(CLP) Programs

Appleton Greene corporate training programs are all process-driven. They are used as vehicles to implement tangible business processes within clients’ organizations, together with training, support and facilitation during the use of these processes. Corporate training programs are therefore implemented over a sustainable period of time, that is to say, between 1 year (incorporating 12 monthly workshops), and 4 years (incorporating 48 monthly workshops). Your program information guide will specify how long each program takes to complete. Each monthly workshop takes 6 hours to implement and can be undertaken either on the client’s premises, an Appleton Greene serviced office, or online via the internet. This enables clients to implement each part of their business process, before moving onto the next stage of the program and enables employees to plan their study time around their current work commitments. The result is far greater program benefit, over a more sustainable period of time and a significantly improved return on investment.

Appleton Greene uses standard and bespoke corporate training programs as vessels to transfer business process improvement knowledge into the heart of our clients’ organizations. Each individual program focuses upon the implementation of a specific business process, which enables clients to easily quantify their return on investment. There are hundreds of established Appleton Greene corporate training products now available to clients within customer services, e-business, finance, globalization, human resources, information technology, legal, management, marketing and production. It does not matter whether a client’s employees are located within one office, or an unlimited number of international offices, we can still bring them together to learn and implement specific business processes collectively. Our approach to global localization enables us to provide clients with a truly international service with that all important personal touch. Appleton Greene corporate training programs can be provided virtually or locally and they are all unique in that they individually focus upon a specific business function. All (CLP) programs are implemented over a sustainable period of time, usually between 1-4 years, incorporating 12-48 monthly workshops and professional support is consistently provided during this time by qualified learning providers and where appropriate, by Accredited Consultants.

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Executive summary

Emotional Intelligence

History

This course utilizes the concepts of the latest learning theory and how to design and deliver learning that sticks and creates fundamental changes in the learner. The history of learning theory has come a long way and through research, we know what works and what doesn’t. Traditional lecture and classroom are ineffective in creating changes in behavior. The latest theories and research include gamification, applied improvisation, activity-based learning, storytelling, and coaching.

Most technical industries and business sectors have traditionally been transaction oriented, and the people side of business was not a priority. Emotional intelligence and all the critical people skills, especially for technical industries, was seen as something that would be nice to have, but not necessary to conduct your day-to-day business. This attitude was true across most industries and most positions except for sales and some other positions that include direct interactions with clients. The modules in this course not only address emotional intelligence and of the critical people skills, but we also include modules that specifically address many industry issues such as safety, workforce development, and diversity and inclusion. These modules have been developed and refined over the past 20 years. It is important to focus on what works and what doesn’t work concerning shifting people’s behavior to be better with themselves and their connections to others. When one cultivates personal mastery and how to reach peak levels of mental, physical, and emotional performance, every company and industry benefits.

The concept and implementation of Emotional Intelligence (EI) has come a long way. From the initial media storm from Daniel Goleman’s book, Emotional Intelligence in 1995, there has been much discussion and much research on emotional intelligence and the positive impact it can have on companies and employees. There are many studies that support how a focus on emotional intelligence contributes to greater bottom line, business results.

This training program starts with a foundation of Emotional Intelligence (EI). This includes emotional and physical evaluation based on physical symptoms that will give the learner a good picture of where they are emotionally and how their body is performing. Then, they will go through an analysis and development process with our EI Roadmap, a workbook that analyzes evaluations and goals to create detailed development plans. It also builds in measurement and accountability. The development activities for the plans are included in our EI Activity Guide which contains daily application exercises, long term exercises, written and performance materials, television and movies, apps, websites, and inspirational quotes.

The foundation for the emotional intelligence part of this training is Multi-Health Systems’ EQi 2.0, of one of the most widely used emotional intelligence evaluations on the planet. It is based on decades of research and is a validated, psychometric instrument. We have modeled our Ghyst EI test after this test, which was co-developed with Dennis Ghyst. He has a PhD in Sociology.

Here is a summary of the 12 modules for the Personal Leadership course:

1. Emotional Intelligence

This foundational module provides an intense focus on the concept of emotional intelligence. We examine this concept’s importance, how it is measured, how it can be improved, and the powerful results it has on successful projects and your company’s bottom line. Enlightening and entertaining, this program shows participants their emotional profile and how to improve the areas that will benefit them the most.

2. Relationship Skills

This module takes participants through each step of how to create and maintain positive business relationships. Participants will learn every aspect of effective communication from ways to introduce themselves, to that crucial first handshake. We cover valuable techniques such as how to remember names and the art of following up. This program is a must for anyone who wants to learn how to effectively network and forge relationships that will help create and drive future business.

3. Killer Communication

Through this module, participants gain the essential basics of powerful and effective communication. They will learn the pitfalls of communication and how to communicate clearly. Participants will reap the benefits of effective communication and learn how to motivate and persuade others without resorting to the traditional command and control approach.

4. Powerful Presentations

This module shows participants how their body, face, voice, movement, status, and energy affect an audience. They will learn how to use these factors to create more effective, memorable presentations and increase their effectiveness with one-on-one encounters. This course also examines the power of storytelling, the use of metaphors, the basics of rhetoric (creating powerful argumentation), and the use of status. This course goes far beyond learning to create inspiring speeches. It will give participants the tools to create a powerful presence so that they can have more influence on their projects and work environments.

5. Time Management

This module explores time management using lean principles. Participants quickly learn that it has very little to do with time. We start with examining the big picture and long-term goals, then drill down, giving students powerful methods to handle all the things that enter their world. We look at how to eliminate waste and how to handle time wasters such as emails, phone calls, drop-in visitors, and meetings. We also talk about the biggest time waster on the planet and how to avoid it.

6. Stress Management

In this module, participants will discover the powerful impact stress and burnout have on precision and decision-making. We teach you how to identify and combat stress triggers before they manifest in the form of low productivity, absenteeism, and illness. In addition, participants will learn to use powerful recovery techniques to create a healthy work environment and increase performance, energy, and productivity.

7. Creative Innovation

Technical construction people and creative thinking don’t often go hand-in-hand, but they should. Creative thinking is essential to fostering innovation and leadership in every business. This is how companies will be able to face tomorrow’s industry challenges. Through the use of hands-on exercises and improvisational storytelling, we help teach technical-minded professionals how to improve the creative thought process in themselves and their companies and improve their leadership skills. We also cover a problem solving/design methodology from the Stanford “D” School that will enable companies to easily solve the toughest problems. This module is designed for any company that desires to inspire innovation and stay ahead of the curve in a competitive marketplace.

8. Diversity Inclusion

We start with an exploration of bias, then build a business case for diversity and inclusion and offer many ideas and step-by-step processes to create a culture of belonging, inclusion, and diversity in your company and on your projects.

9. EI Marketing

Can your business sustain itself by competing on price alone? Have you cut your overhead and profit down to next to nothing and still find it hard to compete? Find out how to differentiate your company through creating a positive emotional experience instead of a reliable transaction. Find out how to tap into the intangible, emotional side of business to make your company stand out. Find out how to increase business opportunities without cutting cost. Look at case studies where companies have implemented emotional intelligence principles as a strategic initiative to improve business. You will leave with not only the principles, but also practical ideas to implement the very next day!

10. Primal Safety

This module caters to the “highly independent” alpha males in technical industries. We demonstrate how a simple focus on emotional competencies can turn your safety program around. By tapping into the emotional part of safety, your employees will naturally work safer, instead of rebelling against rules and policies. The business will reap the financial benefit of them doing so, allowing the company to build a well-respected reputation around this increasingly important metric. The issue isn’t about your people knowing the safety guidelines; it’s about being motivated to follow them. This program provides that motivation.

11. Workforce Development

You’re probably already experiencing a workforce shortage both with frontline workers and management. How do you compete? What keeps people happy and motivated? What makes prospective employees choose your company over other companies? What makes employees choose to stay rather than leave? We are in the middle of a workforce crisis. How do you attract and retain the very best people? This module explores practical ways to attract and retain the very best people and give you practical ideas to implement immediately.

12. Team Performance

This module walks through a step-by-step process that creates high performing teams no matter what the application. From managing projects to production lines to patient care teams, everyone will learn how to not only be a good team member but allow everyone to work to their peak level of mental, physical and emotional performance. The impact of these programs spans the globe to 20 countries from the US to places such as New York, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Cape Town, Helsinki, Buenos Aires, Moscow, Prague, London, and as far away as Hong Kong.

Here is a partial list of companies who have experienced the modules in this course:

Skanska, Balfour Beatty, The Beck Group, Jacobsen, McCarthy, Manhattan, Clark, Heery, J.E. Dunn, Kiewit, Barton-Malow, Batson-Cook, Brasfield & Gorrie, Pinkerton & Laws, Alberici, Nobia, Hardin, INPO, Heery, Holder, New South, Schnabel, Austin, Whiting-Turner, Sheridan, Harrison, The Austin Company, Winter, Rosendin Electric, LiUNA, AR Daniel, Society for Marketing Professional Services, Carter Concrete, Langan Engineering, Newcomb & Boyd, Truland, Ace Asphalt, Caddell, Western Summit, Cousins, WS Nielsen, and Granite.

We also incorporate the experience of teaching this course at such notable universities as Auburn, Penn State, Northwestern, the University of Cincinnati, Kennesaw State University, and Virginia Tech to ensure that young people come into these technical industries with much needed people skills. We also have used these concepts as part of a master’s degree in Project Management through Auburn created especially for the Corps of Engineers.

We utilize several books as textbooks for this course, including The People Profit Connection and The Tough Guy Survival Kit and Tough Guy Survival Kit Workbook. We also include the book, The Tao of Emotional Intelligence, which also includes the first app that teaches emotional intelligence, and The Primal Safety Coloring Book.

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Current Position

Over the past 20 years, these courses have been utilized by hundreds of companies and thousands of people to improve their emotional intelligence and critical people skills, resulting in better projects and better business outcomes. 17 of the top 50 contractors (according to Engineering News Record) have utilized these courses. The reason for this interest in this type of work with emotional intelligence and personal leadership is that regardless of the industry sector, all business is driven by relationships and a company’s employees’ ability to deal with other human beings. Project delivery methods are becoming more and more collaborative. In the construction industry alone, there are many collaborative project delivery methods including Design-Build, Design Assist, and Integrated Project Delivery. Even cutting-edge concepts like lean rely on two pillars: continual improvement and respect for people. In many technical fields, they understand the concept of continual improvement, but the respect for people part is not their best thing. This course gives the learners all the skills they need to thrive in this new, collaborative work environment.

We work with these courses and concepts and participate in and utilize research from such notable universities as Auburn, Penn State, Northwestern, the University of Cincinnati, Kennesaw State University, and Virginia Tech. Penn State did a study on emotional intelligence and project teams. We advised the researchers as to the nuances of emotional intelligence and the course concepts.

After the initial emotional intelligence module, we cover personal mastery and leadership skills including critical people skills, mental and physical performance skills, and current industry issues. These individual modules refer to the emotional intelligence sessions and initial evaluations with the idea that you can’t change behaviors unless you change the underlying emotional competencies that are causing that behavior. All the sessions are highly experiential and interactive and apply the learning through activity-based exercises, storytelling, gamification, and applied improvisation. There is also a facilitator’s guide available with additional information, exercises, and facilitation points.

In addition, the program builds in as much accountability as possible. We have found that having accountability creates an obligation to create the changes that are desired. We have created a 360-accountability list and offer real exercises that instruct participants to check in with their accountability partners often and note any changes in behaviors.

We have two mantras:

Awareness alone will not change behavior.

AND

Daily application and daily reflection create behavioral change.

Although the pandemic has caused a few projects and industries to put projects on hold, it hasn’t adversely affected the industry sectors I have listed. Construction continues to thrive and will continue to be strong, and healthcare is stronger because of the pandemic. Manufacturing in certain sectors continues to be in a strong position as well.

With the pandemic, many companies are realizing the importance of human connection and all the skills associated with that. Collaborative projects and collaborative project delivery will continue to grow in all these industries necessitating a focus on emotional intelligence and all the critical people skills. In addition, I have learning modules focused on many critical industry issues such as workforce development, diversity and inclusion, innovation, and safety. In fact, innovation is a real key for all companies going forward and their employees will have to cultivate their own creativity and companies must foster innovation if they want to survive and thrive.

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Future Outlook

We are just now starting to experience the post-pandemic “V” curve for the economy and this growth should continue for quite some time. With the economy roaring back, all industry sectors will be competing for this upcoming work. This course will give employees the skills they need to thrive in this post-pandemic economy. They will be at their peak level of mental, physical, and emotional performance. And all industry sectors will be competing for a shrinking workforce. This course not only improves the learner’s professional life and leadership skills, but their personal lives as well. And when companies improve their employees’ personal lives, they will be more likely to stay with the company and recommend the company to others.

With these technical industries gravitating toward and embracing more collaboration in their day-to-day business and the continued focus on people, emotional intelligence and critical people skills will ensure that this focus will continue for the foreseeable future. These skills are not only always important, but their importance is increasing because of the way work is changing post-pandemic. Relationships and human connection have never been more important than they are now. And with most technical industries, based on the typical emotional profiles of these technical employees, these critical people skills are the skills that need the most work.

All these technical industries will focus on post-pandemic design of facilities, healthcare buildings, hospitals, and manufacturing facilities. They will focus on touchless facilities with distanced workspaces, non-bacterial surfaces, touchless restrooms, touchless entrances and exits, and touchless kitchen and break spaces. They will put a huge focus on HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) redesign which will include more air exchanges with fresh air from the outside, higher end filtration systems, and systems that eliminate viruses from the air. Workspaces will have to be reimagined to not only accommodate distanced spacing, but also the addition of working from home. Remote working will become the norm. Home work spaces will have to be reimagined to accommodate this new way of working. There are many opportunities for design, co