Accelerating the impact of developmental interventions

With a blend of consulting and corporate experience in developing talent, I was trying to reflect on what is it that really makes a developmental intervention successful, is it the facilitator, the environment or the objective that the session is designed to drive. What is the common thread that links people across cultures, level of seniority, functional expertise, gender, and various other diversity norms? Maybe not. 

Dwelling on it further and to my observation & witness, success of an individual could be measured and objectified then why not the impact of the development intervention that leads the individual to be successful. What is the key towards the immensely satisfying journey that an individual undergoes towards developing self?  What is it that takes an individual to reach their desired goal? 

Post a lot of interaction, debate, deliberation, and structured discussions it became increasingly evident that the impact of a developmental intervention lies in the (4 P’s) - purpose, persistence, perseverance & passion of an individual towards their own development.  Purpose basically is that something which drives one towards a satisfying future for oneself. Persistence is being dedicated and following through the purpose for a reasonable amount of time.  Perseverance is about holding faith despite difficulties. Passion is basically an intense emotion & strong commitment towards the undisputed goal. Therefore, having a purpose, persistently following the purpose with perseverance and passion helps in successful attainment of the defined goal.

To dwell on the same further, have you ever stopped to think about what exactly that you want from your professional journey? If not, make the time to stop and think on who you really are and where you exactly want to be. The idea is to refocus your mind on your ‘ideal happy self’ that gets you to the core and binds you as an individual. It’s a deep dive that you have to make passing through all the conventional aspects that drive you – monetary benefits, social expectations etc. 

Doing this is the first step toward own development, think of a path toward achieving your goal. It is never too late to think again, giving it a focused attempt.  At any stage in your career it is never too late to pause and ponder on what is it I really need to develop, for some it is a straight answer, while others first need to objectify their goal – short term (2-3 years) and long term (5-7 years). 

Once you have your goal identified, how do you reach that goal? What are the enablers that will help in attainment of the goal – these precisely are the developmental interventions that one adopts. Developmental interventions can be of different nature, depending on the role one currently is performing – classroom trainings, on the job learning, simulations, case study etc. 

Success of these developmental interventions primarily depends on the individual who is undertaking it. It’s the 4 P’S that determines the success of the intervention. Hence it is of prime importance at the onset to determine the target audience’s (those who are undertaking the intervention) 4 P’S towards a particular intervention. This activity may take time however sets the baseline clear. 

There are different modes through which individual 4 P’S can be determined. Some indicative examples are as follows: mere self-introspection at an individual level, at group/team levels could be though - informal conversations/focused group discussions, at organizational levels could be through – dipsticks/ surveys and so on. Investing time in determining the 4 P’S would ensure a quality output and uttermost utility of the intervention. 

The higher the 4 P’S more is the success rate of the intervention adopted. This success rate then can be quantified and can be objectively evaluated. 4P’S therefore are a hygiene parameter to adopt any developmental interventions – at an individual, group or organizational level.

Moving ahead 4 P’S also fosters in shaping the development plan for individuals with at most onus. Identification of blind spots and working on various developmental activities then binds to an overarching sense of commitment and fulfilment. Individuals and organizations who base their developmental interventions on 4 P’S stand a chance to ensure maximum utility from their interventions. 

Therefore, setting the ground rules clear for developmental interventions is of at most priority!