page 9
Learning as Leadership: A Methodology for Organizational Change through
Personal Mastery
by Lara H. Nuer
Performance Improvement’s May/June issue featured a case study on Fairchild Semiconductor’s dramatic story of reducing product development cycle time from 270 to 90 days through implementing the personal mastery tools of Learning as Leadership (LaL). LaL is a research and consulting organization that has developed a methodology for applying personal mastery tools in the workplace, and this issue features a more extensive look at the methodology applied at Fairchild.
Forging a higher level of performance means challenging ourselves and our habits to overcome our individual and collective obstacles. Personal mastery involves taking stock of the past in order to create goals for the future, and take actions in the present that will lead us to bridge the gap between our deepest aspirations and the level of performance our changing world is demanding.
page 14
The Bridge Evaluation Model
by Debra A. Sieloff
Performing an evaluation can be far more effective if the evaluator takes both a systematic and systemic approach to the effort. Systematic considerations include all the activities related to the process and process elements of an evaluation: the planning/design; collecting, collating, testing, and assessing data; reporting findings; and evaluating the evaluation. These are the internal factors that immediately influence an evaluation. Other more systemic considerations are external to an evaluation process and have a direct relationship to the evaluation—from start to finish. These include the sponsor’s/client’s goal; the interpersonal relationships of people involved or interested; ethical considerations of an evaluation’s potential effect; politics; and actions of the sponsor at the conclusion of the evaluation. The way we bridge internal and external factors in an evaluation can increase our effectiveness in performance improvement initiatives.
page 19
The People Side of Performance Improvement
by Richard F. Gerson
The reason many performance improvement efforts are never realized is because they focus on areas external to the performer. These efforts are geared to improving aspects of the job itself or the work environment. They leave out the most important factor in the equation: the performer.
This article covers 11 areas you must consider when developing your performance improvement programs, and all these areas pertain directly to the performer. Some of the things you must consider include the performer’s attitude, self-esteem, communication abilities, personal goal-setting, intrinsic motivation, and a personal value system. You must also know the mental strategies he or she uses to perform as well as the behavioral preferences that make that person unique.
If you’ve ever had problems with performance improvement, it could be because you were focusing on the wrong things. The most important thing to do is to focus on the performer first and everything else later.
page 24
Large-Scale Organizational Performance Improvement
by Rudy Pilotto and Jonathan O’Donnell Young
It is well acknowledged that many organizational change efforts fail to deliver their intended results, yet much can be done to ensure that these initiatives stand a better chance of success. First define the tangible business outcomes and link these to the organizational change initiative. The change initiative must focus on behaviors and results that reinforce the business outcomes. The business outcomes and change initiative must then be communicated throughout the organization. This should be done by the management team, whose role is ultimately to reinforce the change process throughout the organization. A timely and accurate feedback mechanism should also be in place to monitor progress and enable positive reinforcement. The managers’ role is to lead the process. By acting as role models and taking on board the changes, managers also show that they are committed to the process.
page 29
Emerging Technology: User Considerations For Interactive Multimedia
Training Projects
by Ibrahim Siddiq
To prepare for an interactive multimedia training project, it is important to develop a clear perception of the project in light of your training organization’s needs as early as possible. You will need to convey this vision to upper management and other colleagues to enlist their support. Following a number of practical steps, you will be able to identify your needs and objectives, and explore the capabilities of prospective developers. It is important to provide prospective developers with as much clarity as possible regarding your organization, your training needs, your project concept, and available resources. This will help your training organization define the important aspects of the project, translate your concepts to others, and help the developer understand your needs in order to provide you with appropriate interactive multimedia solutions.
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