When we speak of a group or team that is assigned a task, there is a model called the two-dimensional model for group activity or The Walnut in brief. How does this relate to Management Training?
Well, the so called Walnut has two parts. Imagine first a line from the left to the right. At the start of the line (on your left) is where the group receives a task, something they should do. At the other end, which is also the end, on your right, is where the group achieves a result. In between, along the line, there is some sort of activity or work in the group to achieve the result.
For our Management Training discussion we also need to add two dimensions of this work. Just as a walnut has two halves, one of the dimensions goes above the line and one below. The one above we could WHAT, i.e what is being done, services delivered, strategies outlined, budgets etc. Much of these things are such that we could see we could see with our eyes. We could also call them hard skills.
It all depends of course on what we mean when we say management, and then of course also what we mean when we say management training, but before we get into that lets look at the lower half also, the HOW. Here are things like the group process, group dynamics, willingness to take risks, trust, values etc. Much of which are not visible to the eye. We could alsl call the hard skills.
It is my belief that management training is about the upper part and leadership training is about the lower part. Management of that which is visible to the eye, i.e the production, and leadership of that what is not visible, i.e the relationships.
