HRDHandbook

ContentsThispageintentionallyleftblank.ContentsGettingResultsThroughLearningApublicationoftheFederalHumanResourceDevelopmentCouncilMay1997Thispageintentionallyleftblank.ContentsiAcknowledgmentsThishandbookwasauthoredbyaspecialtaskforceoftheHumanResourceDevelopment(HRD)Council.TheHRDCouncil—agroupofofficialsfrom22majordepartmentsandagenciesnominatedbythePresident’sManagementCouncil—worksinpartnershipwiththeOfficeofPersonnelManagementtodevelopstrategies,policies,andprogramsthatsupportindividualandorganizationalperformanceacrossthefederalgovernment.WeareindebtedtotheleadershipandsupportoftheHRDCouncilExecutiveCommittee,especiallytheco-chairs,MelindaMcMillonDarby,DepartmentofDefense,andRoyTucker,DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.WearealsogratefulforthecontinuousdialoguewithourcolleaguesontheHRDProfessionalismCommittee,adialoguewhichhelpedusshapethedesignandsharpenourfocus.Dr.LexDilworthprovidedvaluableideasandresources—hisownaswellasfromhisgraduatestudentsatVirginiaCommonwealthUniversity.Finally,threededicatedprofessionalshelpedusbringthepiecestogetherandmeettightdeadlines:NitaCongress,technicaleditorextraordinaire,andDeniseMearesandBarbaraRuffino.Theymadeusalllookgood.MembersoftheTaskForceMarjorieL.Budd,Ph.D.,DepartmentofDefense,TaskForceLeaderandPrimaryAuthorDavidAmaral,DepartmentoftheNavyRandyBergquist,DepartmentofTransportationPaulLonganbach,OfficeofPersonnelManagementAmyVanSkiver,DepartmentofAgricultureContentsThispageintentionallyleftblank.ContentsiiiContents1Foreword3AreYouGettingtheResultsYouNeed?4HowItIsNow5HowItCouldBe9GettingBetterResults10EliminateBarriers11SetUpIndividualandOrganizationalLearningStrategies18GetStrategicallyAligned20MakeaPlan25GettingSupport26EmployeesasaSourceofSupport27ExecutiveLeadersasaSourceofSupport29HRDOfficesasaSourceofSupport30OutsourcingandCollaborating32UsingtheIdeasofOthers37KeepinganEyeontheFuture39Notes&Quotes43AppendixA:HRD/OrganizationAlignmentModel49AppendixB:OrganizationTrainingPlan53AppendixC:InstructionalSystemsDevelopment59AppendixD:Management’sChangingExpectationsofHRD65AppendixE:HRDCompetencies67AppendixF:HRDCurriculumResources73AppendixG:ProcurementofTraining77AppendixH:HRDCouncilMission,Vision,andMembershipThispageintentionallyleftblank.Contents“Intheknowledgesocietythemostprobableassumptionfororganizations,andcertainlytheassumptiononwhichtheyhavetoconducttheiraffairs,isthattheyneedknowledgeworkersfarmorethanknowledgeworkersneedthem.”—PeterDruckerForewordHumancapital.Continuouslearning.Outcomesvs.outputs.Strategicalignmentofhumanresources.Performanceandresults.Thesetermsreflectaneworientationforfederalmanagers,anorientationthatrecognizes:thatthefederalgovernmentisthenation’slargestemployerofcollegegraduates,professionals,andtechnicalexperts—aknowledge-intensiveenterpriseevenmoredependentonitsknowledgeworkersthaniscorporateAmerica;andthat,asThomasA.StewartnotesinFortunemagazine,“[Thisis]theageofintellectualcapital,andthemostvaluablepartsofjobsarethehumantasks:sensing,judging,creating,buildingrelationships.”1Howareyoumanagingforresultsinthefaceofthesechallenges?Howareyoumakingsureyougettherequisitebrainpowerfortheresultsyouneed?Andhowdoyoudothiswhileyoustruggletodomorewithless?Theanswerdoesnotlieinfindingmoremoneyormakingmoretimefortraining.Andit’snotaboutrecruitingthebestandbrightest.Thesearenotrealisticalternativesforthegovernmentmanager—noraretheynecessary.Thishandbookshowsmanagershowtotranscendthesenarrowviewsanddiscoveranewworldofrapid,low-costorno-costwaystobuildasmarterworkforceandkeepitthatway.For,asThomasStewartwrites,“Intelligence,likeanyasset,needstobecultivatedinthecontextoftheaction.RandomhiringofPh.D.swon’tcutit.”22GettingResultsThroughLearningInthishandbook,youwillfindmanystepsyoucantakeonyourowntogetresultsthroughlearning.Youwilldiscoverhowtobuildnewsocialformsoflearning,andamassandconcentratehumancapitalwhereitisneeded.Youwillalsofindoutabouttheservicesandsupportmanagerscanandshouldexpectfromfederalhumanresourcedevelopment(HRD)offices.TrainingprofessionalsintheseHRDofficesshouldalsoreadthishandbookinordertogetabetterappreciationofthelearning-relatedneedsandexpectationsofmanagers.AsthepractitionersofHRDforthefederalworkforce,theyneedtobeabletoprovideexpertconsultationtomanagers,anticipatemanagers’performancerequirements,andhelpmanagersachieveresults.Recentdatashowthatlearningintheworkplaceisthesinglemostimportantcontributiontoimprovingproductivity.GovernmentmanagersandHRDpractitionershavethepowertogetresultsthroughlearningbyadoptingthepracticesinthishandbookandfocusingonthebusinessobjectivesoftheirorganization.Therewillneverbeamoreopportunemomentthannowtobeginthiseffort;thedemandsoftheworkplacewillonlycontinuetoescalate.DarylConnerputsthismomentintoperspectiveinManagingattheSpeedofChange:“Youhavemorecontrolandlessambiguitytodaythanyouarelikelytohavefortherestofyourlife.”3Thinkaboutyourownorganizationasyouanswerthesequestions.1.Areyoufacingmoreworkwithlessstaff?2.Doyouandyouremployeesneedtoupdatetechnicalskills,orlearnnewwaysofdoingbusiness?3.I