WITH more and more women being promoted to the board, becoming the main breadwinner in the household and managing to juggle a successful job with a family, it’s not surprising that men are beginning to feel a little bit inferior.
But don’t panic, help is at hand in the form of a new development programme geared solely towards the male species.
Called Navigator, the programme aims to help men achieve their desired goals in both their personal and professional life.
It has been developed by training consultants The Springboard Consultancy which has been running a women’s development programme for 10 years.
Training and marketing manager Liza Edwards said:”Our women’s programme is so successful that it now operates worldwide. Recently, people who came in contact with it started asking us if we could develop a similar programme for men.”
The four-day Navigator course is spread out over four months, with different topics covered each day.
For example, day one includes topics such as ‘Who am I?’ and a’Man’s World – Challenging Expectations.’
As the course progresses, topics such as assertiveness, listening, giving and receiving good feedback, and dealing with change are covered.
The course is accompanied by a 300-page workbook and each workshop includes group discussion, training and a talk by a guest speaker.
Edwards said: “The aim of the programme is learning to go forward positively whether in your career or your home life.
“It enables men to look at who they are now, where they want to be, and how to make up that difference. It encourages them to talk about their ambitions, hopes and dreams on a more personal level.”
Early feedback has been positive, claimed Edwards.
“Line managers say that they see that people who have gone through the programme come out gaining more responsibility for themselves and being more proactive. If there is a problem in the workplace, they will go to see their line manager with possible solutions, not just the problem.Generally, employers end up with a more dynamic and flexible workplace.”
Some of the individuals who have completed the course have also given the thumbs up, she said.
“One man said it is was the first chance he had had to spend a day thinking about who he is. Another guy in his 50s said the course made him realise he had spent his life living as a stereotype, and more importantly he said he realised he didn’t even like the stereotype that he was living up to.
“Another said there was a sense of relief about hearing other men taking about things. It is a confidential environment, and an individual can come out with something about how they feel about their job or their situation and other people are saying: ‘me too’.
“Navigator recognises that the old family traditions and the old work patterns are changing fast. It’s not just that there are more women in the workplace, but that it is now accepted that men have to be better fathers, lovers, workers, partners, friends and more supportive.”
Navigator is aimed at non-managers up to junior management in the workplace.
Edwards said:”Ten years ago there were lots of programmes on how to be a better manager and how to build teams, and a lot of managers have been on one of these programmes. This is aimed specifically at people below management level.
“Some of the workshops are very serious. It is quite hard work to ask yourself questions and be truthful.”
For more information on Navigator, contact the Springboard Consultancy on 01453 878540.