Keys To Building And Maintaining A Competitive Edge
Performance based training is one critical key to building and maintaining a competitive edge in business, competency is another. How these two critical elements work together is the foundation for the effective operation of your organization.
Performance-Based versus Traditional Instruction
If, you are expecting the learner to do something that they have not done in the past, then performance based training is more than likely the best route. There are several significant differences between a true performance-based approach and what we have come to know as a traditional, academic-style approach.
In a performance-based environment, the focus is on being able to do what the job requires rather than on knowledge and understanding of content. Performance-based training emphasizes proficiency in essential job tasks. It is a systematic approach to training based on tasks and related knowledge and skills required for job performance. At its core, performance-based training is focused on providing learners with practice and immediate feedback on all the skills required to perform a job to meet management expectations.
How do you know if the training you are designing or buying is performance-based. There are seven key characteristics of true performance-based training that you can use as a yardstick for determining if a program truly is performance based. True performance-based training applies scientific principles on how people, learn, think, and remember.
Focus On The Job
Job-specific materials and simulations help learners improve their competency on the job by developing specific skills and abilities that contribute directly to improved financial performance. The objectives of performance based training programs should directly match a job performance requirement for reaching the company’s goals and objectives.
Meeting Business Goals and Objectives
Training organizations who continue to follow a traditional, academic-style approach to learning typically struggle with how to deliver training that the business values. True Performance Based Training is driven by specific business goals and objectives. The question asked by management when evaluating training is this; “What business goals/objectives will this training support.” This approach will help you get results from your investment as soon as possible, and to leverage the training investment in various aspects of your business.
Competence in The Workplace
Developing competencies involves simply identifying and describing those qualities characteristics and behaviors necessary for success in a particular role and within a particular organizational culture. Often competency and competencies are confused with each other, for the purposes of this article; competency refers to outcomes related to underlying characteristics qualities or skills, attitudes and values, competencies focus on standards of performance and behavior that lead to effective performance of duties and individual tasks.
Another way of putting it is; competencies are individual abilities or characteristics that are key to effectiveness in work. Many times the specific competencies needed to carry out important job functions are typically not built into the organizational framework or culture. This lack of inclusion leads to less than stellar performance by the workforce.
Competencies Require Standards
In order to measure reliably someone’s performance or ability to do something, there must be clearly defined standards through which performance is measured. The performance of these standards must be and easily observed, and not open to interpretation.
Remember, competence is a measure of what someone can do at a particular point in time. It is easiest to define competence as “the ability to perform activities to the standards required in employment using an appropriate mix of knowledge, skill and attitude“. Competency is not achieved immediately, but is gained in stages. One should not expect a newly trained individual to operate at the same level of effectiveness as someone who has performed the work for a much longer period of time.
Supervisors Are Key To Effective Competencies
Since these ‘competencies’ are derived from actual job requirements, the role of supervisors or line managers is critical to the creation of effective competencies and implementation of a performance based training program. Some organizations use a team approach to developing competency statements. These teams typically are made up of operators and other interested persons. They may or may not include supervisors. To be effective, active supervisor participation is critical. Supervisors must be the final arbiters of decisions regarding individual job competencies affecting their departments or work teams. They are the ones who are generally responsible for the performance of the department or team.
Effective Performance Based Training
Courses are produced by starting from desired job performance (competencies) and working backwards to identify the skills needed for performance mastery. This contrasts with traditional instruction, in which courses are produced from the content out. The question must be asked: “How critical is this course for job performance?” Another important question is: “Approximately what percentage of working time will be spent on tasks that require the skills/knowledge/competencies from the training course.” The answers to these questions will give you the best indication of whether or not the training will be effective.
Coordination is Key
How performance based training and competencies work together is the foundation for the effective operation of your organization. Supervisors and trainers must work closely together to ensure that people are trained to accomplished levels of performance dictated by business goals and objectives. Proper competencies, keyed to effective on-the-job training are mandatory.
Brice Alvord has over thirty years experience as an internal and external performance improvement consultant. He holds a BA in Sociology/Psychology from Central Washington University and an MBA degree from City University of Seattle. He is the author of over two dozen books on continuous improvement and training.
The ALERA group has a number of workshops and books available on this and related topics. For more information please visit: http://www.aleragroup.com
Tags: business performance, Competence, competencies, training