Been on hold quite a bit today. Must be a busy day at various Call Centers today!

Happy Holidays everyone – at Call Centers, on hold, or otherwise!

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We hope you have a safe celebration!

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In Paul Borawski’s December Influential Voices post he asks those of us participating in ASQ’s campaign to Raise the Voice of Quality:

What was the most significant quality event of the year for you, and why?

I reflected on that for a couple of hours, made some notes on the whiteboard at my side, and am now coming back to that a couple of weeks later.

Bottom line: it was the conclusion of a long journey – in spreading the word – raising the voice – of Performance Improvement. Locally. And Internationally.

Raising My Voice Locally

It was the end of the year, the last chapter meeting of ISPI Charlotte, on December 1st, where I was attending as the President, a co-founder who along with Dick Handshaw started this dream with me way back in September 0f 2008 – at lunch. We talked about our professional home – ISPI – the International Society for Performance Improvement – and discovered our common interest in starting a local Chapter in Charlotte.

I am a member currently of both ASQ and ISPI – but my history with ISPI goes back to 1979 while my history with ASQ goes back to only 2004 – as far as “card carrying membership” goes. I’ve published articles in quality journals in the past – starting with “Empowerment is Work, not Magic” in “The Journal for Quality and Participation” (September 1993). But my professional focus is performance-based Instruction – including avoiding Instruction is that’s not at the root cause of a performance problem or opportunity. And ISPI broadened out from a focus on Instruction in its early years – to now an analysis of all of the other variables of performance. So that’s my main Professional Home.

ASQ is more than just a summer Professional Home for me. I appreciate their focus on data, measurement and a respect for and attention to all of the other variables. They have strengths in areas that ISPI is weaker in; and vice versa. So in my view they very much compliment each other – and I value my participation in both.

A Long Story Made Somewhat Shorter

I was made aware of and participated in TQM efforts back when it was still being called VR – Variability Reduction in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

I proposed in 1982 – when I was at Motorola – for a combining of Quality, Performance Improvement and Interpersonal skills that I was being exposed to at MTEC – the Motorola Training & Education Center – the forerunner to Motorola University. I learned from the writings of Deming, Juran, Crosby and others from the world of Big Q – as opposed to little q; and from Rummler, Gilbert and others representing more focus on the Human-side Performance (one of the 4 spines of the Ishikawa Diagram); and the Interpersonal skills – most communications behaviors – that I was seeing in the work of Neil Rackham and his Huthwaite associates (Neil Rackham of SPIN Selling fame).

My White Paper at MTEC for proposing that combination is available on my web site – here:

MTEC White Paper 1982 - 39 page PDF – a white paper I wrote while at MTEC – Motorola’s Training & Education Center – in May 1982 where I proposed combining the concepts, models, methods, processes, tools and techniques of Geary Rummler, Neil Rackham (of SPIN Selling fame) and of Deming, Juran and Crosby (and other quality gurus). This led to my boss taking that idea and changing it to become a Geary Rummler Do-It-Yourself Consulting Kit – which after I left in October 1982 became the training course created by Geary Rummler called OPS (Organization Performance Systems) – that later morphed into what became Six Sigma at Motorola.

Alan Ramias – whom I worked with at MTEC – and who took over my projects in late 1982 when I left Motorola – and who later became a partner with Geary Rummler at The Performance Design Lab – talks about Geary Rummler and Six Sigma in this video tribute to the late Geary Rummler – as well as in this article at BPTrends on “The Mists of Six Sigma.”

Here is a Blog Post about that – with photos of myself and (the crazy manufacturing engineer boss of mine, and then Alan’s, who Bill Wiggenhorn also talked about in that video tribute) with his t-shirt with the Superman logo and the word “Kit” on it. That’s all explained in that post – what had happened to my White Paper proposal – and in this post.

I’ve also belonged to other groups such as ASTD. But ISPI and ASQ mean more to me as they are all about what ISPI colleagues referred to back in the 1980s as “Measured Results.”

Dick and I followed up with more discussions about what we envisioned in a local ISPI chapter, what we wanted to avoid, how to set this new chapter up – what we had learned from similar experiences. We even agreed early on to write-up our start-up story – which you can get for free here - a 54 page PDF that covers our ramp up efforts and the our thinking before starting that – not for anyone to simply adopt as is – but as a starting point for their informed adaptation.

Our discussions culminated at the annual ISPI conference in April of 2009 – and then we began in earnest, whole hog as they might say in this state of BBQ. We had our chapter up and running with over 100 members and 8 Programs with nationally known speakers from the ISPI community lined up up for the remainder of 2009 until the end of 2010 – all by October 1, 2009.

Dick was our appointed President that first 14 months until the end of 2010; and I the appointed President-Elect who then became President for 2011. I/we considered those first 26 months our building months. Standing it up as they might say in the military. Now, with the new leaders taking over – I have concluded the grand experiment.

You see, I am one of very few ISPI International Presidents who took the backwards route of being that first (2003-2004), and then becoming a Chapter President. At least according to many in the ISPI International community who marveled at my volunteer enthusiasm and probably wondered about my sanity. Now I understand why. Some of them must have been Chapter Presidents – or had started a chapter in their past.

It’s a “long row to hoe” as they say.

The Harvest So To Speak

Today, it’s different. I started hearing that when I was a Board Director at ISPI in 1999. The Internet is changing everything we were told by our executive director who got that from his Professional Home of Association Executives.

Most associations were stuck in a synchronous mode. The world meanwhile had shifted or was shifting to an a-synchronous mode. How many of you watch your favorite TV programs when you wish – rather than when they are first broadcasted? Time shifting it is called. Addressing that would be key to an organization’s future success.

So here – 10 years after learning that I am involved in starting up a local F2F affinity group – to bring in speakers for “events” – evening programs of 90 minutes.

Were we swimming upstream? Barking up the wrong tree? Fighting the inevitable?

Were/are affinity groups doomed? Has the Internet and Social Media and Personal Learning Networks made them passé?

Was the planning and implementation efforts – involving lots of hours – all for naught?

Or is there still room in the mix of sources for Professional Development for a group like this?

It is a lot of work to stand up an organization such as a local chapter. Deciding the target audiences, the purpose(s), the product/service mix, the processes, the practices and then recruiting the people to make it happen, work out the fine details – bringing it to life. And adapt as needed.

And it is also difficult to let it go. But I knew that before that came up.

So I spent my year getting ready to let go. To turn over the gavel (figuratively that is).

We had 6 Programs (plus 3 workshops) – and 6 Board Meetings – where my focus was on the fine tuning needed after the initial push to stand up the chapter – so as to be done with that. To share the leadership with the President-Elect by involving them in the setting of the agenda, as shaped by the annual chapter calendar (membership surveys, program planning and recruiting, conducting elections, etc.) for all of the things that can be anticipated and planned for – and for the things that just come up.

So that is done. I am done (in a few days) with my role as President.

The Proof Is In the Pudding

The harvest is done.

Next, the outputs, the crops, will be used in meals going forward. Feeding the needs for Professional Development locally.

I will continue to participate in Board meetings as the Past President – a non-voting role put in place to help the future boards with continuity – answering “why in the world did they decide that?” if/when that question comes up.

The chapter is strong. We offer low cost, high quality Professional Development. Our attendance at bi-monthly programs is the envy of many other chapters who have heard about our story and our successes. We have a Newsletter that comes out during our off months – and a semi-annual Journal that allows our members to get published – easily. It their toe in the water – for getting published elsewhere. You have got to start somewhere.

We offer content on Instructional Design and other interventions needed to improve performance – at the Worker level (the employee), the Work level (the Process), the Workplace level (the organization) and the World (what Roger Kaufman calls: Mega).

ASQ is also focused on improving performance – using some overlapping – but many different tools and techniques also – that helps round me out.

I don’t have time to learn a little bit about everything – and certainly not to master it all.

There is/are no Renaissance Man or Woman – nowadays.

There is simply too much to know – in the world today.

That’s Why We Need To Collaborate!

That’s why I participate in both ISPI and ASQ.

Raising My Voice Internationally

ASQ gives me a broader reach to share what I know – that limited amount given the vastness of all that there is to know – about Performance Improvement for the Human Variable in the Process Performance.

And it gives me a source to learn more about the other variables. That 94% that Deming would say is outside the control of the workers – the humans.  That’s not solved directly with communications, education and training – although implementing the other fixes might require stuff like that.

You too can raise your voice with your theories, concepts, models, methods, tools and techniques and together we can improve quality and performance – for Mega – for the good of Society.

It takes a village – or rather, villages. And cooperation, collaboration, and sharing.

Lots of sharing.

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What are they good for?

Depending on how realistic the stretch – and many other factors – they may be motivating – or spirit breaking and demotivating.

The late Steve Jobs is famous (or is it infamous) for stretch goals – seemingly impossible goals – until accomplished. How did he get by with that? What did he have in the mix to keep people on the motivated side of the line? Had he earned the right to have such demanding demands?

Hmm.

Have you planned your stretch goals for 2012?

How likely are you to achieve them? What will keep you motivated to actually achieve them?

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People cannot easily learn in “one context” and transfer to another.

Richard E. Clark told me a couple of years ago that only about 15% of the population can do so – learn in another context and transfer that to another.

That’s why Performance Analysis (under a variety of names/labels)  is so critical as a step BEFORE design and development.

Can you imagine the Football Team not practicing on the field of play?

Would you design their training to be done using Computer Simulations – and them building muscle memory of thumb clicking – versus them catching the ball and running while avoiding tacklers?

If the actual performance doesn’t involve computers – why are they – computers – involved in so many Learning Simulations?

Hmm.

Doesn’t seem to be all that authentic.

Your thoughts?

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Redundancy of Instructional/Informational Content is either Inadvertent - or By Design. 

Inadvertent – means additional “First Costs” have been incurred – as well as additional “life cycle costs” because the Redundancy was not planned And that’s not Good Stewardship of Shareholder Equity.

By Design – means additional “First Costs” and “Life Cycle Costs” – and hopefully because the ROI projected was worth those additional costs which should be minimal because the redundancy/ReUse was planned. And that’s Good Stewardship of Shareholder Equity.

ReUse of Instructional Content

…has been a key driver for me since 1981 when I was at Motorola Training & Education Center – where my client segments were Manufacturing, Materials and Purchasing groups in 5 major Business Sectors across the whole of Motorola.

They were just beginning to implement CAD-CAM (Computer Aided Design – Computer Aided Manufacturing) systems into the workflow – for the purposes of improving quality and reducing costs. With standard parts inventories and shared design templates, and yada yada.

I thought – the same can be done with Instructional Products – because I have been a believer that Instructional products are engineered products – if done right.

If not – they are artistic one-offs.

And I have yet to run across a client who wants that – except for a rare exception – usually when the program is for their top executives.

My audiences had too many things they shared – all for different job performance applications. But they used many of the same computer systems and some unique ones – and used many of  the same vendors and some unique ones – they complied with many of the same laws/regulations and codes and some unique ones. Etc., etc., etc.

Just as a later client in the automotive industry used a small number of batteries and brake systems across their 140+ vehicles – so too did their T&D organization – after adopting my methods for architecture – at the Enterprise Content Inventory level – at the Learning Path level – at the Event level – at the Module/Lesson level – and even at one more lower level below Module/Lesson – and even below that they might share templates, graphics, photos, text and other elements.

It can be done.

And it’s all part of Good Stewardship of Shareholder Equity.

For more information about this – please see my many books, chapters, articles, presentations – or send me an email or call to set up an appointment to discuss this!

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Short 11 minute video:

And it drives a “process performance orientation” into the Enterprise systems beyond – but including – Talent Management:

The EPPI HAMS and EAMS…

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I am very pleased to continue my support for ISPI and ISPI Chapters by presenting at the second meeting of the ISPI Central Florida Chapter – ISPI CFC – the evening of January 19th. It is exciting to see new chapters spring up – not to suggest that it’s all that easy to stand one up and start operating it.

This will be a 90 minute session CAD – Curriculum Architecture Design – something I first presented on for the Chicago Chapter of NSPI (now ISPI) in the fall of 1984 – and at the National Conference in April 1985.

I’ve done 74 CAD projects myself, and my staffs and my client’s staffs have done hundreds more. I have presented this “performance-based ISD methodology” – that ideally precedes an ADDIE-like ISD/ID development approach – at many chapters of ISPI, ASTD and for many internal client groups – a 2 hour video of me doing this in 1995 at Eli Lilly is here if you cannot make this session. You can also have a laugh about me using Overhead Transparencies! 

For more information about the ISPI CFC location, time and fees ($15 for members – $25 for guests) – please see the chapter web site – here.

I will be presenting a very quick overview – so if needed please do a pre-requisite Speed Listening/Note Taking Course.

That will be followed by a quick Demo of the Design Process - and then a quick & dirty Application Exercise (time allowing).

And – I am willing to chat after the “closing bell” for as long as anyone needs/likes. Just let me know!

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Sometimes you just don’t know what you don’t know.

Even when you might think you do.

That’s difficult – as many a Learning Facilitator/Teacher with any experience already knows.

Sometimes “un-learning” has to first occur before learning can proceed.

That’s difficult too.

That’s more difficult if the Learning Mode is Informal versus Formal.

When the Target Audience analysis data allows one to generalize that what they know is not correct – that’s the signal that un-learning needs to come prior to learning.

That’s when my designs start with an APPO – an Application Exercise. 

It enables the Learner to prove that they already know it – when in fact it often proves to them that they don’t.

Ah ha – is the moment we’re going for.

Nothing like an authentic “let’s do one” – to set the stage.

It also serves as an advanced organizer of sorts – if somewhat incomplete.

Sneaky trick #7 as colleague and good friend John Swinney might say.

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The old saw – when you are a grey beard like me – about “is it a learning need or a motivation issue” came from Bob Mager.

I find nowadays a need to modify it from the original – you’ll understand that in a moment if you don’t already see it coming. Scenario: people aren’t performing – or an individual is not performing – and the client wants Training. The sharp consultant asks Bob Mager’s question – or paraphrases it:

“Could they do it if you put a gun to their head?

Yeah, not very PC. But…ff you held a gun, figuratively, to their heads and they can do it – you don’t have a training problem you have a motivation problem.

So – should you work on Motivating the Performer? Yes, but.

Yes, but?

Yes, but… ultimately it is the learner/Performer’s responsibility to be motivated.

You can put into place the right “balance of consequence” system to attempt to motivate/ direct/ control (take your word pick here) behavior. And you can lead that horse to water – water being the motivator as most horse are assumed to be thirsty – but you can’t make them drink.

You can perhaps destroy their motivation to learn with really poor learning/training, etc., most of the time for most of the people – perhaps. But a really motivated learner will overcome that – every day.

Even if the content is authentic and the information and demonstrations and application exercises with appropriate feedback are all right on target – if the Learner isn’t motivated – they won’t learn much – or they will forgetaboutit very quickly.

You have a recruiting & selection issue.

Let’s not put more on the shoulders of folks in the Learning Space with a responsibility to create passionate learners.

Let’s let Recruiting & Selection folks – bring us motivated Learners – thirsty to learn and master the performance competencies required. Otherwise it’s a fool’s errand we’ll be on.

And who has time for that?

Let’s put on the Shoulders of the Learning folks the responsibility to create authentic Instruction that teaches the job and does it well. Then that should make it easier for those motivated to learn. We should make it easy – as easy as possible – while still knowing that real learning is often really hard work.

BTW – I have exchanged emails with Bob within the last few weeks – he is well – and he is excited about publishing a new novel at the beginning of 2012. Keep an eye out for that!  He is very passionate about his Novel writing! He is motivated!

Here – from his last book…

Search for his Business books – and his Novel books – using “Robert F. Mager” – and enjoy them! I have!

Thank you Bob for all that you have shared with us over the years!

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