World Bank Interview with Ronnie Hammad
In our last story of FY22 we are featuring a master trainer who is also retiring this year. Ronnie has not only worked with us delivering operations training, but also participated in many of our Operations Trainers Community workshops and provided very valuable knowledge to shape this program. We asked that he share some of his favorite training moments as well as tips for trainers.
How did your training journey begin?
In the early 2000s, John Roome asked if I would be willing to serve as learning coordinator for the Africa Region. I asked him, “What’s that?” he started by saying, “We’d work together…” I stopped him and said I’d do it. In the process I learned a lot from learning specialists Phyllis Pomerantz, who, when heading the Learning Board, hired people like Don Macdonald, Jeannette Murray and others. Soon after that, I began delivering training, and felt people responded well to my deliveries.
How many years have you delivered operations training? What are some of the courses you taught?
Nevena Ilieva, a fellow trainer, once told me to keep a “body count,” which I did. I started in 2006 and have done over 115 deliveries for over 3400 staff and clients, in English, French and Arabic! The courses I taught most often were Fundamentals of World Bank Operations, Investment Project Finance and Program for Results Academies, and I also did a lot of other courses on Results, Monitoring and Evaluation, the Governance Boot Camp, Climate change, etc.
Can you share with us one or more of your favorite moments as a trainer? Any salient experiences?
Designing and delivering the Governance Boot Camp, a week-long delivery with the remarkable Anne Thomas and Don MacDonald. It was the dream team. We managed to orchestrate 40 hours of delivery with virtually no PowerPoint slides! We created three case studies that simulated the type of skills Governance staff needed to master: how to engage a Minister of Finance on Governance issues, how to advocate for Governance Programs with a Country Director, and how to improve the design of Governance projects. We also forced every specialist who was delivering a presentation to use “storytelling” to share technical knowledge on Governance topics. Despite early resistance, almost everyone had a personal transformation connecting the content of their presentation to their own story. It was very powerful, and people still remember the issues today, 6 years later.
Why is operations training important for the World Bank?
When I was advising teams on operations, training was really important to stay up to speed on the latest operational thinking. It not only kept me on my toes, but I also learned from it and could provide real examples that were relevant to what we were discussing.
How did leading training sessions help you in your career at the Bank ?
If you do a good job as a trainer, staff/TTLs can perceive you as someone who can help them in their projects/programs. The visibility got me invited to join a lot of complex, high risk operations to help teams solve difficult issues. The highlight of my career was working on the Dakar-Diamniadio Toll Highway Project when I was based in Senegal. This transformational project became a case study for how the Bank does development work and is used in onboarding of new staff.
What advice do you have for those who are new to training or those who may be considering becoming a trainer?
Become an advocate for the learner. Think of yourself as a facilitator of learning, rather than simply an expert who makes knowledge flow one way. Different people like to receive information in varying formats, so vary your approach. Bank staff have a lot of knowledge and experience, and the key is to leverage that knowledge and build on it, rather than assume they have nothing to contribute – this is true even of even new staff. It’s how people learn: building on what they know.
What are some or your favorite tips for trainers?
I am a huge fan of Kolb’s experiential learning model. So during every 90 minutes of delivery, I try to think first of the Experience people can have (critical incident, case study, video, TED talk, etc), give some time for Reflection, then provide the Generalization piece (presentation, knowledge sharing, the key messages you want to convey), and finally, Application (or “what’s in it for me”), how they can use this knowledge in their work/life, and where they can find additional resources. In other words, I try to ERGA every session. I find this framework, also makes me a more effective facilitator, so we don’t spend too much time on any one stage, to maximize the learning experience of all.
What are some of your interests outside of work?
I enjoy serving on boards and associations and lately have been really concerned about the deteriorating situation in Lebanon, trying to support a change movement and help address the needy. Closer to home, I am obsessed with playing squash! I wish I learned it when I was 5 years old, not 50 and so any day I can play is a good day. I love that there are so many dimensions to the sport: fitness, technique, strategy, and above all a mental game. It’s a demanding sport, so it motivates me to stay fit and take frequent lessons so I can keep up physically with my son, a professional soccer player.