Quality Engineering Education System

Module - I

The 5-Step Process of Training (5 M's Technique)

"As one candle lights another, let us enlighten the lives of others by a unique process of creating more people like ourselves, at the same time we ourselves serving as role models to others..."

Let this be our mission statement for training people.

Training may be defined as the act, process, or method of the one that trains or it is the skill, knowledge, or experience acquired by one that trains. The process of training is continual, effective, and transparent resulting  in a change in the life style of the person who is being trained.

Here is one unique method of training people to train others. It is also known as the 5 M's Technique, suggested by management experts.

The first M stands for Model. The first step in the training process is to create a role model of the self. Exhibit or showcase all the possible good qualities needed to make a great leader. Never compromise on trifles, as trifles make perfection. Set ground rules, prepare the minds of the people who are attending your training session and make them feel important and project yourself with self confidence, self esteem, well organized, and flexible within reasonable limits. Introduce yourself and also ask them to introduce themselves. A new way of introducing the participants would be to asking them to interact with at least one person whom they have not met before and making them spend a few minutes of quality time to know each other. One to one and one to many interactions can be adopted at this stage. A few ice-breakers may be used. Use a pinch of salt in all your presentations. Be clear, well paced, and get to know about your participants as quickly as possible in the first session itself.

 How can you create a Model of yourself to the participants?  Here are some of the techniques I use to showcase myself as Paul says in his first letter to Corinthians:

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you."                 I Corinthians 11 : 1. 

"Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  Therefore I urge you to imitate me. "

                         I Corinthians 4 : 15 - 16

I am what I am,  not because of who I am, but for what I can be to show others the best example I can be to them. However, I am not who i am, but I am what I need to be for the welfare of others.

This should be my attitude while I impart quality training to others, while I create a role model of myself. I stand in front of a mirror and see how others look at me and how others want me to look like!

I model myself to create a role model...This is the process I should go through if I want to become a successful trainer.

The second M is Mentor. The process of mentoring involves participative training. During this phase of training the trainer does the following exercise: "I will show you how to do and you see or observe how it is done" or , in short, "I do and you watch". This process is closely linked to the observation skills which is the first step in the learning process. The mentoring process is rather slow, steady and result oriented. At the end of the mentoring session, the trainer has fully presented the process of how things are being done. The interaction level is high, while the trainee is not just a passive listener, but an active listener.

The third M is Monitor. The monitoring process involves "You do and I watch" Here the trainee does and the trainer monitors him as to how he does the task. Any mistake committed by the trainee is corrected during real time and hence this is a monitoring process.

The fourth M is Motivate - "You do and I am there with you to encourage you in what you do". Sometimes, we both work together as a team, while you get motivated for your performance and receive instructions for performing better. A high level of motivation tends to boost the self esteem and self confidence of the trainee. However, the trainer must be with the trainee to suggest how things could be done in a better way! A positive attitude is needed for the trainer at this stage.

The fifth M is Multiply: Here is the stage where the trainee is ready to replicate or reproduce or perform like his trainer. He is now ready to produce leaders...to light another candle. This is a mature level of the training process. This is the process of "Making Disciples" or "Producing Leaders". The life of a Disciple or Leader needs to be transformed into a new one. The transformation process again must go through the 5 steps of M's again and again till satisfaction level is reached.

Please share your experiences of  "Training Potential Leaders".

Try to find out the answers to these questions and post them if you have found them:
1. Who are the main stakeholders in the Training Process?
2. According to you what is the lacuna in training people? (lacuna means missing part or gap in a process).
3. "I see myself from the other person's perspective". What does this statement mean? How does this help in the training process?
4. "Survival of the fittest". Comment on this phrase and explain how you will apply it to your training process to make your sessions more effective.
5. What is the Quality Training Process? How can it be implemented in a Quality Engineering Education System?

Let us consider the Learning process from the student's perspective.

A well known Sanskrit slogan states, "A student  learns one fourth from the teacher, one fourth from own intelligence, one fourth from his classmates (or peers), and one fourth only with time!"
The two main stakeholders in an education system are Teachers and Students. Students need to depend on the Teachers only for one fourth of their learning. However, if a student depends 100% on his teacher for his learning process, will it be a quality system? If a teacher spends most of the time in finishing the prescribed syllabus, without having the concern of whether the students are really interested in learning, then only a forced learning process results. One fourth of the learning process is teacher's responsibility, while the remaining three fourths part is the student's responsibility. Teaching or rather training never stops at the mentoring stage itself. It should go on till the last M (Multiplication) stage. Peers are the key leaders among students. The teacher must identify peers among student groups to make the learning process easier and more self directed than teacher directed.

Later, in another session, I will discuss this under a separate module called "SMART LEARNING PROCESS" - "LIKE A SHARPENED AXE WHICH REQUIRES LESS EFFORT TO CUT,  SO SHALL WISDOM BE..." (Ecclesiastes 10 : 10). In that module, I will tell you about three ways to sharpen your intellect. What’s that saying? If you don’t get wiser and sharpen your edge, you’re going to spend a lot of time just trying to accomplish the same menial tasks. So what do you do? Here are three things to get you started: Read, Meet and Pray. Wisdom brings Success.

Consider the following stages of Transformation:

1. Enforced or coerced decision: ( I is big , while desire to change is small)

2. Aptitude decision: (I is getting smaller and the desire to change becomes bigger)

3. Convinced decision (decision taken based on one's own conviction) - Effective or Quality Transformation