We design training and development in such a way as to get the greatest return on your investment that is possible.  We work in partnership with you through a consultation to identify your needs, and to develop a strategy that meets your needs.

If specific skills and capabilities development is required, we work with you:

1. To identify your specific needs
2. To meet with the participants to customize the modules into a short-term session
3. To design a process that meets your need
4. To develop participant materials that can be used in the workplace
5. To develop a schedule for the process that meets participants' schedules
6. To facilitate the process through to action that participants can implement
7. To evaluate effectiveness of the process, both for participants and for meeting the need
8. To identify next steps

Marilyn Herasymowych worked with a cross-functional team in Workers' Compensation Board.

Marilyn met with the customer for several months to discuss the need from the customer's perspective.

Depending on the complexity of your need, these modules can be customized in several formats. Use the table below for comparisons of time commitment and results.

 

Presentation Length Options	Investment Level Indicator	Learning Skills Approach Indicator	Transformation Level Indicator
One- to two-hour Presentation	Low	Sense Making	Increased Awareness
Half-day Presentation	Low	Sense Making	New Points of View
One-day Session	Medium	Skills and Sense Making	New Points of View
Two- to three-day Course or Workshop	Medium	Skills and Sense Making	Transformations of Point of View
Four- to six-day Course, Workshop, or Program	High	Skills, Disposition, and Sense Making	Transformations of Point of View
Long-term Program (one to two years)	Very High	Skills, Disposition, and Sense Making	Transformations of Habits of Mind

Skills are the ability to use techniques, tools and strategies to carry out thinking and learning in your day-to-day work.

Disposition is the way in which you commit to thinking in your day-to-day work. For example, you can be disposes to being open-minded, or to seeking out evidence to analyze a situation.

Sense Making is the way in which you understand what an experience means to you personally in your day-to-day work. It is through sense making that you're able to remember and use your experiences.

Extra! Extra!
According to Yoram Harpaz and Gideon Vennor, there are three approaches to thinking and learning: skills, disposition,and understanding We have changed the term understanding to sense making, based onthe work of Karl Weick. Yoram Harpaz and Gideon Vennor work at the Branco Weiss Institute for the Development of Thinking, Jerusalem, Israel. These learning approaches are the way that they describe thinking and learning. Marilyn Herasymowych attended their presentation at the 1999 International Thinking Conference held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Increased Awareness: It doesn't take much time to increase awareness. For example, you've taken a course on gender differences, and you gain an increased awareness that there may be gender differences that are valid and scientifically based.

New Points of View: It takes a little more effort and time to develop a new point of view. For example, you've taken a course on gender differences, and your awareness is heightened. Now, when you talk with other people from the course, you discover that they, too, agree that gender differences are valid and scientifically based. You're starting to change or transform your poin of view. But you still don't change your actions based on this new information. What's changed is your openness to hearing and considering more information about gender differences.

Transformations of Point of View: It takes much more time to transform a point of view. For example, you've taken a course on gender differences, your awareness is heightened, and you're open to hearing and considering more information about gender differences. At home, you start to apply some of the techniques that you've learned. Surprise! Your actions are producing outstanding results with your spouse. This stuff works with your spouse. However, you've transformed only a point of view, not a habit of mind. This means that you think differently about how you approach your spouse, but you don't change your approach to others of the opposite gender.

Transformations of Habits of Mind: Transforming a habit of mind is profound change. This kind of transformation requires that you call into question your assumptions and beliefs. Profound change happens when you generalize your learning across an entire group. For example, you've taken a course on gender differences, your awareness is heightened, you're open to hearing and considering more information about gender differences, and you've applied your learning with your spouse and witnessed outstanding results. To transform your habit of mind, you need to change your beliefs about gender, not just about your spouse. When you do that, you have experienced a profound change, or a transformation of habit of mind. You can never again think about gender and act towards people of the opposite gender in the same way that you did before.

Extra! Extra!
According to Jack Mezirow, there are four levels of transformation. Jack Mezirow is a Professor Emeritus of Adult and Continuing Education, Columbia University, New York. Marilyn Herasymowych and Henry Senko attended his presentation at the 1999 International Thinking Conference, held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

 

Brain Research Topics and Modules Cognitive Science Food and Mood Mental Dynamics Think and Thrive Change Topics and Modules Dealing with resistance to change Defining change, what it takes to implement change, and learning interventions Managing the stress that accompanies change Managing the risk involved in change Managing transitions and developing exit strategies The Courage To Change: Dealing with Resistance To Change Coaching and Mentoring Topics and Modules Coaching an individual Coaching a team Mentoring Peer coaching Communication Topics and Modules Effective communication techniques Providing effective feedback Managing conflict Managing emotions Managing emotionally charged situations Consulting and Training Topics and Modules Consulting for organizational learning and change Designing effective instruction Process facilitation techniques Train-the-trainer Diversity Topics and Modules Corporate culture Gender Diversity Learning styles Personality styles Thinking styles Three cultures of an organization Working in teams Working in cross-functional teams Working across departments Leadership Topics and Modules Leadership Through Learning No Guts, No Glory! The Essence of Leadership Shared Leadership and Collective Intelligence Leadership in Action Learning and Learning Organizations Topics and Modules Action learning Action science Appreciative inquiry Complexity and chaos and their impact on change Global organizational learning theory and practice Individual learning The New Sciences and the Learning Organization Team learning Problem Solving Topics and Modules Action learning Action research Appreciative inquiry Critical thinking Strategic thinking Systems thinking Whole-Brain problem solving Strategic Alignment and Planning Topics and Modules Creating a vision Creating a purpose Creating guiding principles (core values) Strategic alignment Operational planning Work planning Individual work and performance planning Stress Topics and Modules Creating your future Taking control Thriving in times of stress