Results-Based Development: A Collaborative Approach That Anchors Development to Your Bottom Line
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
This book breaks new ground regarding organizational development providing a road map for business leaders to achieve ROI targets related to training & development. It uses three symbols, a water treatment plant, a relay race, and an anchor chain to metaphorically represent how businesses change and grow. The discussions regarding handoffs between the various stakeholders involved with development provide insights into the complexity of human performance that stretches beyond the boundaries of Performance-Based Training methodologies.
Each chapter follows a consistent format starting with a discussion of new elements of the Results-Based Development (RBD) process. Case studies are used to demonstrate relevance of the material discussed and to further illustrate key messages. At the end of each chapter is a list of symptoms that emerge when elements of RBD are overlooked or are being implemented ineffectively. That allows you to conduct a high-level assessment of your development process as you journey through the book.
Chapter 1 introduces us to RBD, a four stage circular process that:
* Defines business objectives,
* Provides supervisor support to motivate learners before attending training,
* Provides relevant training, and
* Provides supervisory follow through for learners after attending training.
To demonstrate the collaborative effort required to achieve bottom line results from development initiatives, RBD is portrayed as an Anchor. In this metaphor, the links that anchor RBD to business objectives are the unique groups of people who play primary and support roles in the RBD process. Those groups are referred collectively as the target audience. Performance-Based Training (PBT) strengthens the individual links in the chain by training job-relevant skills and behaviors, and by building learner confidence. However, when the target audience is inadequately defined, some links in the chain can remain weakened, placing the ship, the business objectives, in jeopardy.
You will find that RBD goes upstream to describe gaps between current and desired states of organizational development in terms of people, processes, and technology. Chapters 2-4 establish the legitimacy of taking this comprehensive approach and reinforce the need to implement integrated and multi-tiered performance solutions. In Chapter 5, a performance strategy, modeled from strategies used by sales and operations, is developed to provide a framework for implementing RBD. Specific requirements for each stage of the RBD process are described in Chapters 6-9, with Chapter 10 focusing on an overall implementation strategy. As a supplement, the Appendix offers guidance on how to establish development standards.
From the Publisher
Read this book and you will change the way you think about organizational development. It is best described as the continuation of a conversation about human performance initiated by Stolovitch & Keeps (Handbook of Human Performance Technology), Robinson & Robinson (Performance Consulting), and Gilbert (Human Competence). To one degree or another, these earlier works followed a traditional academic methodology based on a systems approach to problem solving. Michael Austin, with his vivid accounts of the tug-of-war exchanges between development stakeholders, takes us into the corporate trenches extending from classrooms to boardrooms.
What strikes you first about the author's groundbreaking approach to development is the level of respect given to the methodologies referred to collectively as Performance-Based Training (PBT). He builds from the strengths of PBT while introducing a new topic of discussion that starts by differentiating between training and development. He demonstrates how each requires change, but has different requirements and result in different outcomes. When training is successful, learners start a training program with one set of skills and behaviors and end with another set of skills and behaviors. When development is successful, organizations start with business results related to one level of performance and end with business results related to another and higher level of performance. Training skills are assessed against skill checks. Development outcomes are assessed against business objectives.
The book uses a series of case studies to demonstrate relevance of the material discussed and to further illustrate key messages. You are guaranteed to recognize the characters used as they were cast from actual experiences. While Todd, the Training Manager, is a central figure, there are no super heroes flawlessly implementing perfectly designed models. Rather, you will be given a front row seat to complex negotiations often involving several organizational levels and multiple stakeholders. The effect is to present a development process that quickly establishes credibility with readers having diverse backgrounds and functional specialties.
The tone of the book is conversational, almost as if you were sitting down with the author face-to-face. It is a rare find to have a technical book of this nature written in such a style. But don't let the casual tint of the illustrations and text lead you to believe that this is anything but a serious treatise on the contemporary issues of human performance. The models presented are as insightful as they are easy to understand. You will find yourself wanting to rip pages from the binding to immediately start using tools like the Training Barometer, Development Sailing Report, and Performance Strategy. The appendix on development standards will cause many to re-evaluate how corporate surveys are written and analyzed.
Results-Based Development is the next stage of your journey toward achieving excellence in organizational performance. To continue the conversation, the author invites you to participate in an international newsletter dedicated to improving return on investment from your organizational development initiatives.
Results-Based Development: A Collaborative Approach That Anchors Development to Your Bottom Line
Results-Based Development: A Collaborative Approach That Anchors Development to Your Bottom Line,Michael G. Austin,Training & Performance Solutions,0972832300,Business & Economics,Business & Economics / Human Resources & Personnel Management,Business & Economics / Training,Business / Economics / Finance,Business/Economics,Development - General,Employees,Employees, Training of,Human Resources & Personnel Management,Management - General,Organizational change,Performance standards,Training,Training of,Business,Organizational development,Performance
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