In partnership with Ann Arbor’s Allovance, a decision-making methodology firm, the Economic Growth Institute at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor has developed a program designed to teach individuals to become decision coaches.
The series of 10 workshops teaches the details of decision-making methodology, software use, and facilitation skills necessary to conduct capital allocation and strategic planning sessions.
“One of the biggest challenges for any organization is to make complex decisions,” says Sherif Farghal, founder and CEO of Allovance and U-M alumnus. “Even when done well, it is difficult to do so consistently, systematically, and transparently with minimal bias. The Decision Coach program is a way for experienced professionals to not only advance their own consulting approach, but to also help organizations better achieve their strategic goals.
“Working with EGI provided the ideal platform for us to offer this program. EGI is a leader in providing entrepreneurial programs and innovative services to businesses and communities, and its highly professional and experienced team has been instrumental in making this certification program come to life. We are very excited for this partnership and look forward to a successful program implementation.”
The workshops are available in online or in-person formats, and the partnership will build off the institute’s experience in engaging with businesses and communities, as well as its teaching and learning foundation, and Allovance’s methodology and cloud-based software.
After completing the training, which includes assessments administered by the institute, applicants will complete a live engagement to demonstrate their facilitation skills and understanding of the methodology and software. If effectively executed, the applicant will be designated as an Allovance-certified decision coach.
Decision coaches will be able to transform individual bias in planning processes into objective criteria, provide a consistent but flexible process, and use a cloud-based decision support software to manage and document the process for clients.
“With Allovance’s University of Michigan rooted education in the decision sciences and over 25 years of experience, coupled with our educational foundation and years of experience working with companies and communities, we will truly create a network of decision coaches to help organizations make better, more informed decisions,” says Steve Wilson, interim executive director at the institute. “Organizations of all shapes and sizes often struggle with prioritizing decisions based on which will provide them the most value. This training program was designed for both the independent consultant working with their own client base and also the individual facilitating a decision-making process within their own organization. Whether capital allocation or strategic planning, these coaches will truly transform how organizations think about making decisions for the future.”
The workshops became available online on May 18. More information about the program is available here and here.
