1. Learning & Performance
A Presentation to “The Sales Institute”
Jan 27th 2010
Paul Healy
Head of Learning & Development
Irish Life & Permanent Group

2. IL&P Presenter
2 Brands 17 Years Financial Services
4700 Staff BOI
Sales Consultant (L&P)
Large Domestic Market Presence
Sales Coach
Head of Sales
Multiple Delivery Channels
Market Leading positions in: IL&P
Life HR- Learning & Development
Mortgages
Fund Management

3. Development of the Sales Manager
Collaborative:
Performance Coach
Directive:
Command & Control

4. Understanding Performance

5. Performance?
• There is confusion about the role that KNOWLEDGE and
SKILLS play in… PERFORMANCE.
• KNOWLEDGE is simply acquired information until it is put to
use.
• SKILLS are usually learned through practice rather than in
formal training.
• The relationship between knowledge, skills and performance
is more complex than first appears.

6. Knowledge Transfer – why bother?
“Industries annually spend € billions on training but no more than 10% of
this expenditure actually results in the transfer of learning to the job”.
Reference: Baldwin & Forde 1997
“A survey on the expectation that a manager has of performance
improvement of an individual after instructor led training event reveals
stark findings”.
Reference: Stolovitch & Keeps 2005

7. Transfer- The Business Expectation
BEFORE DURING AFTER
Desired
knowledge
acquisition &
performance
improvement
Training
Event
Knowledge
Acquisition

8. Knowledge Transfer- The Reality
BEFORE DURING AFTER
Training
Event
Actual
knowledge
Knowledge acquisition &
Acquisition performance
improvement
(Source: Harold D Stolovitch & Erica J Keeps, 2005)

9. “The Conspiracy of Convenience…..”
• Performance analysis is not done, or is done poorly
• Business Managers ask for “training”
Linked to
• Training Managers delivers it Business
• No-one measures it Drivers?
• There is little or no business impact
• Everyone’s happy! Impact on
Business
Performance?
To appease the demand for training, the L&D/Training function
produces and delivers a catalogue of programs and bespoke
courses……

10. The Information Explosion
•Information Growth- 30% per year
•Most of this information is unstructured
•Access & Retrieval easy!
•Half Life is getting shorter

11. What do we really need to know to do our jobs?
Robert Kelley’s longitudinal study with knowledge workers asked:
“What percentage of the knowledge you need to do your job is
stored in your mind?”
1986: 75%
1997 15-20%
Now: 8-10% ?

12. The “Generation Y” Employee
• “Digital Natives” are different from the rest of us!
• They have grown up with technology.
• They are natural multi-taskers.
• They are natural just-in-time learners and collaborators.
• High expectations in relation to development and
advancement.
• But… have a “Sense of Entitlement”.
• Less loyalty towards the organisation.

13. So then what is…
‘REAL’ adult
learning??

14. ‘REAL’ adult learning is about:
CHANGING BEHAVIOURS IN LIGHT OF
EXPERIENCE
(People changing what they do based on what they have
experienced)
‘REAL’ adult learning is brought about
through PRACTICE in a supportive
environment.
Not through ‘knowledge transfer!

15. Budgets?
Typical Training Budget
Where Learning Actually
Allocation
Happens
Formal Formal
Training Training
20%
90%
80%
Workplace
Workplace Learning
Learning
10%
Jay Cross: The L&D Budget Divide, Time Magazine 2005

16. “Learning is the ability to acquire new ideas from
experience and retain them as memories”
Eric Kandel
Columbia University
(Nobel Laureate for work on Learning & Memory)

17. So .….. what is
The silver bullet?

18. The Performance
“Mix”
Clarity on what’s
expected
Data
Environment
Information
Attitudes
Knowledge
30% 70%
Skills Behaviours
Reference: Stolovitch & Keeps (2005) PERFORMANCE

19. Behaviour
•What they say
•What they do
Attitudes
Values Invisible states
Drivers
Upbringing
Needs
Personality

20. Performance Management
& Learning
The Contract The Employee
Manager HR/ L&D

21. Opportunities for Development
50%
Learning
On the Job
•New work within role
•Self directed learning, research
20%
•Solving problems in role 30% Learning
Formal Learning through Coaching,
•Increasing span of control
Feedback & Networks
•Championing and managing
change • Training Courses •Performance management
•Mentoring Others • E- Learning •Informal feedback and debriefs
•Covering for others on leave
• Workshops •Coaching from manager/others
•Exposure to other departments
and roles
•Seminars & Webinars •Mentoring
•Taking part in projects and
working groups • Books, Audios, CD’s •Learning through teams
and networks
•Work shadow

22. Sales Managers
Facilitating Learning&
Performance

23. Coaching?
• “Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise
their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather
than teaching them”
– (John Whitmore)
• “The art of facilitating the performance, learning and
development of another”
– (Tim Galway)

24. Common Coaching Myths
• “It is just a conversation”
It is a skilful and sustained process, not just ad-hoc reactions to what
you see or hear
• “It is about having all the answers”
It is based on helping the learner to help himself/herself
• “It is just for poor performers”
It is for everyone
• “Anyone can be a coach”
It uses a repertoire of skills ….questioning, listening, giving feedback ,
not a one way flow of instructions and telling

25. What is Coaching
• Non-directive (Pull) Directive (Push)
• Listening to • Making suggestions
understand • Giving Feedback
• Reflecting • Offering Guidance
• Paraphrasing • Giving advice
• Summarising • Instructing
• Questioning to raise • Solving the problem
awareness

26. Metaphor of Driving a Car
• A therapist will explore what is stopping you
driving your car
• A counsellor will listen to your anxieties about
the car
• A mentor will share tips from his or her own
experience of driving cars
• A consultant will advise you on how to drive the
car
• A coach will encourage and support you in
driving the car

27. Feedback
• Feedback is a communication about an
aspect of behaviour, and the impact
that behaviour has on others.
• It is to help somebody consider whether
or not they want to change

28. Giving Feedback
• In one to one discussion seek self evaluation first
• Give feedback on strengths and development
• Be specific not general focus on and describe visible
behaviour
• Don’t make assumptions about intentions
• Be evaluative, what you saw..liked /disliked
• Don’t be judgmental…that was right /wrong
• Feedback should be timely, within their control

29. Feedback Framework
• Self Evaluation by other person first!
• Manager straight on the facts of the feedback
• CAKES / E2 C2 use as structure for feedback
• Objectives – set going forward

30. Successful Performance
C larity
A ttitude
K nowledge
E nvironment
S kills

31. Model for Giving Feedback
• E xample
• E ffect
• C hange
• C ontinue

32. “If we are what we
repeatedly do, then
excellence is a habit not
an act”

33. Final Comments / Questions
Thank you