| Group training has been used extensively by leading | | | | someone in your organization can facilitate learning |
| organizations for decades. However, justifying the use | | | | groups. |
| of training by empirically proving that it results in | | | | 4. Follow-up coaching and facilitated peer coaching are |
| operational improvements is quite arduous, and directly | | | | available to assist participants in handling the resistance |
| measuring the financial performance resulting from | | | | they are likely to encounter when implementing new |
| improved “soft” skills is at best an educated | | | | skills |
| guess. The truth is that training can be profoundly | | | | 5. Shorter, modularized training sessions can be |
| effective, and return dramatic return on investment, as | | | | delivered over a period of time to reinforce skills and |
| long as certain guidelines are followed. | | | | assist participants in real-time integration. |
| For organizations that are primarily driven by metrics, | | | | 6. A variety of training approaches can be used, |
| 360-degree feedback inventories, performance | | | | including teleconferencing, simultaneous intranet |
| learning satisfaction evaluation systems and Balanced | | | | broadcast, videotape, and billboard learning. |
| Scorecard techniques will each provide some telling | | | | As a case study, one of our favorite clients conducted |
| evidence, either for, or against, the effectiveness of | | | | an employee opinion survey. The same questions |
| training in an organization. The results of these | | | | were asked of 150 key employees in 2003, when they |
| evaluations should be focused on team productivity | | | | began using RLSI extensively and exclusively for |
| and reaching financial targets. Complicating the matter, | | | | training and executive coaching, and again in 2007. The |
| however, is that it may take 12 months or more to | | | | survey covered three levels of the organization: the |
| accurately measure the results of “soft” skills | | | | leadership team, managers, and staff members. |
| training; the acquisition of which cultivates team morale, | | | | The results reflected dramatic improvements in a |
| engagement and retention. | | | | number of vital areas. For instance, staff members |
| With or without a formal ROI measurement system, it | | | | noted significant improvement from 2003 to 2007 in |
| is essential for an organization to identify its skill gaps, | | | | the following areas: my superior cares about me, I am |
| and the appropriate audience in order to maximize the | | | | growing professionally and acquiring new skills in my |
| investment in training. Beginning with key performance | | | | job, I am provided consistent ongoing mentoring and |
| indicators, such as customer retention, it is then | | | | coaching by my manager, my manager responds to |
| possible to reduce these indicators to individual | | | | our staff concerns, my manager is a good role model, |
| activities and competency requirements for each | | | | and I believe in our strategic plan. In addition, managers |
| indicator. For example, reducing customer loss and | | | | saw dramatic improvement in the area of believing in |
| dealing with angry customers would be relevant | | | | the strategic plan, and that employees were now |
| activities and competency requirements for customer | | | | helping each other succeed. Further, the leadership |
| retention. | | | | team agreed that there was marked improvement |
| All training initiatives should start with a needs analysis | | | | from 2003 to 2007 in the fact that they were |
| and specific goals regarding what is going to change in | | | | personally growing professionally and acquiring new |
| the organization as a result of training. The training can | | | | skills in their jobs, and that staff members were driving |
| then be aligned with an ongoing skills audit. This audit | | | | results. In addition, in 2007 all members of the |
| acts as a measure of the success of the training. It is | | | | leadership team responded that they support the |
| then possible to translate these skills into tangible | | | | organizational decisions made by the leadership team, |
| metrics, which can be measured financially. | | | | which emphasizes a dramatic improvement in |
| Next, participants need to know what the purpose of | | | | collaboration from 2003. Lastly, all three levels of the |
| the training is and buy into the expectations for their | | | | organization agreed that there was discernible |
| performance. They, further, need to be held | | | | improvement in staff driving results, goals and budgets |
| accountable for measurable changes and supported in | | | | being realistic to achieve, and most importantly, that the |
| implementing the changes in their teams. According to | | | | current training programs are meeting their needs. |
| a 2007 study of the transfer of training skills, actual | | | | According to a 2007 survey by the Journal of |
| utilization of skills is positively influenced by the number | | | | Management Development, managers are most |
| of managers receiving the training, multiple layers of | | | | concerned with managing employee conflict, |
| management receiving the training, and ongoing | | | | addressing employee performance and attitude, and |
| “coaching” of each other on the training skills, | | | | finding employees who don’t present these |
| back on the job. On the other hand, utilization of skills | | | | problems. All of these “soft” management skills |
| learned through training is negatively influenced by fear | | | | are difficult to numerically translate into financial metrics, |
| of breaking cultural norms. In other words, participants | | | | yet directly influence operational performance of |
| will not utilize the training skills you have invested in if | | | | leaders and their teams, which, in turn, radically effects |
| those skills challenge the prevailing culture and if the | | | | overall organizational financial performance. The |
| participants are not sufficiently supported. | | | | importance of people-management skills for leaders |
| As experts in talent selection and enhancement, | | | | cannot be overstated, even while we refine ways to |
| Roselle Leadership Strategies, Inc. (RLSI) understands | | | | measure improvements in these competencies and tie |
| the subtle factors influencing successful training results. | | | | them directly to the bottom line. |
| Partnering with our clients, we build-in success through | | | | Works Cited |
| the following strategies: | | | | 1. Rowden, R.W. (2005). Exploring Methods to Evaluate |
| 1. Our training includes sufficient practice of the skills | | | | the Return on Investment from Training. Business |
| during the training so that participants have confidence | | | | Forum. |
| applying them back on the job. | | | | 2. The Measure of All Things Soft (2007, July 17). |
| 2. Substantial discussion of how specific skills fit the | | | | Training & Coaching Today. |
| organization is included. Follow-up facilitation is offered | | | | 3. Gilpin-Jackson, Yabome & Bushe, Gervase |
| to learning groups within the organization to continue | | | | (2007). Leadership Development Training Transfer: A |
| applying the skills to real-life situations. | | | | Case Study of Post-Training Determinants. Journal of |
| 3. A train-the-trainer format is available so that you or | | | | Management Development. Vol. |