'The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People' : An Inside Look The Team Solutions Educational Series
Previously, we discussed Jason’s enthusiasm for the book ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ and his desire to develop a course to assist his employees in enhancing their knowledge and appreciation of the material.
This week, we are continuing our exploration of our ‘7 Habits’ course led by President and Co-Founder, Jason DeFranco, and digging into the structuring of this class.
Our organization tirelessly drives personal and professional development, furthering the growth and success of our team. To support our team, we have assembled a variety of resources ranging from our Lending Library - full of inspiring books - to a course that further delves into the material from Jason’s recommended book. We not only instill a growth mindset among our team but also to provide the tools required to help them thrive.
Employees can take advantage of our Lending Library to access books for their own personal reading. However, by attending the course led by Jason, they can immerse themselves in the book to uncover a greater level of insight. The course combines personal experiences, popular culture references, and enthralling storytelling to help participants understand and appreciate the content on a deeper level.
Each class is focused on a distinct element of the book, drawing attention to a particular habit and providing detailed instruction on how to develop it. These classes examine the following habits outlined in the book:
Be proactive
Begin with the end in mind
Put first things first
Think win/win
Seek to understand first, before making yourself understood
Learn to synergize
Sharpen the saw
It is essential to have a deep understanding of the habits discussed in this course in order to fully absorb the material. Before starting this course we ensure that only those who were truly committed to learning and growing were offered the opportunity to participate.
At Team Solutions we will lead our team to the door but opening the door is completely up to them.
Zack Schaff, Training and Development Specialist worked hand-in-hand with Jason to create the criteria for this course. Together, they determined that the participants had to not only express a genuine interest but actively engage during the sessions.
H.R Director, Melissa Parziale, disseminated a survey of interest in which 30 people responded with enthusiasm. In order to select the first batch of participants, Executive Leadership had to carefully choose from the pool of applicants, cognizant of the fact that many other prospects were eagerly awaiting the opportunity to participate.
10 individuals were hand-selected to participate in the course using the recommendations from Team Lead as well as responses from the survey of interest. After assessing responses and suggestions, Jason personally selected those who he believed would excel in this course.
Initially, Jason intended to only include team leads but then decided he wanted to build his organization from the ground up. By doing so, this creates a foundation starting with newer employees where they can ease that information back to leadership. Zack expressed enthusiasm for this approach, noting, “Normally most organizations build from the top down, but truly great ones can be built from the bottom up.” He is eager to witness the results.
Every Friday afternoon for an hour or two, participants gather with Jason for class time. Using material from the book, Jason crafts intricate and captivating weekly lessons to keep everyone engaged. Utilizing examples, analogies, and illustrations from popular culture, Jason mentally transports the room to a creative learning atmosphere. He pulls from personal experiences and colorful narratives to relate to the members and encourages further participation.
Zack highlighted another unique benefit of this course; there's a certain amount of time that a technician gets to work alongside Jason in the lab. Through this course, he connects with those participating by sharing his own experiences and showing how he truly cares to take the time out of his day to teach something so powerful. "It's really good for those who may not have that experience with Jason and it helps them get to know him."
In order to consolidate the concepts explored in class, Jason assigns various tasks to help students demonstrate mastery of the material. To date, answers have encompassed elements like writing a win/win analysis, a 4-quadrant analysis, a personal eulogy, and making a mission statement.
Upon completion of this course, through guided activities, practical advice, and personal experiences, learners will have the necessary abilities to apply the habits covered throughout the lessons throughout their TSD careers and beyond.
We eagerly anticipate what the future holds and are delighted to witness the professional and personal progress achieved by the current attendees. Keep an eye out next week for personal testimonies from our esteemed course participants!
