GTI recently invested in two large-scale training events at its Gujarat, India facility and the new plant in Jakarta, inviting employees from across the company to continue their learning journey through the unique Foundations for the Future (FFF) program. Read on to learn more about FFF from the perspective of Shashikumar SS, Sr. GM of ERP and EDP and Director of FFF:
As individuals, we’re constantly learning, growing, and changing through our experiences. Similarly, we must continuously learn, adapt and improve in order to grow as a company.
At Gulbrandsen Technologies (GTI), our ability to grow depends on how many new ideas we can generate; how much new cash flow we can drive; how many new opportunities we can support with our systems and infrastructure; and, finally, the top talent we’re able to attract and retain.
New ideas that drive revenue: We have a surplus of good ideas at GTI, thanks to our culture of innovation. These ideas help us expand existing customer relationships, as well as explore new market opportunities and enter new segments, which ultimately drives new revenue.
Systems and infrastructure: We have been able to elegantly support all this new growth with industry-leading systems, software applications, and the tools we’ve developed in-house to help us improve the speed of execution while enabling seamless operation across the company.
Talent: Because ours is a specialized business, a lot of specific knowledge and experience is required for GTI employees to make valuable and long-term contributions. They need training and time to build the necessary skill sets, which means we need to provide a great workplace experience to recruit and keep the very best talent. We do that by establishing and maintaining a great culture, which requires:
- Excellent leadership
- Effective communication skills
- Continuous improvement through training (soft skills, technical and operational)
For all these reasons, we created a world-class training program for our next generation leaders: Foundations for the Future (FFF).
The History of FFF
Our founder, Don Gulbrandsen, has always been a strong believer in the value of continuous learning and improvement. It’s a big part of our company culture, and many of us with long tenures have benefitted from years of diverse training opportunities. In 2007, Don asked his leadership team to help create a culture of learning that would help retain our top talent. This is how Foundations for the Future was born.
Since its inception, it has become so successful that it’s now a cornerstone of our company culture, and an important driver of employee engagement.
Unique Content = Unique Results
One of our training modules focuses on an individual’s personality and character traits, and how those can influence the way they think and communicate. Leaders need to understand and recognize the value that each type brings to the table, and how to get the most out of each person and team.
Other curriculum includes:
- Understanding how and why we make assumptions and the barriers they create to effective thinking
- Examining ways to rethink situations especially those charged with negative emotions
- Venturing outside our comfort zones to clear the path for achieving outstanding growth and results for self, team and organization and community
We’ve also created new modules on:
- Accountability and assertiveness
- Active listening
- Conflict resolution
- How to inspire and motivate teams
- How to build high-trust organizations – and so much more!
Continuous Improvement = Continuous Growth
At GTI, we’re continually growing at an individual level and across the entire enterprise. Guided by our founder’s vision, we are all life-long learners, constantly in pursuit of new knowledge and ways to improve. This has resulted in a very innovative culture, and a company that’s constantly finding and leveraging new opportunities to meet marketplace needs.
If you’re interested in joining the Gulbrandsen Technology team, please visit https://careers.gulbrandsentechnologies.com/ for more information on our current postings. We’d love to talk to you!