The bottom line of what is important in Performance Consulting
By, John Errigo, MS
Understanding managers’ needs is essential to a consultant, after all, it is the manager who will be able to help the consultant understand the business need by provide access to staff, and who will be the one who will ultimately have the authority to implement any recommendations as an agent of change. Without cultivating this important relationship from the beginning, developing a collaborative process, the consulting project does not have any room to grow and thrive. The relationship building aspect of a consultant is one of the paramount aspects of the consulting process. I agree with Robinson since the “how” is not something everyone can answer, we can always find out the “what” through a model or process, but the “how” is more ambiguous and not easily defined, hence why in certain respects, performance consulting is indeed art. Not everyone can define the how and when to define it, not everyone is capable of making “art.”
I am not taking an elitist approach here when I compare performance consulting liking it to art, I am merely distinguishing how fragile some aspects of the performance consulting are than others. The relationship building including when to push when defining the “how” are among those fragile aspects. Getting to the how is more than asking questions, however “performance consultants influence more by what they ask than by what they tell” Robinson and Robinson (2006, p. 6). The performance consultant must know what appropriate questions to ask as well as how each question will paint a bigger picture of the company and understanding “how” things work. More importantly the consultant must be able to get to the bottom of the “how” by asking tougher questions and knowing when and in what tone to ask them. The “when to ask the tough questions” and the “tone in how you ask them” is where the art of performance consulting comes into the picture. You may ask all the questions you want, but if you don’t know when and how to ask them, you won’t get the answers you would need to understand the big picture of what is going on –what needs to be addressed –and how certain aspects should be addressed. ‘Questions asked should use language and terms that directly connect to the client’s business needs” (Robinson and Robinson, 2006, p. 7).
The questions asked however should also able to define the business need, if they do not help define the business need, they why ask them? “To evidence that art of HPT, you need to develop a partnership with the client based on credibility and trust, you also need to approach the situation from the clients perspective” (Robinson and Robinson, 2006, p. 7). The partnership developed the relationship built is where the “art” of performance consulting comes into play, and knowing what questions to ask is also based upon this same principle. As a consultant you will know what type of questions to ask, because hopefully at this phase you have developed such a relationship you have already have the framework of the “big picture” and then you are able to ask more questions that will not distance you from the client, but will be able to help build the trust and confidence of the client even more.
All rights reserved (2010) and my not be duplicated or refernced without written permission of author: John Errigo, M.S., by corporate authorization, HODT, Inc. (synergy@hodtinc.com)
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Who, What and Why of Performance Consulting Part 2 of 3
By John Errigo, M.S.
In Performance consulting it is a good idea to get those who have the authority to change involved at the beginning and if possible to work with them directly. If a gap was identified that would need to be closed which would affect more than her department, her boss, the Director, would have to be involved to be able to get the authority to implement change. Not that this is a bad thing, or uncommon in performance consulting to work with a middle manager, it is important however to be able to consult for those who could have considerable influence or power to address and implement change on behalf of closing the performance gap.
Gay and Labonte (2003) also identify other characteristics to look for which are subtle but often easy to spot. “The client generally: (1) is a good listener, (2) is known for being “employee sensitive” (3) is the leader of a high-functioning work team, (4) is considered a “results-oriented” leader, (5) asks important questions in meetings regarding people and the impact of strategies on the workforce, (6) won’t hesitate to commit resources on projects, (7) isn’t afraid to invest in workforce initiatives, (8) is a process thinker, (9) has an important itch to scratch –a perplexing performance problem.” All of these characteristics are important since it shows the dedication, commitment and determination of a client to resolve a performance issue. Of course they are subtle characteristics, since the foundation of any client-performance consultant “marriage” is relationship building, and without a having a good foundation of developing a rapport and relationship with your client, in the beginning, and subsequently throughout the project, you will not be able to pick-up on these subtle characteristics. It is always important to make sure the relationship is built within the spirit of collaboration. “Get the client involved, if the consultant is doing more than the client, the ownership isn’t where it should be” (Johnson, Hall, Swinney, & Vanhala, 2004, p. 14).
The Art and Science of Performance Consulting
Performance consulting is a process that follows a model, however the actions of the consultant and “how” they get to know and understand the process is an art form. In performance consulting there are fundamentally two distinct concepts, the “art” and “science” within the consulting process. When and how to use these two distinct concepts is the difference between a successful and mediocre consultant. Tom Gilbert asks readers to look at HPT as a science in his book entitled ‘Handbook of Human Performance Technology. “He describes the characteristics of a science, as it relates to HPT, in this manner a science is: (1) has clear subject matter, (2) simplifies focus, (3) is grounded in measurement, (4) is careful of its language, has consistent terminology that is understood by practitioners in the field” (Robinson & Robinson, 2006, p. 6). These methods of looking at consulting as a scientific process is helpful, since there has to be a fundamental process consultants refer to, since there are measurable outcomes and there has to be a process to be able to get to those measurable outcomes to be able to close a performance gap. ‘The techniques and practices of performance and cause analysis, intervention selection, and measurement are all based on scientific principles” (Robinson & Robinson, 2006, p. 6). The performance consultant then has a guide of principles to follow in order to “bring about sustained changes in human performance and result in achievement of business and organizational goals” (Robinson & Robinson, 2006, p. 6).
Performance consulting involves relationship building. Without having the ability to build relationships with senior management, company CEO’s, and those who have direct authority to make decisions which will help close the performance gap, the performance consultant can be the best “scientist,” but nothing will happen, nothing will be accomplished. Therefore the art of consulting is something that requires mastery of specific competencies, but it is also something to a small degree is innate in nature; you must have the gift of artistry to be able to grow and cultivate the artist within. “The art concept primarily refers to how consultants seek to understand manager’s needs and influence managers to support the use of HPT, The science is the what; the art is the how” Robinson and Robinson (2006, p. 6).
All rights reserved (2010) and my not be duplicated or refernced without written permission of author: John Errigo, M.S., by corporate authorization, HODT, Inc. (synergy@hodtinc.com)
In Performance consulting it is a good idea to get those who have the authority to change involved at the beginning and if possible to work with them directly. If a gap was identified that would need to be closed which would affect more than her department, her boss, the Director, would have to be involved to be able to get the authority to implement change. Not that this is a bad thing, or uncommon in performance consulting to work with a middle manager, it is important however to be able to consult for those who could have considerable influence or power to address and implement change on behalf of closing the performance gap.
Gay and Labonte (2003) also identify other characteristics to look for which are subtle but often easy to spot. “The client generally: (1) is a good listener, (2) is known for being “employee sensitive” (3) is the leader of a high-functioning work team, (4) is considered a “results-oriented” leader, (5) asks important questions in meetings regarding people and the impact of strategies on the workforce, (6) won’t hesitate to commit resources on projects, (7) isn’t afraid to invest in workforce initiatives, (8) is a process thinker, (9) has an important itch to scratch –a perplexing performance problem.” All of these characteristics are important since it shows the dedication, commitment and determination of a client to resolve a performance issue. Of course they are subtle characteristics, since the foundation of any client-performance consultant “marriage” is relationship building, and without a having a good foundation of developing a rapport and relationship with your client, in the beginning, and subsequently throughout the project, you will not be able to pick-up on these subtle characteristics. It is always important to make sure the relationship is built within the spirit of collaboration. “Get the client involved, if the consultant is doing more than the client, the ownership isn’t where it should be” (Johnson, Hall, Swinney, & Vanhala, 2004, p. 14).
The Art and Science of Performance Consulting
Performance consulting is a process that follows a model, however the actions of the consultant and “how” they get to know and understand the process is an art form. In performance consulting there are fundamentally two distinct concepts, the “art” and “science” within the consulting process. When and how to use these two distinct concepts is the difference between a successful and mediocre consultant. Tom Gilbert asks readers to look at HPT as a science in his book entitled ‘Handbook of Human Performance Technology. “He describes the characteristics of a science, as it relates to HPT, in this manner a science is: (1) has clear subject matter, (2) simplifies focus, (3) is grounded in measurement, (4) is careful of its language, has consistent terminology that is understood by practitioners in the field” (Robinson & Robinson, 2006, p. 6). These methods of looking at consulting as a scientific process is helpful, since there has to be a fundamental process consultants refer to, since there are measurable outcomes and there has to be a process to be able to get to those measurable outcomes to be able to close a performance gap. ‘The techniques and practices of performance and cause analysis, intervention selection, and measurement are all based on scientific principles” (Robinson & Robinson, 2006, p. 6). The performance consultant then has a guide of principles to follow in order to “bring about sustained changes in human performance and result in achievement of business and organizational goals” (Robinson & Robinson, 2006, p. 6).
Performance consulting involves relationship building. Without having the ability to build relationships with senior management, company CEO’s, and those who have direct authority to make decisions which will help close the performance gap, the performance consultant can be the best “scientist,” but nothing will happen, nothing will be accomplished. Therefore the art of consulting is something that requires mastery of specific competencies, but it is also something to a small degree is innate in nature; you must have the gift of artistry to be able to grow and cultivate the artist within. “The art concept primarily refers to how consultants seek to understand manager’s needs and influence managers to support the use of HPT, The science is the what; the art is the how” Robinson and Robinson (2006, p. 6).
All rights reserved (2010) and my not be duplicated or refernced without written permission of author: John Errigo, M.S., by corporate authorization, HODT, Inc. (synergy@hodtinc.com)
Monday, July 19, 2010
The Who, What and Why in Performance Consulting Part 1 of 3
Performance Consulting 101
By John Errigo, M.S.
The business need of an organization should be the top priority of a performance consultant. Performance consulting may have different processes which analyze and identify the gap and how to close the gap, however there are many more fundamental principles present than to just merely “close the performance gap.” In this series I will explore the various fundamental methodology of performance consulting. I will explore how these fundamental methodologies should be applied and when, the what and the why.
One of the most important aspects of any organizational development in essence is how successful is the collboration and the significance of collaboration. I cannot stress it enough how many times I have worked within an organization and once I realized there was not a collaborative partner(s) at the table, the success of implementing change is in flux. It is so important to establish this in the beginning and to make clear and define what each person's role is at the first meeting. “Work to establish a collaborative relationship with the client; avoid working as a pair of hands, or expert unless absolutely required” (Johnson, Hall, Swinney, & Vanhala, 2004, p. 14).
This foundational element of developing a collaborative relationship is most important. It is most important when developing the contract and choosing to work with a client, since if there is not a significant chance a collaborative relationship can be formed with the initial contract meeting; the performance contract is really not worth pursing. This can be further developed of course throughout the contract, but if there is resistance to the concept initially it may not be a role the client is willing to accept throughout all phases of the project. Success then may be limited and perhaps this may not be the best partnership from the beginning.
“As with marriage, picking the right partner is pretty darned important. For an HPI professional, as with this like comparison in consulting, if the project does not fit or would be designed to be proven organizational successful and effective, if there is not a desire to address a performance issue from the clients perspective, then why pursue a dead-end project?
All rights reserved (2010) and my not be duplicated or refernced without written permission of author: John Errigo, M.S., by corporate authorization, HODT, Inc. (synergy@hodtinc.com)
By John Errigo, M.S.
The business need of an organization should be the top priority of a performance consultant. Performance consulting may have different processes which analyze and identify the gap and how to close the gap, however there are many more fundamental principles present than to just merely “close the performance gap.” In this series I will explore the various fundamental methodology of performance consulting. I will explore how these fundamental methodologies should be applied and when, the what and the why.
One of the most important aspects of any organizational development in essence is how successful is the collboration and the significance of collaboration. I cannot stress it enough how many times I have worked within an organization and once I realized there was not a collaborative partner(s) at the table, the success of implementing change is in flux. It is so important to establish this in the beginning and to make clear and define what each person's role is at the first meeting. “Work to establish a collaborative relationship with the client; avoid working as a pair of hands, or expert unless absolutely required” (Johnson, Hall, Swinney, & Vanhala, 2004, p. 14).
This foundational element of developing a collaborative relationship is most important. It is most important when developing the contract and choosing to work with a client, since if there is not a significant chance a collaborative relationship can be formed with the initial contract meeting; the performance contract is really not worth pursing. This can be further developed of course throughout the contract, but if there is resistance to the concept initially it may not be a role the client is willing to accept throughout all phases of the project. Success then may be limited and perhaps this may not be the best partnership from the beginning.
“As with marriage, picking the right partner is pretty darned important. For an HPI professional, as with this like comparison in consulting, if the project does not fit or would be designed to be proven organizational successful and effective, if there is not a desire to address a performance issue from the clients perspective, then why pursue a dead-end project?
All rights reserved (2010) and my not be duplicated or refernced without written permission of author: John Errigo, M.S., by corporate authorization, HODT, Inc. (synergy@hodtinc.com)
Friday, July 2, 2010
Organizational Development: Interventions and group dynamics
Cognitive behavior, cohesiveness and personality
By, John Errigo, M.S.
Different dimensions encompass the cognitive abilities of an individual. A tool that was helpful in analyzing these different dimensions was the Cognitive Style Index previously mentioned. Within the social dimension there are two extreme types’ labeled intuition and analysis. These two types can greatly impact an intervention because they lead to the cognitive behavior which affects personality. “Intuition refers to immediate judgment based on feeling and the adoption of a global perspective; whereas analysis refers to judgment based on mental reasoning (Priola, Smith, & Armstrong, 2004).” These two judgments are important since they can have an impact on a group intervention. These two dynamics affect a person’s personality and their subsequent behavior. “Intuitivists tend to be relatively nonconformist, prefer an open ended approach to problem solving, rely on random methods of exploration…..analysts tend to be more compliant, favor a structured approach to problem solving, depend on systematic methods of investigation (Priola, Smith, & Armstrong, 2004).” These are very important clues to hone in on when facilitating an intervention. It is important to bring them together harmoniously when working with people from the polar opposites of analytical and intuitive cognitive behaviors.
There can be conflict which could arise from these polar opposites. “Conflict was viewed in the 1930s and 1940s as an undesirable phenomenon, symptomatic of improperly designed communication and reward systems (Jones & White, 1986).” Conflict can be a useful tool if it is organized in the proper way. Conflict between different cognitive behaviors and subsequent personality attributes could be a problem if not resolved. Most conflict will transpire if people are treated the same way. People need to be treated differently and not the same. We will lose a valuable connection which is imperative when facilitating an intervention if people are treated the same. “There are obviously personality differences, but too often we create tension and discomfort by assuming we’re all pretty much alike. If we treat people the same way, we’ll end up connecting with some but not others (Hayden, 2004).” There will be times when a facilitator is not able to resolve the differences, however when the differences in personality are so severe it creates conflict, it is imperative that the facilitator resolves this conflict. “Failure to properly resolve conflict could lead to retarding communication, reducing group cohesiveness, and subordinating group goals to infighting among members (Jones & White, 1986).”
“A central feature of the processes that take place in work groups and teams is concerned with the cognitive style of group members. In this case, the nature of behaviors that were initiated by group members to accomplish the task was at least partially, a function of members’ cognitive style (Priola, Smith, & Armstrong, 2004).” How groups work together harmoniously as a result of their different styles is an amazing paradigm. The distinct cognitive style of individuals who comprise a group will invariably affect the task and or function of an intervention. If the cognitive styles work together well there will be a lot of things accomplished and will help create a positive mood of collaboration.
All rights reserved (2010) and my not be duplicated or refernced without written permission of author: John Errigo, M.S., by corporate authorization, HODT, Inc. (synergy@hodtinc.com)
By, John Errigo, M.S.
Different dimensions encompass the cognitive abilities of an individual. A tool that was helpful in analyzing these different dimensions was the Cognitive Style Index previously mentioned. Within the social dimension there are two extreme types’ labeled intuition and analysis. These two types can greatly impact an intervention because they lead to the cognitive behavior which affects personality. “Intuition refers to immediate judgment based on feeling and the adoption of a global perspective; whereas analysis refers to judgment based on mental reasoning (Priola, Smith, & Armstrong, 2004).” These two judgments are important since they can have an impact on a group intervention. These two dynamics affect a person’s personality and their subsequent behavior. “Intuitivists tend to be relatively nonconformist, prefer an open ended approach to problem solving, rely on random methods of exploration…..analysts tend to be more compliant, favor a structured approach to problem solving, depend on systematic methods of investigation (Priola, Smith, & Armstrong, 2004).” These are very important clues to hone in on when facilitating an intervention. It is important to bring them together harmoniously when working with people from the polar opposites of analytical and intuitive cognitive behaviors.
There can be conflict which could arise from these polar opposites. “Conflict was viewed in the 1930s and 1940s as an undesirable phenomenon, symptomatic of improperly designed communication and reward systems (Jones & White, 1986).” Conflict can be a useful tool if it is organized in the proper way. Conflict between different cognitive behaviors and subsequent personality attributes could be a problem if not resolved. Most conflict will transpire if people are treated the same way. People need to be treated differently and not the same. We will lose a valuable connection which is imperative when facilitating an intervention if people are treated the same. “There are obviously personality differences, but too often we create tension and discomfort by assuming we’re all pretty much alike. If we treat people the same way, we’ll end up connecting with some but not others (Hayden, 2004).” There will be times when a facilitator is not able to resolve the differences, however when the differences in personality are so severe it creates conflict, it is imperative that the facilitator resolves this conflict. “Failure to properly resolve conflict could lead to retarding communication, reducing group cohesiveness, and subordinating group goals to infighting among members (Jones & White, 1986).”
“A central feature of the processes that take place in work groups and teams is concerned with the cognitive style of group members. In this case, the nature of behaviors that were initiated by group members to accomplish the task was at least partially, a function of members’ cognitive style (Priola, Smith, & Armstrong, 2004).” How groups work together harmoniously as a result of their different styles is an amazing paradigm. The distinct cognitive style of individuals who comprise a group will invariably affect the task and or function of an intervention. If the cognitive styles work together well there will be a lot of things accomplished and will help create a positive mood of collaboration.
All rights reserved (2010) and my not be duplicated or refernced without written permission of author: John Errigo, M.S., by corporate authorization, HODT, Inc. (synergy@hodtinc.com)
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