Syngenia wants everybody it works with to gain new skills – technical skills, certainly, but also other important forms of personal development.
That’s why, in collaboration with an outside partner specialising in enhancement strategies for leaders and teams, Syngenia has launched an ambitious training program for its consultants.
The aim is to help them improve their project management skills and to boost their team spirit. Senses of initiative, collective intelligence pooling and greater autonomy are just a few of the intended benefits.
One step at a time
To build these new skills, gradually evolving sessions were held in 2015. Two phases brought the first new insights:
- Self-discovery and self-acquaintance
- Self-positioning in relation to others and stimulating emotional intelligence.
We spoke to Olivier Gilmont, a mechanical engineer consultant working at the moment for Tractebel Engineering. He took part in each of the workshops.
“We started by answering a 25-point questionnaire designed to bring out the characteristics of each personality,” Olivier explains. “In my case, it pointed up a number of traits that I don’t make enough use of in my day-to-day work, such as creativity, even though this facet is important to my longer-term balance. Then, in group work sessions, we became more aware of the way we interact with other people, while learning to recognise their own specific traits.”
Self-knowledge and recognition of other people’s qualities allow a better and effective communication, while respecting each person’s values.
“Each and every aspect has to be taken into account,” Olivier says. “Non-verbal communication is also important. We did a presentation exercise that has become one of my reference points for professional behaviour.” And, the much-travelled Olivier adds, “I know that it will be useful wherever I go, and whatever the culture.”
Syngenia plans to take this further. It has decided to help its consultants to develop other soft skills. In 2016, further sessions will approach more targeted
subjects, such enhancing co-operation, project management, stress management and presentation skills, ending up with a team-building event to bring everyone together.
“Through these exercises, we get to know our colleagues better,” Olivier concludes. “They draw both on theoretical knowledge and on thinking. Experiences and feelings are brought to the fore, so that everyone can benefit from them.”
