A new approach to learning could address skills shortages, increase individual fulfilment and transf

Companies should adopt new ways of developing key workgroups according to Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas. Speaking at an Organisational Analysis Research Theme Group seminar at the University of Lincoln the Professor claims: "A change of direction is urgently required. New ways of harnessing human potential and enabling excellence can deliver both commercial success and personal fulfilment."

Prof. Coulson-Thomas believes: "Skill challenges faced by companies can be addressed. We have identified critical success factors in key areas and winning ways of undertaking activities vital for corporate success. Pioneering companies build the critical success factors into how people work, make it easier for them to undertake complex tasks, and enable them to emulate the approaches of high performance.’

According to Coulson-Thomas, "The right support can build confidence, increase skills and transform performance. The implications for a wide range of organisations are profound. If the winning ways of high performers can be captured and emulated by others developing and retaining superstars becomes hugely important."

The Professor argues for a switch of priorities: "Training and development is focused upon bringing poor performers up to speed in marginal areas. The emphasis should be upon encouraging people to build upon natural strengths and excel at what they do best and most enjoy. Educationalists are too often focused upon the disruptive and a social engineering agenda rather than the pursuit of excellence and the encouragement of superstars whose superior approaches and discoveries could benefit us all."

According to Coulson-Thomas, "Many UK companies are preoccupied with deficiencies because the performance of the school system has declined in comparison with other industrialised countries. Standards of attainment in key skills have fallen. Ladders of advancement for able children from disadvantaged backgrounds have been removed. As welfare dependency has grown at home many businesses have had to look abroad for the higher level skills they need to compete in global markets."

The Professor believes: "Too many companies are providing remedial education rather than building upon firm foundations. His report ‘Developing a Corporate Learning Strategy’ found many companies spend large amounts on general and unfocused corporate initiatives, while failing to provide key workgroups such as bid teams and account managers with the support they need to compete and win."

Coulson-Thomas’s research programme concentrates upon identifying critical success factors and what high performers do differently in areas that are vital for corporate success. Results to date are summarised in a series of research reports and his latest book ‘Winning Companies; Winning People’ (Kingsham Press, 2007). He explains: "When arrangements are in place to capture and share the winning ways of high performers inspiring them can develop a whole group or a community of people."

‘Winning Companies; Winning People, the differing approaches of winners and losers’ by Colin Coulson-Thomas is published by Kingsham Press (ISBN 1-904235-58-1; Price £19.95 plus postage and packing) and can be ordered on-line from
http://www.coulson-thomaspublications.com

‘Developing a Corporate Learning Strategy’ and a related report ‘Managing Intellectual Capital to Grow Shareholder Value’ are available from Policy Publications Tel: 00 44 (0)1733 361 149; Fax: 00 44 (0) 1733 361 459; Email: colinct@tiscali.co.uk; and from http://www.ntwkfirm.com/bookshop/ or http://www.ntwkfirm.com/policy-publications/

Details of other reports presenting critical success factors and winning ways identified by the Winning Companies; Winning People research programme and related bespoke benchmarking reports and workshops can be obtained from http://www.winningnewbusiness.biz/ Information on support tools that can incorporate critical success factors and winning ways can be found on http://www.cotoco.com

Companies can also now compare their winning business, customer relationship and purchasing practices with their peers and high performing winners. Details of bespoke benchmarking and other services can be obtained from http://www.ntwkfirm.com/policy-publications/benchmarking.htm

Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas has advised the boards of over 100 companies on how to improve board and/or corporate performance, reviewed the processes and practices for winning business of over 100 companies, authored over 30 books and reports, and presented at over 200 national, international and corporate events in 35 countries. He can be contacted by Tel: + 44 (0)1733 361149, Email: colinct@tiscali.co.uk or via http://www.adaptation.ltd.uk or http://www.coulson-thomas.com