We know just how innovative and transformative our experiential learning programs can be. But, sometimes, the best way to really understand the benefits of PDW is to hear it from someone who’s already been through the process. Here, we talk to Stacey Harland, a senior manager for UHY, a leading firm in the accounting & business services sector.
Stacey works for UHY, a large accountancy firm with over 20 offices spread across the country. She first worked with PDW when she was an assistant manager. After finding this initial training incredibly beneficial, she decided to stick with PDW as her career progressed and has built a productive and long-lasting relationship with our team.
A key part of Stacey’s job involves managing people. From looking after training to dealing with performance issues and mentoring colleagues, managing a team full of different personalities isn’t always easy, especially when issues crop up and difficult conversations need to be had.
Before she began training with PDW, Stacey felt that she lacked confidence, especially in group situations. Dealing with challenging circumstances was difficult, and Stacey felt she lacked the skills to adequately manage conflict or tackle tough conversations.
Stacey’s role also involves mentorship which requires careful listening, the ability to evaluate a situation, and the knowhow of how to create a win-win, and Stacey was eager to broaden her skillset to become an even more effective mentor.
Stacey found the structure of PDW training to be engaging and informative. Importantly, she appreciated the fact that training had a number of different formats and participants weren’t just required to sit in a classroom listening to presentations. “They have short sessions mixed with listening, interactive and practice,” says Stacey. “They are constantly involving you, they have lots of little breaks which is great because it’s intense training.”
Two training techniques that Stacey highlighted were the Circle of Influence and Practice.
Stacey felt that the Circle of Influence in particular had a significant impact on her resilience. In the exercise, participants are asked to identify things that are within their control, or circle of influence, and those that are outside of it.
Stacey found that categorising things in this way helped her to compartmentalise the tasks that were required of her. It helped her to stop worrying about things outside of her control and focus instead on the things that she could have influence over.
In PDW practice, participants are asked to meet with an actor who’s displaying a certain type of behaviour style. In order to have an effective conversation with the actor, participants have to flex their response and behaviour. This gives delegates the chance to use their newfound skills in real life and consolidate the techniques and insights that they’d learned.
Practice and other exercises that take place during training help participants to appreciate that a lot of management is actually about your own behaviour and your own approach. And that many “people overestimate how much isn’t about the other person, and judge them, but don’t focus on themselves.”
When asked what makes PDW one of a kind, Stacey answers: “for me, it is the people that work there and the delivery of it. Christine has always facilitated the sessions, her delivery is excellent, she is clear, she is calm, engaging, and gets everyone involved.”
Through working with PDW on a number of occasions, Stacey now feels far better equipped to deal with conflict. She’s learned the benefit of an open mindset and discovered that many of the most important skills acquired during training are transferrable to all areas of her personal and professional life.
As Stacey points out, “This is not just about work, it’s about life. This comes back to transferrable skills.” As Stacey says, “the earlier you can learn these skills the better; once you get to management you’re often set in your ways and it can be hard to change.”
Thanks to the skills that PDW taught her, Stacey is now much more confident in mentoring others. Learning to listen, recognise other people’s feelings and how to respond to them in the best way possible for everyone involved means the ability to successfully guide others, thus creating a far stronger mentor. Under the wing of an effective mentor, employees are able to advance even further in their career and personal development.
And as for dealing with difficult conversations, Stacey now feels able to handle them in a way that ensures the team member is left clear on what is required of them. At the end of the talk, the team member is able to leave feeling happy and confident that they have the tools and support necessary to succeed.
Overall, Stacey has found PDW training to be “transformative.” She plans to continue working with PDW way into the future.
To learn more about PDW training, and to find out how our unique approach could benefit you, contact a member of our friendly team today.