Growth and Performance Skills (GPS) training delivered to 3 international cohorts

30.03.2021

Youth Business Russia (YBR) in partnership with MOST Business Incubator (Kazakhstan) and supported by Youth Business International (YBI) delivered an international online training on soft skills for entrepreneurs from six countries. The event was held in the Russian language.

Growth and Performance Skills (GPS) - curriculum has been developed by an international team of coaches and entrepreneurs, participants of various YBI programmes. In 2009, the pilot offline version was prepared and tested in Russian in Almaty and in English in London. The training was transformed into online and delivered in English and Spanish in 2020.

The first Russian-speaking GPS cohort studied from the 25th of January to the 19th of February, and included the entrepreneurs and mentors enrolled on the YBI youth business support programmes from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The second cohort, from the 9th of February to the 5th of March, included the entrepreneurs from the same countries, as well as from potential YBI member countries Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.

The third GPS course was specially designed for women entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan, and took place from the 10th of February to the 4th of March.

Each course lasted for 4 weeks and comprised 7 unique modules for self-paced study, followed by completing the relevant assignments with a coach's support, discussion of the modules in small groups and 4 live online sessions. Over 100 entrepreneurs took part in the training.

The training was delivered by:

Boris Tkachenko - GPS programme coach, CEO of Youth Business Russia, the Mentoring Institute and IBLF Russia, board member of Youth Business International (YBI), the member of YBI international working groups on mentoring promotion and Soft Skills curriculum;

Dinara Babich - GPS programme coach, Head of Department of educational programs and Mentoring of MOST Business Incubator, the member of YBI Soft Skills Curriculum Working Group;

Irina Gorelova – GPS programme facilitator, Youth Business Russia Development Director, Project Manager of the Mentoring Institute, mentoring in entrepreneurship expert and entrepreneur

The webinar participants listened to international speakers who had contributed to the development of GPS curriculum:

Carol Appel – Head of Training, YBI (UK/Brazil)

Chris Massey - business coach and entrepreneur (UK)

Ana Hernández Serena – Head of Training, Youth Business Spain, business coach and entrepreneur (Spain)

Natalia Velazquez - consultant, business coach, entrepreneur (Argentina)

🔸The training participants studied the following modules:

⚡️VUCA skills: needed to navigate the world we are all living in - Volatile (more unstable), Uncertain (less predictable), Complex (less simple), and Ambiguous (less clear)

⚡️Grit: a combination of enthusiasm and perseverance to achieve your goals

⚡️Agility: thinking and acting fast, changing direction when needed

⚡️Ideation and Opportunity Management: finding innovative solutions and creating the right opportunities for you in the market

⚡️Decision making: understanding the process and nuances of making good decisions

⚡️Negotiation & Persuasion: the skills you need to achieve good outcomes when negotiating with other people

⚡️Action focus: proactivity needed to act fast and plan for the future

The training participants reported that the curriculum was very well structured, and they were already implementing lots of instruments they had learnt and practiced during the training.

Especially useful were the networking sessions with colleague entrepreneurs from other countries.

The most enthusiastic training participants of the three cohorts created a group chat to continue communication and are looking forward to the next steps.:-)

Feedback from the training participants:

“I liked everything! Content, systemic organisation and sequence of modules, the training was a real response of the universe at this point of my life. The work in small groups was a tremendous experience. There was nothing like this at numerous trainings I attended before. It was awesome to start each module with meditation, it definitely set you up for work.”

“I will add to my background the facilitators’ style of webinar delivery and communication with participants, as well as the atmosphere - friendly and encouraging.”

“I have received the new tools, the opportunity to exchange experience, ideas and thoughts. The structure of the training is peculiar. SELF-STUDY skills were trained. The study of the contents followed by brainstorming at the webinar, it was cool. The Best for entrepreneurs, all together.”

“Each module looked the most essential at the moment when it was unfolded. The content of each module changed thinking. Now, when I speak with my friends entrepreneurs I understand what they lack or what they have, according to the training contents. The most important is that I can understand the same about myself and see what I shall do about it.”

“I liked to 'follow' the modules and to see the whole picture being shaped in the end.  E.g., you shall not blame other parties for your failures but keep moving step by step forward to your goal or your wish. The contents and delivery were superb! Perhaps I find it so valuable because the training was directed at me insight. I looked exactly for a format like this – the self-study of myself. As if I have put together all pieces of a puzzle.”