SEQUUS is in the business of helping managers and leaders do their job more effectively. Sometimes that puts us into the classroom teaching new skills, sometimes we are facilitating problem-solving meetings or planning sessions, and sometimes we are carrying out an independent study to provide decision-makers with the information they require to make tough, strategic choices.
It was this need to bring hard data to 'soft' decision areas that first led SEQUUS directors to develop instruments and software to gather and process opinion and perceptions. Our initial product was a system that helped us to uncover training and development needs among executives, managers and frontline supervisors. This highly successful product not only served to help us design workshops and seminars that responded to real needs, but also became a 'stand-alone' product used by in-house trainers and other consulting organizations.
In the past twenty years our MANAGEMENT TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS SURVEY has been used in every sector of the Canadian economy, translated into several languages (including Swahili) and used, literally, around the world. Customized versions have been used in Investors, Great West, CP, Dome, Sunshine Village, MTS, Manitoba Hydro, the Edmonton General hospital, Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre, Canada Post, Manitoba Agriculture, MPIC and numerous international, federal, provincial and civic departments and agancies.
THE QUESTIONNAIRE: We now have a data bank consisting of hundreds of items but typically 70 to 80 core items find there way into the questionnaire. For each item we usually ask how important it is to success on the job and how great is the need for training and development. It is typicaly completed by members of the group for whom the training is intended, by those to whom they report, and often by their staff, peers and sometimes even their clients.
THE ANALYSIS: The data is first analysed in the usual way including a distribution of the results over the rating scales along with means and standard deviations. A scoring system separates the trivial from the critcal. A 'clustering system' groups items into categories.
THE REPORT: In most applications, one report on the entire surveyed population suffices but in large organizations we find ourselves issuing multiple reports. Often we are asked for a report for each organizational unit, each layer in the hierarchy, each geographical location and so on. The contents of a typical 15 to 20 page report would be..
an Executive Summary usually with recommendations for action on top priority issues.
a "TOP TEN' ITEM highlight
360 degree RANK ORDER comparisons
FULL DATA SUMMARY
CLUSTER REPORTS including core items such as "How do fit in?", "What is my specific Job?", Providing Strategic Direction, Leadership Skills, Management Skills, Directing, Supporting, Problem-Solving, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, and Personal Skills.
We also leave room for organization-specific questions.
THE OUTCOME: Out of the survey process comes a preliminary training design that targets the high priority needs. The design is tested with the client and adjusted based on feedback. Then we train.
You can purchase a Diagnosis package on our Shopping Page and you can even fill in the questionnaires OnLine once you have a password. You will find a trail version of the OnLine Diagnostic Questionnaire if you follow this link.
