Composition of Members

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Composition of Members

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

General


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Board Diversity

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Board Diversity

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.


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Improvements Needed in Management Development Programs

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Improvements Needed in Management Development Programs

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

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About this Document

This document is Chapter Two from the booklet “Leaders Circles: Self-Managed Teams of Self-Directed Learners” by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD. The chapter is a research-oriented overview of the problems often encountered when using traditional classroom training in hopes of enhancing management skills (including leadership and supervisoral skills), solving complex problems and/or resolving organizational problems.

Traditional classroom techniques are highly useful for communicating various theories and models to a large body of students to “socialize” them into a field. Traditional training techniques are also useful to convey procedures for conducting highly focused and rather specific activities. Recommendations herein are intended to direct development programs to be more relevant and developmental for today’s highly diverse and busy leaders. As leaders must change to accommodate the changing nature of organizations, trainers and developers must change to accommodate the changing nature of leadership.

More Learner-Driven Programs: Accommodate Learners’ Expressed Needs

Educators intend their courses to be as relevant as possible to their students, or learners. However, to meet the expanding and diverse needs of students, educators often fall victim to instilling more quantity then quality in their courses. The primary goal of educators then becomes to expose the students to as much of this “learning” as possible. Meeting this goal requires educators to conduct a fast-paced and intensive delivery of course information. Students are left to quickly record the information, store it away, somehow realize which information is needed in a current work situation, and know where the information can be accessed. Students rarely accomplish this feat.

Leaders needing information to meet a current challenge in their workplaces often must wait several months until a related course is scheduled to be held. Often, fees for training programs are set high so as to be based on “executive-level pricing” — to many developers and learners, the concept that high fees somehow imply high value. Rarely are participants configured to remain together in their own networks as they support each other to apply their new book knowledge.

An increasing number of developers realize that the above approaches must be changed. They realize that longer-lasting forms of learning occur around participants’ current and real-world issues. They
realize the need for adaptable development programs that can be integrated with other forms of learning to accommodate the needs of highly diverse and busy learners. Developers cannot improve their methods on their own. The most important contributions from learners is for them to speak up about their needs and frustrations regarding training and development programs.

More Focus on Self-Management: Management Development Starts with People

If individuals are to effectively lead their organizations, they must first effectively lead themselves. Revans (1983, p. 55) explains, “Those unable to change themselves cannot change what goes on around them. … Without power to discard beliefs shown to be wrong, one cannot introduce actions known to be right.”

More development programs must follow this principle. Smith (1993, p 44) adds, “A consistent feature of the better researched competency models is the inclusion of the need for self-knowledge, self-understanding and self-management. … I have found that ultimate success increases in proportion to the attention given to this by participants and faculty.” Senge et. al., (1994) explains the importance of each leader’s understanding their own “mental models” about the world, that is, their sets of assumptions which leads them to perceive the world as they do. Senge asserts that working with mental models “offers
the highest leverage for change” (p. 239).

It is often extremely stressful to lead in today’s rapidly changing society, organizations, and marketplaces. Leaders require strong senses of balance, humility, and confidence to retain clear perspectives and exercise continuing courage in their decisions. The most basic requirement is that they remain authentic in their dealings with themselves and others. This, in turn, requires ongoing support, affirmation, and understanding so they can cultivate the courage to lead authentically.

Leaders require more development programs that dedicate time specifically for each leader to express and work on their own needs. Development must start where each leader is at now, to address current needs around which leaders can learn.

To learn about themselves and from their own experiences, leaders require continuous feedback from other experienced leaders. Leaders must participate in their development in an authentic fashion. Self-development programs will not be effective if leaders don’t take responsibility for their own development, which excludes passive dependency on outside “experts” for quick-fix answers. The courage for this authenticity requires a safe environment and support from others.

Address Increasing Cynicism: Get Past Quick Fixes to Realistic
Expectations

Cynicism on the Rise

Research indicates that cynicism is on the rise in American business and industry, which increasingly hurts their competitiveness and ability to accommodate today’s needed organizational changes.

Mirvis and Kanter (1989) found in their national survey that 43% of workers are cynical and 40% of managers and supervisors are cynical, as well. In their later study (1991) they concluded that cynicism among workers is increasing.

Mirvis and Kanter (1989) are careful throughout their work to remind us that cynicism is different from skepticism which is healthy response to work and life. Skeptics are open to change. Cynics aren’t.

Twenty years ago, Goldner, Ritti, and Ference (1977) suggested that as organizations become more complex, members become often more cynical. This does not bode well, considering that our organizations are indeed becoming more complex as they struggle to respond to increased competition, public expectations, dynamic technologies, and diverse work forces.

Effects of Cynicism

Jaffe and Scott (1993) explain that cynical managers can undermine large-scale organizational transformation through impatience, emotional illiteracy, elitism, insecurity, poor modeling, anger, and alienation. The authors note an unfortunate, yet common, by-product of many of today’s training sessions: “a ‘workshop high’ intended to produce momentary resolve to change [but!] then bitter disappointment and cynicism” (pp. 141-142).

Mirvis and Kanter (1989, p. 383) explain that the recipe for cynicism is simple: “hype up people’s hopes, disappoint them, and then take advantage of them until they become disillusioned.”

In their latter study (1991) they restate this recipe by explaining three key ingredients to cynicism:

  1. Unrealistically high expectations of oneself and others,
  2. The experience of disappointment in oneself and others [and the resulting feelings of frustration and defeat!], and
  3. Disillusionment from and being deceived by others. Systems theorist, Peter Senge (1990, p. 146), notes,

“Scratch the surface of most cynics and you find a frustrated idealist — someone who made the mistake of converting his ideals into expectations.”

Addressing Cynicism

Mirvis and Kanter (1991) believe that organizations must address this increasing cynicism by managing more fairly, and operating in an open, honest, straightforward, and particularly, realistic manner (that is, an authentic manner). Employees must be able to participate in governance, provide regular reality checks to management, have positive role models, and perceive an open and honest pay system. Sanford and Mang (1993, p. 157) note,

“It takes equal effort on the part of operators to overcome patterns, one of the most common being the fear and/or cynicism that this is just another `program of the month’.”

Development programs can address rising cynicism by avoiding promise of quick-fix strategies, truly listening to the needs of leaders, and providing strategies for leaders to test their expectations in their workplaces. One of the most effective approaches to testing expectations is by discussing them with other experienced leaders and “piloting” them in their places of work.

At a minimum, programs must provide safe environments where cynics can express their views and frustrations. Unless learners can reach a point where they’re participating in an authentic fashion (even if only by cynical rantings), developers and learners may be wasting their time and even making things worse.

Address Increasing Burnout: Information Alone Rarely Helps

Uncertainty, ambiguity, change, and paradox dominate management literature. Rosen (in Hendrick, 1993, p. E1:2), President of the American Institute of Stress, indicates that recent, dizzying changes in technology and the economy are causing unprecedented burnout, cynicism, sickness, and absenteeism.

Burnout and its associated symptoms of chronic anxiety, tension, and depression are destructive to leaders’ quality of life and performance. Their low morale and productivity impair organizational effectiveness. In this state, leaders cannot readily comprehend and apply the seemingly complex nature of concepts and models suggested in today’s management literature.

The most effective strategy for dealing with stress is to remove the stressor; usually this is not possible (Weick, 1979). The second most effective strategy is personal resiliency. This strategy, in turn, depends on a strong sense of self and consistent sources of renewal. Burned out learners cannot readily apply written or stated suggestions for renewal. The best strategies for renewal include individual attention, highly accessible forums for expression, and ongoing support from others.

In addition, those who are burned out often have unrealistic expectations of what they can do. Feedback from experienced leaders can temper expectations, resulting in more realistic and reasonable work loads.

Help Leaders Help Each Other: Produces Exponential Increase in Development “Programs”

Market research conducted by MAP for Nonprofits indicated that leaders felt isolated and hungry for information from experienced peers, but unable to sustain methods for ongoing interactions. The results of MAP’s research concur with that of Balog (1994) and Revans (1983).

Strategic alliances and collaboration are usually encouraged because of increased access to needed resources and potential cost savings from economies of scale; rarely are these strategies suggested to help leaders help each other with ongoing support, problem solving, and learning.

When leaders do establish relationships with other leaders, these relationships rarely afford the extent of trust and confidentiality required to provide ongoing support. When leaders encounter major challenges in their workplaces, they typically look to designated “experts” for advice — they rarely look to each other. This phenomena is rather ironic considering the high regard in which leaders seem to hold each other, particularly in regard to the strong credibility they have in each other’s feedback.

Networks provide leaders a reliable means for social interaction which, in turn, enhance leaders’ learning. Senge (1990) explains that one of the biggest myths in development is that people learn from experience. He clarifies that they don’t learn from experiences alone — they require ongoing feedback. Networking provides leaders an effective means for that ongoing feedback. Paulo Freire (in Bell, Gaventa, and Peters, 1990) points out that authentic thinking — thinking that is concerned with reality — does not take place in ivory tower isolation, but in communication with others. We develop our own sense of meaning from ongoing communication of perceptions and ideas with others.

Effective networking and development programs must include time focused on each participant so they can discuss their own complex needs and receive targeted assistance and resources. Effective listening and feedback cultivate supportive affirmation and validation. At a minimum, development programs must cultivate safe environments in which leaders can share their needs and help each other to meet their ongoing needs.

If the means for accessible and self-managing networks were established among leaders to help them solve real-world problems, there exists the means for an exponential increase in leadership effectiveness. This is very likely the most strategic service developers could provide leaders, their organizations, and their communities.

Convey Practical and Relevant Information: More Quality with Quantity

As noted by Eccles and Nohria (1992, p. 1), “In recent years, there has been an amazing amount of verbiage instructing managers on how to become `leading-edge,’ `excellent,’ or `innovative’ — yet little of it attends to the practical questions of how to actually get things done in the organizations.”

Many new models are proposed as if to be quick, permanent fixes to today’s major problems in the workplace (Kilmann, 1989). Deutsch (1991) asserts that training has traditionally been separate from the day-to-day realities of managing an organization. Morris (1991, p. 76) notes, “Of all the manifold needs that the different forms of learning must meet, surely the greatest is the need for leadership, rather than the need for acquiring stocks of established knowledge.”

There is a role for “advanced” theories and models. Related discussion is useful to the extent that learners understand and appreciate benefits of research, spawn enlightening analyses and exploration, and infer eventual application of these theories and models. Both developers and learners must continue to realize that effective learning results from experience and feedback; this, in turn, requires developers to convey information that is ultimately practical and relevant in nature.

Ensuring information to be practical and relevant requires continued testing of information in the day-to-day realities of leading an organization, continuous feedback from those who apply the information, and ongoing authentic participation from dedicated developers and learners.

Incorporate Relevant Learning Activities: Without Practice, There’s No Knowledge

Henderson (1993, p. 18) notes that “Managerial competencies cannot be delivered effectively by teaching alone” (p. 21). Mangham (1990, p. 115) adds, “… to learn, managers must be given the opportunity to perform, to be involved with and responsible for the solution to a business problem.” Revans (1983, p. 64) states the issue eloquently: “If new perceptions are not soon checked against the real world they purport to reflect — and, preferably, by some test that challenges the responsibility of the manager undertaking to conduct it — none can be sure the discussions have not so much modified perception in the direction of truthfulness as they may have merely swapped one misunderstanding for another.” Paulo Freire (in Bell, Gaventa, and Peters, 1990, p. 98) summarizes this strong principle of learning: “Without practice, there’s no knowledge.”

It is tempting to design curricula to be based only on simulated learning activities, such as case studies. However, it’s often difficult for students to generate learning from these simulations and readily apply that learning back in their workplaces. Materials and resources provided for learning must be strategies for meaningful learning, and not provided as ends in themselves. Extended analyses and discussions of abstract concepts and theories are, at times, fascinating. However, the value of these types of activities should be based, not on their value for novelty and entertainment, but on relevance and practicality.

Developers must incorporate learning strategies that require ongoing actions from learners. These ongoing actions cultivate courage, provoke experiences around which deep learning occurs, and grounds learning in the day-to-day realities of leading an organization. Ongoing actions also constitute a “reality check” to highly novel concepts and ideas.

Develop Skills in Reflection (to Value and Learn from One’s Own Experiences)

Writers (Marsick, 1987; McGill and Beaty, 1995; Pedler, 1991) allege that today’s management development methods must change to effectively equip managers with the skills required to lead in today’s rapidly changing world. Morris (1991, p.76) warns, “In our rapidly changing and confused age of unreason, which often places far more emphasis on hasty and unconsidered action than reflective learning, we are in grave danger of confusing leadership with expertise.” McGill and Beaty (1995) explain that trainers must adapt their methods to accommodate the increasing need for student-centered learning, transferable skills, and closer links with industry. The authors explain, “In times of crisis or radical change, reflection becomes more important and also more difficult; it is at these times that we make powerful decisions about the future” (p. 21).

Schon (1983) emphasizes the need for today’s leaders and managers to be more reflective in order to learn from their experiences, especially in today’s increasing rate of change. Beckhard and Pritchard (1992, p. 9) note, “Probably the most important single process involved in effective change in the process of learning while doing [italics is theirs!].” McCaffrey (1994) found that while most students see themselves as reflective thinkers, traditional development methods provide few opportunities to think reflectively.

The extent to which developers and learners can cultivate effective inquiry and feedback is the extent to which they develop skills in reflection. (Note that, although the “Socratic Method” is based primarily on continued questioning as a form of inquiry, often the method is intended to manipulate learners to the “correct” answer as determined by the questioner.)

“The greatest barrier to change is not a lack of knowledge. We all know more than we know. It is our understanding that is the problem, not our ignorance” (Casey, 1991, p. 235).

Address Paralysis from Analysis: “What’s the Meaning of it All?”

Terry (1993) describes our increasing preoccupation with the need for authenticity. He mentions that many of us experience a (p. 114) “deep, yet undefined, sense of disconnection,” “worry about the viability of new structures, and “a fragility of shared purposes.” Existential psychologist, Rollo May (1958, p. 13), explains that members of our society are going through a period of tremendous upheaval, causing symptoms of “unhappiness, inability to decide, general despair and meaninglessness …”

The recent increase in literature about finding soul in business reflects this crisis in authenticity (Chappell, 1995; Heider, 1986; Koestenbaum, 1991; Moore, 1995; Pollard, 1996; Whyte, 1994;). Among reasons they cite for our discomfort are disintegrating values in our society, tremendous changes as a result of globalization and telecommunications, and continued threat to our moral values from strong pursuit of growing profits. Ray and Rinzler (1993) explain how this upheaval is associated with a “new paradigm in business.” Pauchant (1993, 1995) and Wheatley (1992) add that this overall situation in business leaves many of us searching for meaning. Overall, these writers describe the confusion, alienation, and loss of soul and meaning as experienced by many of us today, and recommend various and different strategies for restoring our senses of soul and meaning.

But these warnings of impending doom and the barrage of suggested strategies for “recovery” (many of which seem quite difficult to convert to the day-to-day realities of leading in organizations) leave many leaders convinced that they just can’t lead effectively. They hear that they must improve dramatically and soon. Yet they feel that, try as they might, they just aren’t competent enough to “correctly” apply the “expert” strategies.

Given the stresses inherent in any leadership role and this nearly impossible situation, they work even harder to find meaning from yet more writers, gurus, and consultants. Many of these leaders become disillusioned with themselves and their outside “experts.”

They become neurotic, confused, and cynical. Smith (in Pauchant, 1995, p. 181) best explains the typical trap into which many of us fall: “… we are so determined not to become what we fear is possible, that every day we fail to be anything of substance. And it is this failure to be anything of substance that we are so desperate to avoid. So we have already become in the present what we most fear we could become in the future. However, while we work so hard not to become that in the future, we fail to recognize we are already in that condition in the present.”

Central to the beliefs of existential philosophers and therapists, such as Frankl (1984), Pauchant (1993, 1995), and Yalom (1980), is that there are certain anxieties and responsibilities inherent in life and that these cannot be avoided. If we attempt to delegate them to outside “experts” or rid them through quick fixes, then we fall into chronic anxiety, boredom, and despair.

Ultimately, we lose meaning. Meaning cannot be supplied to us; we each must take responsibility for developing our own meaning in our lives. Meaning comes from our living authentically, including from taking full responsibility for ourselves, participating fully in the here-and-now, and applying the courage and actions to change the things we realistically can change.

Readers might recognize that the existential perspective described in the above paragraph is very similar to systems’ theorist Peter Senge’s “Shifting the Burden” archetype that he describes in his book, The Fifth Discipline (Currency Doubleday, 1990).

Senge explains, “An underlying problem (in a system) generates symptoms that demand attention. But the underlying problem is difficult for people to address, either because it is obscure or costly to confront. So people ‘shift the burden’ of their problem to other solutions — well intentioned, easy fixes which seem extremely efficient. Unfortunately, the easier ‘solutions’ only ameliorate the symptoms; they leave the underlying problem unaltered.

The underlying problem grows worse, unnoticed because symptoms apparently clear up, and the system loses abilities it had to solve the underlying problem” (p. 104).

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Bibliography

Cynicism:

  • Goldner, F. H., Ritti, R. R., & Ference, T. P. (1977). The production of cynical knowledge in organizations. American Sociological Review, 42(4), 539-551.
  • Hendrick, B. (1993, June 28.) Struggle with stress. Atlanta Constitution, p. E1:2.
  • Jaffe, D., & Scott, C. D. (1993). Building a committed workplace: An empowered organization as a competitive advantage. In Ray and Rinzler, (Eds.), The new paradigm in business, New York, NY: Putnam.
  • Mirvis, P. H. (ed.). (1991). Introduction: The new workforce/The new workplace. Human Resource Management, 30(1), 1-5.
  • Mirvis, P., & Kanter, D. L. (1989). Combating cynicism in the workplace. National Productivity Review, 8(4), 377-394.
  • Mirvis, P., & Kanter, D. L. (1991). Beyond demography: A psychographic profile of the workforce. Human Resource Management, 30(1), 45-68.
  • Sanford, C., & Mang, P. (1993). A work in progress at Du Pont: The creation of a developmental organization. In Ray and Rinzler, (Eds.), The new paradigm in business, New York, NY: Putnam.

Development (Self-, Management and Organization):

  • Argyris, C., & Schon, D. A. (1974). Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. London, Jossey-Bass.
  • Balog, J. K. (1994). Chief executive peer groups: A case study of Action Learning (Doctoral dissertation, Northern Illinois University, 1993). Dissertation Abstracts International, 54/08, 3104.
  • Beckhard, R. (1969). Organization development: Strategies and models. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
  • Beckhard, R., & Pritchard, W. (1992). Changing the essence: The art of creating and leading fundamental change in organizations. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Bell, B., Gaventa, J., & Peters, J. (Eds). (1990). We make the road by walking: Myles Horton and Paulo Freire (Conversations on education and social change). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
  • Block, P. (1981). Flawless consulting. San Diego, CA: Pfeiffer and Company.
  • Bouchard, P. (1997). Self-directed learning in organizational settings (working paper). Concordia University, Department of Education, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montreal (Quebec), Canada H3G 1M8.
  • Capra, F. (1982). The turning point. New York: Simon & Schuster.
  • Capra, F. (1991). The tao of physics. Boston, MA: Shamhala.
  • Casey, D. (1991). The role of the set adviser. (In Pedler, op cit.)
  • Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (1993). Organization development and change. Minneapolis, MN: West Publishing Company.
  • Deutsch, C. L. (1991, June 23). Putting a practical spin on training. The New York Times, p. 25.
  • Dixon, N.M., Hales, L., & Baker, R. (1991). Helping US human resource professionals into action learning. (In Pedler, op cit.)
  • Eccles, R. G., & Nohria, N. (1992). Beyond the hype: Rediscovering the essence of management. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
  • Fisher, T. D. (1997). Self-directedness in adult vocational students: Its role in learning and implications for instruction. World Wide Web.
  • Garratt, B. (1991). The power of action learning. (In Pedler, op cit.)
  • Hackman, J. R. (1986). The psychology of self-management in organizations. In M.S. Pallack & R. O. Perloff (Eds.), Psychology and work: Productivity, change, and employment. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
  • Henderson, I. (1993). Action learning: A missing link in management development. Personnel Review, (22), 14-24.
  • Hicks, R.F., & Bone, D. (1990). Self-managing teams: Creating and maintaining self-managed work groups. Menlo Park, CA: Crisp Publications, Inc.
  • Hughes, M. (1991). The mixed set. (In Pedler, op cit.)
  • Knowles, M. (1990). The adult learner: A neglected species. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.
  • Kilmann, R. H. (1989). Managing beyond the quick fix. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Knowlton, J. C., Jr. (1993). Action Learning: A case study of hospital managers (Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia, 1992). Dissertation Abstracts International, 53/09, 3082.
  • Mangham, I. (1990). Managing as a performing art. British Journal of Management, (1)2, 105-15. MAP for Nonprofits. (1995). Report to the community. St. Paul, MN: Author.
  • Marsick, V. J., & Cederholm, L. (1988). Developing leadership in international managers — An urgent challenge. The Columbia Journal of World Business, 23(4).
  • Marsick, V. J., (Ed.). (1987). Learning in the workplace: The case of reflectivity and critical reflectivity. Adult Education Quarterly, 38, 187-198.
  • McCaffrey, P. A. (1994). Student and faculty perceptions of reflective development in adult nursing students (Doctoral dissertation, Columbia University Teachers College, 1993). Dissertation Abstracts International, 55/01, 54.
  • McGill, I. & Beaty, L. (1995). Action learning: A practitioner’s guide. London: Kogan Page.
  • Morgan, G. (1988). Riding the waves of change: Developing managerial competencies for a turbulent world. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Morris, J. (1991). Minding our Ps and Qs. (In Pedler, op cit.)
  • Neilsen, E. H. (1984). Becoming an OD practitioner. Englewood Cliffs, CA: Prentice-Hall.
  • Pauchant, T. C. (1993). In search of existence: On the use of the existential tradition in management and organization development. In Advances in Organization Development, Massarik, F. (Ed.). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation, pp. 103-127.
  • Pauchant, T. C. (1995). In search of meaning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Pedler, M. (Ed.). (1991). Action learning in practice. London: Gower.
  • Piskurich, G. M. (1983). Self-directed learning: A practical guide to design, development and implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Ray, M., & Rinzler, A. (Eds.). (1993). The new paradigm in business. Los Angeles, CA: Jeremy P. Archer.
  • Reeves, T. (1996, May). Is action learning a cult? In Action Learning News, 15(2), 6.
  • Revans, R. (1983). The ABC of action learning. London: Chartwell-Brett Ltd.
  • Revans, R. (1991). Action learning: Its origins and nature. (In Pedler, op cit.)
  • Schon, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner. New York, NY: Basic Books.
  • Schwartz, R. M. (1994). The skilled facilitator: Practical wisdom for developing effective groups. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline. New York, NY: Currency Doubleday.
  • Senge, P., Roberts., C., Ross, R. B., Smith, B. J., & Kleiner, A. (1994). The fifth discipline fieldbook: Strategies and tools for building a learning organization. New York, NY: Currency Doubleday.
  • Smith, B. (1993). Building managers from the inside out: Developing managers through competency-based action learning. Journal of Management Development, 12(1), 43-48.
  • Terry, R. W. (1993). Authentic leadership: Courage in action. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Vaill, P. B. (1989). Managing as a performing art: New ideas for a world of chaotic change. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Watkins, K. E., & Marsick, V. J. Sculpting the learning organization. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Weick, K. (1979). The social psychology of organizing. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
  • Weinstein, K. (1995). Action learning: A journey in discovery and development. London: HarperCollins.
  • Wheatley, M. (1992). Leadership and the new science. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.

Existential Philosophers/Psychologists:

  • Frankl, V. E. (1984). Man’s search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy. (3rd ed.) New York: Simon & Schuster.
  • May, R. (1958). Man’s search for himself. New York: W. W. Norton & Co.
  • Rogers, C. (1961) On becoming a person: A therapist’s view of psychotherapy. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
  • Yalom, I. (1980). Existential psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.

Soul in the Workplace:

  • Chappell, T. (1995). Soul of business: Managing for profit and the common good. Bantam Books.
  • Heider, J. (1986). The Tao of leadership: Leadership strategies for a new age. Toronto: Bantam.
  • Koestenbaum, P. (1991). Leadership: The inner side of greatness. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Moore, T. (1995). Care of the soul. New York, NY: HarperCollins, Inc.
  • Pollard, C. W. (1996). The soul of the firm. Grand Rapids, MI: HarperBusiness-Zondervan.
  • Whyte, D. (1994). The heart aroused: Poetry and the preservation of the soul in Corporate America. New York, NY: Doubleday.

Recommended Reading List About Myles Horton and Paulo Freire:

(Horton did not publish; however there are numerous publications about Horton and Highlander. The following is a rather miscellaneous list.)

  • Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Seabury Press.
  • Freire, P. (1978). Pedagogy in process: Letters to Guinea-Bissau. New York, NY: Seabury Press.
  • Freire, P. (1985). Politics of education: Culture, power, and liberation. South Hadley, MA: Bergin and Garvey.
  • Freire, P. (1987). Education for critical consciousness. New York, NY: Continuum.
  • Freire, P. (1989). Learning to question: A pedagogy of liberation. New York, NY: Continuum.
  • Freire, P. (1994). Pedagogy of hope: Reliving pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum.
  • Glen, J. (June 15, 1988). Highlander Folk School: Fostering individual growth and social change. The Chronicle of Higher Education.
  • Horton, A. (1989). Highlander Folk School: A history of its major programs (1932-1961). Brooklyn, NY: Carlson, Publishing.
  • Kennedy, W. B. (Fall 1981). Highlander praxis: Learning with Myles Horton. Teachers College Record, (83), 1.

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To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


Assessing Your Training Needs: Needs Assessment to Training Goals

A Woman Near a Board with Post Its Discussing with a Group of People

Assessing Your Training Needs: Needs Assessment to Training Goals

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Sections of This Topic Include

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Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Conducting Needs Assessments for Training

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Conducting Needs Assessments for Training. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.


Preparation for Conducting Needs Assessment

Before you undertake the various phases of the ADDIE model of systematic planning, you might also get a quick grasp of the broader context of training plans. Consider the following topics in the Library.

Overall Purpose of Training Needs Assessment and Analysis

A training analysis is conducted ultimately to identify what areas of knowledge or behaviors that training needs to accomplish with learners. The analysis considers what results the organization needs from the learner, what knowledge and skills the learner presently has and usually concludes with identifying what knowledge and skills the learner must gain (the “performance gap”).

Usually this phase also includes identifying when training should occur and who should attend as learners. Ideally, criteria are established for the final evaluation of training to conclude if training goals were met or not.

Depending on the resources and needs of the organization, a training analysis can range from a very detailed inventory of skills to a general review of performance results. The more complete the training analysis, the more likely that the employee’s training will ultimately contribute results to the organization.

Note that employees can require training for a variety of reasons, which usually fall into two categories:
1. Training to fill a “performance gap” as identified during the performance management process
2. Training to fill a “growth gap”, that is, to be promoted or be able to fill another open position in the organization

One Approach — Four Steps to Conducting a Needs Assessment

(This article was written by Leigh Dudley; copyright, Leigh Dudley.)

Step 1 — Perform a “Gap” Analysis

The first step is to check the actual performance of our organizations and our people against existing standards, or to set new standards. There are two parts to this:

Current Situation

We must determine the current state of skills, knowledge, and abilities of our current and/or future employees. This analysis also should examine our organizational goals, climate, and internal and external constraints.

Desired or Necessary Situation

We must identify the desired or necessary conditions for organizational and personal success. This analysis focuses on the necessary job tasks/standards, as well as the skills, knowledge and abilities needed to accomplish these successfully.

It is important that we identify the critical tasks necessary, and not just observe our current practices. We also must distinguish our actual needs from our perceived needs — our wants. The “gap” between the current and the necessary will identify our needs, purposes and objectives.

What are we looking for? Here are some questions to ask to determine where training and development or even human resource development (HRD) may be useful in providing solutions:

  • Problems or deficits. Are there problems in the organization which might be solved by training or other HRD activities?
  • Impending change. Are there problems which do not currently exist but are likely due to changes, such as new processes and equipment, outside competition and/or changes in staffing?
  • Opportunities: Could we gain a competitive edge by taking advantage of new technologies, training programs consultants or suppliers?
  • Strengths: How can we take advantage of our organizational strengths, as opposed to reacting to our weaknesses? Are there opportunities to apply HRD to these areas?
  • New directions: Could we take a proactive approach, applying HRD to move our organizations to new levels of performance? For example, could team building and related activities help improve our productivity?
  • Mandated training: Are there internal or external forces dictating that training and/or organization development will take place? Are there policies or management decisions which might dictate the implementation of some program? Are there governmental mandates to which we must comply?

Step 2 — Identify Priorities and Importance

The first step should have produced a list of needs for training and development, career development, organization development and/or other interventions. Now we must examine these in view of their importance to our organizational goals, realities and constraints. We must determine if the identified needs are real, if they are worth addressing, and specify their importance and urgency in view of our organizational needs and requirements. For example:

  • Cost-effectiveness: How does the cost of the problem compare to the cost of implementing a solution? In other words, we perform a cost-benefit analysis.
  • Legal mandates: Are there laws requiring a solution? (For example; safety or regulatory compliance.)
  • Executive pressure: Does top management expect a solution?
  • Population: Are many people or key people involved?
  • Customers: What influence is generated by customer specifications and expectations?

If some of our needs are of relatively low importance, then we would do better to devote our energies to addressing other human performance problems with greater impact and greater value.

Step 3 — Identify Causes of Performance Problems and/or Opportunities

Now that we have prioritized and focused on critical organizational and personal needs, we will next identify specific problem areas and opportunities in our organization. We must know what our performance requirements are, if appropriate solutions are to be applied. We should ask two questions for every identified need:

  1. Are our people doing their jobs effectively?
  2. Do they know how to do their jobs?

This will require detailed investigation and analysis of our people, their jobs and our organizations — both for the current situation and in preparation for the future.

Step 4 – Identify Possible Solutions and Growth Opportunities

If people are doing their jobs effectively, then perhaps we should leave well enough alone. (“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”) However, some training and/or other interventions might be called for if it’s important
enough to move our people and their performance in new directions.

But if our people ARE NOT doing their jobs effectively, then training may be the solution if there is indeed a knowledge problem.

Organization development activities may provide solutions when the problem is not based on a lack of knowledge and is primarily associated with systematic change. These interventions might include strategic planning, organization restructuring, performance management and/or effective team building.

(Consider writing your training goals in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.)

Another Approach to Needs Assessment to Determine Your Overall Goals in Training

The purpose of the needs assessment is to help you determine what you need to learn to, for example, qualify for a certain job, overcome a performance problem or achieve a goal in your career development plan. Learners are often better off to work towards at most two to four goals at a time.

  1. Optional: You may want to re-review some of the following information:
  2. Are there any time lines that you should consider in your plan?
    Do you have to accomplish any certain areas of knowledge or skills by a certain time? If so, this may influence your choice of learning objectives and learning activities to achieve the objectives. (Record your time lines in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.)
  3. Are you pursuing training and development in order to address a performance gap?
    A performance gap is usually indicated from the performance appraisal process. The performance appraisal document should already include careful description of the areas of knowledge and skills that you must learn in order to improve your performance. To understand performance gaps, see
    Employee Performance Management
  4. Or, is your plan to address a growth gap?
    If so, carefully identify what areas of knowledge and skills are needed to reach your goals in your career. Consider referencing job descriptions, lists of competencies or even networking with others already in the positions that you want to reach in the near future. The following links might help you. Job Descriptions | Competencies | Networking | Career Planning | Job Searching
  5. Or, is your plan to address an opportunity gap?
    If so, carefully identify what areas of knowledge and skills are needed to perform the job or role that soon might be available to you. Again, consider job descriptions, lists of competencies or even interviewing someone already in the job or role that may soon be available to you. The following links might help you.
    Job Descriptions | Competencies | Networking | Career Planning | Job Searching
  6. Get feedback from others
    Ask for advice from friends, peers, your supervisors and others. They can be a real treasure for real-world feedback about you! For example, you (and your supervisor, is applicable) could work together to conduct a SWOT (an acronym) analysis, including identifying the your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and any threats to reaching the your desired goals.
  7. Should you conduct a self-assessment?
    For example, you (and your supervisor, is applicable) could work together to conduct a SWOT (an acronym) analysis, including identifying the your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and any threats to reaching the your desired goals. There are also a wide variety of self-assessments available at Self-Assessments (numerous self-assessments)
  8. Is a list of competencies, job descriptions or job analysis available to help you identify your training and development goals?
    A competencies list is a list of the abilities needed to carry out a certain role. The list can be very useful to you when identifying your learning objectives in your training and development plan. See information in the sections
    Job Analysis | Job Description | Competencies
  9. Begin thinking about how much money you will need to fund your plan.
    You might need money, e.g., to pay trainers, obtain facilities and materials for training methods, pay wages or salaries for employees during attendance to training events, etc. Begin recording your expected expenses in the “Budget” section of the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.
  10. Identify your training goals.
    By now, you should have a strong sense of what your training goals are, after having considered each of the above steps. It’s important that goals be designed and worded to be “SMARTER” (an acronym), that is, specific, measurable, acceptable to you, realistic to achieve, time-bound with a deadline, extending your capabilities and rewarding to you. (For more guidance, see Goals and Objectives Should Be SMARTER.) Write down your training goals in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

(Consider writing your training goals in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.)

More Resources for Training Needs Assessment and Analysis

Go to main Training and Development page


For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


Developing Training Activities and Materials

Two Women Sits on Chair While Man Stands Near Canvas

Developing Training Activities and Materials

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Sections of This Topic Include

Also consider
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Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Developing Training Activities and
Materials

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Developing Training Activities and Materials. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.


Preparation for Developing Your Training Activities and Materials

The design phase and the development phase of systematic training planning often overlap. During the design phase or development phase, the various training activities must be selected, for example, to be instructor-led, computer-based, Web-based, self-directed, interactive or multi-media.

The development phase of systematic training often includes selecting the most appropriate media and materials, for example, developing audio-visuals, graphics, manuals, preparing any needed facilities, and piloting course content to ensure it is understandable.

Often the design and development phases are highly integrated. The design of the training is often piloted, or initially tested, during the development phase to ensure the content is understandable and applicable to the learners.

Key Considerations to Develop Your Activities and Materials

What is the Immediacy to Achieve the New Learning?

The more immediate the need to achieve the learning, the more important that the activities and materials be understandable and readily accessible to the learners. In these situations, it often is warranted to use an expert who can promptly design, develop and deliver the training plan, activities and materials.

Also, it’s very useful if the activities and materials can be based on activities already underway in the workplace so that learners do not have to take time away from work, but rather can promptly affect their work even as they participate in the learning program.

What Are the Learners’ Preferences and Learning Styles?

One of the biggest mistakes in designing training plans is to choose activities and materials that do not match the preferences and styles of the learners. Probably the most common example is putting adults through extended hours of lecture. Those activities usually lull adults into a stupor, rather than sustaining sufficient interest and engagement to accomplish sustained learning among the adults.

One of the best ways to discern the most appropriate styles of activities is to have learners undertake a learning styles inventory or at least to consider the various styles that seem common to the types of learners who will be in the training program.

How Much Time Can Learners Realistically Apply to the Learning Activities?

This has become one of the most important considerations when designing and developing training plans. Workplaces seem increasingly busy as people try to do more with less. It’s often very difficult for them to take time away from the office. The more the training activities can accommodate the busy schedules of learners, the better — and the more likely that learners will actually attend the training sessions. It’s often better to design frequent and short trainings sessions than fewer, extended sessions.

Can the Learners Readily Access the Activities and Materials? Do They Build On Current Work Activities?

One of the biggest advantages of compute- and Web-based activities is that learners can access them from anywhere, which greatly decreases the cost of training and development activities. Thus, the rapid expansion of technology-based activities in trainings. (See Online Learning.) One of the best ways to ensure that training activities are highly accessible is to build them into the activities already underway in the workplace.

How Much Money is Available to Obtain and Develop the Resources?

It’s common that curriculum designers develop wonderful training programs that seem guaranteed to achieve the goals of the program, but after further review, are clearly so expensive that the program is prohibitive or not realistic. Therefore, it’s important, even before the initial needs assessments are done, to get some sense of the availability of funding to obtain and develop resources. Technology-based and on-the-job-based activities often are much less expensive than hiring subject matter experts. However, those experts are especially useful if the training is to convey highly specialized or technical content.

Will the Activities Achieve the Learning Objectives?

Now we get to the most important consideration. Even if the activities are well-suited to the learners, readily accessible and well-funded, will they together really achieve the overall goals of the training program? Here again is where it’s useful to consult an expert or to reference best practices or competencies in the particular areas being trained.

How Will the Activities and Materials Be Field-Tested?

It’s very important to explain the activities to a few of the learners and to have them examine the materials. They are best suited to judge if the activities and materials are truly understandable and suited to the needs and styles of the learners. Listen to their advice, and modify the activities and materials
accordingly.

Critical Consideration — Selecting a Trainer

Perhaps the most important ingredient of any training program is the trainer (unless the program is entirely self-directed). Today’s learners are very sensitive to how well a trainer engages them by being enthusiastic about the material, cultivating interaction among the learners, and really listening to — and respecting — them.

Is the Potential Trainer Well-Suited to the Nature of the Learners?

The most important consideration when selecting a trainer is if they are well suited to the training design required to meet the learning goals. For example, if learners prefer computer-based instruction, they’ll benefit from a trainer who understands online training technologies. If learners prefers ongoing coaching, they’ll benefit from a trainer who is readily accessible to the employee for ongoing advice and guidance. If learners struggle with communication skills, they’ll benefit from a trainer who can integrate remedial communications strategies with other training methods.

Collaborate With Other Departments or Groups Doing Similar Training?

Consider whether other supervisors or companies have employees who need similar training. If so, one might combine your needs and funding to get a trainer to conduct in-house training.

Use Former Employees as Trainers?

Consider using an ex-employee who has the skills needed by the learner. Of course, this option depends on whether the ex-employee left the organization under good terms and remains in good standing with the organization.

Use Subject-Matter Experts as Trainers

There’s a wise saying that “Telling ain’t training.” Just because someone has strong knowledge of the subject matter does not mean that he or she will be a good trainer. If you are considering hiring a consultant to conduct the training then consider issuing a Request for Proposal which asks potential trainers for the following information.

  • A written proposal for how they would carry out training, evaluation methods, cost, etc.
  • The goals preferred from the training, when to have training and what evaluation results should occur
  • Request that trainers remain available for follow-up consultation if desired
  • Ask the trainer what methods they use to ensure their consultation projects are successful with clients
  • Ask for at least three references
  • Consider having the employee briefly meet with the consultant to discuss training needs and establish a rapport

See the extensive advice and the sample forms for a request for proposals, a proposal from consultants and a consultation plan.

Resort to Self-directed Learning?

If a suitable outside consultant or training program cannot be found, consider self-directed learning. Self-directed is accomplished primarily by the learner who leads or takes a strong role in determining learning goals, how they will be accomplished and how learning will be verified. Self-directed learning can be used where employees are highly motivated and self-reliant. Learning can be verified with a variety of means, e.g.,

  1. Written reports describing what learning activities have occurred and what results were produced
  2. Observation of the employee by a supervisor or other skilled expert equipped to assess progress of the employee
  3. A portfolio or collection of results showing the employees’ improvement over time
  4. A presentation from the employee that includes description of learning activities and a display of results, etc.

Many Possible Types of Training Activities

There seems an increasing amount of different activities that can be considered when customizing activities to the goals of a training program and to the nature and needs of the learners. Consider Various Ideas for Learning Activities.

Additional Resources to Develop Your Training Activities and Materials

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to this Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Go to main Training and Development page.


For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


Designing Training Plans and Learning Objectives

A lady holding a sticky note while working

Designing Training Plans and Learning Objectives

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Sections of This Topic Include

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Designing Training and Development Plans

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Designing Training and Development Plans. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.


Preparation for Designing Your Training Plan

The purpose of the design phase is to identify the learning objectives that together will achieve the overall goals identified during the needs assessment phase of systematic training design. You will also identify the learning activities (or methods) you’ll need to conduct to achieve your learning objectives and overall training goals.

Design Your Learning Objectives

Learning objectives specify the new knowledge, skills and abilities that a learner should accomplish from undertaking a learning experience, such as a course, webinar, self-study or group activity. Achievement of all of the learning objectives should result in accomplishing all of the overall training goals of the training and development experience(s).

Understand the Alignment, Dimensions and Terms in Learning Objectives

The following table depicts how learning objectives are associated with the training goals (identified during the needs assessment phase), learning methods/activities, evidence of learning and evaluation activities.

Training Goal

Overall results or capabilities you hope to attain by implementing your training plan, e.g.,

  1. pass supervisor qualification test

Learning Objectives

what you will be able to do as a result of the learning activities in this plan, e.g.,

  1. exhibit required skills in problem solving and decision making
  2. exhibit required skills in delegation

Learning Methods / Activities

what you will do in order to achieve the learning objectives, e.g.,

  1. complete a course in basic supervision
  2. address a major problem that includes making major decisions
  3. delegate to a certain employee for one month
  4. etc.

Documentation / Evidence of Learning

evidence produced during your learning activities — these are results that someone can see, hear, feel, read, smell, e.g.,

  1. course grade
  2. your written evaluation of your problem solving and decision making approaches
  3. etc.

Evaluation

assessment and judgment on quality of evidence in order to conclude whether you achieved the learning objectives or not

Examples to Convey Nature of Well-Written Learning Objectives

To help learners understand how to design learning objectives, the following examples are offered to convey the nature of learning objectives. The examples are not meant to be offered as examples to be adopted word-for-word as learning objectives. Trainers and/or learners should design their own learning objectives to meet their overall training goals and to match their preferred strategies for learning. The topic of the learning objective is included in bolding and italics. Learning objectives are numbered directly below.

Topic: Communication

1. explain four basic principles of communication (verbal and non-verbal) and active, empathetic listening.
2. outline four barriers and bridges to communication
3. list at least four ways communication skills which encourage staff involvement will help crate a positive work environment.

Topic: Mentoring

1. explain basic job duties and standards from job description to staff
2. outline at least five specific learning goals with staff by comparing performance with job duties
3. develop a yearly plan with staff to accomplish learning needs, supervision plan and rewards

Topic: Effective coaching

1. state at least three job expectations for staff that focusing on meeting resident’s needs
2. plan five strategies to give frequent verbal and non- verbal encouragement and rewards
3. identify specific performance concerns with staff asking for possible solutions and decide together  methods of measuring successful outcomes

Topic : Cultural Diversity

1. plan workable strategies for incorporating new staff into the work team
2. select their own means to exhibit an appreciation of how values and perceptions affect communication
3. make available for staff a series of learning opportunities for increased world knowledge and cultural information

Topic: Time Management

1. list job expectations of staff
2. provide tools to use in prioritizing tasks of resident care
3. create with staff a tentative schedule for cares based on these facts

Topic: Conflict resolution

1. explain at least five basic principles of empathetic communication to handle conflict
2. develop policy that gives current front-line leaders the permission and expectation to work with other staff on conflict resolution
3. develop policy for progressive discipline and explain how this works to current front line leaders

Topic: Stress Management

1. list and recognize major symptoms and behaviors related to too much stress
2. outline three to five stress management strategies
3. list quick strategies staff can use during work shift as well as at home to reduce stress level
4. educate staff about basic guidelines to build support work teams

Topic: Communication skills/Cultural Approaches

1. teach each other and staff about different cultural approaches and living styles
2. identify three steps to foster a climate where differences in cultures are reviewed as positive and additive
3. learn at least three methods of problem solving when cultural differences and practices interfere with necessary resident care.

Topic: Job expectation/Coordination including authority and responsibility

1. learn three approaches to problem solving which includes identification of the underlying problem
2. make staff assignments based on input from staff
3. evaluate approaches and make corrections based on outcomes

Topic: Team work/Positive work environment/Positive Rewards

1. identify characteristics of an effective team
2. describe four skills leaders can use to foster commitment and collaboration
3. develop at least five guidelines to treating staff with respect and helping staff learn from each other

Topic: Goal Setting/Performance Reviews

1. develop guidelines to set specific goals with staff and help them plan to meet these goals
2. develop policy that encourages staff to seek education goals through career ladders
3. develop guidelines for effective observation and feedback toward goal achievement (by staff)

Topic: Constructive Criticism/Consequences

1. establish clear standards of behavior, and that recognize and reward staff when they meet the standards
2. list ways to approach staff whose performance is a concern (with a win-win frame of mind)
3. describe how learning empathetic communication will help front line leaders handle conflict/constructive communication and help plan for solution

Analyze Your Learning Objectives for Relevance, Alignment, Sequence and Testability

1. What Sequence Should the Objectives Be Achieved?

Usually, learning builds on learning. It may be useful to learn certain areas of knowledge and skills before learning new areas.

2. Will the Objectives Achieve the Overall Training Goal(s)?

Now you’re read to write down your learning objectives in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

3. What Are the Best Learning Activities to Achieve the Objectives?

Do the methods match the learners’ particular learning styles, for example, reading, doing or listening? Do the methods stretch their styles, too? Are the methods readily accessible? Do the methods take advantage of real-life learning opportunities, for example, use on-the-job training opportunities, real-life problems that occur at work, use projects and programs at work? Note that learning activities do always match learning objectives on a one-for-one basis. You might benefit from the following links, Some Typical Ways of Learning, Some New Ways of Learning in the Workplace and Learning Style Inventory.)

4. Do the Activities Include Ongoing Reflections About Learning?

The learners will benefit from regularly taking time to stand back and inquire about what is going on in the training, what are they learning and what, if anything, should be changed. Skills in reflection are critical for ongoing learning in life and work. Consider using a private learning journal. Now you’re read to write down the learning activities in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

5. What Results, or Evidence of Learning, Will Be Produced?

For ideas about what results to design into your plan, see Samples of Learner’s Results as Means to Verify Learning. Now you’re ready to write down your evidence of learning in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

6. Who Will Verify That Each of the Learning Objectives Was Reached?

Ideally, the learning is evaluated by someone who has strong expertise in the areas of knowledge and skills required to achieve the training goals. Now you’re ready to write down your evaluator in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

7. What Costs Will Be Associated With Developing and Implementing Your Plan?

Think about facilities, technologies, personnel, special expertise, etc. You may want to update the “Budget” section in the Framework to Design Your Training Plan.

8. How Will Learners’ Manage Time and Stress During the Learning?

Professional development inherently includes the need for self-development, as well. Therefore, you might consider information in the sections:
Stress Management | Time Management | Work-Life Balance | Self-Confidence | Emotional Intelligence | Maintaining a Positive Attitude

Designing Training Rooms (Classrooms)

Additional Information About Designing Training Plans

Various Ideas for Ways to Learn

The following list of methods is really a mix of modes, types and learning aids from which the learner might draw many ideas for learning.

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to This Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Go to main Training and Development page.


For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


Evaluating Training and Results (ROI of Training)

A graph chart paper on a wooden desk

Evaluating Training and Results (ROI of Training)

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Sections of This Topic Include

Also consider
Related Library Topics

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Evaluating Training and Result (ROI)

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Evaluating Training and Results (ROI). Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.


Preparation for Evaluating Training Activities and Results

The last phase of the ADDIE model of instructional design, or systematic training, is evaluation. However, the evaluation really should have started even during the previous phase — the implementation phase — because the evaluation is of both the activities of the trainer as they are being implemented and of the results of the training as it nears an end or is finished. Evaluation includes getting ongoing feedback, e.g., from the learner, trainer and learner’s supervisor, to improve the quality of the training and identify if the learner achieved the goals of the training.

Perspective on Evaluating Training

Evaluation is often looked at from four different levels (the “Kirkpatrick levels”) listed below. Note that the farther down the list, the more valid the evaluation.

  1. Reaction – What does the learner feel about the training?
  2. Learning – What facts, knowledge, etc., did the learner gain?
  3. Behaviors – What skills did the learner develop, that is, what new information is the learner using on the job?
  4. Results or effectiveness – What results occurred, that is, did the learner apply the new skills to the necessary tasks in the organization and, if so, what results were achieved?

Although level 4, evaluating results and effectiveness, is the most desired result from training, it’s usually the most difficult to accomplish. Evaluating effectiveness often involves the use of key performance measures — measures you can see, e.g., faster and more reliable output from the machine after the operator has been trained, higher ratings on employees’ job satisfaction questionnaires from the trained supervisor, etc. This is where following sound principles of performance management is of great benefit.

Suggestions for Evaluating Training

Typically, evaluators look for validity, accuracy and reliability in their evaluations. However, these goals may require more time, people and money than the organization has. Evaluators are also looking for evaluation approaches that are practical and relevant.

Training and development activities can be evaluated before, during and after the activities. Consider the following very basic suggestions:

Before the Implementation Phase

  • Will the selected training and development methods really result in the employee’s learning the knowledge and skills needed to perform the task or carry out the role? Have other employee’s used the methods and been successful?
  • Consider applying the methods to a highly skilled employee. Ask the employee of their impressions of the methods.
  • Do the methods conform to the employee’s preferences and learning styles? Have the employee briefly review the methods, e.g., documentation, overheads, etc. Does the employee experience any difficulties understanding the methods?

During Implementation of Training

  • Ask the employee how they’re doing. Do they understand what’s being said?
  • Periodically conduct a short test, e.g., have the employee explain the main points of what was just described to him, e.g., in the lecture.
  • Is the employee enthusiastically taking part in the activities? Is he or she coming late and leaving early. It’s surprising how often learners will leave a course or workshop and immediately complain that it was a complete waste of their time. Ask the employee to rate the activities from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest rating. If the employee gives a rating of anything less than 5, have the employee describe what could be done to get a 5.

After Completion of the Training

  • Give him or her a test before and after the training and development, and compare the results?
  • Interview him or her before and after, and compare results?
  • Watch him or her perform the task or conduct the role?
  • Assign an expert evaluator from inside or outside the organization to evaluate the learner’s knowledge and skills?

One Approach to Calculate Return On Investment (ROI)

(This section was written by Leigh Dudley. The section mentions HRD — activities of human resource development — but the guidelines are as applicable to training and development.)

The calculation of ROI in [training and development] or HRD begins with the basic model, where sequential steps simplify a potentially complicated process. The ROI process model provides a systematic approach to ROI calculations.

The step-by-step approach keeps the process manageable so that users can tackle one issue at a time. The model also emphasizes that this is a logical process that flows from one step to another. ROI calculation to another provides consistency, understanding, and credibility. Each step of the model is briefly described below.

Collecting Post-Program Data

Data collection is central to the ROI process and is the starting point of the ROI process. Although the ROI analysis is (or should be) planned early in the training and development cycle, the actual ROI calculation begins with data collection. (Additional information on planning for the ROI analysis is presented later under “Essential Planning Steps).

The HRD staff should collect both hard data (representing output, quality, cost, and time) and soft data (including work habits, work climate, and attitudes). Collect Level 4 data using a variety of the methods as follows:

  • Follow-up Questionnaires – Administer follow-up questionnaires to uncover specific applications of training. Participants provide responses to a variety of types of open-ended and forced response questions.
  • Use questionnaires to capture both Level 3 and Level 4 data. The example below shows a series of level 4 impact questions contained in a follow-up questionnaire for evaluating an automotive manufacturer’s sales training program in Europe, with appropriate responses. HRD practitioners can use the data in an ROI analysis
  • Program Assignments – Program assignments are useful for simple, short-term projects. Participants complete the assignment on the job, using the skills or knowledge learned in the program. Report completed assignments as evaluation information, which often contains Level 3/Level 4 data. Convert Level 4 data to monetary values and compare the data to cost to develop the ROI
  • Action Plans – Developed in training and development programs, action plans on the job should be implemented after the program is completed. A follow-up of the plans provides evaluation information. Level 3/Level 4 data are collected with action plans, and the HRD staff can develop the ROI from the Level 4 data.
  • Performance Contracts – Developed prior to conducting the program and when the participant, the participant’s supervisor, and the instructor all agree on planned specific out-comes from the training, performance contracts outline how the program will be implemented. Performance contracts usually collect both Level 3/and Level 4 data and are designed and analyzed in the same way as action plans.
  • Performance Monitoring – As the most beneficial method to collect Level 4 data, performance monitoring is useful when HRD personnel examine various business performance records and operational data for improvement.

The important challenge in this step is to select the data collection method or methods that are appropriate for both the setting and the specific program and the time and budget constraints.

Isolating the Effects of Training

Isolating the effects of training is an often overlooked issue in evaluations. In this step of the ROI process, explore specific techniques to determine the amount of output performance directly related to the program. This step is essential because many factors influence performance data after training. The specific techniques of this step will pinpoint the amount of improvement directly related to the program, increasing the accuracy and credibility of the ROI calculation. Collectively, the following techniques provide a comprehensive set of tools to tackle the important and critical issue of isolating the effects of training.

  • Control Group – use a control group arrangement to isolate training impact. With this technique, one group receives training while another similar, group does not receive training. The difference in the performance of the two groups is attributed to the training program. When properly set up and implemented, control group arrangement is the most effective way to isolate the effects of training.
  • Impact Estimates – When the previous approach is not feasible, estimating the impact of training on the output variables is another approach and can be accomplished on the following 4 levels.
  • Participants – estimate the amount of improvement related to training. In this approach, provide participants with the total amount of improvement, on a pre- and post-program basis, and ask them to indicate the percent of the improvement that is actually related to the training program.
  • Supervisors – of participants estimate the impact of training on the output variables. Present supervisors with the total amount of improvement, and ask them to indicate the percent related to training.
  • Senior Managers – estimate the impact of training by providing an estimate or adjustment to reflect the portion of the improvement related to the training program. While perhaps inaccurate, having senior management involved in this process develops ownership of the value and buy-in process.
  • Experts –estimate the impact of training on the performance variable. Because these estimates are based on previous experience, experts must be familiar with the type of training and the specific situation.

Customers sometimes provide input on the extent to which training has influenced their decision to use a product or service. Although this approach has limited applications, it can be quite useful in customer service and sales training.

Converting Data to Monetary Values

A number of techniques are available to convert data to monetary values; the selection depends on the type of data and the situation.

  • Convert output data to profit contribution or cost savings. With this technique, output increases are converted to monetary value based on their unit contribution to profit or the unit of cost reduction. These values are readily available in most organizations and are seen as generally accepted standard values.
  • Calculate the cost of quality, and covert quality improvements directly to cost savings. This standard value is available in many organizations for the most common quality measures (such as rejects, rework, and scrap).
  • Use the participants’ wages and employee benefits as the value for time in programs where employee time is saved. Because a variety of programs focus on improving the time required to complete projects, processes, or daily activities, the value of time becomes an important and necessary issue. The use of total compensation per hour provides a conservative estimate for the
    value of time.
  • Use historical costs when they are available for a specific variable. In this case, use organizational cost data to establish the specific value of an improvement.
  • Use internal and external experts, when available, to estimate a value for an improvement. In this situation, the credibility of the estimate hinges on the expertise and reputation of the individual.
  • Use external databases, when available, to estimate the value or cost of data items. Research, government, and industry databases can provide important for these values. The difficulty lies in finding a specific database related to the situation.
  • Ask participants to estimate the value of the data item. For this approach to be effective, participants must understand the process and be capable of providing a value for the improvement.
  • Require supervisors and managers to provide estimates when they are willing and capable of assigning values to the improvement. This approach is especially useful when participants are not fully capable of providing this input or in situations where supervisors or managers need to confirm or adjust the participant’s estimate.

Converting data to monetary value is very important in the ROI model and is absolutely necessary to determine the monetary benefits from a training program. The process is challenging, particularly with the conversion of soft data, but can be methodically accomplished using one or more of the above techniques.

Tabulating Program Costs

The other part of the equation in a cost/benefit analysis is the cost of the program. Tabulating the costs involves monitoring or developing all of the related costs of the program targeted for the ROI calculation. Include the following items among the cost components.

  • Cost to design and develop the program, possibly prorated over the expected life of the program
  • Cost of all program materials provided to each participant
  • Cost for the instructor/facilitator, including preparation time as well as delivery time.
  • Cost of the facilities for the training program.
  • Cost of travel, lodging and meals for the participants, if applicable.
  • Salaries, plus employee benefits of the training function, allocated in some convenient way.

In addition, specific cost related to the needs assessment and evaluation should be included, if appropriate. The conservative approach is to include all of these costs so that the total is fully loaded.

Calculating the ROI

Calculate the ROI using the program benefits and costs. The BCR is the program benefits divided by costs:

  • BCR = program benefits / program costs
  • (Sometimes this ratio is stated as a cost/benefit ratio, although the formula is the same as BCR).

The net benefits are the program benefits minus the costs:

  • Net benefits = program benefits – program costs

The ROI uses the net benefits divided by programs costs:

  • ROI (%) = net benefits / program costs x 100

Use the same basic formula in evaluating other investments where the ROI is traditionally reported as earnings divided by investment. The ROI from some training programs is high. For example, in sales training, supervisory training, and managerial training, the ROI can be quite large, frequently over 100 percent, while ROI value for technical and operator training may be lower.

Additional Resources to Guide Evaluation of Your Training

Evaluating Online Learning

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Go to main Training and Development page.


For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


Tips and Tools for Trainers and Teachers

Young man holding a training section

Tips and Tools for Trainers and Teachers

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

This topic is part of the overall topic of Training and Development (Learning and Development) in the Library.

Sections of This Topic Include

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In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to Tools for Training and Teaching. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

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Role of Trainers and Teachers

Tips for Trainers and Teachers

Recommended Articles

Additional Articles

Careers in Training

Additional Perspectives on Tips and Tools for Trainers and Teachers

Go to main Training and Development page.


For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


How To Start a Training Business

Group of people paying attention in a business conference

How To Start a Training Business

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

This topic assumes that you already have some expertise in training and are thinking about starting a business to be a professional trainer. The guidelines in this topic are focused on helping you to start a new organization, expand a current organization, or start a new service. If you do not yet have expertise in training, you should review much of the contents of the topic Training and Development, and then certainly practice training in a variety of venues, including with evaluation from other trainers and participants in your trainings.

Also consider
Related Library Topics

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Are You Really an Entrepreneur?

Starting a New Organization?

Planning Your New Organization

Deciding the Legal Structure of Your New Organization

Or Expanding a Current Organization?

Or Starting a New Product or Service?

Marketing Your New Organization, Product or Service

Getting and Keeping Clients

Getting Paid

Dealing With Clients

When to Bail from a Project

Minimizing Risk

Staying Centered as a Trainer

Go to main Training and Development page.


For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.


Learning and Development for Popular Education and Social Change

Young female speaker having a training section

Learning and Development for Popular Education and Social Change

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC.

Popular and folk education supports social change for social justice by enhancing people’s consciousness about their roles, helping them cultivate vision for change and helping them identify strategies to accomplish change. Two of the leading innovators are Paulo Freire (who is responsible for the literacy training of probably more people than anyone else in the world) and Myles Horton (who started the Highlander Folk School, attended by Rosa Parks and supported by Martin Luther King, Andrew Young, etc.)

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to This Topic

In addition to the articles on this current page, also see the following blogs that have posts related to this topic. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog. The blog also links to numerous free related resources.

Go to main Training and Development page.


For the Category of Training and Development:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.