Customized corporate training program: Why one size does not fit all

Which of your shirts fit you the best? A readymade one you bought from the store or the one you got tailor made for yourself. I’m sure you’ll vouch for the second one, right? Well, corporate training programs fit in a similar way! Let me explain to you how.

We all know that a readymade shirt is manufactured in three to four standard sizes so that it fits the majority, right? It may therefore be slightly small or large for a person whose size differs from the standard ones. However, when a tailor makes a shirt for you, it is especially for you. Hence, it fits you the best and is also the most comfortable.

Now, I know what you must be thinking. We do find our correct sizes in stores too and they fit pretty well too. Right? But let me ask you, is it only the size that matters? What about the fabric, colour, design, etc.? Aren’t they also important? And is it really that common to find the perfect shirt that fulfils all of our needs at once?

Corporate training programs follow a similar story. There are many corporate training companies that offer off-the-shelf corporate training programs. These are generic is nature and cover the standard modules that are typically part of that program. And work on the one-size-fits-all theory. They may therefore help you fulfil some of your needs, especially the ones that are on the face of things. However, they may miss out on addressing deep rooted issues which may actually be stemming from a completely different topic!

For example, sometime back we were delivering a Time Management training for a client. And although the client wanted us to deliver an off-the-shelf program, we made it a point to explore the deep-rooted issues that were causing challenges in managing time. And what started off as a pure Time Management program, soon got a strong element of Ownership and Accountability added to it. Had we gone ahead with the generic program; we would have never really fulfilled the need and the problem would have remained where it was!

Thus, corporate training programs that are customized specially for teams are more effective. They are adept at finding the actual problem and addressing it from the root. This facilitates a long-term solution rather than just a shot in the arm!

Coming back to the shirt, you might say that a readymade shirt is easy to buy and doesn’t require that much of effort from your end. It’s also cheaper than a tailormade one! Yes, that’s true. And yes, a customized corporate training program does require a lot of effort and time and can also be more expensive. But it’s also just like the tailor made shirt you selected and got made specially for you. It has the best quality and fulfils all your needs, all at the same time.

Now this, was a small comparison between a shirt and a corporate training program. But it definitely makes us think about how important customization is, doesn’t it? So, what kind of corporate training programs will you be asking your corporate training company for? https://theyellowspot.com/

What Role Does Personality Development Play In One’s Career?

Personality development training is essential for one and all. And that I could see while delivering a Sales Training session last week.

The Sales session we were delivering for a group of Sales Executives and Managers was no ordinary session. It was what we call a ‘Sales Workout.’ We call it so because it’s a 4-day intensive corporate training workshop where you are taken through the various nuances of Sales. And yes, Personality Development training most definitely forms an important part of it. After all, its difficult to sell a product or service when people are not impressed by your personality!

So, during the course of the 4-days, we covered various personality development program topics. This included understanding the strengths and areas of development of our personalities, maintaining a positive attitude and handling negative emotions and keeping ourselves motivated, etc. These were the aspects that a salesperson would typically require working on when it came to their internal personality. And then there was personal hygiene and grooming, face to face etiquette, telephone and e-mail etiquette which covered the external personality.

To tell you the truth, we were rather surprised to see Managers attending this session. We would have thought that the Managers, with their years of experience, would prefer attending a session on how to manage their teams of Sales Executives. And were actually apprehensive of covering aspects of Personality Development training as it would most probably be something that they already know.

However, the feedback we received was quite contrary to our belief! The Managers actually benefitted from the various aspects of Personality Development training that we covered during the session and some were eager to even pass on their learning to their teams.

Some of them loved gaining insights on their own personality and how they could adapt themselves to smoothen the flow of communication with other personality types around them. Others, on the other hand, found the tools we shared with them on handling emotions and maintaining a positive attitude useful. Yet there were others who gained from the discussions on Grooming and Etiquette. We realised there was something there for everybody no matter what level they were at!

So, there you have it. Personality development training is for everyone. People at all levels and in all domains. Why? Because we all have a personality which can always be further groomed. And we are all forming impressions on others in various scenarios all the time, whether it’s in a Restaurant with a client or in an Interview for a coveted job! We are always being watched by others and can always do with creating a great impression on them

INTERDEPENDENCY OF TEAM BUILDING & LEADERSHIP SKILLS

We, at The Yellow Spot have delivered a large number of team building trainings and events in the past 11 years. It’s our favourite offering and we are so good at it now, that we can conduct a team building training without any preparation at all!

Surprised? I was just kidding. Well, not the part where I said it is our favourite offering and we are good at it. I was kidding when I said we can do it without any preparation. In fact, we don’t do any corporate training programme without proper planning and preparation well in advance. But yes, we thoroughly enjoy doing team building trainings. Why? Let me tell you.

We love it because team building training is one such training programme where we can touch base upon many skills at a time. Team building activities can bring out multiple learnings like;

1. Collaborating with our internal and external stakeholders
2. Communicating effectively within the team
3. Identifying team members’ skills and making use of them
4. Managing resources and time effectively
5. Planning and prioritisation of tasks
6. Being open to each other’s suggestions and feedback
7. Keeping the end goal in mind at all points of time
8. Increasing team bonding and trust
9. Building a positive culture, etc.

One of most important learning from team building training is the importance of having a leader and leadership skills.

I am sure some of you will say a leader needs to have separate leadership skills trainings where they learn leadership concepts. But trust me, team building trainings are great occasions to bring out the importance of leadership skills and what they entail. And why is that? Because a leader is nothing without his or her team. And there is no better ground to learn than with your team. After all, a leader is only a leader when he has followers! And so, learning about leadership is best done in the presence of one’s followers.

Always remember, a team will be well bonded if they have a good leader who binds them well and provides direction. Similarly, a leader can only be successful if he has a team who believes in him and draws inspiration from him. Now that’s called true interdependency!

HOW CORPORATE TRAINING HELPS IN EVOLUTION AT THE WORKPLACE?

I still remember the time when I was in my last organisation and felt the urge to do something that would help me grow to the next level. I had been doing recruitments for 2 years and knew that although I was good at it, this was not a domain I wanted to spend the rest of my life in! I had somehow always had a calling for training and decided that it was now time to fulfil it. And the first step was to find a good corporate training company to help me out on the same!

So, I called up an acquaintance who was a sales professional in a soft skills corporate training company. He then introduced me to his General Manager, with whom I had an interesting conversation on how the world of corporate training is. He then shared with me the number of a good corporate training company he had heard of, from where he suggested I attend their popular ‘Train the Trainer’ program. It would not only give me an idea of how corporate training works but would also help me acquire the skills of a good trainer. And you can guess which company it was…It was none other than my present company, The Yellow Spot!

I contacted them and attended the program. And life took a turn thereafter. There was no turning back after that. And that’s how corporate training transformed my life, and now I use it to help all those that I come in contact with.

Corporate Training companies such as The Yellow Spot; have helped many individuals, teams and even organisations evolve. We are all well aware of how we need the right attitude, knowledge and skills to move ahead in life and be successful. And its corporate training companies that have helped get these in place.

To enhance our knowledge, we can all attend technical programs pertaining to our areas of expertise. Such programs can help us develop our hard skills also. There are also a large number of corporate training companies out there that cater to the ‘softer skills’ and can help you get an edge when it comes to managing people around you and your teams. And for changing attitude, there is coaching.

We all know how difficult it is to change our behaviours and even tougher, our attitude. While corporate training can make us aware of how we behave or what our attitude is, a short duration program may be insufficient for creating a long-term change. And that’s where coaching comes in. Through a series of coaching sessions, we can identify where we want to be and what change we need to make to get there. And to assist us on this path and keep us on track, we have an experienced professional who guides us and helps us pick ourselves up when we fall!

And that’s how corporate training can help you, just as it helped me, evolve and go to the next level.

How to find a renowned corporate training company in Chennai

Finding corporate training companies in Chennai or any other metropolitan city is not very difficult now a days. It’s just one click away on Google! Simply put the phrase ‘corporate training companies in Chennai’ in the search tab. And you will get a huge list of corporate training companies appearing on your screen. Yes, it really is that simple!

Where you may face trouble is when it comes to selecting a good company from that long list. Now that, is a task. And that’s because there are lot of corporate training companies in Chennai that pay for google ads and hence appear on the top of your list. And although you may be one of those people who are determined to go through and study every site your list throws, you might land up being really confused!

So, my suggestion to you? Rather than sticking to a local company in Chennai which may lack experience, go for a renowned corporate training company with a pan India presence. That way you will be sure to receive the best quality training and will also be able to make use of their local trainer, saving costs and improving connect with the participants.

The Yellow Spot is one such corporate training company that caters to organisations at a pan India level. We have more than 50 trainers and consultants across the country who are experts in their domains. We are based out of Mumbai but have a nationwide network of highly reliable trainers.  

We are currently one of the top corporate training companies in Chennai and other Indian cities.  And have been operating for over a decade now. So, instead of searching for corporate training companies in Chennai and going through the whole list to find the best one, you can simply search for ‘The Yellow Spot’. It will surely be your one-stop shop for all your training and consulting needs.

Top 5 creative indoor games for corporate Diwali

Diwali is fast approaching. In fact, it’s hardly a week away. And I’m sure many of you are wondering which corporate indoor games you can make your employees play. After all, we don’t want to lose out on any opportunity to increase employee engagement, do we!

So, today I am going to open up my box of corporate indoor games and pick out 5 activities that you can use this Diwali. Here goes…

1. The Diwali Obstacle Race – This has to be my favourite. In fact, we had conducted this activity for a client a few years back. We had 80 participants running around like crazy trying to complete tasks right from creating Diwali lamps to eating insane amounts of Diwali sweets! The activity was easily the highlight of the entire team building session and one that our client still remembers till today😊

2. The Diwali Kitchen – This is another great activity which really brings employees together. It brings everyone to the kitchen where they have fun making typical Diwali sweets and eatables together. They also get the pleasure of sharing their creations with each other!

3. Diwali Decoration – This is one corporate indoor game that’s always a hit. Teams decorate their office space with Lanterns, Diya’s, Rangoli, etc. They also come to work in traditional Indian clothing which really adds a lot to the decoration! It feels like they are a part of one big family celebrating the festival of lights together.

4. Teen Patti – What’s Diwali without card games. Different parts of the country play different types of card games throughout the Diwali week. And these make great corporate indoor games for Diwali too.

5. Strokes – Diwali is all about connecting with our loved ones. And that’s exactly what our last activity focuses on. It makes use of ‘strokes’ taken from the Transactional Analysis theory. Employees go around giving each other different kinds of strokes. And the positive energy generated is really something to be seen!

So, that’s all from me folks. Here’s wishing you a very Happy Diwali in advance from the entire The Yellow Spot team. Have a blast and do let me know which corporate indoor games you finally went ahead with!

How to increase your influence as a leader

Being able to influence people is very important for a leader. In fact, people will only follow a leader if he or she is able to influence them! Afterall, it’s about how impactful you are as a leader. And to be able to create that influence, a leader needs to have that capability. And if he doesn’t have its, it’s one that he can develop through a leadership training program.

Being a leader is all about having people look up to you and follow you. And this can only happen if you are able to influence your people.

So how do you create that influence as a leader?

Well, a leadership training program covers a lot of things that help in creating an influence as a leader. Let me help you with a few:

·         Giving responsibility – This is the most important thing that you need to do as a leader. Delegate tasks and give the authority to your people to complete them.  By doing this you give them an opportunity to do tasks and take the accountability for it. This will also make them feel that you believe in them. It’s definitely worth attending a good leadership training program to understand how to delegate well.

·         Supporting them – This will make your people feel that you are always there for them. Provide them with any kind of support they need to perform better in their roles and deliver better results.

·         Develop them – Take the initiative of their development. That is your responsibility as a leader. Coach them as and when required. By developing your people and upgrading their soft skills, they will do a better job and will also feel that you care about their development and growth.

·         Motivate them – Encourage your people at all points of time to achieve more than they think they can. Uplift them when they are down.

·         Lead by example – As they say, ‘practice what you preach’. If there is something that you expect your followers to do, ensure that you yourself practice that first. https://theyellowspot.com

5 Things to learn from the world’s top leaders

Recently, we witnessed one of the greatest events in our country; the landing of Chandrayaan 2 on the moon. I know it didn’t go as well as we all would have wished for, but the entire event was no less than a leadership training program for me!

It was a spectacular event. One of those rare occasions where the entire country was awake post mid night, cheering on for science and showing their support to their nation. We may not have been entirely successful that day, but there was definitely plenty to learn from. And a lot that we would love to reflect on in a leadership training program.

That night, we witnessed two great leaders – our Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi and the ISRO Chief Dr. K. Sivan.

It was amazing to see how the prime minister of the nation managed to be there for our team of scientists throughout the process, really not caring about what time it was! In fact, that particular night and the next day morning he attended multiple events and meetings back to back at different locations of the country. But he still made it a point to go back to ISRO to meet the scientists again in the morning. And the best part about it was that he did all of this travelling, contributing to each event and being there for his countrymen with the same enthusiasm.

There were three big things here that we can learn from a leader like him. One, be there for your team fully and look forward to their work and achievements. Two, support and motivate your team when they fail and show them the positive side of those failures. And three, be enthusiastic about each and every task that you do irrespective of its importance. And always remember, enthusiasm is infectious and can spread extremely fast!  And that I can vouch for when we conduct team building activities as a part of our leadership training workshop!

Coming to our second leader; Dr. K. Sivan. Two qualities that I absolutely admired about Dr. Sivan were his humbleness and ability to express his true emotions in front of the entire nation. Although Dr. Sivan was the leader of the nation’s space research organisation and was highly educated, he was so humble. And he was not afraid of showing his emotions when he broke down while talking to the Prime Minister. Now that, I would say that is true emotional intelligence, an important aspect of every leadership training skills!

It takes courage to do that. To cry when you fail especially when you are in a position like him. And that too with the whole world looking at you! He could have been afraid of being judged as weak and incompetent. But he didn’t let that stop him. Instead he did what felt right in that moment.

There is a common myth that a leader can never be weak. He can never show his vulnerable side to his people. But I think it’s quite the contrary. True strength comes from being who you truly are and not being afraid to show it to the world, even if they tag it as weakness! And that is what is truly inspirational in a leader, his human-ness.  

How to choose a leading corporate training company in Bangalore?

I received a call from a prospective client the other day. She had been searching on google for a corporate training company in Bangalore which could help her provide soft skills trainings to her employees. And as always, google had thrown up a long list of such companies leaving her completely confused! In fact, the reason why she had called us up was because she liked the way our website looked. And that’s the only thing which she had clarity on at that point of time!

She started off by explaining her predicament to me in great detail.  And I responded by telling her not to worry. I would definitely help her find a good corporate training company in Bangalore which would help her fulfil the need.

So, off I went trying to first figure out what her need was…

She went on to tell me that her organisation was based out of Bangalore and required a corporate training company in Bangalore that could help her cover her entire training calendar at various levels.

After some questioning, I also came to know that although the headquarter of her company was in Bangalore, the organisation also had factories located in 6 other cities across the country. These factories had mainly blue collared staff which had never been through any kind of training before.

Post hearing all her inputs, I gave her some insights on how to select the right corporate training company for her organisation. Here are some insights into my insights…

·         Appearance – Never judge a book by its cover even if the cover is really attractive. Yes, she had called us because she liked the way our website looked. But that was definitely not something on which she could take a decision! She had to do her homework well and check if the attractive cover also had substance which could really make a difference to the lives of her employees.

·         Experience – I advised her to first check with each of the prospective training companies which client and industries they had worked with, what kind of audiences they had delivered to and whether they could offer her the spread of solutions that she required to fulfil her training calendar. She could use this as her first criteria, and preferably try and short list companies that could satisfy all or at least most of these criteria. This way she would have a company that understood her industry and its challenges and give examples during the training session that participants could easily relate to. The training company could also be a one stop solution for fulfilling most if not all the training needs and co-ordination would become easy.

·         Presence – Rather than going ahead with a soft skills training company in Bangalore, I asked her to select a company that had a presence in the cities where her factories were also located. That way she could save on costs as the company could deploy local trainers for each training. Local trainers could also train in the local language which helps increase audience engagement, especially with audiences like blue collared staff which may not be comfortable with English.

So, these were some tips I gave the prospective client. And guess what, she landed up selecting us! I guess a helpful nature is important too and can be added to the list😊

Tips to identify best soft skills training companies in Pune

Pune is steadily become a large corporate base. And to cater to the ever-growing need for manpower training, there are a large number of corporate training companies in Pune. On one hand this variety is great for organisations and gives them a large spread to chose from. On the other hand, it increases confusion. And choosing a good company from the large pool available can become quite a difficult task!

So that’s my topic of discussion today. I’m going to help you understand how to choose a good corporate training company in Pune. I’ll give you some tips that will make that ever so difficult decision a little easier.

Here goes…

1. Experience - Pune has a diverse corporate population. On one hand it is an IT hub and has a number of youngsters who have just entered the corporate world. On the other, it has many factories in and around it which have a large number of blue collared staff. And as we all know, the skill set required off the trainer is very different in both these cases! Therefore, it’s important to go ahead with a corporate training company in Pune that has the experience of handling your audience. Always ask the company whether they have trained ‘such’ type of people before and the approximate number of times. This will help you gauge how capable they would be in handling the specific crowd.

The same applies for the industry. Check which industries the training company has trained for before. If they have trained for your industry before, it will be easy for the trainer to give industry specific examples. This will make the training more relatable to your employees.

2. Location – Try to choose a company that is either based out of Pune or has a local trainer from Pune. This again increases relatability for the participants as the trainer can speak in their local language and cite local examples that participants are aware of.

This also helps in reducing overall costs as the trainer will incur local travel expenses rather than outstation travel along with lodging and boarding.

3. Responsiveness – This is another important one considering the previously seen laid back culture of Pune. Go for a soft skills training company in Pune that is quick to respond, is eager to work and is passionate about what they do. This will help motivate your employees and have an impact on productivity too!

These were some points coming to my mind. I would love to hear some more from our local Puneites😊