Dwaraka Doss Goverdhan Doss Vaishnav College.

833,E.V.R. Periyar High Road, Arumbakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600-106

Year and Course- IST M.A. HRM Paper- Learning and Development.

Presenter- Dwarakesh.B Professor- Dr.Sayee Kumar.

SENSITIVITY TRAINING AND OUTBOUND

TRAINING.
SENSITIVITY TRAINING.

“Sensitivity training is a form of training with the goal of making people more aware
of their own prejudices and more sensitive to others”

It refers to changing behavior through unstructured group interaction. It can

also be called laboratory training, T-groups and encounter groups
interchangeably. Members of different gender, culture and abilities are
brought together in a free and open environment, in which participants discuss
different issues in an interactive way. It is loosely directed by a professional
behavior scientist who creates opportunities for everybody to express their
ideas, emotions, perceptions, attitudes and beliefs. Nobody is a leader in such
an interaction. This group in process oriented, meaning that everybody learns
by observing and participating rather than being ordered or told to do a
certain activity.
Disadvantages of Sensitivity Training:

 Many participants find these activities unstructured and chaotic

 It might damage the work relations between employees
 Superior-subordinate relationship is tampered because it is an informal
activity
 Participants are not able to express what they truly believe because of
the presence of a behavior scientist
 It doesn’t find out any deep psychological reason for a person behaving
in a certain manner
Importance of Sensitivity Training:

 It helps employees be sensitive to the existing diversity in the

workplace. It leads to better understanding between members of the
organization
 Helps to build good interpersonal relationships with their team
members
 Educates the members about constructive behavior which will benefit
everybody working in the organization.
 Helps managers get an insight into their own behavior
 Helps to develop correct behavioral and emotional actions
This method of organizational development was extremely famous in 1960s;
By 1970s the use of this meth od diminished and has eventually disappeared.
However, organizational interventions such as diversity training, team
building exercise and coaching have evolved of the organizational development
technique. Feedback is a very important element of this training. It helps the
manager know if the attitude and behavior he/she is inhibiting is effective or
not.
1. Unfreezing the old values –It requires that the trainees become aware
of the inadequacy of the old values. This can be done when the trainee
faces dilemma in which his old values is not able to provide proper
guidance.
2. Development of new values – With the trainer’s support, trainees
begin to examine their interpersonal behaviour and giving each other
feedback. The reasoning of the feedbacks are discussed which motivates
trainees to experiment with range of new behaviors’ and values. This
process constitutes the second step in the change process of the
development of these values.
3. Refreezing the new ones – This step depends upon how much
opportunity the trainees get to practice their new behaviors’ and values
at their work place.
OUTBOUND TRAINING.

Outbound Management Programmes or Outbound Training are training

methods practiced for enhancing organizational performance through
experiential learning. Such programs are often also referred to as corporate
adventure training and outdoor management development.
Why outbound training ?

The concept of using the outdoors as a tool in management training was first
developed in the 1940's by Dr. Kurt Hahn.
The need for Outbound training has been largely recognized by the corporates
as it paves a platform for smart thinking, swift action and effective people skills
– qualities to the employees which are more effectively developed in an
experiential setting than through classroom training.
Outbound programmes have been found to be particularly effective in areas
that involve interpersonal relationships, trust and bonding, communication of
shared vision and goals, motivation, behaviour modification in response to
change, and personal effectiveness.
These programmes are usually conducted in wilderness sites far removed from
human civilization. In a tranquil and informal environment, up close with
nature, people are found to become more introspective and uninhibited, paving
the way for a complete and effective learning process. After spending a few
days in an outdoor situation, team members tend to bond together in a way
that is impossible in an urban office atmosphere with its attendant worries and
stress.
The crux of OBT lies in taking a group of people away from their normal
environment into the outdoors, and placing a new, unfamiliar set of challenges
before them, in the solving of which a whole lot of new equations are thrown
up. The programme works on the principle that when a team is thrown
together in wilderness or adventure settings, where they have to fend for
themselves and meet challenges together, there is growth in many directions.
At the operational level, outbound learning works on the following
assumptions :

 People generally have more resources and are more capable than they
think they are.
 A small heterogeneous group is capable of successfully coping with
significant physical and mental challenges.
 Learning is more successful when problems are presented rather than
solutions or methodologies.
 Stress and shared adventure serve as important catalysts in the
discovery process.
 The single most important factor that determines a person's future is his
idea of self.
  Significant, long-lasting learning can be achieved through an intensive,
short-term experience.

Areas Where Outbound Training is Effective

Teambuilding/Teamwork-
Building successful teams while focusing on problem-solving, communication,
trust-building, change and conflict resolution.
Leadership Development-
Identifying and developing traits successfully employed in situations involving
strategy, goal setting, planning, resource allocation, empowerment, and
decision-making.
Change Management-
Enabling an organisation to build a shared culture, integrating new
organizational structures, managing transitions, and expanding perceived
limits of performance.
Conflict Resolution-
Improving interpersonal skills, removing communication blocks, building
abilities to express and resolve differences in an unstressed manner.
Personal and Professional Effectiveness-
Improving self image through emphasis on personal and group achievements,
encouragement to stretch beyond perceived limits, and gaining a renewed
sense of purpose and commitment.
Interpersonal Skills -
Develops abilities to relate meaningfully and with confidence in group and
individual situations, working towards enhancing group dynamics.
Communication Skills-
Builds effective communication skills that enables enhanced performance and
productivity.
Induction/Orientation for Trainees-
Reduces lead time in creating productive, effective employees and enables
faster integration of corporate culture, values, and expectations.
Partnerships/Alliances
Creating more effective client, vendor, supplier, alliance, and partner
relationships through shared experiences and goals and trust-building.
FAQ’s- SECTION-A

1. Define sensitivity training.

2. Name few significances of sensitivity training.
3. Name the steps involved in sensitivity training ?
4. Expand and define what is OBT.
5. Name any 3 areas where Outbound Training is found effective.
SECTION-B

1. Write any 5 limitations of sensitivity training.

2. Explain the steps involved in sensitivity training.
3. What is the need for Outbound training?
4. Explain the assumptions on which the outbound training actually works.
SECTION-C

1. Describe in detail the need and areas where Outbound training is found
effective.
2. A note on Sensitivity training- its Importance and steps involved in it.
References-

Links-

 http://www.wildertrails.com/obt/whyobt.htm
 http://www.outlife.in/outbound-training.html
 http://hrmpractice.com/procedure-of-sensitivity-training/
 http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Sc-Str/Sensitivity-
Training.html

Books-

 Human Resource Development: Learning and Training for Individuals

and Organizations; Publisher: United Kingdom Kogan Page Ltd,2011

By: Wilson, John P.

 Training for Development, 2011 ;by Rolf P Lynton.

 Human Resource Management ; by,Dr. Pushkar Dubey Dr. Ashok
Yakkaldevi