October 6, 2005 - Atlanta, GA -- One of the greatest challenges faced by training leaders is how to gain executive backing and financial support for critical initiatives. While most executives believe that the organization´s human capital is an important asset, many remain hesitant about spending substantial budget dollars on training and performance improvement programs designed to increase the value of that asset. The persistent question is whether or not the lukewarm support is due to executives´ perceptions about the value of training, or whether it´s due to training leaders´ inability to adequately sell that value.
The Center for Effective Performance (CEP) advises training leaders to take proactive steps to effectively market the value of performance improvement initiatives to senior executives and key stakeholders. CEP recommends five actions that leaders should take:
1. Develop a prospective Return on Investment (ROI) outlining both the anticipated quantitative and qualitative results the organization can expect from the performance improvement. It´s important that the ROI directly link to the specific initiative under consideration. If it is too general, executives will dismiss it. CEP recommends that training leaders take a conservative approach to the numbers that is easily defensible. For example, suggesting that converting the sales training program to performance-based would lead to a 1% increase in revenue over the first twelve months would be both realistic and conservative.
2. Scale down large initiatives into meaningful yet digestible chunks. When possible, start small and build incremental value. As executives, stakeholders, and business partners see tangible benefits of early deliverables, such as job performance profiles and best practice detailing, it becomes easier to sell the follow on higher ticket development steps.
3. Develop relationships with key business partners. As a starting point, research the role these people play in the organization. Then include these individuals in your planning meetings when it is appropriate. Whenever possible, partner with a person who has influence and the respect of senior executives.
4. Start by building a track record of success on smaller initiatives before expecting support for more expensive, complex projects. Training leaders must build political capital by demonstrating a link to the business and documenting results on smaller scale projects first. With a documented history of real business results, Training leaders show executives that they have earned the opportunity to expand their role in the organization.
5. Make certain that communication to executives speaks their language. As in any marketing effort, it is extremely important to know the audience and what type of communication works best for that group. This includes the vocabulary, the look and feel of the communication (for example, do charts and graphs work better than lots of words), and the best delivery method. Training leaders should emphasize benefits to the business, not technical approaches, in their communication to executives.
Training leaders who follow these five critical steps are much more likely to find sponsorship and support among the executive ranks.
About CEP
The Center for Effective Performance (CEP) is the industry leader in helping organizations turn their workforce into a competitive advantage. For two decades, CEP has helped clients execute critical strategic initiatives, including sales performance improvement, customer service enhancement, ERP and proprietary systems implementations, best practice implementation, new product launch success, and address people issues resulting from mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring. With 26 international awards, and 800 years of collective experience, our expert consultants help align workforce performance to business strategies, create a performance-based culture, and develop training with guaranteed results.
For more information, go to www.cepworkforceperformance.com.