise and  address organization/job requirements. 

The above framework is derived form Schoonover Associate - Competency Framework.

Always understand the whole organization needs prior to building up any model. The next step that needs to be done is clustering all these needs and requirements into several pillars. 

Here comes the HOW(s) .... :

Step 1 : 

Conduct an analysis to understand organization, functional and leaderships needs

Step 2 : 

Map & tabulate the findings into a flexible matrix that can grow, flex and shrink as needed by the organization and job functions 

Step 3:  

Bridge the gaps addressed in the matrix and build individual development plan for each employee

Now the WHY(s)

Competency/Skill Matrix is a powerful and a versatile tool. It can be used as a self development plan to bridge skill gaps for current and future job needs and some organization even uses individual competency matrix as an assessment tool during Performance Appraisal (PA).

Post analysis, comes the annual training road-map planning. Since we have just deployed an up and running competency framework at my workplace, I am now swamped with not only planning but also designing and delivering in-house training to full-fill our core competencies.  I must say that these processes are adapted from my learnings and experiences gained in my former company. Happy to know that my learnings are put to good use in an organization that well deserves it.

Communication is my forte and I have never gotten bored teaching English for all types of learners. So here I am sharing with you, my learning series that I am about to introduce after Chinese New Year at my workplace. This is the first module in the spoken English series, the program is aimed to enable the participants to communicate clearly and effectively in English.

The End 

Por Favor - Excuse me, but what are you saying?

Often wounder why the simplest of message can be misconstrued? At times you can save the trouble and conveniently blame the surroundings for it. Yes, you heard me right. Our surrounding plays a vital role in enabling us to understand a message better, in simple terms communicate better. Even  your gender plays an elaborate role in communication. Let's look at some surprising but common communication barriers that you and I face on a daily basis. 

Emotions  

We human are highly influenced by our emotions. Our emotions will influence the way we send and receive a message. A happy heart makes you communicate well and makes the receiving easier. Everything will sound nice and proper as oppose to an upset or stressed feeling.

Solution: 

•  Have a clear mind while communicating, list down your points clearly and run thru to see if it makes sense.

• Choose words that are crisp and not offensive as you may not know the recipient mind state. 

• Control your emotions while communicating elements that may strike anger or grievances. 
  Pause and compose your thoughts should you feel like having an emotional burst/ melt down

These barrier can be minimized if you are able to communicate face to face, where you are fully aware of yours and recipients mind state.  

Physical Disability 

Physical disability is a greater barrier when it comes to communicating. Thankfully we have more means of communication this era.

Solution: 

• Always know your audience and check if they have special needs

• Choose the most suitable means.mode of communication to get the message across

Language

I have the worst of experience when in comes to communicating with people who are not familiar with a common language. It takes hours and hours to get a simple message across.... I have just animated & exaggerated the whole situation.

Well, with the modern technology we can always find means to translate the words or worst case communicate thru showing of picture. 

Culture

Being a Malaysian I am sure we are exposed to mainly 3 cultures of our nation. We often understand thing just a little bit  different than the others around us. Cultural norms will influence the way we talk, think and react. When we see similarities we are able to communicate better.

It takes a little effort to understand another's culture and plan out the communication to suit their understanding. Technology is once again the best teacher to all of us, we can read and watch videos about people, places and their culture.

Lack of Concentration 

Even the best of pre-planning and preparation will not work if we lack concentration. Engagement or engaging your recipient is another critical skill one needs to acquire. Speaking with proper modulation will help get the message across. Tuning the mind and  paying more attention will be another thing both sender and recipient can exercise to reach assertiveness.

Gender

Men generally listen better when a women speak. It is defiantly the work of the pheromones, forms the magnetic attraction towards the opposite gender. Choosing the right words will ease the communication process when it comes to dealing with the battle of sexes. 

What I Say, Isn't Always What You Hear

How often do we take the process of conveying an idea across for granted? Ideas are now being transmitted via internet and social media in split seconds. Can you recall those embarrassing moments when the auto correct or dictionary on your smart devices spelled out words that you would have never intend to say? Well...don't we all brush these silly mistakes aside and once again get busy clicking and tapping away.

When things taken for granted forms a habit, it gives birth to communication mishaps, Communication on the other hand may seem like a long word to many of us. Some may even feel bombarded with the terms like "Effective Communication" and "Workplace Communication". Now let's take things up to the next level people; how about "Critical Communication"?......I sense long pauses.

I so know that I have stirred some chaos in your ever challenging life. I am not here to make things worst my friends, perhaps let me shed some light on just a thing or two you and I do daily - communicate.

We all are well aware of the fact that, communication is always 2 ways. When a message is encoded to be delivered it must be decoded by the receiving party on the other end. Nowadays our receiving party may even share what was communicated to extended recipients. 

Below is a very basic communication model/process:

The Communication Process

icon source :  https://www.cirriusimpact.com

Let me breakdown this process a little further for your understanding, a typical communication process has not 1, not 2 but 7 major elements. 

We have the:

1. Sender - A person that intends to convey a message

2. Encoding - Conversion of subject matter into symbols, words, action or picture etc.

3. Message - Idea/subject matter (opinion,feeling,attitude,directions or suggestion etc.)

4. Communication Channels - mode/channels the subject matter is transmitted 

5. Receiver - A person that receives the intended message

6. Decoding - the action of converting the message in the best form intended

7. Feedback - A reinforcement process to indicate message conveyed was well received. 

Notice, there is something special about encoding and decoding. When a message is sent it gets encoded by the sender and decoded by the receiver. When the receiver gives feedback, the feedback now gets encoded on the receiver's end and decoded on the sender's end.

Ever wondered, why at times this simple yet dynamic process may not give us the end results that we wanted? The simple answer to this are the noise that occur during the transmission - while communicating. In my next post, we will look at some of the common barriers (noises) in communication. Stay tuned :)

The Communication Process

icon source : https://www.cirriusimpact.com

PSMB Certified Trainer I Am

With every ounce of excitement in my body, I am proud to announce that I am a PSMB/HRD Certified Trainer. A celebration is in due, now...How shall I reward myself? A nice treat of Hagen Daz is something I well deserve and of course I will exercise caution prior,while and after consumption.

Sealing a deal with something sweet is defiantly my way of cherishing a dream come true. Thanks to my current employer I am now a certified trainer. Along the way of being a workplace trainer, I came to realize that certification is also needed to qualify ones training competencies apart from experience.

 It was the best 5 days of my life for this quarter.  The journey in becoming a certified trainer was nothing but pure hard work, idea generation, sharing of experiences and was all about having fun. I met executives from various backgrounds and industries We are now one big happy family of trainers, awaiting to embark our journey as Trainers.

The course is know as Train the Trainer  - Certification in Training by PSMB/HRD and the training was conducted by IRS Training (http://www.irs-training.com/). This 5 day journey was very pleasantly facilitated by Mr.Alex Wong, the one in the Pink Shirt (in the pic below). The course was pretty intense as we had to learn not only the "mojos" of being a competent trainer but also tools and theories involved in being one.

Being a trainer in not limited to knowing your audiences, building a comprehensive course structure and reinforcing the learning. It is knowing, understanding and being competent in understanding an organization's structure, training and non-training skill/competencies gaps and providing customized solution to cater dynamic business needs.

I have said a whole mouthful of words, do you now get the picture folks? When I say it was "INTENSE" you just got to take my words for it...... the intensity did not stop there, we had series of assignments aligned carefully after every module. The hand writing was put to test and boy, did I hate my own writing....I sure did, they were hideous beyond imaginary. Yet another participant wanted to copy down my notes.

Here is us being serious.....

One for the Album.....All Smiles

From Left Standing: Ramesh, Wazir, Teoh, Farizan, Maslinda, Me, Ooi@Ocean, Azahar, Law & Wong

From Left Seating: Shafiq, Darma, Alex Wong & Rudy Sim

My favorite part of the learning was all the knowledge and experience sharing from these beautiful team of executives and not forgetting our dear trainer too.

I am now well aware of the sectors or shall I say the areas that organizations/industries like Banking, IT, Manufacturing and Sales put their focus on.

Well, If you have the time to read a little bit more, proceed to the link below: 

These are 2 blogs that nurtures open learning; where you get to learn at your own pace for free.

Is one way of giving back to the community, I feel we will be needing more blogs like this :)

How to be an Engaging Leader by Sir Alex Wong:

http://howtobeanengagingleader.blogspot.com

Open Learning - Experience Online Learning the Social Way

https://www.openlearning.com/

Enjoy reading :)