ah…boot camp
Hi All,
It has been a privilege to witness the 2nd round of boot camp in action. As an observer, my focus has been on the model itself. I am here because my gut tells me that Eugene is onto something unique and potentially powerful.
After this week’s session I hounded Eugene with questions about the design…things like:
– Is there a need to formally include “tools” type training in the sessions?
– Or, at least intentionally sharing of relevant “tips and tricks”? Or a short set of recommended readings? A list of training providers?
– How big of a group would be ideal?
– How large could the group get and still bring the boot camp value to the participants? Especially since this round’s small group has allowed for intimacy, trust building and co-coaching that is perhaps less likely to occur in even a group of 8.
I also learned that Eugene’s vision is for boot camps to exist elsewhere.
– What would it look like without his guiding facilitation? What would be gained? What would be lost? What structure/resources would be needed?
– Without “expert” guidance, would participants simply keep practicing bad habits? Or, can one trust that the wisdom in the room among the participants would bubble up to prevent this?
And… Eugene’s answers nearly all were reminders that the core of boot camp is practice. practice. practice.
Now, it is finally clicking for me the extent to which Eugene is experimenting with adopting a fitness boot camp model. (I know, maybe I could have caught that sooner…given the name and all.)
The emphasis in my thinking about Changemaker is shifting from recognizing that he is adapting the boot camp (business) model in a space currently served by resources such as project-based consulting to organizations, leadership training, co-coaching/success circles… To thinking about what the wholesale adoption of the model might look like: What unique value does a boot camp space for practice brings to participants and their workplaces? What outcomes can be achieved from this practice-centered model, at what levels, over what timeframe, with what lasting effect?
aluckey 10:55 pm on July 12, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
This may help clarify a bit more… whereas I had been envisioning a cross between workshops, coaching, and co-coaching… I am beginning to see that Changemaker could be something quite qualitatively different – with a unique set of results.
Eugene 3:19 pm on July 13, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks so much for sharing these thoughts, Amy! Talking with you has helped me tremendously in articulating and clarifying my thinking, and it’s also spurred new ideas!
I need to put some of this stuff on a web page so that people understand the larger vision of what I’m trying to do. I’m realizing in talking to people that when I say, “practice,” it goes right over most people’s heads. They’re not really stopping to think about what practice means and whether or not they’re incorporating that into their work. So I need to figure out a way to communicate that this is not Yet Another Training, that the emphasis is fundamentally different.
I don’t think what I’m trying to do is particularly unique philosophically, though. @renee mentioned Action-Learning this past week; there are also Communities of Practice. I think what’s different here is the implementation — how I’m doing this. Would love to hear other people’s thoughts!
Renee 4:48 pm on July 15, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
This is super helpful Amy/Eugene. Even though we’ve talked about practice quite a bit, I didn’t really get the idea that the concept of practice is what differentiates Bootcamp from other trainings. And I think the concept is right on – if you give people a chance to be self-reflective and some tools/concepts to reflect on, and then keep bringing people back to a group touch-point, people hold themselves accountable to the things they want to change.
To your question, Amy about “expert guidance”, I think a decent amount of things that we need to change ARE things we’re self-aware about. For those that aren’t, a great way to start off any personal development training is with a 360 survey of peers, especially if you create a safe enough space to be able to hear feedback constructively and process with a group. For example, Rockwood gives the 360 results mid-way through their Art of Leadership training, once people have already identified some of their strengths and weaknesses themselves (so hopefully its not a huge surprise) and they have developed relationships with the group to soften the blow if hard feedback is received.
One of the challenges for Bootcamp’s design is around rhythm and timing. I know that Rockwood does a great job with this concept for their year-long training by spacing out 3 full weeks of training/reflection/group time over the course of one year. Each week is a deep, deep dive into your personal leadership qualities and then you go back into your organization/world and practice the new tools, checking in with a peer throughout.
I imagine this is way too much for Bootcamp. But I think there could be some value in spacing sessions out a bit more because you would have more time to practice, do homework, and see how the new way of operating is manifesting in your real life. Also, as I said last week, I kind of yearn for an extra hour each session. Two hours is short. And to be honest, I can’t get much done with one hour in the morning anyway, so it would make zero difference to me if we went from 9-12 instead of 10-12 (I know that may be different for commuters). So you might consider longer sessions every 2 weeks.
Natalie 4:03 am on July 16, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Yes – I agree with the rhythm and timing comment. I keep thinking we need a couple of weeks between sessions in order to have more time and opportunities to practice the concepts — and do the homework. I was also musing today on a different time, like 4-6 or 5-7, that would cut less into the work day.
As for the practice concept, I think it’s still sinking in. I’ve started and deleted about five sentences now, so I need to think more about it before I know what I want to say.