The Blanchard Approach to Blended Solutions The Ken Blanchard Companies understands that it takes more than just a quick fix to address organizational renewal. Lasting change requires a systematic approach and an integrated curriculum. For over 22 years, Blanchard has been assisting organizations like yours with reinventing and renewing themselves for the future. Our processes have been utilized by organizations around the world to transform performance and productivity at every level. We know that individual and organizational excellence is not attained through a one-time event but through a continuous learning process. It must be linked to specific business objectives and measurable individual performance improvement. Results-oriented learning must contain a strategic blend of content, use the appropriate medium that engages the learner, and have the ability to meet the critical learning objectives that sustain performance. BLENDEDSolutions
A Unique Approach to Blended Learning Solutions An In-Depth Look at the Tools Used to Accomplish the Four Step Process The Ken Blanchard Companies has designed four powerful components that, when linked, create a unique learning and development experience for any group of people. By aligning organizational strategy with learning objectives up front, creating organizational commitment at all levels, designing delivery that is relevant and meaningful, and making it stick through the use of breakthrough reinforcement methods, the results speak for themselves sustained learning, behaviors, and achieve your organization s application that drive individual performance and strategic business objectives every time! Our blended learning approach is a four-step process that unfolds over time by utilizing multiple delivery options. Our approach is a creative blend of traditional instructor-led classroom learning, virtual synchronous (live) learning using phone and Internet conferencing, virtual asynchronous (self-paced) learning using the Ninth House NetCD, and online tools that offer highly customizable solutions. Thus, our approach will allow your organization to leverage the best options. We will strive to find a unique solution that provides the appropriate blend of delivery options, spreads learning out over time, and enables your leaders to apply new skills and behaviors to their jobs in a way that is sustainable over the long term. By setting the context correctly, we significantly increase the retention of concepts and skills and we see a marked increase in the application of new behaviors back on the job. Step One: Set the Context By setting the context, we ensure that the learning process is aligned with your organization s vision, goals, and strategies, is supported by top management, is collaborative, is relevant in order achieve success, and creates needed excitement and momentum for the process to succeed. This framework is made up of the following vital components of the process: Assessment and Discovery: Our goal is to help your organization become a High Performing Organization one that grows and prospers, continuing to produce outstanding results over time. Prior to any learning initiative we endeavor to understand your organization s vision and values. We work with you to identify your needs, issues, and challenges, and then we develop solutions that will reduce the gaps between where your organization is and where you want it to be. Through in-depth analysis we collaborate to design and implement a curriculum that unleashes human potential, creates competitive advantage, and achieves organizational excellence through a strategically focused blended learning solution. Senior Leadership Commitment: Your senior Management must set the tone for any successful initiative. If they don t walk the talk, no one will. Leadership visibility and involvement plays a key role in the buy in and the adoption of new behaviors throughout the organization and a successful learning initiative. Line-of-Sight Alignment: To see the relevancy and become committed, your people must understand how what they learn impacts both their performance and the strategic organization goals. Our Impact Mapping process jump-starts alignment, planning, and goal setting in regard to real projects and real work. It creates relevance by clearly linking learning, job behaviors, and key results to critical business goals for both functional areas and the organization. Impact Maps reveal the alignment of company goals, department goals, and the key activities of specific roles. What s In It For Me? Everyone will want to know how change will affect them even when it involves learning. Our well-thought-out learning process provides an environment where learners know their contribution is valued and that they are empowered, where they can develop skills, where they have career development opportunities, and where they can make a difference. When learning is made relevant to your people, they achieve a higher level of focus that will effectively change behavior.
Step Two: Acquire Concepts and Skills The learning experience utilizes the following delivery options that teach concepts that provide the learner with opportunities to understand the content and to practice skills in a supported environment. Our new process blends these approaches, spreads learning out over time, and enables leaders to apply new skills and behaviors to their job in a way that is sustainable over the long term. Traditional Instructor-led Classroom Synchronous Virtual Classroom using Net Conferencing Synchronous Self-paced elearning Tools Asynchronous Ninth House NetCD, eslii and eteams Tool Kits Combination of these Step Three: Practice New Skills and Behaviors By dividing the learning experience into manageable segments, learners acquire concepts more easily, practice new skills, and can apply their new skills. Revisiting the virtual or traditional classroom allows learners to debrief with their peers and the facilitator by working in pairs or groups on real-work assignments and then apply the concepts and tools. Asynchronous discussion and activities help build a sense of community and allow individuals to mentor each other. Step Four: Apply New Skills and Behaviors The power of Blended Learning is realized through individual coaching and organizational analysis. Blanchard will add three to four coaching sessions to the backend of the learning sessions to get your people off to a good start. In addition, by providing reinforcement tools and assessments your people will transfer learning into action and maximize the sustainability and impact of their learning within their own unique job setting. The Coaching Process Coaching bridges the learning-doing gap and has been proven to be an effective and dynamic process that drives the sustainability and impact of training. Coaching provides a safe environment for individuals to apply their newly acquired skills to real work situations. Our proprietary coaching process offers a consistent approach and language that enables individuals to align their priorities and objectives with those of the company. Conducted one-on-one in a completely confidential environment, Blanchard s coaching services help people gain clarity and focus, and compels them toward action. The Blanchard Coaching Difference Coaches We hire the best, professionally trained, and qualified coaches. Carefully screened and thoroughly trained, they are veterans of the corporate environment, and they know how coaching is best applied to real-world business issues. Content Our integrated content links coaching to learning, which speeds application on the job and leverages your investment in training. With content available at their fingertips, both coach and client work together to quickly and easily apply the newly acquired skills to the client s pressing on-the-job challenges. Our Process Blanchard s proprietary coaching process includes a Web-enabled platform that drives a predictable and consistent approach and language while ensuring high-impact, bottomline results. The coaching platform supports and enhances the coaching relationship, efficiently leverages online resources, and simplifies the logistics of scheduling, communication, and results tracking. Application through Coaching ensures sustainability and provides the ideal vehicle and venue to close the learning-doing gap. To best leverage your training investment, you can t afford not to implement a coaching process.
The Payoff The purpose of providing learning and development opportunities is to create measurable, observable change. Preplanning, front-end assessments, and follow-up analyses prepare organizations, individuals, and coaches for coaching initiatives. Our detailed reports focus on the achievements and changes that result from the learning process. The gathering of data yields valuable new information on strengths and gaps, is vital for gauging your return on investment, and identifies new business strategies. For Individuals Increased understanding of why learning is important Enhanced knowledge of how the new skills and behaviors will improve their lives and contributions to the organization Engaging learning processes that leverage the use of multiple mediums Improved on-the-job application in approaching daily work, goals, and challenges More control over their own learning process Learning transforms from an event to a process that is linked to strategic objectives For the Organization Improved productivity and efficiency Improved agility in change implementation Enhanced business processes Increased retention of key talent Improved profitability Reduced classroom time and costs Rapid converting of learning into action and results Improved links between training, knowledge sharing, and on-the-job collaboration The choice of blended learning solutions varies depending on the client s needs. A successful design combines the strengths of self-paced and facilitated learning, and numerous participant touch points. For more information, please contact The Ken Blanchard Companies. San Diego 760 489-5005 800 728-6000 London 44 208 540 5404 Toronto 905 568-2678 800 665-5023 www.kenblanchard.com MK0297 110602 The Blanchard Approach to Blended Solutions
San Diego 760 489-5005/800 728-6000 London 44 208 540 5404 Toronto 905 568-2678/800 665-5023 www.kenblanchard.com