Off-the-Job Methods

1. Conferences: Commonly the conference method is another utilized method of executive development. Topics like human relations, security education, , sales training, customer relations are frequently discussed, debated, spoken about at conferences particularly organised and designed for the reason. A conference is a meeting of people to converse a subject of common interest. The conference is planned around a small group meeting wherein a leader helps the group recognize and define a trouble, guides the discussion along desired lines & summarises the views that represent the consensus of the group in dealing with the difficulty. The candidate exchange opinions, notes, and ideas on the subject in a systematic& planned way. A conference can be divided into small groups for targeted discussions. Candidate is expected to air their thoughts and opinions freely. To ensure its success, (i) participants are expected to come with preparation for the conference, (ii) the conference leader might conduct the sessions according to a strategy, giving sufficient room for healthy interchange of different viewpoints, (iii) the discussion might proceed along desired lines and (iv) the size of the group should not be too big.

2. Lectures: Lectures are formal presentations on a topic by knowledgeable & experienced person. Generally the presentation is supported by discussions, audio-visual aids, case studies and film shows. It is a easy and inexpensive way of imparting knowledge on a topic of special significance to a large audience. There could be an immediate interchange of ideas on a particular topic. The method can often degenerate into a type of one-way traffic where the presenter attempt to get ahead without paying any attention to the reactions of the audience. If the lecture is not exciting sufficient, the audience might not participate and offer any feedback. The listeners play a greatly non-participatory role. They can ask questions but they never get the feel of what is being talked about. Moreover, candidate does not share each other's experiences and therefore the learning is confined to what the presenter need to say.

The method could be effectively used if the following things are kept in mind:

1. The presentation should be interesting, lively and leave sufficient room for healthy discussions mid-way.
2. The presenter has to possess excellent communication & interpersonal skills. Sufficient preparation must precede the real presentation.
3. To enrich the presentation, examples, audio-visual aids, cases, and real-life incidents should be freely used, encouraging the audience to take participate freely. Better to set time restrictions to the lecture, as listeners tend to switch off fully beyond a point (say, one or two hours).

3. Group discussion: In this technique, papers are presented by two or three trainees on a decided topic, followed by stimulating discussions. The topics for discussion are decided in advance & the papers concerning the similar, written by several participants, are printed & circulated beforehand. This is a variant of the lecture method and generally is preferred where the intention is to give wide circulation & participation to a number of experts sharing their experiences with a quite big group of individuals.

 4. Programmed instruction (PI): It is depend on certain behavioural laws, specifically dealing with reinforcement. Reinforcement means rewarding a right response and punishing an incorrect one. A main feature of PI is that it offers instant feedback on whether the trainee has answered questions accurately or not.

PI is a learner-oriented technique which exist subject matter to the trainees in, sequential steps, small ,needing frequent responses from the trainee and instantly offering him of their correctness or otherwise. If the response is correct, he takes up the next level; if not, he is asked to go back and begin again. The instructions are planned carefully moving from the easy to complex ones in a smooth way.

A main plus point of the method is that it permits the trainee to study in small steps at a pace and rate appropriate to him. He takes active part during the programme. Printed instructions might be offered by experts, keeping specific differences in mind. Regular feedback helps the trainer to continuously develop material. A computer-aided format may be placed in the hands of trainers with an instruction manual for attainment of excellent results. On the negative face, the impersonal atmosphere cannot be very stimulating. The price of designing such programmes is normally high. It is not appropriate for trying to bring regarding behavioural changes.