Focus Magazine - Fall 2015 - (Page 5)
FROM THE PRESIDENT
John Sjovall
Training's
Transformative Power
Successful learning
transforms the
learner, the trainer,
the department and
the enterprise.
I
f somehow you were forced to boil down
the mission of learning into one word, what
word would that be? ere are lots of
contenders - education, growth, development,
creation, fulfilment. All good words for this
hypothetical exercise.
My answer - once "they" rejected my
request for a few more words - would be
"transformation." Successful learning
transforms the learner, the trainer, the
department and the enterprise. It creates
opportunity, it strengthens advantages, it builds
bridges, and it shatters preconceptions.
Education is the solution to all sorts of
problems and it keeps everyone moving ahead,
positively impacting business, society and
especially people.
Transformation has been on my mind a lot
lately. As many of you know, I recently le a
longtime employer and have taken an exciting
new role as senior director of commercial capabilities and training at Collegium Pharmaceutical. Changing jobs is just like learning a new
skill ... it forces us to reevaluate our processes,
our professional beliefs and our goals.
Change may be - in fact is - frightening at
times, but like the mother lion rallying to
protect her cubs, we find the strength to do
what's necessary to the best of our abilities.
Some transformations are larger than others, of
course, but all can seem daunting when the
rubber hits the road.
In my case, it has been very interesting to go
from an established company with a full
department of 24 training professionals (who
were part of a greater commercial organization
of around 300 home office and 1,600 field folks)
to a small start-up company. Currently I'm a
team of one, part of a commercial organization
of 10 (although there are about 25 scientists
and lab folks as well).
Nothing exists and if you need it, you have
to build it yourself. For example, when we
needed to put out a request for proposal (RFP)
for some training to be built, I had to build the
process and the form, then put together the
content to go into the RFP.
But frightening or not, change is a good
thing. It keeps us fresh, challenges our
entrenched approaches and leads to new
victories. You feel excitement; you feel a sense
of accomplishment.
Personally, I've have had to start thinking
back to my old days as a field trainer and new
department leader. I pondered what is
important, what needs to be accomplished first
and what is critical. It all brings a sense of
importance - not of oneself, but of the gravity
of what we are doing.
In my new role, we are incubating the egg of
a new commercial organization and we have to
do this right. I know that sense of responsibility
resonates with you, because each of you have
your own "have to" list when it comes to job
performance. Educators, as much as if not more
than any other professionals, have a burden to
reach for the stars.
Take this as a friendly reminder to avoid
stagnation. Periodically inventory your training
processes, delivery methods, content library
and learning plans. And physician, heal thyself
... be sure to look at how you learn, how you
manage and how you lead. Always be
"transforming."
Do your best to harness the power of change.
e results will likely be shockingly good. ■
John Sjovall is president of LTEN and senior director, commercial capabilities & training, for Collegium
Pharmaceutical. Email John at jsjovalljr@gmail.com.
FOCUS | FALL 2015 | www.L-TEN.org
5
http://www.L-TEN.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Focus Magazine - Fall 2015
Focus Magazine
From the President: Training's Transformative Power
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Guest Editors: The Role of Tension Management
Directions: More Ways to Connect
Front of the Room: Delivering the Unexpected
Neuroscience: The Neuroscience of Mindfulness
AstraZeneca: Creating a Blended Learning Curriculum
44th LTEN Annual Conference: The Power of Networking
Executing a Key Account Management Strategy
Member Solutions: Managing Global Learning
The Making of Great Leaders
Developing Reps: 5 Critical Steps to Success
Reaching Potential: Two Essential Skills
Virtual How: Medical Device Training Priorities
Ad Index
Focus Contacts
5 Questions with Anthony Caliendo
Focus Magazine - Fall 2015
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