DOCSLIB.ORG

Managerial Coaching: Challenges, Opportunities and Training

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Managerial Coaching: Challenges, Opportunities and Training University of Wollongong Research Online Sydney Business School - Papers Faculty of Business and Law 2013 Managerial coaching: challenges, opportunities and training Grace McCarthy University of Wollongong, [email protected] Julia Milner University of Wollongong, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/gsbpapers Part of the Business Commons Recommended Citation McCarthy, Grace and Milner, Julia: Managerial coaching: challenges, opportunities and training 2013, 768-779. https://ro.uow.edu.au/gsbpapers/390 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] Managerial coaching: challenges, opportunities and training Abstract Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the growing practice of managerial coaching. Much of the coaching literature is set in the context of an external coach coming into an organisation. However managers are increasingly being expected to coach their employees, a change in role which can create tensions. Design/methodology/approach - This paper examines the literature on coaching managers. The paper also discusses practical implications for coach training. Findings - This paper identifies key differences in the issues faced by coaching managers and by internal/external coaches and recognises the importance of adequate training of managers in coaching skills as an important issue for organizations to tackle. Furthermore, the development of a supportive coaching culture should not be underestimated in facilitating managers to apply their coaching skills on a daily basis. Originality/value - The paper gives an overview of the challenges of the coaching managers, identifies areas for development/consideration of coaching training programs and offers practical suggestions for supporting managers in applying their coaching skills. Keywords era2015 Disciplines Business Publication Details McCarthy, G. & Milner, J. (2013). Managerial coaching: challenges, opportunities and training. Journal of Management Development, 32 (7), 768-779. This journal article is available at Research Online: https://ro.uow.edu.au/gsbpapers/390 Managerial Coaching: Challenges, Opportunities & Training AUTHORS Dr Grace McCarthy, Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong, Australia Dr Julia Ahrens, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the growing practice of managerial coaching. Much of the coaching literature is set in the context of an external coach coming into an organisation. However managers are increasingly being expected to coach their employees, a change in role which can create tensions. Approach: This paper examines the literature on coaching managers. The paper also discusses practical implications for coach training. Findings: This paper identifies key differences in the issues faced by coaching managers and by internal/external coaches. Recognises the importance of adequate training of managers in coaching skills as an important issue for organizations to tackle. Furthermore the development of a supportive coaching culture should not be underestimated in facilitating managers to apply their coaching skills on a daily basis. Originality/value: Gives an overview of the challenges of the coaching managers, identifies areas for development/consideration of coaching training programs and offers practical suggestions for supporting managers in applying their coaching skills. Keywords: coaching, management competencies, leadership development, skills development, communication, trust The popularity of coaching is increasing worldwide, both in industry and in academe (Bresser 2010; Lebihan 2011 ). In the UK, a huge 90% of respondents to the CIPD annual surveys claim coaching is taking place in their organisations, with line managers bearing the main responsibility for coaching in 37% of organisations (CIPD 2009). Companies increasingly state an expectation that managers will coach their employees, with research confirming positive correlations between coaching and employee satisfaction, individual performance and organisational goals (Ellinger et al. 2011; Wheeler 2011). Recent writing on leadership suggests that coaching is linked with effective management behaviours and offers a way for managers to implement leadership theories (Longenecker and Neubert 2005; Anderson et al. 2009; Hagen 2010; Kinicki et al. 2011). Research has also identified specific coaching behaviours as desirable in leaders, e.g.: - Using listening skills and communication to involve others, setting clear performance expectations, self-awareness, (Sparks and Gentry 2008) - Subordinates having regular conversations with leaders or coaches where individual and organisational goals are discussed, leaders give constructive feedback, both positive and negative, and leaders reflect on their own leadership practices (Larsson and Vinberg 2010). Coaching is clearly a feature of workplaces of the future. However, m uch of the research relating to coaching is in the context of the external coach who comes into an organisation to coach individual executives. Less is known about internal coaches, coaching employees who are not their direct reports, and even less of the coaching manager. Specifically more insight is required regarding the challenges that coaching managers face - this paper provides an overview of these challenges. Furthermore, these challenges and implications need to be translated directly into training material for coaching managers. Coaching research is published in a broad range of disciplines, both in dedicated coaching journals and in general management, HR, training, learning and development journals, making it difficult for the coaching manager to get an overview. For the purpose of this study, the following databases were searched for peer reviewed full-text articles, without restriction on dates: Emerald, Business Source Complete, Proquest, Informit, Sage Journals, Sage Journals, Taylor & Francis, Science Direct, Wiley and Web of Science. The search terms used were: ‘coaching manager’, ‘managerial coaching’, ‘manager as coach’ and ‘leader as coach’. Recent coaching monographs were also reviewed. The role of the coaching manager is, according to Cox et al.Bachkirova and Clutterbuck, ‘the most difficult and controversial coaching role’ (2010:3) and the most problematic according to Bresser (2011). The significance of this paper lies in its exploration of the challenges facing the coaching manager and the implications for training managers how to coach. SCOPE There are many different definitions of coaching, but as this paper relates to the context of coaching in organisations, it will use the definition of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (2007): ‘Business coaching is the process of engaging in meaningful communication with individuals in businesses, organizations, institutions or governments, with the goal of promoting success at all levels of the organization by affecting the actions of those individuals.’ Coaching managers are managers who coach their team members in a work context. The person being coached is referred to as the coachee. Effective coaching, according to Hunt and Weintraub, ‘is much more powerful and useful than merely providing feedback to someone with a performance problem’ (2002:2). They claim that the coaching manager promotes reflection and learning, encouraging employees to take ownership, to develop and to engage in the organisation for which they work. The coaching manager may conduct formal coaching sessions or take the opportunity for informal coaching on a daily basis (Hunt and Weintraub 2002; Ellinger et al. 2010; Wheeler 2011). Such coaching by managers is increasingly popular, with Clutterbuck (2009) reporting that a majority of organisations surveyed claimed that line managers could be effective or very effective coaches, while in his earlier paper, Clutterbuck (2008) suggested that the trend to equip all managers with coaching and mentoring skills was likely to accelerate, and indeed that some of those managers would develop sufficiently high levels of competence to enable them to provide support to other coaching managers. Although Bresser (2010) sees coaching skills as part of a line manager’s normal leadership style, and a natural way of implementing an empowering style of leadership, he argues that line manager should not normally act as formal coaches. In contrast, Baker-Finch (2011) found that the small number of managers she surveyed were comfortable conducting formal coaching sessions with their staff for which they had prepared in advance, but lacked confiden ce or t ime to use their coaching skills in everyday conversations with their employees. CHALLENGES OF THE COACHING MANAGER Although there is a strong demand for coaching managers, managers may be reluctant or sceptical if they have not been coached themselves (Ladyshewsky 2010). However if managers have had a positive experience of being coached, they are more likely to want their team members to experience coaching and to want to develop their own coaching skills (Knights and Poppleton 2007). While training in coaching skills is a good first step, it is not sufficient, according to Longenecker (2010). Similarly Lindbom (2007) says organisations need to create a culture supportive of coaching to ensure the on-going application and role modelling of coaching
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Future of Employee Development
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by John Carroll University John Carroll University Carroll Collected 2019 Faculty Bibliography Faculty Bibliographies Community Homepage 2019 The future of employee development Alison Dachner Jill E. Ellingson Raymond A. Noe Brian Saxton Follow this and additional works at: https://collected.jcu.edu/fac_bib_2019 Part of the Business Commons The future of employee development Keywords: A series of trends shaping the current workplace has changed the nature of human capital de- Employee development velopment practice to be more employee-driven. However, existing development research does Employee-driven development not fully account for this shift and the anticipated benefits of employee-driven development. In Human capital development this review we reflect on the current state of the employee development literature and propose a Proactive behavior new, broader conceptualization of employee development characterized by a partnership be- tween the employer and employee. In doing so, we offer three recommendations for how research needs to evolve to align employee development scholarship with current practices: (1) in- corporate proactivity in the definition of employee development, (2) update the context for learning, and, (3) think differently about how human capital is valued. We suggest ways in which theory can be extended for increasing our understanding of several commonly used employee- driven development methods. Finally, we provide future research questions and practical sug- gestions based on our new conceptualization of employee development. 1. Introduction Human capital is an essential component of individual career advancement and organizational competitive advantage (Barney & Wright, 1998; Ployhart, Nyberg, Reilly, & Maltarich, 2014).
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of Training and Development on Knowledge Management
    Vol-5 Issue-1 2019 IJARIIE-ISSN(O)-2395-4396 The Impact of Training and Development on Knowledge Management Mrs.L.D.Victor 1 K.C.D. Kathaluwage 2 1Senior Lecturer,Department of Management,Faculty of Commerce & Management,Eastern University, Sri Lanka 2Temporary Assistant Lecturer,Department of Management,Faculty of Commerce & Management,Eastern University, Sri Lanka Abstract This study aims to explain and empirically test the impact of Training and Development on Knowledge Management (KM) in selected commercial banks in Kandy District. Accordingly, data were collected through open ended questionnaires from 196 employees in 12 Licensed Commercial Banks (LCBs) branches in Kandy District. Hence, quantitative research approach was used in this study. The research method was descriptive correlative type and it was based on the objective of the method applied. The stratified sampling method was used to make the sampling frame work of the study. The data were analysed by using univariate, multivariate analyses to take the descriptive and inferential statistics. The results indicated that the levels of Training and Development and KM exist in selected commercial banks in Kandy District was high level and had significant positive impact on KM. The findings of the study provided several important implications for managers and decision makers of the banks. The study was contributed to the body of knowledge by filling the gaps in the management literature and by substantiating the findings of previous research while the study generates considerable theoretical and practical contributions. Keywords: Training and Development, Knowledge Management, Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) Theory I. INTRODUCTION Nowadays, business environments have become much more complicated due to the rapid development of information and communication technologies, growing globalization, the acceleration in the rate of technological change, and the need to share best practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Psychometrics: the Relationship Between Recruitment and Development 1P.Leo Dominic and 2S
    International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Volume 119 No. 12 2018, 14929-14933 ISSN: 1314-3395 (on-line version) url: http://www.ijpam.eu Special Issue ijpam.eu Psychometrics: the Relationship between Recruitment and Development 1P.Leo Dominic and 2S. Praveen Kumar 1Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research. 2Department of Management Studies, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research. [email protected] Abstract In today’s world economy, it is generallyacknowledged that the performance of the any concern, and also the key differentiator between administrations, is the competence of the labour force. Psychometric assessment acts as an agent to bring the right people to the right job. Psychometric tests, when cautiously selected for their relevance to the context and when used rigorously and properly, are a reliable and effective business tool. They have the capacity to improve the eminence of choices about people. In many companies, the HR role is divided into a team responsible for selection and a team responsible for development - but is that a rational divide? There is no such thing as a candidate at selection. The company has face a problem the candidate may have the essential characteristics but not all of the desirable characteristics and those are the ones that have a potential development. In this article how psychometrics create an link or a bridge between recruitment and development and how it is reduce the recruitment cost and training cost1. Key Words: Psychometrics, Training and Development, Recruitment. 14929 International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue 1. Introduction Most of the organizations are using psychometric testing as a tool of recruitment and selection process.
    [Show full text]
  • Beyond Motivation: Job and Work Design for Development, Health, Ambidexterity, and More
    PS65CH24-Parker ARI 31 October 2013 16:54 Beyond Motivation: Job and Work Design for Development, Health, Ambidexterity, and More Sharon K. Parker The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia; email: [email protected] Annu. Rev. Psychol. 2014. 65:661–91 Keywords First published online as a Review in Advance on job design, autonomy, job enrichment, job characteristics, self-managing September 6, 2013 teams The Annual Review of Psychology is online at http://psych.annualreviews.org Abstract This article’s doi: Much research shows it is possible to design motivating work, which has 10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115208 by University of Minnesota - Twin Cities on 09/30/14. For personal use only. positive consequences for individuals and their organizations. This article Annu. Rev. Psychol. 2014.65:661-691. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org Copyright c 2014 by Annual Reviews. reviews research that adopts this motivational perspective on work design, All rights reserved and it emphasizes that it is important to continue to refine motivational theories. In light of continued large numbers of poor-quality jobs, attention must also be given to influencing practice and policy to promote the effective implementation of enriched work designs. Nevertheless, current and future work-based challenges mean that designing work for motivation is necessary but insufficient. This review argues that work design can be a powerful vehi- cle for learning and development, for maintaining and enhancing employees’ physical and mental health, and for achieving control and flexibility simulta- neously (for example, in the form of ambidexterity); all these outcomes are important given the challenges in today’s workplaces.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to Good Practices for Workforce Investment Professionals (Hereinafter Referred to As the Guide) Was Produced and Funded by the U.S
    TESTING AND ASSESSMENT: A GUIDE TO GOOD PRACTICES FOR WORKFORCE INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration 2006 Foreword PURPOSE of the GUIDE Human capital is our most valuable resource in today’s globally competitive, highly technical, and increasingly diverse workplace. Investing in the development of our workforce is critical if we, as a nation, are to protect our economic well-being and maintain our standard of living. We develop our workforce in a number of ways by helping both individuals and organizations to identify and cultivate their abilities and competencies. Tests and assessments are often key tools in achieving this important goal. This Guide serves to help career counselors and training and development professionals use assessment practices in appropriate ways to support the overarching goal of workforce development. It conveys the essential concepts of testing and assessment in easy-to-understand terms so that counselors, trainers, and other workforce development professionals can: evaluate and select assessment tools/procedures that provide career counseling and guidance, and aid in training and career development; administer and score assessment tools that are the most efficient and effective for their particular needs; interpret assessment results in an accurate manner; and understand the professional and legal standards to be followed when using tests and assessments in counseling, training, and other career development programs. FORMAT of the GUIDE This Guide is structured around a set of assessment principles and their applications. The information is organized so that readers from a variety of backgrounds will find the information presented in a clear and useful manner.
    [Show full text]
  • Career Opportunities in Human Resource Training and Development
    Career Opportunities in Human Resource Training and Development Attracting the most qualified employees and matching them to the jobs for which they are best suited is important for the success of any organization. However, many enterprises are too large to permit close contact between top management and employees. Human resources and training managers and specialists provide this link. In the past, these workers have been associated with performing the administrative function of an organization, such as handling employee benefits questions or recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new personnel in accordance with policies and requirements that have been established in conjunction with top management. Today's human resources workers juggle these tasks and, increasingly, consult top executives regarding strategic planning. They have moved from behind-the-scenes staff work to leading the company in suggesting and changing policies. Senior management is recognizing the importance of the human resources department to their bottom line (Occupational Outlook Handbook). In an effort to improve morale and productivity and limit job turnover, human resource specialists also help their firms effectively use employee skills, provide training opportunities to enhance those skills, and boost employee satisfaction with their jobs and working conditions. Although some jobs in the human resources field require only limited contact with people outside the office, dealing with people is an essential part of the job. Typical positions in this field include: Human Resources Generalist In a small organization, a human resources generalist may handle all aspects of human resources work, requiring a broad range of knowledge. The responsibilities of human resources generalists can vary widely, depending on their employer's needs.
    [Show full text]
  • Training, Education, Development and Learning: What Is the Difference?
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by European Scientific Journal (European Scientific Institute) European Scientific Journal May edition vol. 8, No.10 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431 TRAINING, EDUCATION, DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? Mousa Masadeh, PhD Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Petra College for Tourism and Archaeology, Petra, Jordan Abstract There is much confusion surrounding the terms ‘training’, ‘education’, ‘development’ and ‘learning,’ to the point where they are often used interchangeably. In the context of human resource development, however, it is often necessary to define and delineate each of these in order to clarify the associated activities and desired outcomes within an organisation. This paper examines the issue in depth by outlining some of the traditional definitions of these terms and their implications for human resource development, ultimately demonstrating how they are best viewed as interconnected, if separate. Employee training, in particular, is associated with on-the- job skills acquired for a particular role, while education is seen as relating to a more formal academic background. In increasingly complex organisations, it may be argued that aspects of each are necessary to ensure full employee potential. Keywords: Training, Education, Development, Learning, HRD Introduction ‘Until very recently the concept of ‘learning’ has not really entered into this field of debate, training and development were seen as things that happened in organizations whereas learning appeared to be more formal and was linked to education be it school, college or university’ (Kitson, 2003) 62 European Scientific Journal May edition vol.
    [Show full text]
  • Training & Development Competencies: Redefined to Create Competitive Advantage
    Training & Development Competencies: Redefined to Create Competitive Advantage Jennifer A. Naughton & William J. Rothwell ©2013 by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). All rights reserved. Welcome! “An organization’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.” Jack Welch (former CEO GE) ASTD welcomes you and thanks you for your commitment to the training and development profession. ©2013 by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). All rights reserved. Meet Today’s Facilitators Jennifer Naughton is a people systems Insert picture architect with 20 years of experience addressing human resource and training challenges. She is a senior director at ASTD. William J. Rothwell is President of Rothwell & Associates, Inc. and a professor of Workforce Education and Development on the University Park campus of Penn State University. ©2013 by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). All rights reserved. Thanks! • Bryan Acker • Connie Malamed • Jean Barbazette • Jay Naumann • Andi Campbell • Ajay Pangarkar • Donald Ford • Marc Rosenberg • Lisa Haneberg • Kathleen Ryan • Katherine Holt • Ethan Sanders • Cindy Huggett • Ellen Wagner • James Kirkpatrick • Rich Wellins • Wendy Kirkpatrick • Kay Wood • Sardek Love • Yael Zofi ASTD Chapters, ASTD members, and the broader T&D community ©2013 by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). All rights reserved. ASTD’S VISION Create a World That Works Better. ASTD’S MISSION Empower Professionals to Develop Knowledge and Skills Successfully. ASTD Competency Model ©2013 by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). All rights reserved. Opening Poll Vote “yes” or “no” to each of the following: • Are you familiar with competency models in general? • Are you familiar with ASTD’s former competency studies? The pyramid? • Did you know that the CPLP designation is based on ASTD’s competency work? ©2013 by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD).
    [Show full text]
  • Work Design Influences: a Synthesis of Multi-Level Factors That Affect
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Lirias Work Design Influences: A Synthesis of Multi-Level Factors that Affect The Design of Work Sharon K. Parker Management and Organisations, UWA Business School University of Western Australia [email protected] Anja Van den Broeck Work and Organization Studies, Faculty of Economics and Business, KU Leuven Optentia, North West University [email protected] David Holman People, Management & Organisations Alliance Manchester Business School University of Manchester [email protected] 1 ABSTRACT High quality work design is a key determinant of employee well-being, positive work attitudes, and job/organizational performance. Yet many job incumbents continue to experience deskilled and demotivating work. We argue that there is a need to understand better where work designs come from. We review research that investigates the factors that influence work design, noting that this research is only a small fragment of the work design literature. The research base is also rather disparate, spanning distinct theoretical perspectives according to the level of analysis. To help integrate this literature, we use a framework that summarizes the direct and indirect ways in which work design is shaped by the higher-level external context (global/ international, national and occupational factors), the organizational context, the local work context (work group factors), and individual factors. We highlight two key indirect effects: first, factors affect formal decision- making processes via influencing managers’ work design-related motivation, knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), and opportunities; and second, factors shape informal and emergent work design processes via influencing employees’ work design-related motivation, KSAs and opportunities.
    [Show full text]
  • The Encyclopedia of Human Resource Management: HR Forms and Job Aids
    ffirs.indd ii 01/03/12 8:52 PM Y THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HR Forms and Job Aids VOLUME TWO Executive Editor William J. Rothwell, Ph.D. Editors Jed Lindholm, Karen K. Yarrish, and Aileen G. Zaballero ffirs.indd i 01/03/12 8:52 PM Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Published by Pfeiffer An Imprint of Wiley One Montgomery Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104-4594 www.pfeiffer.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifi cally disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fi tness for a particular purpose.
    [Show full text]
  • Training and Development and Job Satisfaction in Education Sector
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE): E-Journals Journal of Resources Development and Management www.iiste.org ISSN 2422-8397 An International Peer-reviewed Journal Vol.16, 2016 Training and Development and Job Satisfaction in Education Sector Narendra Singh Chaudhary Assistant Professor Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, NOIDA, Faculty of Management Studies Symbiosis International University, Pune, India Preeti Bhaskar Assistant Professor Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, NOIDA, Faculty of Management Studies Symbiosis International University, Pune, India Abstract High quality performance demanded by the consumers of higher education and confronted by rapid changes in knowledge, technology, and even by the way academic work is being conducted (i.e., in teams, electronically over great distances, etc.) higher educational institutions must redefine themselves and , in essence, that means the faculty must either face obsolescence or continuously be participating in developmental activities. Therefore, institutions of higher education must develop a sustained long term faculty development strategy to enable their valuable human resources to work effectively and accomplish the organizational goals that are necessary to survive in the rapidly changing environment of higher education. To achieve the competitive advantage and get the best results, organizations have to provide the means to upgrade their employees which they can best do by organizing training and development programs, which not only improve the employees’ skills but also enhance their performance, motivation and give a sense of job satisfaction to them. This study investigates the relationship between training and development and Job Satisfaction in Education Sector.
    [Show full text]
  • Training and OD: Separated at Birth
    Training & OD: Separated at Birth? For all their similarity of interests, training and OD are like feuding siblings who don't speak. It's time they started. On an airplane somewhere between Denver and San Diego, an executive mused about why his training people and his organization development people couldn't seem to work together. He thought he was encouraging collaboration, but what he saw instead was foot-dragging. "Is it something about our organization?" he wondered. "Is it something I'm doing? Is it the individuals involved? Or is this typical?" His questions forced me to admit that I think a gulf indeed exists between training and organization development (OD), at least more typically than not. I first noticed the chasm more than a decade ago. During a consulting project at a manufac- turing company, the training staff complained at length about a manager they considered unreasonable. Without exception, they attributed her faults to her background in OD. Not long after, I suggested to a group of colleagues that we all attend an American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) luncheon presentation on the topic of organization development. Several of my training associates chose to pass, observing that OD wasn't par- ticularly relevant to training. Yet another example presented itself about five years ago. I was teaching a class on needs assessment for some training professionals in a computer company. One of the messages was that the data one gathers in assessing a performance problem will often point to solu- tions other than training - solutions like team-building, culture change, strategy alignment or feedback systems.
    [Show full text]