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What is a standard process for training and development?

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What is a standard process for training and development?

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In, Pacific Bell's desire to encourage both teamwork and creativity among it's 60,000 employees with the Krone approach, however, failed most of it staff in the areas of training and development. The training was met with controversy among the trained staff verses the untrained staff. Also, the news media question the viability of the training. Although the employees who received the Krones' approach training made the expected improvements, but the untrained staff was deemed not having the skill sets to communicate well with the "Kronies." I believed Pacific Bell had the right approached but lack in setting a process for training. Developing a process for training on different levels at diverse time could have eliminated the confusing and controversy.

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Simon Pegg and Nick Frost demonstrate new choreographic skill mastery obtained from a successful law enforcement dance routin training program for new officers.

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If our group was assigned to develop a training program for new police officers, what would be three objectives of this training program?

In this week's module materials, in lecture we talked about several kinds of training programs, such as: Coaching and on the job training, skills training, demonstrations, simulations, career development, continuing education, conferences, and so on, with Professor Campos concluding that the list of available options is "rather endless." (Campos, 2022). There are many possible avenues for successfully training new officers.

In readings, Riccucci and Naff discuss the importance of planning and front-end analysis before initiating a training program (2008, p. 332). The authors recommend that organizations begin with planning and front-end analysis to: "Develop a strategic approach that establishes priorities and leverages investments in training and development to achieve agency results," and then move to design and develop training aiming to: "Identify specific training and development initiatives that, in conjunction with other strategies, improve individual and agency performance" (Riccucci & Naff, 2008, p. 332). It is important then that goals of a training program are evaluated within the specific context of the organization, and its goals and needs.

At the same time, the training program should take into account the thoughts and experiences of officers completing the training. It also must be clearly communicated to and receive the enthusiastic support of managers and supervisors. Riccucci and Naff quote O'Toole, saying, "Most workers have an innate desire to grow .... Apparently being able to satisfy the desire to grow and to learn on the job enhances worker self-esteem, satisfaction, loyalty, motivation, and occasionally, productivity" (Riccucci & Naff, 2008, p. 337). That is to say, the department needs buy-in from officers for training to ultimately be successful. As the authors point out, "lt is a common mistake to assume that the number of individuals who have been subjected to a training experience is equal to the number of individuals who have acquired a new skill or expertise " and further that training needs should consider the input of "superiors, subordinates, peers, and professional training  specialists" (Riccucci & Naff, 2008, p. 356). Superiors and training officers, they must also have full buy-in for the training program to be successful: "Effective implementation is key to the success of any training program. According to the  GAO, agency leaders must communicate the importance of  training  programs to its employees as well as the  agency's expectations that the training programs will lead to desired results" (Riccucci & Naff, 2008, p. 333). Regardless of what we implement, it is important that it meets the needs and desires of both the officers in training and the trainers themselves.

Given that a training program for new officers should reflect the organization's mission and values, and that it should be made with consideration to the officers who are completing the program, and finally the importance of planning and front-end analysis, I would suggest that a training program should have the following three goals.

First, the program should enable the department to better complete its mission.

Second, the program should reflect the needs and desires of officers, training staff, and supervisors and managers.

Third, the program should have a clear evaluation plan, some way of measuring the success of the program.

If we assume for a second that the GIF preview I used is more than a joke, and that our hypothetical police department considers choreography and dancing skills to be important components of its training program, we could consider the readings and lecture material as we consider how to implement such training. First, we should make sure that dancing police officers does in fact further support the mission of the organization, and so in this case we might imagine that the agency is prioritizing "service with a smile," and, "policing with panache." In this case, a dance training program would be appropriate because it furthers agency goals and assists the department in better completing its mission. Second, we should ensure that our training program reflects the needs and desires of both the officers in the training program and the managers and trainers administering the program. We could use surveys, questionaires, and so on to evaluate learning styles and implement the training program in a way where everyone involved is enthusiastic about the program and its outcomes. Finally, we need to evaluate the success of the outcome. In the readings, the authors suggest finding both quantitative and qualitative metrics where possible. A qualitative metric might be asking police officers how they liked the program, if the program was useful, or if they feel more confident. A quantitative metric might be an assessment or test, for instance all of the new officers could participate in a dance off at the end of the program.

Meanwhile, the relative emphasis of on-the-job training, in-house seminars, cross-training, simulation, and formal education should reflect the strategic needs of the organization, and the reported needs of training officers and their supervisors and teachers. It's less important to assign an outside emphasis on one training method or another, and more important to ensure that the training program reflects the needs and interests of the organization.

Riccucci, N., Naff, K. C., Shafritz, J. M., & Rosenbloom, D. H. (2008). Personnel management in government: Politics and process. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press

Campos, P. D. (2022). Performance, Training & Development. [PowerPoint slides]. Florida State Univeristy. https://canvas.fsu.edu/courses/201472/pages/week-7-performance-slash-training-and-development-materials?module_item_id=3916568

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Could/ Should training be contracted out?

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Could/ Should training be contracted out?

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Contracting out for any organizational needs can be unpredictable at times. Contractors have their own systems and values which could interfere with their ability to serve the companies' mission. This is especially true when training services are being contracted out. Training contractors may attempt to apply a one size fits all approach. Some practices may not be the best fit for all organizations which can cause them to be meet with resistance. The article written describing the training services provided by Pacific Bell is a perfect example of this.
The language used in the program received negative feedback because it could be considered strange to organizations unfamiliar with it (Shafritz, 1992).

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Could or should training be contracted out?

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Could or should training be contracted out?

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Unfortunately, training and development are often seen as a "luxury" expense and are usually the first line items to be sacrificed when attempting to budget to save costs (Shafritz, 1992). In the public sector, however, a focus on training and development has increased. As we think about the idea of training, we can look at an example of what one county did in the 1980s to contract, a.k.a. outsource, its training program. In 1986, Montgomery County, in Maryland, revamped its management training program; the county reduced its training staff of six by two-thirds and redirected 50% of newly available funds to outsource training courses, hiring eight contractors. In the first year alone, the county was able to offer some courses to over 1,200 managers. In contrast, the in-house training program with the original staff of six could only offer training to 100 supervisors yearly. While this can be seen as a benefit, there are other factors to consider. Specifically, in this example, staff needs to hold expertise on how to plan and specify the needs for training of an organization and also be able to evaluate and assess the results. Training staff may be at risk of being seen as contract management specialists when they are not. Training staff must move towards professionalizing training. What that looks like can be attributed to The American Society for Training and Development (ATSD) objectives of professionalized training, by which there are 9 categories that range from analyzing needs and evaluating results to doing research in the field and developing basic skills and knowledge (Shafritz, 1992). Should an organization downsize its training staff as in the case of Montgomery County, any remaining training staff must hold the ability to evaluate the contracted training program; otherwise, the public agency will be left to contract out the evaluation of the training's outcomes to an outside consultant. The last note to consider is the trend of the 90s, there are more choices when it comes to training, like computer-based and video training packages that can be developed in-house or contracted. These new technological developments provide different delivery methods for training. So while training can be contracted out, the answer to whether it should be lies within the needs and abilities of an organization or agency to do so.

Shafritz, J.M. (1992). Training and development. Personnel Management in Government: Politics and Process, 457-488.

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Providing and encouraging formal education for new police officers is a great supplemental aspect of a training program that brings many benefits. Formal education can take on various methods such as classroom instruction to further educate new police officers. Another way of encouraging formal education within a police training program is facilitating access to formal education at nearby academic institutions by providing tuition reimbursements and incentives. (Shafritz, 1981, Ch. 8, Pg. 467-468).

Formal education could increase police officers’ job performance by improving their critical thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, interpersonal, and communication skills (Hilal, 2013). In addition, formal education can further educate police officers on laws, procedures, and policies. Courses can also make police officers more culturally sensitive and able to react appropriately in different situations. This form of training can challenge police officers to embrace differing perspectives and help them connect with people of diverse backgrounds. Considering the current tensions between law enforcement and community members, this could be especially beneficial in helping law enforcement gain the trust of the community and better serve the public. (“Why Police Officer Education”, 2020).

Although I believe that formal education has countless benefits and should be offered, I believe that other forms of training such as on-the-job training, in-house seminars, cross-training, and simulation should be emphasized over formal education. Formal education is a great way of educating new police officers and expanding their skillset. However, other forms of training are more hands-on and practical, preparing them for real-life situations and daily job duties. Thus, although formal education provides many benefits and surely might improve police officers’ job performance, new police officers should first have a solid foundation on how to perform daily job tasks.

2020. “Why Police Officer Education Is So Important.” Civil Service Success. https://civilservicesuccess.com/why-police-officer-education-is-so-important/ (June 26, 2022).

Hilal, S., Densley, J., & Zhao, R. (2013). Cops in college: police officers' perceptions on formal education. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 24(4), 461-477.

Shafritz, Hyde, A. C., & Rosenbloom, D. H. (1981). Personnel management in government : politics and process (2nd ed., rev. and expanded.). M. Dekker.

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Modern law enforcement agencies are tasked with fulfilling various roles and responsibilities. This includes everything from handling criminal investigations to dealing with individuals in mental crisis. There are many training classes and seminars that provide training for these various roles; however, getting practical experience is optimal for learning. New law enforcement officers are typical assigned to patrol and provided with several weeks/months of training before going out into the field on their own. Usually, this is a base level of knowledge for things such as conducting criminal investigations. If law enforcement officers were provided with the opportunity to cross-train with detectives they could gain advanced knowledge of this aspect of their job. This is beneficial also because it can help with secession planning as well when there are openings in a detective division. It can also improve preliminary investigations. Cross-training should be encouraged by law enforcement administrators to assist their personnel to become more knowledgeable about their job.

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Could/Should training be contracted out?

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Could/Should training be contracted out?

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If training were to be contracted out, I would suggest that there is a representative from Pacifc Bell present during the training preparation. Having someone who knows the program and organization is vital to ensuring that the training does not interefere or abandon organizational missions and goals. With this particular project, because of how new it was, I think that it should have been contracted out. Contracting out allowed for external perspectives to be brought in to ensure that the training was administered and done appropriately. In this case, it was view with some hostility, as can happen in organizations when external sources are brought in (Kearney & Coggburn, 2016). I think that having a representative present to help ease staff into the concepts being addressed in the trainings could have helped ease the transition a bit.

Coggburn, J. D. & Kearney, R. C. (2016). Public human resource management: problems and prospects. SAGE Publications, Inc.

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Q2 & Q3: How should training be developed? What needs (for the organization or agency) should be considered?

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Q2 & Q3: How should training be developed? What needs (for the organization or agency) should be considered?

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Utilizing the Shafritz figure 14.1 from the following training should be developed with the design and delivery in mind. However, before the design and delivery can occur, there must be appropriate needs assessments and a thorough analysis of the organization's goals and values, the position description (tasks), the individual, and the demographic of the organization. Research has indicated the importance of six generally listed techniques to complete the needs assessments. I think all aspects should be used every time as the picture of the need may become more holistic in nature as to the necessary training. It's understandable why all six techniques may be used as training needs are a matter of personal opinion and agency reflections. However, there is vast importance to the individual's opinion as it is defined as a "humanizing process" that leads to effectiveness and efficiency ( Riccucci et al., 2008, p.478.)  Regarding the organization's needs, the OPM requires the consideration of training for supervisory roles; however, to me, this is a mandatory need. Furthermore, besides the obvious need for emotional intelligence for all employees on a reoccurring basis, there should also be training based on the organization's demographic population to ensure that a positive culture is fostered or can be maintained.

Riccucci, N., Naff, K. C., Shafritz, J. M., & Rosenbloom, D. H. (2008). Personnel management in government: Politics and process. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press

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Q1: What is the Krone program and what did it seek to do?

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Q1: What is the Krone program and what did it seek to do?

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;Krone was an initiative that started in 1986 to facilitate a new business ethic due to the new environment with the Pacific Bell company. Thus, Krone was how the company intended to face the impacts of breaking apart from AT&T. Krone sought to have employees improve their thinking by becoming more conscious of their thought processes. Additionally, it was a collaborative initiative that attempted to have employees better involved in the communication with upper management by using a common core language. This common core language to those who had not yet attended that training program or who was on the outside of the agency was difficult to understand and perceived as robotic.

Riccucci, N., Naff, K. C., Shafritz, J. M., & Rosenbloom, D. H. (2008). Personnel management in government: Politics and process. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press

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In law enforcement, on-the-job and simulation training provides new officer recruits with simulated real-life situations that portray what officers may encounter on the field. This method of training uses the textbook knowledge of rules and regulations of that specific law enforcement agency and puts it into application. Police officers are often required to make split-second decisions in real life encounters, which may be life or death situations, and need to be adequately prepared to respond appropriately. As new modern techniques have been implemented, technology has been an asset for training in this area. Computers and videos allow a self paced method of learning. With the introduction of virtual reality machines, law enforcement can advance this area of training to reduce costs in the future and remove the necessity of investing in equipment that could be damaged during training (i.e. gear, shields, fake guns).

Riccucci, N., Naff, K. C., Shafritz, J. M., & Rosenbloom, D. H. (2008). Personnel management in government: Politics and process. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press

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For police officer trainees, in-house seminars or classroom lectures, such as the police academy, provide an environment in which instructors can provide a plethora of knowledge to many individuals at once. Usually, new recruits are in a class of 30-40 depending on the size of the agency. This allows for a welcoming environment to exchange ideas about the process, problems, and techniques between new recruits and instructors. More specifically, when an individual is training to be a sworn officer, they usually have some degree of experience in law enforcement. A seminar environment can introduce outside perspectives on experience others may have relative to law enforcement techniques from other agencies (local, state, federal).

Riccucci, N., Naff, K. C., Shafritz, J. M., & Rosenbloom, D. H. (2008). Personnel management in government: Politics and process. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press

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On-the-job and simulation training should be highly emphasized and utilized. In this particular field, individuals may believe that they will react to a situation one way, but they do not truly know how they will react until they are placed in that specific scenario. It is important to expose individuals to tough situations in training so they are prepared to respond appropriately in the field.

Cross-training should also be of high importance. Oftentimes law enforcement officers are first to arrive at difficult scenes. It is important that officers are prepared to handle everything from car accidents to active shooters to mental health cases to domestic disturbances. Being aware of what other service branches do (or being aware of what mental health resources are available in a community) can make a large difference on the outcomes.

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Relative emphasis of on-the-job training, in-house seminars, cross training, simulation, and formal eduation:

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Relative emphasis of on-the-job training, in-house seminars, cross training, simulation, and formal eduation:

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1. Instill Practices & Procedures to Promote Job Safety
2. Diversity Awareness & Recognition
3. Successful Completion of Basic Recruit Training

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If our group was assigned to develop a training program for new police officers...

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If our group was assigned to develop a training program for new police officers...

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What is the Krone program and what did it seek to do?

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What is the Krone program and what did it seek to do?

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Pacific Bell's Krone program was ostensibly a "leadership development program" that the company was meant to have created. Because Pacific Bell was a company operating in the private sector, decisions on employee training and advancement were able to be held in strict confidence.

In the field of organization development, Charles Krone was an early pioneer and inventor. In order to create the program, Pacific Bell collaborated with a group of independent consultants affiliated with Krone. In addition to enhancing their thought processes and assisting individuals in enhancing their thinking by making them aware of their thought processes, the Krone program attempted to get all employees involved in management by providing them with a common language and framework for resolving business issues. This was done with the goal of improving their thought processes and assisting individuals in improving their thinking. Teaching the employees a new way to think was the overarching goal of the Krone program (Shafritz, p. 458, 1992).

Because of its unique lexicon and nomenclature, the Krone program was regarded with skepticism and mockery from those who knew about it and had to endure the portions of the actual program.

Shafritz, J. M. (1992). Training and Development. Personnel Management in Government: Politics and Process, 457–488.

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Based on the assigned reading of the Pacific Bell and the Krone program case study...

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Based on the assigned reading of the Pacific Bell and the Krone program case study...