Juggling the Principles of Individual Change and Performance Improvement

Years ago, I had the opportunity to hear a gentleman (a performance consultant) - who was involved in the major transformation of Sears, Roebuck, and Company in the mid-90s - speak at a monthly meeting of ISPI in Atlanta. Sadly, I cannot remember his name, but I do remember the impression he made upon me.

The main thing that I recall the most about his speech was not only the details he shared about working with Sears during their major transition between 1993 and 1995, but about his own personal practices of using a series of metrics and other tools to guide his own individual human performance. He measured nearly EVERYTHING about his personal life. I found this both odd and fascinating all at the same time.

However, I found his approach intriguing enough to give it a try in my own research in academia as well as in some of the work I've done in the past and continue to incorporate into my coaching practice. While in college I studied Learning and Development (L&D), Human Performance Technology (HPT), and many other things related to organizational development, such as continuous improvement, change management, and anything else you can imagine in this area of work. I always had a sense that these models could (and should) be applied on an individual level if/when appropriate.

However, it's been my experience that a common misconception is that only large corporations should use and would indeed benefit from the work of these fields. It was said that Performance Improvement, L&D, Change Management, etc. were reserved for and only to be used in large-scale organizational settings. I believe this stems from the fact that historically, that's how they have been mostly applied.

However, this perspective overlooks the profound impact that these practices can have on individuals. Particularly, when it comes to Change Management, I have seen the results and agree that “the model fits nicely and naturally with a personal journey of change, irrespective of whether linked to a wider corporate change” (Prosci, 2023).

Further, regarding the HPT model, I have used it to help individuals analyze their current versus desired states. This includes defining values and mission, analyzing current environments that impact their lives, analyzing causes - taking an inventory of various support systems and behaviors; and working within the standards of change management and coaching, to help the person select and implement an appropriate intervention.

There's a lot involved and it requires a balancing act of knowing when to rely on HPT, Coaching, Change Management, and even Learning & Development, depending on the situation. So, this is why I stand firm in my assertion that this very important work is not only limited to being solely a corporate strategy; it's a life skill - one from which we can all benefit. Working with individuals and groups to help them realize true change and goal achievement is quite rewarding and a very enjoyable part of what I do!