Organizational Development: A Manual for Managers and ... - FPDL

For example, the objective of the course may be improving negotiation skill. However, to do so
one would need good understanding of rational decision-making process, co-operative
behavior, have developed communication skills, persuasive speaking, etc.
When working with local governments on the improvement relations between executives and
politicians, it is not enough and effective just to give usual course on team building or something
like that. Preliminary lecture explaining the nature of local democracy and basic principles of
interrelations between councilors and officers, may be also some domestic legislation, is
needed. It may be also useful to include some exercises in problem identification, policy
making, and goals setting.
At the beginning of the course, it is often helpful to give participants some ideas about
emotional and assertive behavior. It facilitates removing barriers and preventing conflicts.
At the end of many training courses, it may be very useful to talk about strategic management,
organization culture, managing change, and develop corresponding action plans, although
action planning may be not seen as objective at the beginning of the process.
Successful intervention in practice requires a complex set of relevant skills. Partial improvement
of one given skill may be sufficient, if all other skills of the complex are already acquired. If not –
corresponding items should be included in the program. It creates additional problems with the
training in transitional countries. There may be nothing to do in a too short course, but it may be
not possible to have a course of at least 4-5 days, which is usually an optimum for the
beginners.
6. Organisation
6.1 PLACE. In any case, it is better for training to be organised outside of the working place,
although it is often more costly. Nevertheless, when discussing options it is worth referring to
the objectives of the course. The place itself may be considered as one of key training
resources (like in the case of a study-tour). The place may also provide additional resources
(e.g. in some training courses organised by UNCHS-Habitat, domestic local authorities have
been used as object for consultancy by trainees).
Our experience in managing training courses for local governments in Lithuania, Ukraine, and
Russia unambiguously state, that training in host premises for top managerial personnel
always creates problems, which rarely may be justified by the savings in costs. It is better to
have really effective training for the total price of 20% more (travelling and logistic facilities in
CEE are not very expensive, especially for local administration bodies).
6.2. TIME. Training process needs relevant time not in term of quantity only, but also in term of
quality. Formally, certain topics in regular programme may require certain amount of time,
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