There is yet another long-term benefit associated with the alliance between Source One and Source Three. This benefit concerns sustainability. With this alliance, I can slowly disengage from a specific training/education program. The training/education is now being offered by the peer trainer/education. The organization can continue to offer the programs I first introduced without having to pay any more for external training/education. Typically, I will meet once or twice a year with the peer trainer/educator after they have assumed responsibility for the training/education so that I might update them regarding new concepts or practices. When the training/education is handed off from Source One to Source Three, there is a much greater probability that this training/education program can be sustained. Even without money exchanging hands, the peer trainer/educator—and the peer trainer/educator’s department—will inevitably benefit from the peer instructor’s exposure to other departments and to organization-wide issues. Without the need for substantial training/education funds or the need for professional HR staff members to provide training/education, these peer-based programs can be sustained—despite the vagaries of training budgets, shifts in educational priorities, or changes in the training/education staff.
In selecting employees who are qualified to offer peer-based training and educational programs, the leaders of an organization can take full advantage of one of the other six appreciative strategies being featured in this series of essays, namely, the human resource bank. The director of a human resource management office or members of a training and education committee can readily make use of information that has been gathered for the human resource bank regarding the distinctive strengths, skills and knowledge of each employee in the organization. The HR director might wish to find someone who is fluent in French and experienced as a teacher. The HR committee might search for someone who is knowledgeable about grievance policies in the organization and has substantial managerial experience. A human resource bank can provide information to both the director and committee. This bank can be of great value to the leaders of an organization who wish to not only create an appreciative organizational culture, but also make extensive use of this third source of expertise for their training/education programs.
