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Performance Consulting

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Performance Consulting

Moving Beyond Training

Berrett-Koehler,

15 min read
10 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

Remember that the point of training isn’t training itself — it’s performing. Here’s how to focus not on what you learn, but on what you do.

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Comprehensive
  • Analytical
  • Innovative

Recommendation

To meet increasingly demanding organizational goals, human resource departments must shift from traditional training methods (i.e. what employees learn) to performance consulting (i.e. what employees must do to achieve those goals). Authors Dana Gaines Robinson and James C. Robinson, who consult in this field, present this intriguing assertion in a rather abstract and wordy book. Thus, this is a better volume for serious study than for casual perusal. The book gives you in-depth research and information on the complicated process of transforming your training operation to performance consulting. The book contains numerous graphs, guides and checklists, as well as a helpful resource section listing Human Resources associations and workshops. getAbstract recommends this book to those involved in human resources, particularly training specialists, training coordinators, instructional systems designers, consultants, and career and organizational developers, as well as managers and media specialists.

Summary

The Role of Performance Consultant

A traditional trainer often focuses on program design, its implementation or some other aspect of the learning process. This is fine as far as it goes, but it is no longer enough to meet increasingly demanding organizational needs and goals. A performance consultant fills a different role than a traditional trainer, focusing on what people do, not what they learn. A performance consultant still needs the same set of skills as a trainer, but must have other skills as well. To be a performance consultant, you must also have:

  1. Knowledge of the business where you consult: Read the company’s annual report and documents. Discuss its performance in relation to its goals and identify the challenges in obtaining these goals. Learn about the competition and become familiar with the company’s lingo and culture. Read relevant trade journals, volunteer for related task forces or special projects, and find key players who can show you how the business works.
  2. Knowledge of technology in human performance: You must know the professional methods of analysis, improvement and maintenance of work place performance. You ...

About the Authors

Dana Gaines Robinson and James C. Robinson have operated their own consulting company, Partners in Change, Inc., since 1981. They speak about performance technology at training conferences around the world.

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