23
dec
0

Why Should You Measure the ROI of Your Program?

Posted by ROINo Comments


By Patti P. Phillips, Ph.D. and Jack J. Phillips, Ph.D.

There are five reasons why you should consider measuring the impact and ROI of your programs. However, there are situations where maybe you shouldn’t measure the ROI—but we will come back to that. First, let’s review what is involved when measuring ROI.

Essentially, an ROI evaluation requires evaluating the success of a learning program on five levels of outcomes. The first level is the reaction to the program in terms of relevance, importance, and intent to use. The second level is learning the knowledge and skills required to make the program successful. The third level, application, is tracking how the content has been used and how much success participants have had with its use, along with any barriers and enablers.

The fourth level is impact—the connection of the program to key business measures. At this outcome level, steps must be taken to isolate the effects of the program on those measures and then convert the business measure to money and calculate the ROI. The fifth level, ROI, is the comparison of the monetary benefits of the program to the costs of the program.

Now that you know what’s involved in an ROI study, let’s discuss why you should measure the ROI of your programs:

  1. To make the programs better. This has always been our preferred reason for pursuing the impact and ROI analysis. In the past, most of our efforts have been aimed at evaluating level 1—(reaction) and level 2 (learning). However, executives who provide the support and funds would prefer to see the impact of the program. Of course, impact won’t develop unless there is application. The challenge is to improve level 3 and 4 (application and impact) results. An ROI evaluation will indicate if a program is successful or not. If it’s not, the evaluation will show what should be done to make the program better. If it is working, the analysis will give insight for how to make the program even more successful.

  2. To satisfy key stakeholders. Programs have many stakeholders, but no one is more important than those who sponsor, support, or provide the budget for programs. These individuals want to see the business connections. Even in governments or nonprofits, alignment to business measures is still something stakeholders want to see. Dozens of studies have shown this is needed, and it is not debatable. Just ask your top executives.

  3. To please your team. When we first used this methodology many years ago, we were involved in managing learning and development teams. We wanted to know that our work was connected to the business. There is a sense of satisfaction in knowing that you are making a difference and the difference is not just having people attend programs and provide good ratings. It is the realization that the participants are using what they have learned on the job and are having an impact in their work and in the organization. That’s a great feeling.

  4. To maintain or enhance your budget. This is the No. 1 reason we see ROI implemented now. Globally, economies are in a state of uncertainty. When that happens, organizations must be lean and agile to sustain what is next to come. To do so, budgets are trimmed—eliminating anything perceived as a cost or otherwise not absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, this almost always affects the L&D budget. One of the best ways to convince an executive that your program is not a cost (that should be cut), but rather an investment, is to determine the return on investment, using the same calculation that a chief financial officer would use.

  5. To change the perception of the L&D function. Sometimes learning and talent development programs are considered a “necessary evil” or compulsory. Many executives agree with this comment: “We know we have to fund training for compliance and to teach people how to do their jobs, but beyond that, we don’t like to provide courses unless there’s extra money.” This is not a positive statement. We have hundreds of studies that show that the highest ROIs come from soft skills programs, such as team building and leadership development, and it is now the time to invest heavily in these areas. But it’s difficult to invest more unless executives see the value. Having consistency within your L&D function routinely—showing the value and the connection to the business for major programs—is the best way to change the perception from a necessary process to a business driver. This will lead to more support, better partnerships, and yes, a seat at the table.

So there you have it, five reasons to measure ROI. But, as we stated in the beginning, maybe you shouldn’t measure your program. This process is not intended for every program. Only programs that are important to the organization, expensive, strategic, or those that attract the interest of top executives should be evaluated at this level.

Our benchmarking studies show that this should not be more than 5 to 10 percent of programs each year. Consider the advantages of and reasons to evaluate a program, and then decide—is it worth it? For more information, email Info@roiinstitute.net.

20
dec
0

An Introduction to the Power of Storytelling

Posted by Communication StylesNo Comments

Stories are fundamental to how we communicate, learn and think


Note: This blog post by Terrence Gargiulo discusses content that will be presented during his Jan. 22 ‘Storied Learning’ webinar.

Stories are the most efficient way of storing, retrieving, and conveying information. Since story hearing requires active participation on the part of the listener, stories are the most profoundly social form of human interaction communication, and learning.

So what is a story? We’ve all used the word to refer to a lot of different things. Take a moment and jot down any words or descriptions that come to mind. Here are some potential candidates:

AnecdoteMythClichéRecollection
ConversationParableAllegoryPicture
ExperienceMetaphorWord PictureThe “deal” story
PresentationFibNarrativeSnapshot
MemoryAnalogyJokeIllustration
Tale

It’s easier to think in terms of different ways stories function and with what kind of effects:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1992, Professor Luis Ygelsisas and Terrence Gargiulo did an in depth analysis of a story titled The Man Without a Story. These nine functions and effects come from that work. Email terrence@makingstories.net for a copy of the story.

How Are Stories Different?

Here’s a gotcha: avoid the temptation to use stories in the same ways as you work with other modes of communication. So what makes stories different from traditional modes of communication?

Stories encode information. That can be a double-edged sword. One edge of the sword cuts through information clutter. Our stories make messages memorable and help us connect with each other. Messages become imbued with meaning. Yet this ability of stories to encode information can also slash us. Do we want to relegate our messages to duels limited to one-way thrusts without parries and thrusts from our recipients?

In our hands, do the layered, onion-like tendencies of rich stories thrive with us as masters of their destiny? I’m afraid we have a horrible habit of enslaving stories to operate in the same manner we work with other forms of communication.

It’s easy to deprive ourselves of the deep richness of stories. Communication perpetuates a myth of striving for the Holy Grail of clarity. We are enamored with the illusion and importance of exactitude. Our messages must be precise and leave little room for interpretation. Anything less is a failure of communication; especially in business settings where tolerance for ambiguity is paid lip service but pushed beneath the surface.

Be suspicious of good communication practices when working with stories. Does that sound preposterous? It may seem counter-intuitive but there are a whole different set of communication, learning, and thinking rules operating with story-based communications. Just as Newtonian physics account for how we interact with physical matter and quantum mechanical laws predict phenomena on the sub-atomic level, good communication practices operate differently between traditional and storied-based ones.

More Traditional Forms of CommunicationStory-Based Communications
Explicit – Information is presented in a direct, precise, and clear manner.Implicit – Information is encoded in packets of compelling and memorable nuggets.
Logical – Information is organized in an easy to follow linear fashion.Evocative – Information is more emotional in nature and lends itself to less structured types of presentations (including non-linear threads that can be followed and navigated based on people’s needs and interests).
Controlled – Information is structured to leave as little as possible to people’s interpretation.Emergent – Information is meant to trigger people’s experiences, personal associations, and linkages.
Sense Giving – Information is used to minimize uncertainty by offering tangible and discernible chunks of meaning.Sense Making – Information requires people to generate more of their own meaning and in some instances may leave people feeling uncertain as to the nature of the information until they make sense of it for themselves.

Stories work because of their imprecise nature. Imagine stories as a bag of a variety of wild flower seeds. Listeners and readers are like the fertile soil anxious for new seeds. We reach into our bag and grab a handful of seeds. What flowers take hold and what flowers ultimately bloom are unpredictable. Our job as story communicators is to unleash possibilities. The specifics of our messages and their significance are decoded by receivers. In keeping with the garden metaphor, meaning emerges by attaching itself to the personal trellises of experiences.

Framework for Storytelling

If storytelling is such a rich and engaging form of communication how do you know if you are telling a story? Good news: Super Simple…Ask yourself: “Am I breaking the ICE?”

 

INFORMCONNECTEMOTE
· Know your audience…

· Determine what needs to
be communicated…

· Package information into memorable nuggets!

· Think of the world from your audience’s perspective…

· Draw upon the things that they know and that matter to them…

· Build a bridge of shared meaning!

· Open up to your audience…

· Paint a picture that evokes emotions…

· Tap into people’s imaginations to touch their hearts!

During your storytelling learning journey you can use a number of simple tools to help you fashion standalone stories. Here’s a tool for crafting a standalone story:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can also identify some of the basic types of stories you need to tell at your organization. You can learn how to structure these stories and more importantly how to stich them together to create rich collages of stories.

The Triple Threat

One last critical component to your organization’s success with storytelling. You can develop your natural skills so that you will be a triple threat. In show business, singing, dancing, and acting is the triple threat. Business storytelling, requires you to become a good storyteller, story listener and story reflector.

Storytelling can’t just simply be read about, talked about, or even watched on video. You need to do storytelling, story listening, and story reflecting with other people to get good at it. And, you’re going to need some formal feedback. With key skills, you can start your storytelling journey today.

About the Author

Terrence is the former Chief Storyteller of Accenture. He is the author of eight books and for his creative use of narrative, INC Magazine awarded him with their Marketing Master Award. His work as an internationally-recognized organizational development consultant earned him the 2008 HR Leadership Award from the Asia Pacific HRM Congress for his ground breaking research on story-based communication skills. Email him at terrence@makingstories.net.

27
nov
0

How to Tackle Workplace Change

Posted by Change in the WorkplaceNo Comments

The only thing constant in life is change – and in the workplace, things can change constantly. New procedures are created, projects are assigned, employees leave, and acquisitions take place. Being able to cope with change is essential if you want to succeed in the business world.

To thrive in an environment filled with constant change, it’s important to understand how to harness people’s adaptability to move through disruption and regain resilience with change training. If you can get ahead of change, the result is an organizational culture that embraces change fueled by empowered leadership and employees who feel valued and secure. Leaders should help individuals and teams to recognize the predictable path of transitioning through change can foster innovation and improve business agility.

Change is an ongoing process rather than just one event, and there is a progressive sequence of change behaviors that needs to be experienced and mastered in order to be effective in handling change.

Negative behaviors like denial, apprehension, anger, and resistance are normal and part of the change process, but the progression through the “phases of change” represents an opportunity for growth.

The Four Change Phases

There are four main phases of change. Change moves through the “Change Curve.” Employees should be aware of this curve and work on moving through it more effectively. Sometimes a person may get stuck on one phase, or repeat other ones. The phases are:

  • Phase 1 – Denial. When people heart about the change they may be in denial that it is happening and avoid addressing it.
  • Phase 2 – Resistance. People may resist the change at first because it is an unknown and they would prefer things to stay the same.
  • Phase 3 – Exploration. Exploration happens when they acknowledge their feelings and accept that the change is in fact important.
  • Phase 4 – Commitment. Once the person accepts the change, they then commit to it.

At the end of the change phases the employee should be more comfortable with the change. They have had time to accept and get on board with the change, and they are ready to move forward.

Learning More

To learn how to tackle change at work, join subject matter expert and author Dr. Cynthia Scott for an informative webinar called “How to Thrive Through Change” on Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. EDT. This webinar will help you to understand what happens to individuals, teams, and organizations when a change occurs. You will also learn how to lead in a way that minimizes disruption and increases resilience. Register here: https://www.hrdqu.com/webinars/how-to-thrive-through-change-2020-01-02/.

This webinar is sponsored is based on research from Mastering the Change Curve, which is an easy and effective change management assessment guide for bringing issues to the surface, providing a framework for healthy growth, and empowering individuals to shift their focus from the past to the future. Learn more here: https://www.hrdqstore.com/mastering-the-change-curve.

20
nov
0
communication_style

How Communication Style Can Improve Visibility With Leaders

Posted by Communication StylesNo Comments

Leadership is important at every organization, and great leadership is even more valuable. “Executive presence” is the way a leader behaves — and while it may be hard to define, we know it when we see it. It’s when someone walks into a room and turns heads, and conversations open up to involve them. When they talk, people listen, and when they lead, people follow. A big factor is communication style.

Powerful executives know what their communication style is, and why it’s so important. If a person is aware of their style, navigating the complex work world becomes easier and they are likely to be more successful. They will be able to identify others’ communication styles and deal with them accordingly as they work as a team. Furthermore, if someone knows their own style plus their leader’s style, they are more likely to be able to connect with them professionally. This can lead to them having more input in company decisions and accelerating their career growth at the organization.

What is Communication?

It goes without saying that excellent communication is important in the workplace. Team members must work together and communicate effectively in order to meet goals. But how can we define communication? There are four distinct aspects of it:

  • Verbal. The words used to communicate.
  • Paraverbal. The manner used to communicate meaning, such as tone and inflection.
  • Body language. The way people use their bodies to communicate, such as the way they shake hands or maintain eye contact.
  • Personal space. interpersonal distance, or one’s preferred physical space in relation to others, as well as one’s appearance and arrangement of their work or home spaces.

To bring about meaningful improvements in communication skills, the best way to begin is to build a better understanding of the types of communication: personal communication styles and their effects on other people. The four communication styles are:

  1. Direct. People who take charge, are in control, competitive, fast-paced, authoritative, and are great leaders.
  2. Spirited. People who are enthusiastic, friendly, motivators, high-profile, and are decision makers.
  3. Considerate. People who are warm, counseling, cooperative, reliable, and caring.
  4. Systematic. People who are accurate, objective, factual, organized, and they focus on problem solving.

Once you know what your style is, you can read others to determine their style as well. Then, you can use your knowledge to determine how to approach leaders in your organization. If they have a direct style, for example, you will know when you speak to them you need to be clear, confident, and quick with your point.

How to Use Communication Style to Develop Relationships with Leaders

HRDQ is hosting a webinar titled “Talking With the Top” on Dec. 20 at 2 p.m. EDT. Consultant Suzanne McCall will enhance participants’ existing skills and develop personal awareness, increased confidence, and better strategies for capturing the attention of decision makers.

Participants will learn the key factors for executive-level presentation success, discover the drivers of presentation results, and see how to develop the framework for a well-aligned executive-level presentation. Click here to register: Talking with the Top: Tips for Building and Using Your Executive Presence

 

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This webinar is based on the HRDQ training product What’s My Communication Style, which provides insight into our everyday communications with others. This assessment is appropriate for individuals at any organizational level who want to discover more about themselves and their communication preferences. Participants will understand the various forms of communication and learn how to “flex” their own personal style to improve communication. Learn more here: What’s My Communication Style.

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