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 Conceptual
frameworks and theories are important aspects in skills learning.
They enable participants to associate and understand behaviour in
various contexts. This, writes Mohan Bangaruswamy, can be
the starting point in the learning journey
We
hear about a number of theories and conceptual frameworks associated
with behavioural skills training. People talk about Transactional
Analysis (TA), Type Theory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI),
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Rational Emotive Theory (RET),
etc. Do these play an important role in the learning process? Is
one better than the other? This is the theme of the current article.
Most
skills learning programmes have objectives that focus on changing
behaviour. Frameworks and theories help in explaining concepts.
These frameworks take different routes to explain behavioural patterns.
Facilitators utilise frameworks to drive home their points. The
frameworks provide the “stickiness” factor in helping
the participants to retain the information.
Facilitators
tend to utilise those frameworks that are meaningful to them and
in which they have developed comfort levels. For example, a team-building
workshop can be conducted with the help of any one of the following:
Belbin’s Team Roles, MBTI and Insights system.
Each
of these instruments enables the facilitator to plot the profile
of the team members and the team. The data that emerges can be utilised
to do meaningful work in the team-building process. Are any of these
instruments better than the others for the given purpose? As a person
who utilises all three of these, I must mention that the task of
generating a team profile can be done excellently with all of them.
Similarly
NLP or RET can be utilised to zero in on behavioural patterns and
to set learning goals for working with new behaviour.
The
effectiveness of a learning programme does not lie totally with
the framework that is utilised. It is important to create self-awareness
with respect to one’s behaviour and then set learning goals.
Good skills-learning programmes do not stop with giving the participants
information about frameworks. They need to move on to helping the
participants change behaviour patterns.
This
requires identification of current patterns and looking at new behaviours
to add. The frameworks come handy in helping the participants in
identifying and categorising behaviour. The framework helps in the
journey to become self-aware.
Our
values and beliefs are key to the behaviour that we exhibit. Therefore,
changing behaviour must start with the value/beliefs and the meanings
that we assign to what happens around us and to us.
This
is where the facilitator can help by offering insights and perspectives
to the participants by identifying patterns. The facilitator needs
to assist the participants to find answers to questions such as:
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Do I behave this way in certain contexts? Or do I do it all the
time?
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What makes me behave this way? How do I feel? Do I feel good about
what I do? Do I feel bad?
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What triggers this behaviour?
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Have I tried alternative behaviour to similar triggers? Did they
work better? Did I feel good or bad about this?
These
are sample questions and are not exhaustive.
Good
workshops enable changes to take place. Behaviours are symptoms
and not causes. Adding new behaviour needs to work at the cause
level. It is also important to enable participants develop the ability
to generate multiple alternatives as response to a given situation.
There are times when people get stuck with a single choice and get
into a state of inertia or helplessness. The ability to look at
multiple perspectives and generate multiple choices is the way to
adding new behaviour.
To
me, conceptual frameworks and theories are important aspects in
skills learning. They provide a mechanism to enable participants
to associate and understand behaviour in various contexts. It can
be the starting point in the learning journey. The key is in utilising
the participants’ understanding of the concepts in their journey
to become self-aware and in setting goals in the learning journey.
I
must repeat that workshops that end without giving information on
conceptual framework may leave the participants wondering about
what they should do next. The workshop needs to enable the participants
to move ahead. Change that lasts does not come about in an instant.
Each participant needs to relate the concept to his or her context.
This is an important part in the process of adding behaviour. They
can then move on in the learning journey once this is done.
The
choice of the framework or theory that one selects to explain the
concept may not matter much. There are different routes to explaining
behaviour. More important is the way to work with oneself in the
change process. This is key and I would put more stress on this
aspect in any learning programme.
Mohan
Bangaruswamy is the Chief Executive of Shangrila Consulting, Bangalore.
He can be reached at mbangaruswamy@vsnl.net
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