In a message dated 98-10-23 23:44:03 EDT, you write:
> As a word of caution (you may already know this, but )... you really need
> to be very careful here - it is REALLY easy to do this wrong, and
> demoralize people. Also, all of these companies suggest that this process
> does NOT happen during the evaluation process.
A great message from Marijo included the above advisement, which agrees
with my experience. After leaving a large corporation that was investing
very heavily in this area (that's NOT why I left) I've been helping folks
with EDP- related processes and I recognize there are no 'pat' answers.
Here are some learnings (sorry if they're obvious or redudant with what
you already know), which others may wish to comment on:
1. The culture of the company is a determinant in how successful such an
initiative will be. In many cases this is a change management issue and
will require sponsors as well as agents. No matter how well it is planned
and executed, if it doesn't "fit" with employees and the company (i.e. if
people can't walk the talk) then it can become a great exercise in
futility. The process and content is better if derived from the work
environment, rather than be superimposed from "above" or "outside".
2. No matter how sincere management is in supporting an EDP initiative,
if the company encounters difficulty and begins losing revenue or profit
margins, this is likely to be one of the first areas to be "re-visited".
I think this is because it is typically viewed as part of a
education/training activity and we know what happens to those budgets
during crunch times. Like training, ironically, EDP may be part of what
is needed to get the company back on track; but it's usually not a
"short-term"-enough program to "justify" it's existence to management
which often doesn't see things with a long-term view.
3. Management must be willing to support EDP through both actions
(coaching and counselling employees) and through support (allocating
time/budgets for development interventions -- training, mentoring
programs, etc.). There will be some time needed for employees to feel
confident that this isn't just another "program of the month".
4. A question to ask is "Why are we spending time on EDP?" There are
many reasons that could be stated; but generally there's some linkage back
to "objectives" -- whether they are company, department or employee
objectives. This is where EDP can become mistaken as being part of a
performance appraisal process. (I'm accustomed to seeing PA's focused on
performance relative to objectives, goals or KRAs so I was rather
surprised recently to encounter one that made practically no mention of
these things; instead it was two pages of competency ratings! Yet the
company -- which actually doesn't pay much attention to objectives -- also
doesn't have any development planning process.)
5. Development planning should have a benefit to both the employee and
the company (otherwise, why spend the company's money on it?). There are
mixed feelings about this ("why improve people so they can get a job
someplace else?" or "if I do this will I get a promotion?"). There's also
a difference in which perspective is taken: (1) "jobs" are positions I
master as I climb the "corporate ladder" or (2) "roles" are collections of
responsibilities and tasks that I assume as I move around on the "company
matrix".
As Marijo mentioned, there are all kinds of resources, processes, and
approaches to EDP. It can become a very time and money intensive effort.
Personally, I think common sense needs to become a check-and-balance to
ensure that worthwhile results are being realized for the time and money
invested. An EDP initiative can become a black hole.
Hope there's something helpful for you in all this. Good luck with your
efforts!
Dave Kennebeck
Comteq Inc.
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