One of the organizational factors that contributes to achieving business results from training is "alliance". Sean Murray and I discuss this factor in our new e-book, Getting More From Your Investment in Training: The 5As Framework. Alliance refers to a learning partnership between learner and learner's boss. This partnership is critical to the success of any learning intervention (training, coaching, mentoring, internship, etc.). It's based on the assumption that part of the boss' role is to help the learner set learning goals, create expectations for success, apply the learning, and measure performance outcomes.
John Baldoni’s new book, Leading Your Boss, provides an excellent description of how to develop a high performance partnership between employee and boss. In his review of Baldoni's book, Wally Bock writes, “The advice won't just work for dealing with your boss. It will also work for you if you are a boss.” It occurs to me that a potentially powerful learning opportunity for both learner and boss is for them to read Baldoni’s book at the same time and discuss the implications for the way they work together and with their team. The advice in the book provides the basis for the two to discuss important issues that they might not otherwise bring up with each other. It is a way for them to learn how to work together more effectively. Yes, it’s risky, but what a great way to open the door to a learning partnership.
