Seven Years ago, I led marketing training for new employees who just graduated from university. It was really tough work but gave me various things. At that time, I was just promoted to a section manager and the job developed a fundamental skill of managing.
In the training, a team consisted of seven or eight new employees and a facilitator. Since the company hired about eighty new employees, there were ten teams. The goal was designed new product for the company and made a presentation for board member including CEO.
The training was over three months, included two times of half day marketing lectures need to interim report. Except those events, the operation was managed by each team.
I’d like to share three most difficult of my role.
The first is to be a good facilitator. I was not familiar of the role. Wikipedia say “A facilitator is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and assists them to plan to achieve them without taking a particular position in the discussion.” The facilitator should be neutral. It needed patience that I expected. For example target range for the product they were designing was absolutely narrow. They know same generation well, but didn’t know order generation at all. Generally 60s is better consumers, because their income is higher than 20s and they have more free time. Additionally they are positive about something new. However, they avoided the 60s from target consumers. In such a time, a facilitator had only to tell “Look at all generation. You might skip important things.” Even though they chose wrong options, the facilitator didn’t allow pointing it.
The second is to pull and lead small team. Till then, I’ve led small team that consisted of two or three members. However, the new employments are quite different and my experience was not useful. Sometimes, they started to argue. It seemed to lack of productive discussion and negotiation skill. One day looking carefully, I found their irritation was caused by their hunger. The team meetings were held after business hours. I brought a box of sweet that I bought on my business trip and gave it them. They discussed peacefully. Exchanging such tips of managing team with other co-facilitators is my fun. After a while, some teams became to have a break time with snack while meeting.
The third is improve time management. Just promoted manager is quite busy. They have to organize a lot of meeting, visit customers, evaluate their subordinates …. They have to face a lot of unknown things. Additionally, I have to manage new employee team. I know I couldn’t join all meetings. Through the experience I learned manager have to select jobs and sometime leave the job up to someone.
On the training I found another aim of the training. The training was also for new managers. Actually facilitators are new managers who just passed the job promotion.
Just a week before the final presentation for board members I was in Hong Kong. I joined meetings and rehearsal for presentation over phone. Since I spent my time in noisy convention halls in Hong Kong, it was difficult to listen to their saying. However lack of the facilitator brought together.
My team finished second. I had to do another thing, because one of member believed the first prize and I need to tell that he must accept the reality. After the presentation, we had party that all board member new employees and facilitators joined at. Some member of my team asked me to talk with the CEO Yamaguchi.
“I’m very glad to see you, Mr Yamaguchi” one of member said.
“Me, too” The CEO answered friendly.
I’ll never forget the scene.
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