What Works: Training and Development Practices

ASTD has created a new series titled What Works, to provide you with practical tools for translating the findings of sound research into sound practice.

Creating environments and experiences that enable employees and their organizations to achieve their full potential is an enormously complex proposition. Valid research can help make sense of this complexity and provide guidance in the formulation of sound practice. However, you face at least four problems when translating research into practice:

--Research findings aren't always written in a way that makes them easily accessible;

--The volume of research can be overwhelming, and the time it takes to make sense of all of it can be prohibitive;

--Not all research is of equal quality, and so a broad and deep understanding of the literature is necessary;

--Much research, although relevant and of high quality, is on a relatively narrow aspect of any given topic.

The authors have critically assessed the research evidence on their topics and have provided authoritative and succinct reviews of the research along with implications for you. Some topics covered are

Leadership Development-interaction of leader and follower

Conflict Management-implications for conflict management, conceptual learning, and practical skills development

Diversity Training-a look at the impact and effectiveness of this training along with guidelines and resources for practitioners and approaches that have worked in some organizations

Technology Training-some critical guidelines for making wise choices in this rapidly emerging and dynamic part of workplace training and development

Behavioral Modeling-reviews of extensive research literature that examines the use of behavior modeling.