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Attitude is everything where productivity is concerned. As organizations continue to invest resources in improving organizational productivity, it is critical that emphasis be placed on equipping employees with the necessary tools they need to succeed in an effort to foster a culture of productivity. Training continues to play a key role in not only sharpening employees' core skills but also improving individual attitudes which will have a significant impact on output and performance.

With this in mind, the dynamic team of women who coordinate the day-to-day operations of the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) recently completed The 5 Choice to Extraordinary Productivity. This two-day extensive training workshop was presented by Celestial Learning Development Centre, a full-service Human Resource and Business Consultancy firm in Saint Lucia. The training exercise was facilitated by Afra Schimming-Chase, L.L.B., LLM, CFP, a well-known Certified Financial Consultant and Motivational Speaker of Franklin Covey Namibia.

Like many of the solutions offered by Franklin Covey, a major focus of the 5 Choices training exercise was performance. The training group consisted of approximately 30 management professionals from companies across the island, (including the NCPC Secretariat Team). After having completed the workshop the trainees were equipped with the tools to enhance both their professional and personal productivity.

Fiona Hinkson, Executive Director of the NCPC Secretariat stressed on the importance of training as a critical component of any organization's long term strategy. "Training is essential to any organization's success. Since productivity affects companies' bottom line, understanding the productivity culture of an organization and ensuring that at least the management is properly trained in productivity techniques will go a long way in improving performance. Part of our mandate at the NCPC is the identifying issues related to productivity and competitiveness in Saint Lucia, providing the necessary advocacy and research to produce timely and effective recommendations to policymakers on these issues. The decision for my team to receive the 5 Choices Training was an easy one for me. As the national body focused on productivity and competitiveness, this training has given us a more intimate understanding and greater sensitivity to productivity related issues. What I loved most about the workshop was that in addition to the theoretical information shared, there were many opportunities for us to share stories and personal experiences and we also walked away with practical tools which will help to enhance productivity in our professional and personal lives."

Since completing the workshop two-weeks ago employees at the NCPC Secretariat have noticed positive changes not just in the work place but also in their personal lives.

Sharma Mathurin, Economist at the NCPC Secretariat noted, "We have always been a very action-oriented team however the workshop has exposed us to practical tools and techniques which will allow us to become even more efficient at our jobs. The way in which we conduct our meetings has already changed. Additionally, the Secretariat has adopted practices from the training exercise which will continue to empower us to develop a culture of productivity within the team. We have also found that by constantly speaking the productivity language and always thinking in terms of the four quadrants, we have been better able to prioritize our work. This training is so much more than productivity training, the 5 Choices equips trainees with very essential tools for living a fuller life."

Productivity affects and benefits everyone. The more organizations learn about productivity the more poised they will be to improve organizational performance.

About the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC)

Established in October 2013, The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) is responsible for the identification of key issues related to competitiveness and productivity in Saint Lucia.

The NCPC and its Technical Secretariat is committed to providing the necessary advocacy and research to produce timely and effective recommendations to policymakers on issues that affect both competitiveness and productivity on island. For more information about productivity or on the NCPC, visit www.stluciancpc.org; www.facebook.com/stluciancpc, call 468-5571/5576 or send an e-mail to stluciancpc@gmail.com