Special Features of McDonald Group Workshops

Preparatory Exercises

Preparatory exercises and readings provide students valuable "mental set up time" to help them get the most from their session. One or more specially created study guide workbooks guide the students through pencil/paper exercises from selected management readings. In addition, several workshops require students to quantitatively benchmark current operations against industry performance standards. Students are also encouraged to prepare personal workshop objectives to make certain the program is relevant to their individual work situation and key interest areas.

Comprehensive Workshop Materials

Each set of workshop materials are custom printed with the sponsor's logo and special event theme slogans. McDonald Group workshop workbooks are always comprehensive sets of mini booklets. Each topic or section booklet provides the student a handy quick reference to the tools and techniques covered in that section. Several workshops include "what if" software programs in Excel to test alternate management operations improvement actions. A specially designed "personal action plan" booklet assists students capture, detail and prioritize projects to improve their operations.

Small Group Team Format

Researchers have long known that the more the physical senses are used in the learning process the more learning happens. Rather than sitting in a cold classroom environment, each McDonald Group workshop participant joins a 5-person team. Team members audit, discuss, evaluate, critique, assess, present and apply concepts. Mini-lectures, workbook materials, case studies, team report presentations and special projects guide students through the learning process. Special meeting room specifications have been developed that contribute significantly to a positive learning environment. Over and over, student testimonials validate these accelerated learning adult education techniques.

Special Evening Assignments

Short "issues and answers" discussion topics are often assigned to guide participants through group coaching exercises that focus on specific problems identified by the students. Each customized selling skills workshop also includes special product presentation assignments based on realistic case studies using dealer-specific product and service programs.

Post Workshop Support

A complimentary McDonald Group toll-free coaching "help line" is provided to each workshop participant. In addition, several proprietary McDonald Group project implementation techniques are employed to guide students through execution of their individual project action plans for improvement.

Student Registration and Program Administration

Some clients require student registration and administrative support. This can include course completion records for large populations of company and dealer employees. The McDonald Group has the software and administrative personnel available to perform these special program support activities.

Student Action Plans

Each participant creates a practical action plan to implement performance improvement ideas back home. Special coaching assistance is provided by the instructor in the development of each student action plan.

McDonald Group Emphasis on Adult Education and Accelerated Learning Techniques Since 1991, we have been applying Accelerated Learning Techniques in our McDonald Group dealer development workshop and seminar programs. Our first effort was to emphasize practical, how-to topics that made the workshop concepts more acceptable to students. Preparatory exercises contributed to this focus. In addition, we found that small group discussions greatly enhanced student participation and practical application of workshop topics. We then formatted introduction sections of each training module to include "best business practices" audits. The audits enabled the learning process to be more logical. The audit process coincided with the student's way of viewing the job and his/her world. The third step to overcome barriers to learning involved fine-tuning instructor presentation techniques. We included good clean humor, fun, participant-centered activities, mutual idea exchanges, a dynamite idea "show and tell" exercise and reports on priority action plans for implementation back home. Our emphasis on creating a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere resulted in increased student participation, enthusiasm and willingness to share ideas and experiences. These efforts have paid high dividends for program sponsors by building motivated and involved student participation, improving measurable results and strengthening job performance back at the dealership. Student program evaluation sheets continue offer strong evidence that we are on the right track. We are continuing to incorporate High Impact Accelerated Learning Techniques in our dealer training. We are creating new ways to overcome student learning barriers. And, we are structuring positive workshop environments that inspire faster, better learning and more complete implementation of Project Action Plans back on the job. Our goal is to keep fun, creativity and effectiveness in every McDonald Group dealer development seminar and workshop.

---

PO Box 730, Arlington Heights, IL 60006
847-340-5518
E-Mail: walt@McDonaldGroupInc.com