1 Discussion Question,1 Summary and 1 Case study

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Don’t speak of your transformation using human resource jargon. Use business language—language that your potential clients will understand (Graham, 1998).

Don’t seek perfection. Make a judgment about how much change an organization can handle. Don’t try to sell HPI … just start asking the right questions. Don’t take on too large or too small of an initial project. You want a project that will have significant

organizational impact and attain some visibility, without exceeding the capabilities of your young organization.

Don’t ignore the naysayers—especially those within your own department. There is almost always value in listening to the objections of others. Some degree of truth is typically

expressed and ought to be addressed. Don’t spend time selling the process of HPI. Focus on selling the potential for results. Don’t assume that having the support of the vice president of human resources will assure the support of

line management. Don’t try to make the transition overnight. A change like this will take years to occur.

Success Stories

Many companies can serve as examples where a traditional training organization has been transformed into a full-service HPI organization. There are many more in the process, and still more that have yet to begin this adventurous journey. This section will share the transformation experiences of four companies that have successfully migrated the path to HPI.

Mallinckrodt, Inc.Mallinckrodt, Inc.

Mallinckrodt, Inc. manufactures health-care products that diagnose disease, sustain breathing, and relieve pain. The training function at Mallinckrodt completed their transformation to a performance improvement organization over approximately a one-year period. Recognizing that their greatest challenge was to gain management’s support and confidence, they began their transition by building relationships with managers in the field.

They asked managers many questions and listened carefully to their answers. They asked such questions as, “What are your issues?” “What have you done about it?” and “If you could change things, what would you change?” They did not try to sell a program or a process. Their intention was to convey that they were credible and wanted to be partners in business success. It was not long before they had managers valuing the new services and making new requests. Instead of getting phone calls asking for training, the department members were getting calls asking for help to achieve business goals.

The new Organizational Development Department (formerly the Individual and Organizational Development Department) attributes some of their early success to their consistent use of an eight-step process, which they developed early in their transition. Additionally, they partnered with their clients to measure their success at both Level 3 and Level 4 (see Figure 7-3).

As the demand for the department’s services grew, so did the department. The new, growing organization was staffed strategically. Practitioners with varied backgrounds and experiences were sought so that the overall organization could provide an array of services to the organization. This breadth of talent, together with the HPI department’s client-centered focus, has sustained its reputation within the company as a valued partner for success.

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Prudential Health Care SystemsPrudential Health Care Systems

Prudential Health Care Systems made the transition from training to performance over an approximate two-year period. The key to the success was the dedication and support of the internal staff and upper-level management. The fledgling HPI function, however, suffered several setbacks in its progress due to management changes. Each time a change occurred, new managers needed to be educated and convinced of the merits of the new direction. Despite these challenges, the HPI function has successfully completed many projects.

SteelcaseSteelcase

Steelcase is the world’s leading manufacturer of office productivity furniture and services dedicated to providing high-performance work environments that help people work more effectively. A few members of the Corporate Learning and Development Department had the passion and determination to transform themselves into an HPI service organization known as Performance Planning Services.

Their transition took approximately two and a half years. There were many challenges. One was ongoing clarification about how HPI could benefit and work