How to Turn Training and Development into Business Results The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning (Hardback) - Common

by Calhoun W. Wick

Excellent Book

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Education, Leadership

Hardcover

First published April 1, 2006

Reviews

[Lauren Marlene Sanders-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has revolutionized my thoughts about designing training, and I'm looking forward to implementing the sound guidance I've gained from it.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The only competitive advantage the company of the future will have is its managers’ ability to learn faster than their competitors.” Arie de Geus

D1: define outcomes in business terms
“What’s in it for me?”
D2: design the complete experience
Before, during, after is limited. Think more in three phases
D3: deliver for application
Goals AND action
D4: drive follow through
Reminders and involve management to keep people accountable
D5: deploy active support
Involve everyone in accountability
D6: document results
Take a marketing approach

This book is from 2006, when people still spent money on developing people... but the ideas are good. The world just hasn’t gotten back there yet.

[Beatriz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible of corporate training - a must read

[Leah Blue de Souza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must if you're in TD or L&D. This book was kind of mind blowing when I first read it.

[Bellatuscana Bellatuscana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It incentivized adult learning principles as well as understanding the need to know a company’s goals for the program. It talked about making data concise and using a lot of stories. It also emphasized the need for people to practice what they know. I specifically loved how the author included his own stories in this text - showing us what explaining data really means as well as how to be explanatory within training through the own practice he provides us.

The author invites the practitioner to experience workplace consciousness - to be aware of the dynamics that are in place when coming into a company such as if there is an environment of transfer, the psychology of the CEO, and the feedback of other employees. The author sympathizes greatly with the environments he’s been in and admits, “I could write a whole book on the subject.”

I found myself being left far behind in my own working experience as a young adult, and I agree that I would have done far better with frequent positive feedback. Reading this book reminded me of how important job training is. I feel like this book explains the needs for corporate training independent of already pre-existing working environments - the need to focus on human capital. Anyone who is a manager in any field needs to read this book and get started hiring their own instructional designers as many of these concepts provided in the book are holding more truth now more than ever within our heavy tech-dependent, post-Covid world.

[João Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is PHENOMENAL. It provides a super in depth methodology to train employees

But, train employees in a way that increases performance because in business “The purpose of training is to improve performance”

This book uses lots and lots of references and scientific studies to give you a framework full of proven approaches to learning and improving business performance

And they practice what they preach

The book is written in a very easy way to understand and provides you with the right amount of tools to implement it, without being overwhelming.

This one was a life changing business read that improved drastically my management skills.

[Timothy White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me forever to read, but not because it was uninteresting, but because it was incredibly dense. I really needed to consume it in small doses followed by contemplation and practice. This book is great for business managers and instructional designers but probably will be largely uninteresting for those outside of those roles. This will be a reference that I return to again and again until the lessons within have been so integrated that I know them by heart.

[Linda Dickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished reading the third edition of the Six disciplines of breakthrough learning. What a fantastic manual for learning and development professionals. I have already started implementing some of the tools within my organisation. The book, in my opinion, contains the right balance between theory and practical implementation. I am recommending it to everybody!...I would like to thank the authors for sharing their knowledge and experience.

[Alex Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed description of a framework to follow for effective learning transfer. It maps out the process and elements that we need to take note of, and get alignment with stakeholders. Learning professionals and managers alike would benefit from the implementation of these ideas.

[Juan Jacobo Bernal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This shall become the User’s Manual for my current engagement as a Learning Partner at Nubank. This is a condensed bootcamp that encompasses theoretical substance and practical advice. I found the delivery a bit too strenuous and info-heavy… admittedly, I am a sucker for storytelling.

[salina]

A simple yet powerful approach to improve L&D effort. The idea of thinking about the Learning process as launching a business investment makes it more relevant and easier to digest. The books completely change the way I perceive the important role of L&D personnel of an organisation.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some wonderful ideas in this book. The writing was a bit too preachy for my tastes.

[Scribbles and Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful reference to those in the field of learning and development

[Matt Hutson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read. I will post more reflection on the ideas from this book soon on Goodreads.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning: How to Turn Training and Development Into Business Results
Cameron Wick, Roy Pollock, Andrew Jefferson, and Richard Flanagan
Pfeiffer/Wiley

An organization's chief learning officer or equivalent must be prepared to answer questions such as these:

What is the ROI of our learning and development programs?
How do you determine that?
If the ROI is unacceptable, what is being done to increase it?

My guess (only a guess) is that similar questions are also asked of those who lead innovation initiatives. The fact remains that in most organizations, board members and CEOs not only expect but indeed demand that every hour and every dollar be committed to helping achieve and then sustain profitable growth and that is especially true of training programs and innovation initiatives. There seems to be little (if any patience) with any costs that cannot be justified in business terms.
What Wick, Pollock, Jefferson, and Flanagan (hereinafter referred to as "the authors") offer in this volume is a rigorous and eloquent analysis of what they characterize as "the six disciplines of breakthrough learning." They devote a separate chapter to each discipline, concluding each chapter with one checklist of reminders and action points for learning leaders and another for line leaders. Because learning and development programs are investments by a company in its workforce, the authors acknowledge that management "has a fiduciary and ethical responsibility to ensure that those investments produce a return: results that increase enterprise value."

There are various diagnostic exercises inserted throughout the book's narrative. I appreciate the fact that the authors also include a number of mini-case studies based on real-world initiatives by prominent organizations that include Sony Electronics, British Broadcasting Company, Home Depot, and Pfizer. And I also appreciate the series of brief but insightful statements by a CLO or equivalent, called "From the Top," that provide an eyewitness account of specific learning initiatives. The organizations represented include the Center for Creative Leadership, General Mills, University of Notre Dame, Honeywell, and AstraZaneca. The authors are exemplars of pragmatism, of "nailing the fundamentals," when formulating and then launching learning initiatives. They also have bold and compelling visions of breakthroughs in training and development while agreeing with Thomas Edison's observation, "Vision without execution is hallucination." The advice with which Marshall Goldsmith concludes the book will also conclude this review of it. "The designs for learning and development programs should be considered incomplete if they do not include plans to encourage participants to follow through, practice what they have learned, and reach out to colleagues for feed forward ideas and coaching. When those elements are in place to support well-designed and well-delivered learning, then we have all the ingredients for a true transformation. Life is good."

[Stan Skrabut · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if you were successful only 15% of the time? Would you continue  working in that line of work? Here is an example from the book The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning: How to Turn Training and Development into Business Results* by Calhoun Wick, Roy Pollock, and Andrew Jefferson, what if FedEx only got 15% of their packages to their destinations on time... would you consider FedEx successful? Probably not, yet, typical corporate training departments only have a 15% success rate for participants applying what they learned to the job. Read more

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bottom-line approach to corporate training

Even if learning professionals design superb programs with outstanding content and instructors deliver the material in engaging, compelling ways, these programs unfortunately may not be relevant to actual daily operations. They may lack solid business – as opposed to learning – objectives. Such initiatives may not accomplish what managers intend and will not make your business grow. Calhoun Wick, Roy Pollock, Andrew Jefferson and Richard Flanagan explain how learning officers and training departments can use their “six disciplines” or “6D” approach to increase the effectiveness and impact of training and development programs. They’ve written a good book – a tad dry but very thorough – that outlines a top-quality program. The authors repeat, a bit too frequently, that training’s real payoff occurs in its practical application. getAbstract believes this book will help those who provide, purchase or benefit from corporate training and development.

[Paul Signorelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although Wick, Pollock, Jefferson, and Flanagan are writing for a corporate audience, much of what they suggest and report could easily be applied to workplace learning and performance programs for nonfprofit organizations, ibraries, and any other learning-based organization. They document, through their own research and experiences, the importance and overall effectiveness of having managers and supervisors involved in employee training programs on a continuing basis; how an online system (Friday5s®) of follow-up exercises and reports substantially increases retention and on-the-job application of lessons learned during the learning process; and how pre- and post-event activities help establish the sort of workplace communities of learners which produce positive results which can be documented and replicated. Their "Getting Your Money’s Worth from Training & Development" is a follow-up guide for managers and employees interested in applying the principles outlined in "The Six Disciplines."

[Schmacko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm trying to write shorter reviews, because I'm not sure anyone has the time to dig through these.

This is a GREAT book for corporate training, especially at the higher level or at the consultant level. It's a fantastic start for rethinking the way we approach corporate training. It's an excellent resource with a clear structure, and I plan to keep this book well within arm's reach.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far this book has exceeded my expectations and after the first few chapters I've been able to apply concepts to my professional activities. If you're at all interested in talent development this is worth the read.

[Alina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this is a classic that I have to get back to quite a few times every month, as it describes all the main principles for instructional design. I have probably read it already five times this year alone.