I have a wonderful opportunity to rebuild a training program from the groun up. I have a pretty good concept on where to start. My first impressions is to just watch for awhile and do an assessment. I have in my mind to conduct a training assessment of the entire organization.
Like I said, I have my own ideas on the steps I want to take. I am interested in other ideas....basically what I am looking for are other ideas on the first 5 steps to take in my new positon?

Hi Steve:

Wow what an opportunity!
Rummler and Brache in their book Improving Performance, How to manage the White Space on the Organization Chart, suggest the following when designing an organizational structure:

1) Establish a clear strategy
2) Document and Analyze the current (“Is”) organization system
3) Document and analyze the current (“Is”) processes
4) Develop a “Should” process flow and measures
5) Design the organization chart

Well that the first 5.

Good Luck!

Cj

Steve,

Congrats on your new opportunity.

My first five would be along the lines of:
1) Skills Assessment (what skills are necessary for the positions in the organization to function effectively?)
2) Performance Assessment (how are organization members performing against those skills now and how should they be performing?)
3) Gap Analysis (where are the biggest discrepancies in performance?)
4) Training Assessment (does your current training address these gaps?)
5) Training Roadmap (plan to buy, borrow, or build training designed to address the performance gaps and enhance the skills)

We followed these steps for a client's similar project last year and it met with good success.

Hope this helps and good luck,

Jay

Thanks for the good advice

Why 5?? Whether you have been promoted or new to the organization consider the following:

Understand the environment your organization exsists in. What business are we in and what drives your industry, its future competitive challenges ? Understand completely how the highest level of your fellow managers views the situation and how they wish to have $ results measured. Do you report to the CEO? What resources do you have and how much leverage do you enjoy ? Add full consideration of organizational culture, background of your organization vis-a vis training. What is the perception of training by people in your orgnization good or bad? What type of assessments is appropriate.
You may have already asked and answered these questions. If not, these are a start in developing an overall context in which "steps" can be considered. In short, its a messy business and don't fall victim to the "benchmarking" as a strategy route.

Nero