A business is established on a foundation of resources, systems and people, in the order in which they are usually considered in business planning. All three elements are necessary to create the framework within which the business can then be run.

The objective of any business is to generate profit. Although these foundational elements are indispensable, they are but the beginning of the challenge of running the business.

Resources and systems can be bought. Even people are often considered as commoditised an item as the equipment they operate, seen as yet another resource, hence human resource and human capital.

It is the rare business leader who will deny that, all things being equal, it is the human factor that accounts for the greater success of a business over its competitors. In any business, advantages can be sabotaged and disadvantages overcome by its people, from the chief executive to the humblest line worker.

If a particular behaviour in the workplace is not conducive to productivity and effectiveness, it is likely to be obstructive. Allowed to continue unabated, it becomes destructive in the long term.

It is therefore not in the best interest of any business to leave the effect of the human factor to chance, which is the reason for investment in human resource development and training.

Hence, the best way of achieving a sustainable result in the business is to develop a culture, which, by definition, is self-sustaining. The tendency for culture to evolve can also be harnessed towards achieving the business ideal of constant improvement.

Although a culture manifests in behaviour, developing a culture lies in addressing the underlying beliefs, habits and attitudes which drive that behaviour.

It would be naive to think that a simple application of training tools and processes will be all that is required to achieve the desired behavioral change.

Spending in human resource development ranges from nominal budgets and legally enforced schemes to true investment in constant improvement of business, but the one common concern always heard is, “Does it last?”

When an outcome is sustained over time and a particular set of ways of thinking, behaving and working becomes the norm, it would often be referred to as a culture.

Culture will be constrained by the context for the business set by its owners. This can be understood as the framework within which the business exists, the unspoken rationale for the business and its ultimate objectives, which sets the boundaries within which a culture can exist.

The challenge in dealing with context is that it is unspoken and quite invisible.

In taking a holistic approach to development of a desired culture, Heart Knocks seeks to establish, first, an understanding of the context of the business. Sometimes, a reframing of the context of a business is necessary before there can be a change in results.

Clarity on the context then allows the business owner to envision the kind of culture that has a real chance of achieving the desired results. When that direction is set, it becomes possible to address the human factor in a useful way.

Therefore, Heart Knocks offers solutions that are customised according to the needs of each business to achieve the results desired by the client.

Although the focus of each training programme may vary, there are certain aspects in the design of a solution which are fundamental.

First, the objectives of the business and the values that inform the culture of the business are considered. Alignment and internalisation of these goals and values among the people in the organisation is vital to the effective functioning of the organisation and there is usually a need for some work to be done in this area.

This leads to a consideration of motivation — the level of investment or ownership that the people have in the business. No amount of command and control can match the effectiveness of a team of people who are self-motivated with a sense of belonging and ownership in relation to the business and the organisation.

It then becomes possible to identify the specific changes in attitude that will shift the culture of the business environment towards the desired outcome.

When alignment, ownership and attitudes have been properly addressed, training in personal and interpersonal skills at the individual level can offer maximum value.

With skills in place, it becomes possible for team building and leadership development to multiply the effectiveness of the organisation and to ensure continuity in growth and improvement.

The environment in which a business operates, which is critical to its success or failure, is set by management. Heart Knocks offers training and coaching programmes at the highest levels to ensure that every aspect of the business from the very top is properly addressed and aligned.

Programmes offered by Heart Knocks are based on the experiential model of education.

Learning is a natural process for the human being, something one does naturally, from learning how to walk, to talk, to swim and to ride a bicycle, to learning how to respond to situations, and work through personal feelings and thoughts. These skills can only be learned experientially, that is to say, by doing. Academic learning tends to limit people to the known and the proven.

Experiential learning gives back to the individual the freedom and adventure that comes with learning the things that cannot be taught in the conventional way. It is about exploring and discovering what is true and what works for each person as different situations present themselves.

For this reason, the experiential processes designed into each programme are palpably more effective and results more sustained than programmes based on more traditional models of education.

Coaching is one of the most effective ways of reinforcing and sustaining learning, results, and constant growth and development within the organisation. Once the exclusive privilege of high performers, coaching is increasingly valued for how it can empower individuals and teams, with its intrinsic demand for accountability and integrity, across the entire organisation. Coaching has become one of the fastest growing professions today, providing organisations with inhouse and homegrown as well as external and independent coaches.

For the higher levels of management especially, an external coach can offer the kind of neutral and actionable feedback that is often not forthcoming from within the organisation.

When introducing substantive changes, it would serve the organisation well to prime, or prepare, its people to operate in a way that allows room for introduction of the new and the different. There are two aspects in which the organisation can prime itself for transformation.

One is to address resistance to change by laying the ground for communications and feedback in such a way that its people are given the opportunity to participate in the desired shift in culture and the choices that go with it. Done right, it is possible to begin to inculcate a kind of “common language” or understanding that offers a healthy space for discussion that is effective and possibly exciting and enrolling.

The other is to create a greater awareness among its people of the challenges presented by the business to both the organisation as well as the individual, and the investment demanded of them to have the business succeed for the benefit of individuals and their families — matters which are often taken for granted. The degree of intensity with which this can be carried out can range from the subtle to the confrontational for the various groups and teams within the organisation.

Once primed with candour in communications and feedback and a heightened awareness of the practical realities of the business as it impacts the individual, the organisation will have created a sound foundation to build on.

If you are looking to enhance what is working for your business and to address what is holding it back from greater success, please allow us to support you.

We will listen to you to understand the nature of your business, where it is at today, and where you want to take it, before offering you the possibilities that we see for your organisation.