Promoting Within
When you promote someone to a leadership role - they know your history and culture and have a sense of loyalty to the organization that you won't find in an external hire.
You Need a Leadership Development Program that Starts at Day 1 - and here's why
We wait too long to start leadership development. A 2016 meta-analysis of leadership development programs determined that most leadership development begins at age 46 AND leadership development almost always begins after someone is appointed to a leadership role. That makes little sense. Wouldn't you rather have an employee that learns feedback skills or problem-solving or strategy at the start of their career, rather than at the end?
There are a number of other approaches to as-we-do-it-today leadership development that are illogical - here is a sampling, with the rationale for a "better way."
- Leadership development programs are generally short-term (one week, 10 months) and generic - leaving the individual to figure out how their new knowledge and skills apply to the work that they are doing.
- You want a development strategy that integrates work with learning and outputs.
- To be cost-effective, companies generally are selective about whom they will send through leadership development - sacrificing hundreds of capable individuals for the development of a few. Do you really want only a few people in your organization to be fully capable in their roles?
- When leadership skills are integrated with regular activities and duties – starting on day 1 – the costs are minimal and absorbed daily, you don't need a "special event."
- As leadership development is currently administered...ROI is iffy. If your organization has 15 individuals, in 10 different disciplines, who have gone through leadership development this year - how do you associate their output with the learning?
- When the learning process is integrated with every worker's role and responsibilities, you can easily connect output to increased knowledge and skill through various measure of productivity.
100% ROI
Whenever I ask business owners and managers this question they are always a bit dumbfounded at the logic of it: Would you rather increase the capabilities and competencies of 15% of your employees? Or raise 100% of your employee's skills by 15%?
If every employee made better decisions, took responsibility for problem-solving, communicated better with their colleagues and other departments, understood who their stakeholders were... and more "leadership skills"... the efficiency and productivity of your company would be boundless.
But that "training" needs to begin on the first day they walk in the door. Your company should have a 3- or 5- or 10-year plan for the development of every employee. It should include skills building in the role they were hired for as well as broader, more business-acumen topics like risk, finance, and strategy.
And most importantly - it should include exposure to all areas of the business. Too many poor decisions are made because HR doesn't understand Ops, or Marketing doesn't understand Finance. When individuals understand the "big picture" of how your company operates - and they make relationships with people in other functions - companies run more smoothly, efficiently, and profitably. But they need to develop those skills at the start of their career, not the end.
The Importance of Teaching Debate
Arguments can be deadly; debate notsomuch
Remember the Debate Club in high school? It was an excellent tool to help young people to start thinking critically about various issues and honing their communication skills to be able to intelligently articulate issues.
Debate requires someone to construct an argument. That argument can be pro or against, but it must incorporate research, analysis, reasoning, and sometimes synthesis and evaluation in order to establish and substantiate one's position.
Debate also requires the debater to master their content, to practice both listening and speaking skills in order to counter the opposing side, and to not only be able to verbalize but also to speak persuasively about their position. These skills are known on Bloom's Taxonomy as higher order thinking skills. Debate takes one beyond the ability to research and "know" information to the ability to construct something and do something with that information.
One of the reasons that I like to utilize debate in my training designs is because it helps people to understand how to deal with conflict in a constructive and measured way. Countering an opposing argument does not mean name calling, introducing distracting or off-topic issues, or simply blustering louder than one's opponent. That is an argument. Arguments are rarely constructive and lead to hurt feelings and opposing sides. I can't think of any appropriate situation - in the business world - where opposing sides is a good thing - especially if those two sides are within the same company.
Debate can be taught in a "learning experience," such as a classroom. This approach is often fabricated, however; for instance the instructor provides a topic or asks for one from the audience and it often is a topic that is already deemed to be controversial. Another approach would be to teach debate in the regular course of our workplace meetings. Rather than rushing to a conclusion about a topic, stop and ask the group "What are the opposing arguments for this idea / decision?" Encourage attendees to voice their concerns and their arguments in support of those concerns. This will teach your employees that debating is a normal and expected conversational process. Priming your employees to be accustomed to debating ensures they will be more comfortable voicing opposing viewpoints when decisions really matter.
Case Study: Wells Fargo - how long can you ignore ethics?
Here are some "interesting" facts as a result of Wells Fargo's abuse of customers:
- Fake accounts: 2 million +
- Fines: $185 Million
- Fired: 5300 managers
- Resigned: Two CEO's, John Stumpf and his successor Tim Sloan
- Legal fees: $40 – $50 million per quarter (gosh, if you only gave us that money for professional development - oh the places we could go!)
- Branch closings: 400 by 2019
So many questions! If you use this case study in a discussion with your leadership tip you'll contemplate questions such as:
Was it fair that 5000+ low-level managers were fired or should only the senior executives have been held accountable?
Warning signs – such as customers failing to fund the accounts they “recently opened” – were evident but ignored. What kinds of early warning systems are in place in your organization? How are they monitored?
You can access the complete case study - suitable for printing, here.
Top 8 (useful) Things I Learned in 2018
About two years ago I started keeping a Word document on mycomputer of Things I Learned. Irealized that I learn so many great things each week – that enrich my worklife, or make it easier – and often I forget them just as quickly as I learnedthem. To ensure that doesn’t happen toofrequently, I started keeping this document, parsed by month because I canoften remember when I learnedsomething, (such as, that webinar onLinkedIn I took back in the spring)even if the actual “what” has escaped me long ago.
One of the things I really love about the list is going back over it and refreshing my memory of great tips, tools and techniques I’ve learned in the last year. I often find myself saying, “Oh yeah! Why did I stop using / doing that?”
Here is my Top 8 list of things (culled from over 12 pages of stuff!)I learned in 2018 – I hope you get value from them as well.
- Google Forms – allows you to create all sorts of things like surveys and registration forms and then lets you put a URL to them in an email as a way to promote or invite. Also allows you to download responses in
an .xls format which is very useful. - Grouping in PowerPoint – I consider myself fairly adept at PowerPoint but just in the last year I learned that you can click on multiple elements (images, text boxes, etc.) by holding down CTRL and clicking each – to enable all the animations to occur at once. Goodbye “start with previous.” Such a time saver!
- Royalty free music from www.audiojungle.net and www.artlist.io – both allow you to search both by genre or mood, which is helpful. (Note: As a result, The Training Doctor has its own theme music now!)
- Free stock photos at https://Burst.shopify.com and https://Unsplash.com (with photo credit) - very edgy and engaging - useful for social media posts.
- Persona Generator – helps you to “nail down” who your buyer is so that you can craft advertising specific to that “individual.”
- The
center for American Progress www.americanprogress.org. Great articles andinsight / research on learning, K-12, post-secondary, etc. - When recording videos, add 2 – 3 seconds between concepts – it seems like an eternity to you but not to the listener and it is super helpful for editing (like adding a slide or image to support the concept).
- Trello.com – a project management tool (free) that works like my brain does (it’s very visual, allows you to make “notes” and move them around, assign to others, etc.).
Goodbye numerous Excel spreadsheets!
Top 7 Phrases Every Leader Should Have in His / Her Vocabulary
One of the problems with being a manager is that no oneteaches you to be a manager. Mostfolks who become managers do so because they are technically competent at whatthey do, and they get promoted. Therefore most managers are learning by trial and error and committingsome atrocities along the way, while learning.
In a (small) effort to stem the carnage, here is a list of 7phrase every manager should use liberally in their everyday conversations withemployees – and why.
Thank you
For a long time when I was a newmanager, my thinking was that I should intervene only if someone neededguidance / correction - otherwise they “knew” that no news was good news.WRONG. Not only is thanking someone for doing their job well, polite, it alsogoes a long way towards employee satisfaction and loyalty. Would you ratherwork for a boss that acknowledges your good work, or ignores it? No brainer.But it took MY brain a long time to figure that one out.
May I give you some feedback?
I learned this from a consultingclient who is still in my Top 3 of favorite clients, although we haven’t workedtogether in a dozen years. I think he is a favorite because of this verytechnique (and he’s funny, whichalways scores points with me). At thestart of our relationship he said “At times I’ll want to give you feedback andI’ll always ask your permission first, OK?” Well sure, who’s going to say no to that? So throughout our 4 or 5 yearsof working together he often asked, “May I give you some feedback?” to which,again, I always said yes. What I thought was remarkable about the technique wasthat after a while, it went both ways. Because he had garnered so much respectfrom me by using this technique, I eventually returned the favor by offeringhim feedback when I felt he could benefit from it. And of course, by asking first“May I give you some feedback?”
Walk me through your thinking...
Part of being a leader / manageris helping your employees to grow in their capabilities. No one becomes morecapable if you simply issue commands at them and expect them to comply. Youneed to give employees some autonomy to make decisions and take the lead intheir work. But of course, making decisions can lead to making mistakes. Ratherthan berating or correcting, asking the employee to “walk me through yourthinking,” helps you to realize why they thought it was a good decision andthen allows you to correct that thinking so that they are better informed inthe future. (WHY did you do that?! issimilar, but more aggressive and less open-ended.)
What else?
This phrase is a good one to usein tandem with the one above. When conversing with employees, they may believethey are taking up your valuable time or abbreviating what they aretransmitting to you because they think, of course you know the preamble, theywill just get you to the “point.” Asking “what else” shows that you have thetime to hear them out and – more importantly – gets them to delve deeper in totheir thinking and rationale. In mymind, asking “what else” is a lot like a psychologist asking “and how did thatmake you feel?” – it makes the employee pause and go deeper in their thinking.
In my experience...
Sometimes managers areknow-it-alls – do it my way because I’ve been on this job for 15 years and knowwhat’s best. But of course, that doesn’t help your employees to understand the“why” behind the directive and also doesn’t endear them to you. A simple change in phrasing gets to the sameend-point but in a more collaborative and supportive way. Rather than issuing acommand, simply deliver the same information with the preamble, “In my experience…”
For example, rather than telling anew salesperson “Never interrupt the customer,” you’ll say, “In my experience,when the customer is interrupted, they either don’t care to share the rest oftheir story or they start the whole story all over again – neither of whichhelps us to move the sale along.”
How can I help?
As mentioned a few times now, as amanager it is your job to grow the capabilities of your employees. When yougive them autonomy and enable them to make decisions they oftentimes will fearthat asking for help means you were wrong about them – that they really aren’tready for the responsibilities you’ve given them. It’s important to proactivelyask “how can I help?” which opens the door for them to share where (or why)they are stalled. This is a much smarter behavior (on your part) than waitingfor the individual to fail and then asking “What went wrong?”
What’s working?
Much like phrase #1 – saying Thank You – asking “what’s working?” focuseson the positive and helps you to understand what your employee appreciates orenjoys about their job. Again, because employees are often afraid of violatingyour valuable time, they will only come to you in “dire” circumstances – whenthey need help or there is a problem; but you want to hear about the wholeperson and everything that is going well in their job. This helps you toidentify their strengths and interests which allows you to develop them inareas where they will be successful.
These7 tips will make your job as a manager somuch easier, by opening up the lines of communication and adding positivity tothe workplace. You will reap long-termrewards by being a manager who shows respect and is respected by theiremployees.
Activities to Boost Creative Thinking
Creative thinking is something we usually squash down in corporate America – you get more done if you keep your head down and follow the established path.
But creative thinking is how we come up with new and better ways of doing our work. Here are 3 exercises to enable you to think in more creative ways. You can use them alone or with your team.
✔ 21 What Ifs
Writing is something I do on a daily basis, so writer’s block comes with the territory. When you find yourself blocked or at an impasse in your work, let go of “rules” or “outcomes” and brainstorm 21 What Ifs? It will get your creative juices flowing again and often you’ll find the “answer” you were looking for.
✔ 21 What Ifs?
For example: I am trying to find a descriptive and compelling title for my podcast…
What if it were for children?
What if it were for aliens?
What if it was something grown / farmed?
What if it were a color?
What if people said it to invite someone else to marry them?
What if it were something you could buy at a store?
What if it had a taste?
✔ Explore Analogous Fields
On your way home from work tonight, look at the businesses along your drive / route and just pick one randomly – fast food, nursery, car repair, gym, florist – then go home and write a list of 10 ways this company is just like yours. Then do the reverse - 10 ways it is entirely different from yours. (In a thinking curriculum [with a group], we’d do this in a different way, but this is a great solo activity that gets largely the same results.) We tend to think we are so special, so specialized, that we miss out on great opportunities by NOT looking beyond the end of our nose.
Alternatives of the exercise include:
10 ways your skills could improve the (observed) company
10 ways your skills could put the (observed) company out of business
10 one-to-one comparisons of your skills and the (observed) business, such as: my skill in making cold calls is like a growing plant in that…
✔ Stop Being so Literal
There are many objects in our daily life which we know the function of and that saves us a lot of time and has a lot of utility. We don’t pick up a pen each day and ask “What the heck is this? What does it do?” BUT that focus on the literal can also be a hindrance to our seeing possibilities.
A pen can also be a lever, an easel, a plug for a hole, used as a utensil, and so much more.
As a way to get creative juices going, alone or with your team, randomly choose an object from your desk or surroundings and imagine other uses for it. If you’re working on a new project, stop and ask, “Why are we going down this path? Is there another, alternative, path? Are there dual paths? Once we get to the end, is there more than one way to monetize or utilize that end?”
Examples:
Post it notes were invented as a byproduct of trying to develop a stronger industrial glue.
Slinkys (the toy) were invented as a byproduct of developing industrial springs.
So stop being so literal and look for the possibilities.
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Originally published on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/activities-boost-creative-thinking-nanette-miner-ed-d-/?published=t
Missing Leadership Skill: Conflict Management
One of the things we DON'T teach our future leaders:
✔ Conflict Management
Conflict management is a skill that all up-and-coming leaders should learn. Some research suggests that 25% of a manager’s day is spent managing conflict.
Most people are intimidated by conflict, expecting that it always involves anger and a win-lose outcome. But conflict is an amazingly helpful and enlightening
There are 5 basic conflict management practices, but the
Conflict management skills involved many soft skills including questioning, listening, empathy, assertiveness, problem-solving, creativity, negotiation, and more.
The most succinct piece of conflict management advice is this: Don’t say no. Instead, say: Tell me more, or What can you share to help us understand that?
Remember: “we all want the best outcome.”
Is it Worthwhile to Learn a Useless Skill?
A few months ago I was facilitating a conversation with a group of CLOs (Chief Learning Officers) and two got in to an almost-heated discussion about the "worthiness" of learning to drive a stick-shift vehicle. The conversation started around the premise of the demise of thinking skills and one attendee postulated that society's ability to think for itself has been comprised by things that make life easier and allow us to be on "auto-pilot." The example he gave was of his son who was just learning to drive and refused to learn to drive a stick shift. The son's argument was that it was a useless skill. In fact, he argued that learning to drive at all might be a useless skill given the numerous alternatives (right now limited to on-demand car services, but soon to be enhanced by self-driving and autonomous vehicles).
When my children were in elementary school we lost power one day. My daughter looked at the microwave and stove and finally asked "what time is it?" I slowly and incredulously pointed to the clock on the wall, over my head, and she said "I don't know how to tell time on that." Did she think it was hanging there as decor, I wonder? There is one "level" of utility in knowing it is 2:10, but an entirely different level of utility in knowing where 2:10 occurs in the "space" of a 12-hour time-frame. (And also, how is it possible I didn't teach her to read a clock?!)
One of my own favorite articles is one I wrote a few years ago about the over-reliance (in my opinion) on GPS devises and how they not only can get you in to trouble (go ahead and Google "GPS Fail") but also how they are a great example of how people are developing an inability to think. Personally, I have a certain level of self-confidence because I can read a map but... do they make maps anymore? And if yes, why? Maps have gone the way of the Encyclopedia Britannica, have they not? By the time they are published they are obsolete, and they don't provide the "added value" of alerting you to a traffic-jam up ahead. So perhaps the key word here is obsolete.
"Useless" might be a matter of personal need but obsolete changes the need to learn. Recently I was talking with another consultant about this idea and he suggested that a skill is not useless if the learning is transferable. He offered up the example of learning Latin - even though no one speaks it - as helpful in understanding grammar and other languages. So perhaps learning to drive a stick-shift is important in understanding how an engine works, and reading a map is useful in understanding space and time and distance. But parallel parking will become obsolete soon (some vehicle manufacturers are already making cars that can do the job for you) as will thousands of other skills replaced by technology or artificial intelligence.
So I'm putting it out there for discussion: Is it worthwhile to learn a skill that is useless at face-value but may hold the key to deeper understanding in other areas?
Are you smarter than a six year old? Maybe not.
are you smarter than a six year old?
When my daughter was six years old, she was railing against me for some reason or another and, in conclusion, she proclaimed that she was smarter than me. My mother-in-law, who was with us, chuckled and said, "I don't think so, honey." Well, it turns out the six year old may have been right!
Crystallized and Fluid Intelligence
According to the Cattell-Horn theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence, intelligence is composed of different abilities that work together to produce overall individual intelligence.
Gf - known as fluid intelligence, is characterized as the ability to deal with novel intellectual problems - which is something that children are particularly good at, since everything is new to them.
Gc - known as crystallized intelligence, is the ability to use things you already know, to solve for things you haven't previously encountered - something that adults can do with their years of experience and learning.
The ability to "reason" is considered to be a characteristic of fluid intelligence because reasoning can be applied to (almost) any problem. You would think it would be characteristic of crystallized intelligence because one is capable of reasoning due to the quantities of "known information" one can relate the new dilemma to. But you would be wrong. Fluid intelligence helps us to be capable of reasoning, analyzing and solving problems precisely because we cannot rely on preexisting knowledge (a 'la children). We have to "think it through.
"Warning!Fluid intelligence diminishes as we get older. This is probably why grandparents always think their grandchildren are "so smart!" It's because the young'un is using their reasoning skills to figure out new things every day. That is an amazing thing to see happen right before your eyes.
On the other hand, crystallized intelligence continues to grow as we get older and have a broader range of experiences and learning opportunities to draw upon. Crystallized intelligence is a measure of the knowledge, understanding, and abilities we have already acquired. Which is why, by the time we are in our 20's, we never run with scissors (most of us, anyway).
Fluid and crystallized intelligence can work together to help you be a better thinker. Together they give you the breadth of knowledge you need, as well as the open-mindedness required to decipher complex and unknown situations.
To achieve "optimal thinking ability," you have to keep nurturing your fluid intelligence as you get older. According to author Mike Clayton, "It takes wisdom to understand how to deal with situations where the rules no longer apply, in complex, evolving domains, where the patterns are subtle and new;" and to grow wisdom you need to maintain your fluid intelligence.
So, in fact, your six year old may be smarter than you are (today).
Thinking Skills and Teaming Skills go Hand-in-Hand
The sheer complexity of business today means that no one person can know it all or be in command of it all. With the global marketplace, the importance and reliance on technology, and the imperative for innovation, cross-functional teams are the only way to develop viable business solutions. Learning to be a contributing member of a team is so critical that Carter Cast, former CEO of Walmart.com, deems it one of only two reasons for career derailment - the other being a lack of self-awareness.
There is a misguided assumption that teaming comes naturally.
Oftentimes organizations provide team building events, such as experiential activities (rope climbing) or retreats (three days off-site) which are designed to enhance interpersonal relationships. But these types of events are not related to the work itself.
Teaching individuals how to work together as a team is a different outcome (see Team Capabilities, below) and requires learning team skills in the context of conducting team work. Being a contributing member of a team is as much about the personal contribution of one's role, as the functional role.
The capabilities listed below don't come together overnight. They require multiple exposures to team assignments and projects, and to be truly successful they require an understanding of the various functions of a business and how each contributes to the overall organization. This is just a short list - you can find the full list in the Future-Proofing book. Collaboration and Cooperation - knowing how your work fits in to the larger-whole means you make decisions based on the impact to others / the organization.
Communication - expressing ideas as well as feelings AND being open to receiving communication demonstrates the ability to "make sense" of information and people.
Sharing credit - being able to share credit demonstrates an ability to see one's role in perspective and demonstrates leadership.
Promoting understanding - being open to new or conflicting ideas, asking for more information, allowing "unpopular" sentiment to be heard and valued all stretch one's thinking abilities,
Appreciating diversity - well-developed thinkers appreciate that almost everything can be seen from multiple angles and that more diverse ideas bring about better outcomes.
Moderating conflict - the ability to resolve conflict without anger or resentment demonstrates a mature thought process and commitment to the greater good.
Putting a group of people together does not make them "a team." Teaming skills are developed through the give and take of team-related work over the course of months and sometimes years.
Mentoring as a Leadership Development Tool
Too often companies see mentoring as a “program” that takes away from the “business” of making money. It’s another thing “to do” on one’s already packed list of action items. BUT when done as a normal course of business, it’s not onerous and pays back exponentially.
In fact, a recent study found that 58% of new-hires who had been assigned mentors felt valued by their immediate manager and 68% felt more valued by the organization.
It’s natural to assume that the mentee gains the most benefit from the mentoring relationship since they are the recipient of new knowledge and skills, but in fact benefits abound - to the mentee, the mentor, and the organization itself.
Mentees
Mentees benefit immediately from higher performance and productivity, increased job satisfaction, higher morale, increased visibility with people in higher levels and more insight into a career path. In the long-term, the mentee benefits from having a non-judgmental and unbiased champion in their corner. They get candid feedback without repercussions, insight in to the workings of the organization, and personalized guidance regarding the skills they should develop or the choices they could make to further their career.
Mentors
Mentors also report increased job satisfaction because they feel valued and are able to give back to their organization. Additionally a mentor benefits from fresh perspectives due to new relationships and develops their own leadership skills.
The Organization
Benefits to the organization include enhanced teamwork, communication across vertical and horizontal boundaries, an efficient transmission of knowledge and skills, stronger organizational culture, and being seen as an employer of choice.
Here is an idea for establishing an
absolutely free
mentoring program at your company:
A mentor asks high-gain questions, gives constructive feedback, and helps the more junior associate to recognize and capitalize on their strengths and weaknesses - that's a pretty simple “task” to accomplish over lunch.
Why not monthly mentor lunches? Instead of sitting with one’s normal group of friends at lunch, at least once a month a junior person and more senior person meet up in the cafeteria for lunch. (Twice a month would be ideal.)
Maybe once a year the company can buy the lunch as a reward for those pairs that have continued their relationship throughout the year. A public “mentor appreciation day” will get attention from those not participating - and encourage more participation!
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By building relationships and networks within the organization, mentoring strongly impacts retention. An organization that utilizes mentoring is preparing for the future of its people as well as the organization as a whole.
FREE Developmental Assessments
Self Management is Key to Leadership Development
One of the hallmarks of a good leader is the ability to "manage" oneself. In other words - stay grounded, communicate well, use emotion in a positive way, etc. Unfortunately most folks learn self management skills through trial and error - sometimes through life changing and career ending moves, such as Carter Cast's. But it doesn't have to be that way. Developing self awareness can be achieved through various assessments to help one to identify their values, their tendencies and their strengths - in order to mitigate or improve upon them. Here are a few FREE assessments to get you started.
Managing Stress and Burnout
Gretchen Rubin researches what makes people tick, and is a prolific author of her findings. Her assessment The 4 Tendencies helps individuals to understand how they respond to expectations. It explains why we act and why we don't act; and is helpful in managing stress and burnout.
Capitalize on Your Strengths
The High5Test is part Clifton Strengths (formerly Strengths Finder) and part Values in Action. Both assessments, as well as the High5, seek to determine what one is good at and then lead individuals to capitalize on and develop what it is they do well, rather than struggle trying to improve in areas they are weak.
What are your Character Strengths?
Developed by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman in 2004, the Values in Action assessment (VIA) seeks to identify one's character strengths. You'll see results in domains such as Wisdom, Tenacity, Courage, Temperance, and more.It is one of the most well-researched personality assessments holding validity over time, cultures and scientific peer review. The website offers two assessments - one personal, to develop self-knowledge and introspection, and one professional, to help you to bring out the best in others.
Core Values / How You View the World
The Core Values Index (CVI) from Taylor Protocols helps individuals to understand the unique perspective from which they view the world. From that they are able to extrapolate how they will respond to life's challenges. Directed inward, the CVI helps an individual to make choices that align with their core values - leading to a sense of mission, purpose, and self-confidence.
Who "Gets" Leadership Development?
Why Not Everyone?
A question we are frequently asked - and frequently wrestle with in conjunction with new clients is - who "gets" to attend thinking skills / leadership development? It's a tough question to answer because on the one hand, the logical answer is "everyone." Why wouldn't you want everyone in the organization to work smarter, make good decisions, understand the vision and mission of your organization, etc.? On the other hand, unless you are a small company of 150 people or less, that would be a prohibitively expensive endeavor. So the tough question is - how do we make the cut? Who makes the cut? Here are some "arguments" - none is "the best."
Argument #1
As stated in the headline - why not everyone? Simple things - not full blown curriculums - could be enmeshed in everyday work responsibilities (much like Google's now defunct 20% time). Sending a business / industry article out each week via email, or leaving copies of it on the lunch tables, can help to ensure everyone has the same industry knowledge. By leaving articles on the lunch tables, spontaneous discussions can begin about the content and merits of the article. Managers can hold short, 20 minute, meetings two days after the articles are issued asking for feedback or questions about the article.
To help managers, the department that issues the article can include 3 or 4 discussion questions they'd like the employees to focus on. This article sharing can be rotated throughout the organization. Much like "it's your week for carpool," it could be "your week for article sharing."
Let's say your company works in manufacturing or healthcare - while there are plenty of articles about the industry itself, there are department-specific articles as well - manufacturing operations, healthcare marketing, etc.
This is just one small and easily do-able activity that can be rolled out throughout the organization. Why not increase the knowledge and capabilities of all your employees?
Argument #2
Focus on leaders in the organization. We've spent so many years making individuals experts (through training) in their fields that they often don't have a big picture view of their organization or their role. Sales Managers often don't appreciate the need for profitability which is a finance-department focus. Charge nurses often don't appreciate customer service which is an operations (and accreditation) focus. By directly impacting the thinking skills and thereby the leadership skills of leaders in an organization there will be an immediate and beneficial impact on the departments that they run and the individuals that they manage.
Argument #3
Include all new hires - starting now. If everyone who joins your organization is indoctrinated into a thinking curriculum from day one, they will grow in to your (smartest) future leaders. Over a planned development process of 3 years, 5 years, or 20 years, you will have an organization chock-full of individuals who not only understand how the organization is run (because they will have had linear exposure to the organization), but they will also be knowledgeable and skilled in critical business topics such as communication, teamwork, risk management, continuous improvement, fiscal management and much, much more.
Because they have been brought-up in cohorts (The Training Doctor's branded design), they will have relationships and the ability to communicate with other departments and individuals in other disciplines.
The choice for every individual company will be different. Increase everyone's skills just a little bit? Deep dive for leaders who will return the most immediate ROI? Or plan a long-tail approach to enmesh employees in "lifetime" development to create a leadership pipeline?