When the first edition of The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning was published, it quickly became the new standard for compa-nies who were serious about increasing the return on their investment in learning and development.

This thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded edition of The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning reveals how training, OD, and HR professionals can enhance their contributions to the success of their organizations. The book is filled with practical, proven-to-work guidelines and examples that show clearly how to design, deliver, and document comprehensive learning experiences that improve leadership and management, sales, customer service, marketing, and other business functions.

The authors—experts in the field of learning and development as well as business— explain the theories and principles that under-gird the 6Ds approach and provide practical methods, tools, roadmaps, and checklists for bridging the “learning-doing” gap. The book’s guidelines are illustrated with dozens of case studies from successful companies on the cutting edge of results-driven educational performance.

The 6Ds encompass the entire process of converting learning into improved perfor-mance, from pre-course communications to the impact of the learning transfer climate. Designed to be used by a broad spectrum of professionals, the book’s knowledge can be applied to virtually any learning and development program. Most important, The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning focuses on business and performance outcomes—the new “finish line” for learning and development.

THE AUTHORS

Calhoun Wick is the founder and chairman of the Fort Hill Company. He is recognized nationally as a consultant, educator, and researcher on improving the performance of managers and organizations. Roy Pollock serves as chief learning officer for Fort Hill. Andrew Jefferson is president and CEO of Fort Hill. They authored the award-winning first edition of The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning as well as Getting Your Money’s Worth from Training and Development.

The Fort Hill Company specializes in helping companies earn a better return on their invest-ments in training and development. Over the past ten years, Fort Hill’s 6Ds methodology and learning transfer management systems have helped many of the world’s leading com-panies ensure that learning gets transferred and results improve. The company is based in Wilmington, Delaware.

Praise for the Second Edition of The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning“No other book in the last decade has been more important for the workplace learning field. The second edition is even better, incorporating new wisdom learned in the crucible of real-world practice.”

—WILL THALHEIMER, PH.D., president, Work-Learning Research, Inc.

“Simply put, this book is a critical read for anyone who wants to ensure that the time and money spent in development produces results.”

— TERESA ROCHE, vice president and chief learning officer, Agilent Technologies

“The Six Disciplines brings together many of the most important principles of corporate training in an easy-to-understand, highly visual format. Readers will find this book filled with examples, models, and practical tools you can use to create high-impact learning solutions in your own organization.”

—JOSH BERSIN, president and chief executive officer, Bersin & Associates

“Wick, Pollock, and Jefferson have a well-proven formula for moving learning from an academic exercise to business results. Their 6Ds offer all leaders specific and concrete things that they can do to turn learning into results.”

—DAVE ULRICH, professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and partner, The RBL Group

“I introduced The Six Disciplines to GE’s Global Learning Council and I am very glad that I did. The Six Disciplines gives us a common language and a common process that work very well in GE.”

—JAYNE JOHNSON, director, Global Leadership Development, General Electric

“The 6Ds model provided a powerful framework for designing high-impact learning programs that helped to shape our approach to learning and to align our learning leaders across the organization. The second edition adds insights and tools that make this edition even more relevant, practical, and valuable.”

—ROBERT SACHS, Ph.D., vice president, Learning and Development, Kaiser-Permanente

“Embracing the Six Disciplines has allowed us to develop truly innovative high-impact leadership programs that have changed the trajectory of our firm.”

—CAROL BONETT, vice president, leadership development officer, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC

Discover more atwww.pfeiffer.com

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

From left to right: Roy Pollock, Calhoun Wick & Andrew JeffersonPhoto by Terence Roberts

Essential resources for training and HR professionals Essential resources for training and HR professionals

How to Turn Training and Development into Business Results

Calhoun Wick, Roy Pollock, and Andrew Jefferson

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More Praise for The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning

“ Learning professionals who apply The Six Disciplines in their day - to - day work will deliver undeniable value to any organization. ”

— NICOLE ROY - TOBIN, CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER, FINANCIAL

ADVISORY SERVICES, DELOITTE SERVICES, LLP

“ Applying The Six Disciplines catapulted us from a respected training and development function to true business partners. In this second edition, these trusted and credible authors bring even greater clarity and context to the 6Ds. I highly recommend this book. ”

— DIANE HINTON, PLASTIPAK ACADEMY GOVERNING BOARD LEADER,

2010 CORPU EXEMPLARY PRACTICE AWARD FOR BUSINESS ALIGNMENT, PLASTIPAK PACKAGING, INC.

“ The Six Disciplines is the defi nitive ‘ how - to ’ guide that provides practical, useful how - to templates and lots of examples that can meet any type of training measurement requirement. Now there is no excuse not to get started. ”

— J. SCOTT BOSTON, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT TALENT MANAGEMENT & MCKESSON

CENTER FOR LEARNING, MCKESSON CORPORATION

“ The Six Disciplines is truly a masterpiece of useful advice and guidance for leveraging results from training and development. It is by far the best book ever written on the topic and will no doubt exert an enormous positive infl uence. ”

— GEOFF RIP , STRATEGY DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING PRACTITIONERS (AUSTRALIA), AND PRESIDENT, CHANGELEVER INTERNATIONAL

“ In today ’ s world, great learning and development professionals can be defi ned in three words . . . effective business consultants . If you want to be viewed as a strategic partner whose learning and development solutions align to and impact business results, this is a must - read. ”

— GARY WALJASPER , HEAD OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,

THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP

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“ I wondered why companies using The Six Disciplines framework stand out as top performers. Now I know. The second edition is fi lled with even more good examples, design concepts, and useful tools. ”

— SUE TODD , PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CORPORATE UNIVERSITY XCHANGE

“ I recommend this book to any trainer, be it a novice or an expert, as it forces them to look at the training delivery more holistically as an end - to - end process much beyond the classroom. ”

— DORAIRAJ SELVAN , PH.D., SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TALENT TRANSFORMATION,

WIPRO TECHNOLOGIES, BANGALORE, INDIA

“ The second edition of The Six Disciplines contains a treasure trove of powerful ideas for facilitating the transfer and application of new learning into the workplace. Few have done more than Cal Wick and his colleagues to bridge the gap between the growing body of academic understanding of the ’ transfer problem ’ and still - reluctant learning and development practitioners. ”

— ROBERT TERRY , PH.D., MANAGING DIRECTOR, ASK EUROPE

“ This is a must - have for the shelf of all professionals who are charged with bringing change to their organization and actually seeing a return on investment! ”

— BEVERLY KAYE , FOUNDER & CEO, CAREER SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL; COAUTHOR,

LOVE ‘ EM OR LOSE ‘ EM; AUTHOR, UP IS NOT THE ONLY WAY

“ As businesses evolve and adapt in response to greater global complexities, those organizations that focus on the transfer and application of learnings and insights into business results will stand apart. The Six Disciplines offers a mindset and approach to the next iteration of learning as a competitive advantage. ”

— ANDREW WOJECKI, PH.D.

“ The Six Disciplines describes and illustrates six principles practiced by companies that earn the highest returns by effi ciently converting learning into business results. A truly valuable book! ”

— KEN BLANCHARD , COAUTHOR, THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER AND THE SECRET

The Six Disciplines transcends generations, learning styles, culture, and technology as an enduring and practical way to assure that learning matters to the business.

— MARYANN BILLINGTON

SENIOR PARTNER, KORN/FERRY LEADERSHIP AND TALENT CONSULTING

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ABOUT THIS BOOK

This book is for everyone who is a provider, sponsor, purchaser, or consumer of corporate training and development. It describes a proven set of processes and tools that achieve a breakthrough in corporate education and that signifi -cantly improve the return on the investment that companies make in learning and development.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Staying competitive in today ’ s business climate depends on know - how, human capital, and the ability to learn quickly at both the individual and organiza-tional levels. Companies invest heavily in training and development — more than $ 50 billion annually in the United States alone — in an effort to improve their leadership, effi ciency, quality, customer service, and so forth. There is compelling evidence that these investments can and do pay dividends.

There is equally compelling evidence, however, that the business benefi t of learning and development can be much greater than most organizations cur-rently realize. Substantial value is being left on the table in the form of “ learning scrap ” — training and development that is never transferred to the work of the organization in a way that improves performance.

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What Can You Achieve with This Book?

This book describes and illustrates six disciplines that together represent a break-through in corporate training and development: (1) defi ne business outcomes, (2) design the complete experience, (3) deliver for application, (4) drive learn-ing transfer, (5) deploy performance support, and (6) document the results. By practicing these six disciplines, you will be able to design, deliver, and document learning and development programs that produce greater business impact and higher returns on investment.

How Is the Book Organized?

In the Introduction we provide a brief overview of the six disciplines of break-through learning. We then dedicate a full chapter to each discipline, exploring it in - depth and providing recommendations and tools to maximize its contribution. Insights from exceptional business and learning leaders, as well as case studies, are used to illustrate key concepts. At the end of each chapter, we provide check-lists for implementation and action items for both general managers and learn-ing leaders, because maximizing the return on investment from learning and development requires a true partnership between line management and learning professionals.

The Instructor ’ s Manual for the second edition of The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning is available free online to qualifi ed college and university instructors. If you would like to download and print out a copy of the guide, please visit: www.wiley.com/college/wick .

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About Pfeiffer Pfeiffer serves the professional development and hands-on resource needs of

training and human resource practitioners and gives them products to do their

jobs better. We deliver proven ideas and solutions from experts in HR devel-

opment and HR management, and we offer effective and customizable tools

to improve workplace performance. From novice to seasoned professional,

Pfeiffer is the source you can trust to make yourself and your organization

more successful.

Essential Knowledge Pfeiffer produces insightful, practical, and

comprehensive materials on topics that matter the most to training

and HR professionals. Our Essential Knowledge resources translate the expertise

of seasoned professionals into practical, how-to guidance on critical workplace

issues and problems. These resources are supported by case studies, worksheets,

and job aids and are frequently supplemented with CD-ROMs, websites, and

other means of making the content easier to read, understand, and use.

Essential Tools Pfeiffer’s Essential Tools resources save time and

expense by offering proven, ready-to-use materials—including exercises,

activities, games, instruments, and assessments—for use during a training

or team-learning event. These resources are frequently offered in looseleaf or

CD-ROM format to facilitate copying and customization of the material.

Pfeiffer also recognizes the remarkable power of new technologies in

expanding the reach and effectiveness of training. While e-hype has often

created whizbang solutions in search of a problem, we are dedicated to

bringing convenience and enhancements to proven training solutions. All our

e-tools comply with rigorous functionality standards. The most appropriate

technology wrapped around essential content yields the perfect solution for

today’s on-the-go trainers and human resource professionals.

Essential resources for training and HR professionalsw w w. p f e i f f e r . c o m

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THE SIX DISCIPLINES OF BREAKTHROUGH LEARNING

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THE SIX DISCIPLINES OF BREAKTHROUGH LEARNING

How to Turn Training and Development into Business Results

SECOND EDITION

Calhoun Wick Roy PollockAndrew Jefferson

Foreword by Al Switzler

Afterword by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner

Y

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Copyright © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Published by PfeifferAn Imprint of Wiley989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741 www.pfeiffer.com

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifi cally disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fi tness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profi t or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Readers should be aware that Internet websites offered as citations and/or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read.

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Pfeiffer books and products are available through most bookstores. To contact Pfeiffer directly call our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-274-4434, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3985, fax 317-572-4002, or visit www.pfeiffer.com.

Pfeiffer also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Page 361 constitutes a continuation of the Copyright page.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wick, Calhoun W.The six disciplines of breakthrough learning: how to turn training and development into business results / Calhoun Wick, Roy Pollock, Andrew Jefferson; foreword by Al Switzler.—2nd ed. p. cm.Prev. ed. entered under title. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-470-52652-1 (hardback) 1. Organizational learning. 2. Employees — Training of. I. Pollock, Roy V. H. II. Jefferson, Andrew McK. III. Title. HD58.82.S59 2010 658.3'124 — dc22 2010014180

Acquiring Editor: Matthew Davis Manufacturing Supervisor: Becky MorganProduction Editor: Michael Kay/Susan Geraghty Graphic Design: Michael AspengrenEditor: Rebecca Taff Cover Design: Michael AspengrenEditorial Assistant: Lindsay Morton Editorial Assistance: Kathleen Myers

Printed in the United States of America HB Printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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xi

CONTENTS

Foreword xiii

Introduction: The Six Ds 1

D1 Defi ne Business Outcomes 19

D2 Design the Complete Experience 65

D3 Deliver for Application 109

D4 Drive Learning Transfer 161

D5 Deploy Performance Support 213

D6 Document Results 255

Coda 319

Closing Thoughts: Learning Is the Master Skill 329Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner

References 333

Index 345

About the Authors 359

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To our clients, for allowing us to work with them and learn from them in their pursuit of excellence; to our employees,

for making it happen; and to our families, for encouraging us to pursue our dreams.

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xiii

FOREWORD

Because you ’ re holding this book, I know that you ’ ve had experience with training and learning. You ’ ve no doubt experienced both the positives and

negatives. On the positive side, you ’ ve been in courses where you learned insights and skills that, when you applied them to real issues, helped you achieve impor-tant results. If you ’ re like me, you cherish those experiences.

And, if you ’ re like most people, you ’ ve also seen the negatives — training experiences where powerful learning occurred, but then . . . nothing: no applica-tion, no follow through on commitments, and, not surprisingly, no results. This negative aspect of the learning and training industry is widespread, deep, and broad. And these problems are not just known by executive management, HR management, and trainers; they are seen and felt by millions who sit through training classes but don ’ t see the value. Action plans and good intentions fade like mirages; no one seems to care. And after years of such experiences, they conclude that too much of training is a waste of time and money. It is something you endure so some box somewhere can be checked.

But there is hope. And you hold in your hand an essential key to the solu-tion. The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning by Cal Wick, Roy Pollock, and Andy Jefferson is a readable, memorable, and practical approach to maximizing the positives and overcoming the negatives in learning and development. These authors, who are themselves experienced trainers and managers, truly understand that corporate learning is about changing people ’ s behavior to produce desired

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