Professor Harry Martin wrote in Monday’s Wall Street Journal that there are several ways to improve on-the-job application of training and development programs. Writing an action plan, having objective performance measures, and meeting regularly with peers to keep each other on track were three of the five tools he recommends. All of these are well-tested and reliable means of getting people to apply what they learn.
These tools are also critical in the new leader’s efforts to getting better results faster. Virtually all of the leaders I have worked with develop a strategic plan, and have a set of metrics by which they measure performance on that plan. What differentiates the really successful leaders is that they take the next steps. First, they put the strategic plan in a one-page, easy to read format so that every member of their team knows what they are working on and what they are responsible for. This is what Harry Kangis calls his One-Page Strategy(tm). Second, they translate this one-page strategy into measurable, observable actions that can be tracked on an ongoing basis. The objectives are an ongoing part of their management, rather than remaining hidden in a drawer until the end of the quarter. Third, they meet with their teams and the individual members of their team on a regular basis to make sure that they are sharing their successes, identifying risks to the plan, and getting help or support from team members when needed.
Professor Martin is right on target when he states that you have to work hard to make sure that people integrate change into their daily life. This is just as true for leadership teams as it is for a new learning group. Writing down the change plan, tracking it, and getting support from peers and managers are the keys to ensuring the change is enacted.
Bill Berman, Ph.D.
Managing Principal, Berman & Associates
Partner, PrimeGenesis
Director, APT, Inc.
