By Matters India Reporter
Duliajan, Nov 9, 2022: A Salesian priest has been training industry professionals in northeastern India.
Father V M Thomas is now busy conducting 19 training programs for the Oil India Ltd company executives.
The two-day programs for 576 in batches of 30 began in July and concludes in November.
Christened Skill Matrix Assessment Retreat and Training or SMART, the program was specially designed as an experiential program, in line with the way the young consume information today.
Speaking to Matters India Father Thomas, former Chancellor of Assam Don Bosco University Guwahati , said: “At the invitation of Oil India, we built a uniquely curated training program that would be delivered to 576 young OIL India employees under 35 years of age. The program helps in identifying leaders of the future and plays a role in succession planning.”
The training was structured as a two-day program with a batch size of approximately 30 each, he said.
The program touched upon four key areas – Self-Awareness, Teamwork, Creativity and Innovation, and Leadership.
“By helping participants get a deep understanding of themselves, they are provided a base to build on and become the best versions of themselves,” Father Thomas said.
“The program also helps them to understand one another showing what makes each one individually unique and how they can embrace these differences to work well with each other, strengthen their interpersonal skills and work well in teams,” he explained the dynamics of the program.
On a positive note, Father Thomas says, “Our program helps unlock people’s minds and address stereotypes, socio-cultural biases, gender biases and assumptions among others that compartmentalize peoples thoughts limiting their thinking.”
Besides input and interactive stimulation games the program also had multiple assessments based on popular tools.
These assessments have really helped provide a deep understanding into personality and ways of working that will help participants realize their potential.
The participants were also given opportunity to grow in confidence and harness their inner strengths. They were taken on a journey of self-discovery and transformation and pushed to come out of their comfort zones and experience magic.
The program used a mix of different training methods such as immersive and multi-sensory including lectures, discussions, music, videos, simulated exercises and group activities.
At the end of the program, each participant was able to understand how to enhance their personal and professional effectiveness and make a significant, positive impact to OIL India.
In the second phase of training, assisted by a team of professionals, 130 of the SMART participants will go through an advanced 5-day Leadership Training program at Siloam -Transformational Leadership Resource Center on Barapani Lake in neighboring Meghalaya. The program is entitled SHARP (Strengths, Health, Absorption, Relationship and Purpose) to enhance their leadership insights and skills.