Improving & Managing Performance

ASTD 2008 Copyright

Credit where it's due
T+D, v62 n5 p22-24 (2008 May)
Officials in the United Kingdom are concerned about the skill level of employees and are trying to partner with educational institutions and businesses to jump-start vocational programs.  There are four models being used and piloted by interested employers. Companies involved in the project include Flybe (a small regional air carrier), McDonald's, and Network Rail (a privately-held company responsible for the UK's rail infrastructure).

Competency management: cracking the code for organizational impact
T+D, v62 n5 p70-76 (2008 May)
Employees with the right competencies for their work are the backbone of any successful organization. With the impending skills shortage, the need to have clearly defined competencies and the right staff in the right place is becoming even more critical. This article clarifies what competencies are and how to best manage competencies for successful business integration and talent management.

Sales coaching
INFOLINE, 16p (2008 Jun)
This Infoline presents guidelines for sales development practitioners to use to support and improve the competencies of sales staff and sales organizations. It defines the three anchor points of sales coaching, suggests coaching styles to meet different situations, and ideas to develop sales staff at all performance levels. The job aid is a tool titled "Prioritize Your Sales Coaching."

Say good-bye to the blame game: human performance improvement helps businesses target superior solutions
T+D, v62 n6 46-51 (2008 Jun)
Looking at a performance issue holistically and not assuming the solution is training remains a challenge in many organizations. Human performance practitioners know that it is critical to observe the work situation and related topics to develop a full and complete understanding of the causes for poor or inadequate performance. The article discusses several performance improvement examples and the solutions that evolved from looking at the whole picture.

Training is broken (there. we said it.)
T+D, v62 n8 p23-25 (2008 Aug)
There is a growing, immediate need to incorporate performance support tools in new informal courses and curricula. The rate of change in content is demanding more technology integration for content maintenance.  The article challenges organizations to change the learning culture to keep learners engaged as  workers journey from mastery through competence.
 
Developing high-impact teams
T+D, v62 n8 p30-33 (2008 Aug)
This article asserts that using real-work projects or tasks in coaching teams results in better learning experiences. The authors claim that team building events are usually role plays, simulations, and case studies, which leave little time for addressing actual work problems.  Team coaches are urged to consider and apply these learning principles as team building training is designed -- relevance, reinforcement, reflection, social learning, tacit knowledge, systemic thinking, self-awareness, integral framework, paradigm shifts, and facilitated learning.
 

Using 360 degree feedback to predict performance
T+D, v61 n9 p48-52 (2007 Sep)
Despite the extensive use of 360-degree feedback tools and employee engagement surveys, research indicates there is little correlation between individual performance and their 360-degree feedback results. The authors want organizations to understand that knowing the levels of employee engagement would help to better understand its employee culture, satisfaction, well-being, and effectiveness.

Enhance the transfer of training
INFOLINE, 16p (2007 Oct)
This Infoline contains new insights into the transfer of training. It illustrates how organizations can take specific actions to improve its overall performance. Steps to follow include: focus on shortcomings, set-up training transfer, coordinate learning networks, prepare coaches, integrate follow-up, insist on accountability, align culture, and gain commitment. In addition to these steps, there are three overarching organizational practices that support performance improvement. The Job Aid is a checklist of Key Actions.

Cultural fusion
T+D, v61 n10 p8-9 (2007 Oct)
Despite the growth of mergers and acquisitions, their success is often less impressive than anticipated due in part to a lack of corporate culture integration. Three action suggestions to improve cultural integration are:1) get the right people in the right roles and align them with business goals; 2) coach early and often; and 3) steward business plans and align performance systems. The article contains a list of 10 tips to smooth the transition.

WLP Scorecard: why learning matters
ISBN:978-1-56286-478-1, 237p (2007 Nov)
Metrics and the workplace learning function are closely tied. This user's guide for the online tool the WLP Scorecard shows practitioners how to directly link their initiatives and programs to organizational strategy, financial goals, and a range of other key business measures.

Is performance management as simple as ABC?
T+D, v61 n2 p54-57 (2007 Feb)
Performance management is the single largest contributor to organizational effectiveness according to this article. Being able to manage employees along the performance spectrum is critical to every organization's success. It defines three types of employee--A players who put work first even at their own expense, B players -who work hard but don't shortchange their personal life and  C players who work only as hard as they have to. The article covers  effective ways to manage employee in all three categories.

Holistic skills management comes of age
T+D, v61 n12 p46-51 (2007 Dec)
Implementing talent management systems is appearing on the project plan for many organizations in upcoming years. With the growth of integrated systems and the support of technology tools, organizations are in a sound starting place to make performance-driven goals a true part of their culture. This article looks at solutions that represent three categories: enterprise-wide planning providers, point HR software solutions, and talent management suites.
 

Stand firm in quest for true data
T+D, v61 n8 p50-53 (2007 Aug)
According to the authors, the analysis phase of a performance issue is the most important and yet frequently omitted. The need to collect valuable data related to the business, performance issues, and the cause of the  performance gap is necessary to determine the best solution—which isn’t always training. Arguments that address client objections to collecting data are presented. A sidebar of 10 tips for success as a Performance Improvement Analyst closes the article.

Performance management lacks consistency
T+D, v61 n4 p50-53 (2007 Apr)
This article reports that most organizations do not feel their performance management process is effective and employees do not see its value. Research indicates when  nine practices are applied effectively, that performance management effectiveness improves. This article discusses these nine practices thoroughly.

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