What do you think?
Rate this book
Performance Consulting
The traditional training process confuses training activity with performance improvement by focusing on employees' learning needs, rather than on their performance needs. Traditional programs focus on developing excellent learning experiences, while failing to ensure that the newly acquired skills are transferred to the job. Thus, to be effective, training professionals must become ""performance consultants, "" shifting their focus from training delivery to the performance of the company and its individual contributors. Dana & Jim Robinson describe an approach suitable for use in any organizational setting or industry and with any content area. Dozens of useful tools, illustrative exercises, and a case study that threads through the book show how the techniques described are applied in an organizational setting.
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
349 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
6 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 21, 2012
Performance Consulting: Dana and James Robinson
Central Truths
1. Human performance is complex and is affected by variety of factors.
2. Only 10% to 20% of what is learned actually transfer to the job.
3. Must shift focus from what people need to learn (training) to what they must do (performance).
4. Solutions to performance problems will be systemic in nature and not one-dimensional (training alone is not the solution). What is, What Should, and Gap.
5. There are two kinds of business needs:
a. Business Problems: define a gap between what should be occurring operationally and what is actually occurring at the present time.
b. Business Opportunities: focus on a future operational goal.
6. There are four kinds of needs:
a. Business: goals of a unit, department or organization
b. Performance: on-the-job behavioral requirements of people who are performing a specific job
c. Training: identify what people must learn if they are to perform successfully
d. Work Environment: identify what systems and processes within the work environment must be modified if the performance needs are to be achieved.
7. Best practices: what the very best performers actually do on the job to achieve each of the performance results for a specific position (benchmarking, review of literature, and observations and interviews).
8. Competencies: describe the skills and knowledge required to produce results.
9. Typically 5% to 10% of people in a given position qualify as exemplary.
10. Learning experiences must focus on the skills required for job success. Work environment must be free from obstacles that hinder performance.
Application:
1. Must continually seek out information about business: read trade journals, review organizational documents, and volunteer to serve on task forces/committees.
2. Take initiative to meet, work with, and gain trust of managers/supervisors, thought leaders, and subject matter experts.
a. Assign staff to form a liaison with specific members and/or key personnel;
b. Meet with key personnel responsible for operational results;
c. Participate in regularly scheduled planning meetings of managers; and
d. Stay current regarding strategic plans, departmental objectives, and initiatives.
3. When a training request is received:
a. What have you observed that leads to the conclusion that a course in _______ would be beneficial?
b. Challenge is to move out of training/work environment box and identify other needs: performance and business.
4. Important to know what should be occurring operationally and how it will be measured. Identify factors or forces that may challenge the accomplishment of these goals.
5. Discuss most current business needs (operational goals for the unit). It is important to know what should be occurring operationally and how it will be measured. Identify factors or forces that may challenge the accomplish of these goals.
6. Present the data on business and performance needs in a manner that will enable management to see the relationship between what they want to accomplish and the performance of employees.
a. What performance is needed if business goals are to be realized?
b. What is the current capability of employees to demonstrate this required performance?
7. Reporting work environment information: sort factors into three categories:
a. Enhances Performance: 56% or more of performers agree with statement. Consider factor to be encouraging performance.
b. Minimal Impact on Performance: 45% to 55% of performers agree with a statement. It neither enhances nor obstructs desired performance.
c. Obstacles to Performance: 44% or less of the performers agree with a statement. It is considered to be an obstacle.
8. Ask performance based questions: what do you want them to do that they are not doing (SHOULD)? What are employees doing or not doing that concerns you (IS)? How long has problem been in evidence (CAUSE)?
9. Should Questions: In what ways do you want to change performance? What do you want to be able to do differently or better in the area of
Central Truths
1. Human performance is complex and is affected by variety of factors.
2. Only 10% to 20% of what is learned actually transfer to the job.
3. Must shift focus from what people need to learn (training) to what they must do (performance).
4. Solutions to performance problems will be systemic in nature and not one-dimensional (training alone is not the solution). What is, What Should, and Gap.
5. There are two kinds of business needs:
a. Business Problems: define a gap between what should be occurring operationally and what is actually occurring at the present time.
b. Business Opportunities: focus on a future operational goal.
6. There are four kinds of needs:
a. Business: goals of a unit, department or organization
b. Performance: on-the-job behavioral requirements of people who are performing a specific job
c. Training: identify what people must learn if they are to perform successfully
d. Work Environment: identify what systems and processes within the work environment must be modified if the performance needs are to be achieved.
7. Best practices: what the very best performers actually do on the job to achieve each of the performance results for a specific position (benchmarking, review of literature, and observations and interviews).
8. Competencies: describe the skills and knowledge required to produce results.
9. Typically 5% to 10% of people in a given position qualify as exemplary.
10. Learning experiences must focus on the skills required for job success. Work environment must be free from obstacles that hinder performance.
Application:
1. Must continually seek out information about business: read trade journals, review organizational documents, and volunteer to serve on task forces/committees.
2. Take initiative to meet, work with, and gain trust of managers/supervisors, thought leaders, and subject matter experts.
a. Assign staff to form a liaison with specific members and/or key personnel;
b. Meet with key personnel responsible for operational results;
c. Participate in regularly scheduled planning meetings of managers; and
d. Stay current regarding strategic plans, departmental objectives, and initiatives.
3. When a training request is received:
a. What have you observed that leads to the conclusion that a course in _______ would be beneficial?
b. Challenge is to move out of training/work environment box and identify other needs: performance and business.
4. Important to know what should be occurring operationally and how it will be measured. Identify factors or forces that may challenge the accomplishment of these goals.
5. Discuss most current business needs (operational goals for the unit). It is important to know what should be occurring operationally and how it will be measured. Identify factors or forces that may challenge the accomplish of these goals.
6. Present the data on business and performance needs in a manner that will enable management to see the relationship between what they want to accomplish and the performance of employees.
a. What performance is needed if business goals are to be realized?
b. What is the current capability of employees to demonstrate this required performance?
7. Reporting work environment information: sort factors into three categories:
a. Enhances Performance: 56% or more of performers agree with statement. Consider factor to be encouraging performance.
b. Minimal Impact on Performance: 45% to 55% of performers agree with a statement. It neither enhances nor obstructs desired performance.
c. Obstacles to Performance: 44% or less of the performers agree with a statement. It is considered to be an obstacle.
8. Ask performance based questions: what do you want them to do that they are not doing (SHOULD)? What are employees doing or not doing that concerns you (IS)? How long has problem been in evidence (CAUSE)?
9. Should Questions: In what ways do you want to change performance? What do you want to be able to do differently or better in the area of
October 9, 2007
This book effectively highlights why training can really get a performance improvement initiative off track if not used under the proper circumstances. This is not a great book, but it is very easy to understand put to good use.
June 18, 2016
Fantastic book for helping guide you and your stakeholders towards the best solution that has biggest impact on the results that matter most to them.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews