We’ve all been there: A last-minute request to run a training program with very little information provided. The stakeholder is unavailable for further discussion, and you don’t want to let them down or make their life more difficult. So, you quickly put together something, hoping it will add value. As you prepare the night before, you create a brief survey that you can use at the end of the program to gather high-level satisfaction feedback from the delegates regarding the value the session has provided.
Starting with measurement in mind
Prioritizing measurement can provide clearer guidance. Think of it as embarking on a journey: Having a specific destination allows you to plan the most efficient route and track progress throughout. If the destination isn’t immediately clear, then taking this approach helps you, as the learning and development professional, and the stakeholders to better explore and identify the problem they are trying to solve. It also helps determine the role that training plays, if any, in the solution.
I’ll share a tangible example here. Imagine a sales manager is asking you to repeat a specific part of the sales call model training for several members of his team. You may be forgiven for thinking this is the destination identified upfront and the hard work is already done. However, the problem itself has not been identified, which means that as a learning professional, you have not been able to apply your expertise in determining the most suitable solution. It may be that they have already been through the sales call model training numerous times before. And we know the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.
If we don’t start with measurement, we run the risk of building a solution that isn’t suitable for its intended purpose and won’t deliver the impact the organization needs.
How do we identify what to measure?
We begin with clarifying the destination, otherwise known as the desired outcome that we want. In this particular example, what specific observations or information is the sales manager perceiving that leads them to believe improving selling skills is the solution to the problem? With the destination clarified, we can identify the specific behavior or knowledge gap. At this point we not only know what we need to measure to determine the success of our intervention, but we can also determine the most effective course of action to address the gap. L&D solutions will inevitably be only a part of the ideal solution.
The best way to identify the destination is to be very curious and ask a number of questions.
Here are some examples of useful questions for the consultative phase:
- What impact are you aiming for?
- What behaviors are you hoping to change, and how will you know it has worked?
- Why is it important now?
- What have you tried previously?
- What role do you envision yourself playing in ensuring the success of this project?
Kevin M Yates, L&D Detective, refers to this as an “impact investigation,” looking at the facts, clues, evidence and data upfront to enable you to plan a learning solution that will activate performance.
What gets in the way and how can we overcome it?
It sounds easy, but in reality, there are several factors that can hinder this from happening. The biggest issue often lies in the reactive nature of the relationship between training and other functions that exist in many organizations. Stakeholders become accustomed to taking charge and determining the what, when, and where of training and learning, and then delegating its delivery. They are not accustomed to being questioned, and perhaps they have not even deeply considered why they believe this training is necessary. Furthermore, they do not feel a sense of shared responsibility for the success of the intervention. What can on the surface be “badged” as a lack of time, when we scratch beneath may be in fact a lack of clarity, lack of confidence or low understanding of how learning translates into behavior change.
However, all of this can change, and it is possible to transform these internal relationships into true partnerships where each party is recognized for their expertise and the sum total is greater than the two individual parts. In order for stakeholders to engage fully in the “impact investigation,” they need to understand why it is necessary, what benefits there are for them and, ultimately, feel safe to say they do not know the answers to some of the questions. That is often the reality when you first start with this way of working.
In today’s fast-paced and often hybrid way of working, the key to professional success is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of your stakeholders. By becoming a trusted advisor, you will see your relationships develop into ones of mutual respect and shared commitment.
What happens when we get it right?
When we are able to cultivate genuine partnerships and operate in an environment of curiosity and honesty, we can uncover a shared destination. Once we have identified the destination, we can determine a way to measure our progress toward reaching it. Often, this won’t be something the L&D professional can measure at the end of the training program. Instead, it might be something the sales manager observes some weeks later, once learning has been embedded and applied. By identifying it upfront, we can plot all parts of the learner journey and make our interventions more creative and interesting for the learner. Most importantly, we can identify the strategies that are effective and avoid repeating the same interventions while expecting different outcomes.
Measurement, in essence, is not just about collecting data or ticking boxes. It’s an exercise that demands we delve into the heart of our efforts and initiatives, asking the tough questions that some might shy away from. The more prepared L&D professionals are to foster a culture of curiosity, the greater the impact they will have in the long term. This will earn them an important seat at the strategic decision-making table.
