Preface

Isn't it amazing how seemingly inconsequential decisions and events may turn out to make monumental differences in our lives? This is equally true for organizations as for individuals. Not too long ago, one of our clients decided to run some data analyses on the relationship between tenure—how long sales associates had been in the job—and sales results. Concerned by relatively high turnover among sales associates and convinced that the longer one sells, the more one sells, senior management had decided to invest several million dollars in a “tenure program” to retain sales personnel. To verify the precise impact of tenure on sales, our client analyzed the existing sales data on the full population of 48,000 sales associates whose tenure in the position ran from three months to 45 years.

Imagine her surprise when the analysis turned up the following results: Overall, tenure accounted for only 1.6 percent of the variance in sales. After two years in the job, tenure accounted for a mere 0.8 percent of the variance. In other words, length of time in the sales job had almost no effect on sales.

Obviously amazed—everyone in the company “knew” that the longer one sold, the better one did—our client crunched the numbers several different ways, all ending up with the same results. Based on the data, the only sane conclusion was that tenure did not predict or determine sales success. With some trepidation, she apologetically presented her findings to management. Shock…disbelief…aggressive questioning…and a host of explanations followed. The fallout was incredibly dramatic, and now—two years later—there is an entirely different approach to performance improvement decision making in that organization. Our client has received recognition and greatly increased authority with respect to how new training and performance enhancement initiatives are selected. The organization has also made a strong commitment to metrics and data-based decision making. Overall, the company is emerging as a recognized industry leader in terms of learning and performance.

Why are we opening the Beyond Training Ain't Performance Fieldbook with this story? Well, for two reasons. First, we wanted to emphasize the wonderful potential that exists for you to make a huge difference to your organization by taking small, yet very vital performance consulting steps. You can powerfully affect desired outcomes beyond a default solution when performance isn't quite right by focusing on what really matters (obviously not tenure in our example), despite all the organizational lore to support traditional decision making. And second, to share with you what we have experienced—a dramatic and unexpected result from what was an almost lighthearted decision we made several years ago. At that time we responded to a conference request for proposals with a presentation submission titled “Telling Ain't Training.” The session was a success. Designed for a modest audience, we ended up with more than 500 participants who sat on the floor and stood in every available space, all practically pressed cheek to jowl. It was a “happening.” From that event, the initial interactive presentation evolved into workshops, books, conferences, and a host of exciting outcomes. We have received dozens of emails and letters from around the globe with reports of how the Ain't books have led to major changes and results in various organizations—from military and high tech, to coffeehouses, public education, and even early-childhood learning practices. We are humbled and astounded.

The lesson for all of us is not only that small decisions and actions can have powerful, unforeseen consequences. It is also that if we leverage these decisions and actions carefully, we can increase their impact even more. This realization leads us very naturally into the reason for creating this fourth Ain't book, the Beyond Training Ain't Performance Fieldbook.

The original Training Ain't Performance has received positive response from reviewers and reader-users. But as was true of its predecessor, Telling Ain't Training, a persistent theme from correspondents has been, “Thanks, but I want more. Help me and my team turn this book into something we can use to become better at human performance improvement. Give us additional practical tools we can apply in our organization.”

Well, you asked for it; you got it. Beyond Training Ain't Performance Fieldbook is a true fieldbook because it takes you to the next level in improving workplace performance. By “you,” we mean training practitioners and professionals; new or aspiring performance consultants; managers of training groups; human resource development, human resource management, organizational development/effectiveness specialists; and all managers concerned with achieving valued results from people. Even if we haven't mentioned your specialty or position, if you seek to help people attain results that you, they, and all stakeholders value, we're thinking of and writing for you. Step inside this Fieldbook. Lay aside your preconceived notions. Let's work together to achieve these bottom-line successes we all desire.

How the Book Is Structured

Speaking of working together, while we, as authors, are responsible for the contents of this Beyond Training Ain't Performance Fieldbook, we are also part of a team. Together we have crafted this volume as follows:

  There are 15 chapters that contain tools, techniques, guidelines, and strategies to help you apply the principles that appeared in the book Training Ain't Performance(published by ASTD in 2004). In most chapters, we summarize and occasionally comment on or enlarge upon principles from chapters of Training Ain't Performance. Most chapters end with a summary of key points and suggestions for applying content and tools.

  We use three icons that you will encounter frequently. They are

	which signals a reference to some part of Training Ain't Performance.
	which identifies key things you can do to transform yourself. It is an encouragement for you to try this on your own.
	which accompanies ideas for transforming your training/performance improvement group. Where you see this icon, we're suggesting an activity in which everyone can participate.

 To make this Fieldbook truly application oriented, we provide a CD-ROM containing electronic copies of the assessments, exercises, exhibits, figures, tables, and worksheets that appear in the book. They are in PDF format so you can display them in group presentations or print out copies for meetings, training sessions, and project work. You will need Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader software to open these files. If you don't have this software, go to www.adobe.com for a free download of Acrobat Reader.

Acknowledgments

We said that the Beyond, Training Ain't Performance Fieldbook is a team effort. Please take a moment to meet the team members. Permit us to thank them for their invaluable contributions.

Mark Morrow, ASTD Acquisitions Editor: You are the inspiration for this volume and all of the Ain't publications. There are editors and then there are caring, supportive, and nurturing editors. You are a special member of the latter group. We salute you.

One of the toughest jobs in bringing out a volume of this complexity belongs to the copyeditor who transforms manuscripts to publishable products. Christine Cotting is a unique editor. Tough, fair, and totally focused on the reader-user, she has guided us with firmness and caring. Thanks, Christine; while it sometimes hurts, we feel so much better for your ministrations.

Our deep and abiding thanks and respect go out to Saul Carliner, Miki Lane, and Paul Flynn who took on the onerous task of reviewing what we produced and helped us to be accurate, clear, and relevant to readers. We sincerely thank these devoted professionals whose only reward is the assurance of a sounder publication for those who turn to it.

Jennifer Papineau is our graphic, visual, and technical guide in everything we produce. Hardly a day goes by that we don't turn to her with cries for help. We write, Jennifer sees. Thank you for being the eyes of this Fieldbook.

Finally, we always end up with lumps in our throats and no words to express our gratitude to Samantha Greenhill. She is truly our right—and probably left—arm. We abuse her with our scrawls. She transforms them into coherent messages. With an enduring smile, a no-problem attitude, and an unfaltering devotion to a deadline, Sam makes it happen. Heartfelt thanks, Sam!

We dedicate this Fieldbook to three inspiring couples, six great professionals in the learning and performance world: Darryl and Jane Sink, Dana and Jim Robinson, and Miki Lane and Marilynne Malkin. Thank you for the significant contributions you have made to the field of human performance improvement and to improving our personal lives.

We love our work. We love helping individuals and organizations achieve performance successes. We love the collaborative moments we have spent together producing this Fieldbook. Thanks, mate!

Harold D. Stolovitch
Erica J. Keeps
Los Angeles, CA
May 2006