As a training pro, do coworkers see you as a business partner or an order taker? If an order taker, how can you change that? In a new study, Karen Hicks answers that question.
She found that “An LTD function that is strategically aligned is perceived as a business partner and as an asset to the business.” How can you be strategically aligned and viewed as a business partner?
How Do You Become A Partner?
Hicks’ study found that when the Learning & Talent Development (LTD) function does the following, then business sees training as a partner:
- Conduct gap analysis (Where is training needed?)
- Use data from analysis to support decisions
- Talk to partners using their language, not training language
- Seek performance data
- Partner with managers to gather and study data
- Partner with managers to find the right solution
- Verify and validate solution requests
- Make and link the chain of training impact
- Take the lead in modeling alignment
Why Does Training Measurement Matter?
These points hit home with what we do at eParamus. We see these results with our own clients. The study aligns with what we teach about aligning design with training measurement and training evaluation. (For more information about our training measurement process, check out our book ROI by Design.)
Note how many of these points tie to training measurement: Measure gaps. Gather data. Verify performance. Make a chain of impact. When you measure training and its impact, you will rise from order taker to partner.
Hicks’ study shows why training pros must partner with business. Her list above describes the process she found. That info is a good first step. At best, businesses and trainers work together to find and solve problems. When we work together, when we speak the same language, the result is great training design that achieves the business goals.
Training Pros—Earning Partner Status Is In Your Control
As a trainer, your end work product is great training design. To measure your impact, you must measure the right things. Set business metrics as your training goal. Find the metric that the business needs to change. List the job standards that will meet that goal. When you tie the metric to the standard, the training design is simple. When your training design achieves the goal, the metric will change, and the business will meet its goals. With a clear chain of impact, you can show how well your training design works. With hard data, you can prove your value and impact on the business.
Earning partner status is in our control as training pros. The steps are clear. Work with your stakeholders. Know the business goal. Follow best practices in design. Use training measurement to verify the results!
What about you? Do you feel like an order taker or a business partner? Why? Do you think training measurement is the key? Tell us your thoughts in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.