What is Big Picture Learning? Big Picture Learning is all about life-long learning and how it applies to running a small business.
It requires a level of personal endurance, an appetite to strive for excellence, and the willingness to step outside your comfort zone when leading people and implementing change to achieve the business goals.
Big Picture Learning can be achieved by committing to continuously seeking out and utilizing every training and learning opportunity that presents itself during the course of your business and personal life.
3 STAR TIPS
- Accept that we all learn differently. Find out what learning method works for you
- Constantly seek out informal learning opportunities through your field support manager, attending conferences and meetings, networking with other franchisees and business people.
- Blended learning – classroom, online and on the job – is the best combination for formal learning
GETTING STARTED
Making the leap into running your own business and deciding who you are partnering with requires serious consideration of a number of factors. Once you are committed, you have invested your money, the documentation is signed, the business plan is penned, the financial transaction is completed… you are now the proud owner of a business.
The first operational task is the commitment, both in time and emotion, to participating in the franchise induction program (FIP) – which is basically learning the operational nuts and bolts of how the franchise business functions.
The FIP generally encompasses classroom sessions, online learning, on the job training and the opportunity in some systems to be provided a mentor or coach who takes each step with you as you commence the running of the business.
Sadly for many franchise systems, FIP is the only structured professional development program upheld in the franchise system. The franchisee completes the program, heads out into their business and, the brand provides limited opportunity to learn in a traditional sense.
For these systems, time dedicated to learning is not fostered as a priority, training budgets are minimal or non-existent and the expectation that franchisees and their team members invest in programs is talked about with little focus and recognition for those that truly uphold this culture in their business.
However, in all systems, the franchisee support manager or field coach has an obligation to motivate the franchisee to learn new practices to grow their business. Franchisee professional development should be added as an action item with all field visits.
Forums such as conferences, regional and state franchisee meetings, product launches and supplier held training sessions exist in most franchise systems. In many cases, these forums are an operationally driven function and not viewed as a formal learning environment.
ONGOING TRAINING
Regardless of what level of training and which method is chosen, the starting point is always the brand’s policy and the procedures that follow. Too often franchisors introduce something new and expect the franchisee to implement it. But the operations manual may not have been updated, or the business practices may not be in sync with the operations manual. Keeping the franchise operations manual in sync with the Franchise Induction Program is mandatory not a luxury for franchise systems.
Franchisors who strive for excellence in their brands dedicate annual franchisee awards to business partners who invest in developing their team members and who are selecting, grooming and encouraging the next franchisee through the internal career and business pathways.
Online and mobile learning environments are being introduced within franchise systems to perhaps overcome the challenges of the traditional geographical environment. Systems are investing in online training modules which enable franchisees to learn new skills, understand new compliance expectations and refresh their skills.
Blended learning – a mixture of classroom, online, and on the job is the best combination. Systems should set a strategic plan to maximise this for the franchisee community by keeping the sessions short, sharp and relevant to how the franchisee can improve their business performance.
Franchisors need to accept that we all learn differently. Each franchisee will be at a different stage of their business life so franchisors must provide options which are targeted towards groups of franchisees. In some instances it maybe networking sessions, in others it may be time management, in others it might be mentoring with a fellow colleague.
CASE STUDY: LA PORCHETTA
Casual dining restaurant chain La Porchetta has been successful in launching its blended learning environment that benefits franchisees and also key team members.
Following the franchisee’s completion of the FIP and using their field reports, the program is able to identify new franchisees who could benefit from further upskilling. It also provides opportunity for supervisors in restaurants, as well as the franchisees, to take part in modern leadership training sessions.
These include:
- understanding generational management in the workforce
- facilitating and understanding of training the leaders of tomorrow
- how to motivate their teams
- what makes them provide that extra special effort
- profiling their behaviours
- identifying what they like to do in the workplace.
This blended and ‘big picture; approach benefits the franchisees, their teams, and the franchisor.