As HR personnel continue to identify what impact training has on
the success of organizations, the term efficacy plays a role. We've
understood the term to refer to one's confidence level to perform.
When determining such levels, we are often faced with only
individual levels of efficacy but we know that individual levels of
efficacy subsequently create group levels of efficacy which become
the holistic performance of an organization.
Therefore, if we improve individual levels of efficacy through
training, aren't we improving group levels of training? Creating
group level efficacy or collective efficacy may be our key to
ultimate organization improvements in performance. Bandura has said
that collective efficacy is the level of confidence among members
that the group can produce sufficient outcomes. As trainer's, let's
work on creating the collective efficacy needed! So, we can say
what organizational performance measures should be improved.
Improving collective efficacy through training can also mean that
we increase positive moral, increase consistency, decrease waste
and meet organizational goals more productively. If groups of
individuals improve in these areas, just think what the whole will
be like. With all the competition for a typical purchaser mind,
there is even more need that training tie itself to what already
exists in the consumer training mind. As trainers, we must build up
group perceptions of their performance capabilities. Individual
perceptions will continue to encourage individual performance
rather than group performance. Here's how trainers can create
collective efficacy the INVOLVE way:
- Bring innovation to training. For
employees to feel they have ownership, they must have opportunities
to help the organization. Use training programs to allow employees
to develop innovative ideas that can be used by the organization.
It produces an ownership mentality"I helped do that."
- Know your trainees.
Trainers have historically spent time knowing their audience.
However, it's now necessary to identify their confidence levels
about the organization. In other words, let's identify what they
perceive about the worthwhile ability of the organization.
- Allow voices to be heard. We have gotten
away from the benefit of nominal group techniques and
brainstorming. Trainers must restore the utility of these tools for
producing great ideas. It will be important for trainers to conduct
sessions that bring an openness and willingness of participation to
convey new ideas. Keep in mind, though, that ideas must be brought
to light within the organization. Trainees must see their input
matters.
- Provide developmental sessions that emphasize
opportunities. The area of career development
still suffers within our human resource departments. Employees are
often unaware of opportunities within their organizations. Short
group sessions can be provided to increase awareness.
- Be on land. Distance training is popular,
but people still need face-to-face communication. Don't forsake the
interpersonal for convenience.
- Create a vale in your training. Just as
sunshine provides changes in attitudes. Don't resort to mundane,
tried, and stoic training sessions. "Shine the Light"
- Create a sense of efficaciousness. We can
do all the things above, but unless we create an environment that
shows we want employee confidence to improve, we won't have a
culture that encourages it.
In sum, if we find out what's going on within the groups that make
up our organizations, then we have discovered what group level
training may be needed for meeting organizational goals.
Reference
Bandura, A. (1998). "Personal and collective efficacy in human
adaptation and change." In J.G. Adair, D. Bellangger, & K.L.
Dion, (Eds), Advances in psychological science: Vol. 1.
Personal, social and cultural aspects. Hove: UK Psychology
Press.
ASTD Field Editor Carol Decker is an associate professor of
business administration at Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens,
Tennessee; 1.423.746.5270; cdecker@twcnet.edu.
2010 ASTD, Alexandria, VA. All rights reserved.