HPT is a field that focuses on systematically analyzing performance needs and generating unique interventions and solutions to best meet the given performance goals. The field focuses on organizations as complex systems and analyzes performance needs/issues and generates verified outcomes through the lens of the entire organization. This view has similar overlaps to my initial definition. However, a large difference is a focus on an understanding of organizations as systems and viewing performance and outcomes systematically throughout the whole organization. I also now focus on verified outcomes, which highlights the need for interventions to be based in data rather than perceptions.
Key Takeaways from the Course
This course was my first time working on performance-based issues. Several key takeaways stand out to me. I will list a few below.
First, is the importance of analyzing the whole organization and viewing the performance issues through the lens of the organization's system. In our analysis of our performance problems, we created a Human Performance System Chart where we analyzed external and internal factors contributing to the organization and the performance issues (Stolovitch and Keeps, 2014). This stood out to me because rather than jumping into solving the problem, we took the time to understand the organization and how the organization operated. These factors were influential in the performance issues. It was much easier to understand the performance needs with a deeper understanding of the organization itself.
Second, a large takeaway is when to use learning interventions. In HPT learning and training are only one type of intervention, there are several others to consider including environmental, emotional, and performance aids (Stolovitch and Keeps, 2014). This helped me to further understand when training is appropriate for performance issues and how many other interventions exist. For my final project, I did not use learning interventions because knowledge was not a need for the performance issues. This was a huge lesson in how many resources are put into training and the limit to what training can actually do for a performance need.
HPT Strengths and Weaknesses
Stolovitch and Keeps (2014) list many areas of competency and critical characteristics for HPT consultants. In reviewing these lists, several areas of strengths and weaknesses stand out to me in my own practice of HPT.
Strengths
Capable of involving others: the need for change to go through a team is a high need in the HPT field. No organization can enact real change in a vacuum or with just one person on board. I have grown to see how essential a team is to get change to move throughout an organization. Diversity is key in this. Key persons from all areas of the organization are needed. In the end, performance interventions are best created and disseminated in a team.
Able to maintain a systemic perspective: through the analysis phase of our projects, I grew in my understanding of how seeing the entire system of an organization is essential to understanding performance needs. I created interventions that would consider not just one stakeholder or one department but would consider the entire organizational system.
Conduct performance gap analysis: I have a lot of experience conducting gap analysis throughout my time in the LDT program. In this course, I grew that skill set further by conducting a gap analysis for performance-related goals rather than just learning goals. My performance gap analysis was solid and provided me with clear performance goals to move forward with.
Determine resources appropriate for performance improvement and help obtain these: I grew in my skills of understanding and obtaining required resources for performance interventions. One way in which I am competent in this skill is that I look for resources that are already available or free first. This way the interventions are using resources that are already available or used in the organization rather than attempting to gather multiple new resources.
Communicate effectively: While this is a soft skill, it is essential in HPT. Communication in many forms: verbal, written, and visual is essential for all phases of interventions. Communication is key in the analysis phase to understanding the organization and the performance needs. It is also essential in the intervention development phase to create quality interventions. This is a skill that I have grown in prior work and academic experiences, but it grew further during this course.
Weaknesses
Evaluate performance improvement interventions: Evaluation was an area we focused on the least in this course. We also did not create the actual evaluation tools or use them. For these reasons, I would benefit from practice in conducting performance evaluations. While our evaluation plan was a helpful start, I think further practical experience is needed in this area.
Promote performance consulting as a major approach to achieving desired results in an organization: This is a skill I have little experience with. As a future LDT practitioner, my goal is to focus more on performance than training alone. However, I know this will be an uphill battle for many organizations given that training is so heavily overused. I would like further practice in advocating for performance consulting and interventions. This is a skill that needs further growth on the job.
Cause-conscious, not solution oriented: This was a skill that I grew during this course, but I still need more practice. In the LDT field, I feel that being focused on learning solutions is so common. For most of the LDT program, we were required to put together training courses, not focus on performance itself. Focusing on training is very solution oriented. I felt the pull towards that solution as I worked on my project. It is hard to only pitch performance interventions when training is often so requested. This is an area I need further growth.
Sensitive to the need to verify perceptions: this was a huge lesson for me during the analysis phase. As an employee, it is easy to only see perception and never verify perceptions with real data. Emotions can run high during performance issues and everyone has their own perception as to what is wrong and why. To only hear perceptions and never verify with real data is a misstep. As I analyzed my performance issue for my project, I realized how much perception had played a role in how I viewed the issue. I had to take a step outside my individual perception to see the performance needs throughout the whole organization. This is definitely a skill I need to grow in.
Generous with giving credit to others: I love giving credit where credit is due, but I have realized I can often underestimate the rewards, incentives, and encouragement that many employees often need to make change happen. I am largely an internally motivated person. This can lead me to underestimate the external motivation that others often need. I grew this skill set during this project by focusing on short-term wins and incentives for employees. Change is hard and for most people to get on board and to keep the change moving forward, they need acknowledgment and incentives. This was something I want to get better at keeping in my implementation plans.
HPT in Future Career
In the short term, my goal is to work in LDT, not HPT. That being said, there are several HPT skills that can be used in LDT. A large focus of mine will be to take a systemic approach to performance issues. I want to get better at seeing needs through the lens of the entire organization. I also want to be an LDT practitioner who uses quality analysis and data to drive solutions. I want to focus on the root of performance issues rather than hyper-focus on one solution (i.e training). I also would like to practice performance interventions from a team-based approach. I would love more practice in disseminating change and working with change management models to better effect change throughout an organization. These are all skills from HPT. Overall, I would love for my work in LDT to evolve past, "trainer order-taker" to a broader perspective of actual organizational performance (Stolovitch and Keeps, 2014, p. 82).
Reference
Stolovitch, H. & Keeps, E. (2004). Training ain't performance. ATD Press.
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