The challenge for leaders today is to create and develop the capability of their organization. Leaders must perceive and manage their organization as a dynamic, open system where learning is the core competence underlying innovation, growth, and sustainability. Creating a culture of learning is the first work of leadership. This article presents a…

Online Capella University wanted to sponsor an International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) chapter. Using social networking platforms, a new type of chapter was designed. The virtual chapter breaks new ground on more than the chapter's platform; it is also the first university-sponsored chapter and has a unique approach to…

This article provides a description and the results of a study that utilized the human performance (HP) model and methods to explore and analyze a training organization. The systemic and systematic practices of the HP model are applicable to military training organizations as well as civilian organizations. Implications of the study for future…

Most people understand the importance of objectives and the link between having objectives and accomplishing results. However, there is a difference between a well-defined objective and a poorly developed objective both in how they are constructed and in what they ultimately lead to. In this article, we explore three levels of objectives, provide…

Strategic plans and performance objectives define the results to be accomplished, but selecting a suitable set of performance technologies for your organizations requires more than just knowing the intended benefits. The systematic procedures described in the article will guide you through practical processes and valuable tools for identifying…

Grounded in the work of W. Edwards Deming, this article describes the basics of systems thinking, viewing a business as a system, and contrasts improving a system with solving a problem. The article uses the human body as a metaphor to describe the various aspects of viewing a business as a system at the concept level and maps the Deming cycle,…

Discusses the application of performance technology to improve the performance of people and processes and shows ways to extend the influence of the performance analyst to investigate and improve core processes within an organization. Describes the performance analysis model and presents four case studies based on hospital performance issues. (LRW)

Discussion of organizational pain and the need for change focuses on situational analysis as a method for successful change implementation. Topics include the influence of pleasure as well as pain; determining departmental effectiveness; identifying barriers to efficiency; and developing an action plan for improvement. (LRW)

To perform rapid analysis one must ask the right questions at the right time and engage in active listening. This article examines the fundamentals of rapid analysis: business need, performance requirement, work processes, interventions, and evaluation. Includes an analysis completeness checklist (organizational need/opportunity, economic…

Defines organizational capacity as the level of an organization's capability to deliver services and products that satisfy customer expectations and anticipate future marketplace opportunities. Considers the organization's past performance record; product and process capabilities; issues in capacity analysis; and tasks that are recommended for…

Defines program implementation and discusses its implications. Describes eight components of effective program implementation which fall under four broad categories: (1) communication; (2) involvement; (3) evaluation; (4) commitment. Shows how these components can be linked directly to the six steps of traditional analytic problem-solving. (AEF)

Discusses knowledge management (KM), an organizational strategy that makes best practices and ideas widely available. Defines KM and presents two case studies that illustrate how a KM perspective might influence decisions and services in corporations. Discusses what performance and training professionals bring to KM and success factors of KM. (AEF)

This case study of Fairchild Semiconductor, a global company, illustrates how leadership training that stresses personal mastery (the ability to achieve a vision through recognizing and addressing individual and team obstacles) can lead to performance improvement. Topics include management skills; change agents; team and individual goals; and…

The difficulty in finding a relationship between employee satisfaction and business performance results from how satisfaction is defined. A survey of 2000 employees determined that organizations, regardless of industry, could improve organizational performance by improving employee work unit satisfaction and that the work unit leader's actions may…

Describes how to use Internet technologies to create an intranet, or an online training database system, for improving company communications, effectiveness, and job performance. Topics include technology and performance; educating managers and key decision makers; creating a graphic model of the training system; and fitting into the existing…