Performance Consulting

To do something without understanding it is a sure recipe for failure. Now in an updated and expanded second addition, "Performance Consulting: A Practical Guide for HR and Learning Professionals" is an informed and informative guide for avoiding commonly encountered Human Resources failures. Drawing upon their years of experience and expertise, co-authors Dana Gaines Robinson and James C. Robinson offer a more complete understanding designed to assist Human Resource personnel to better use their skills in evaluating employees and performances within the context of corporate needs. "Performance Consulting" is a must for HR people and anyone who must look to Performance Consultants on a regular basis.

If you are looking for a practical, how-to approach to being an effective consultant, internal or external, this is a high-value book for you. The authors explain, in considerable, concrete detail, how to get at the real issue(s) and shape your approach to make a targeted and valuable outcome. The book provides clear guidelines and models, plus helpful tips and other resources. It is also a great book for managers who hire and work with consultants. Performance consulting is not new--it is: "a process in which a client and consultant partner to accomplish the strategic outcome of optimizing workplace performance in support of business goals." The book shows how to do this by guiding you in how to: - effectively partner with a client - establish the necessary "mental model" - ask the powerful, focused questions - get at root causes of the problem - identify the right solutions - avoid scope creep - keep focused for maximum impact ...and much more. A host of pragmatic insights await you in this highly valuable work. The book is ideal for OD/HRD consulting. Consultants in other areas are also likely to derive value from this work. Very highly recommended.

You know you and your people need professional training to keep your business perspective valid and current. But what training?...where?...at what price? and at what lost productivity cost?The Robinson's book delivers the essence of what creates performance improvement training and development in four sections: One, getting someone to take responsibility for performance training; Two, having a performance relationship map to help you design and complete performance assessments and illustrates the interrelationship between training, performance, work environment, and business needs; Three, discusses implementation; and Four, shows how performance improvement departments differ from training departments and answers questions about how you can get from where you are to where you need to be.

Going from a traditional trainer to performance consultant/trainer. I found the book to be a little overwhelming. I feel the terminology, language used could have been a little more user friendly, especially if you were just learning what a performance consultant is or does. The authors did a good job with the performance relationship map to use as an effective tool and the overall point of the book was well taken. After I attended a performance consultant workshop did I really have a better understanding of the points that the authors were trying to make.

One of the most useful books I have read in the past few years. The Robinsons present a consultant- and client-friendly consulting model and offer many specific how to's to put it to work. While the terminology they use in their model could be improved, the theory is sound and very readable. It isn't, however, a quick fix book: it takes serious thought and a lot of work to employ their ideas. But that is what it takes for HR professionals to earn a seat at the table. Jim Bolton, CEO, Ridge Associates, Inc.