Are they extraordinary? Do you see beauty at work? Training Salons #Management #ASTD

OK, so the word "beauty" is not often paired with the words "your employees" unless you are having a difficult harassment-related conversation with your HR manager.... but that is not the type of beauty I am talking about.

And before I get into the main point of this post, let me throw out a few other words: love, fan, admiration, extraordinary.

I was training in Wash DC this week (got out just in time to avoid getting stuck!) and I noticed that whenever I talked about believing in employees, my training participants looked and acted differently.

(beauty in our back yard in Cincinnati)

We want to believe that our employees have the capacity to do amazing work. We want to see the beauty that lies within them - beauty that defines their desire to make a difference and to do great work. We want to feel a connection with our peers and employees that is deep (get your mind out of the gutter) and special.

But many managers don't seem to believe, don't seem to see, don't seem to feel, don't seem to connect. What has happened?

• Stress?
• Being too busy?
• Extrinsic rewards and reinforcement systems that has sucked the life out of us all?
• Lack of confidence?

Yes. All that. And yet, I am moved by the possibility that we can again believe, see, feel, and connect. Every time I talk to groups about this, I see their eyes shine and their hopes come alive again. Talking about it can reawaken what's inside and provide a beneficial nudge toward a better way of managing.

The Training Salon:

At the upcoming ASTD International conference in Chicago, I will be talking about using the Salon concept for training (I will also be talking about training middle managers in a second talk at the conference):

• According to wikipedia, "A salon is a gathering of intellectual, social, political, and cultural elites under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host, partly to amuse one another and partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation."
  

Salons are great vehicles for learning and perfect for developing managers and leaders. Salon-type conversations offer a deepness that can transform how we look at our work and each other and I think can be a great way enliven the best that is within each of us - our beauty.

The training I did last week was not a salon - per se - but the conversation had some qualities of a great salon experience.

When I was getting my MFA from Goddard College, we had 10-day residencies twice each year. My pals in the program and I started the practice of holding evening salons and it was wonderful. Anyone could come and anyone could participate, read, perform, share, provoke. Since then, I have enjoyed business-oriented salon type gatherings. 

Last week, I shared my travel schedule on this blog. Check it out again. I would love to get a few salon conversations going. Let me know if you want to participate. And give the training salon a try at your workplace (or start with several professional pals).

We need to do whatever it takes to catalyze the more compelling aspects of management and leadership - the aspects that demonstrate that being a manager is a privilege and an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those who work for and with us.

Comments

[Sharlyn Lauby]

Interesting concept. Let me know when you are in Miami - I'd be interested in participating.

Sharlyn Lauby, SPHR, CPLP
@sharlyn_lauby

[lisa haneberg]

Hey HR Lady! It would be a blast to have you at a salon. I looks like, tentatively, that the date for Miami would be April 21 or April 26, depending on how a few potential meetings shake out. I will let you know.

[acekard]

Nice post! Very interesting.
Keep posting such nice article.