Martyn Sloman – författare

When the first edition of Martyn Sloman’s Handbook appeared, it made an immediate impact on the HRD community. Its starting point was the idea that traditional approaches to training in the organization were no longer effective. The Handbook introduced a new model and set out the practical implications. The world of HRD has moved on, and Martyn Sloman has now drastically revised the text to reflect the increased complexity of organizational life and the many recent developments in the field. His aim remains the same: to help readers to develop a framework in which training can be effectively managed and delivered. In Part I of the text the author draws attention to the opportunities created for training by the current emphasis on competition through people. In Part II he poses the question: ’What should training managers be doing to ensure that training in their organization is as good as it can be?’ Here he stresses the need to keep training aligned with business objectives, and to encourage line managers to work alongside the human resource professionals. The third and final Part considers the trainer as a strategic facilitator and examines the skills required. Martyn Sloman writes as an experienced training manager and his book is concerned, above all, with implementation. Thus the text is supported by questionnaires, survey instruments and specimen documents. With its combination of thought-provoking argument and practical guidance, the Handbook will continue to serve all those with an interest in organizational training.

The ‘Changing World of the Trainer’ considers how the human resource development professional should undertake his or her role in today’s organization. It offers a new framework which reflects the business reality of the modern world. This practical work proceeds through a series of tools, checklists, questionnaires and instruments and presents an extensive series of illustrative case studies, drawn from organizations throughout the world.The book argues that the problems that trainers face are fundamentally the same. Their objective is to put a process in place to ensure that employees are able to acquire the knowledge and skill required by the organization. The acquisition of individual and collective knowledge and skills is not the primary purpose of the organization – skills are a means to the end of profitability and service delivery. Hence training is a derived or secondary activity. In the world economy a global model of human resource development is emerging. In one form or another, organizations are seeking to develop what are known as high performance working practices. What the customer requires drives business processes: staff must be recruited, retained and motivated. Effective learning, training and development is now essential.This does not mean the end of the traditional off-the-job training course. There are many occasions, and these are illustrated within the book, when a training course delivered by a subject-matter expert is an effective way of promoting the organization’s objectives through individual learning. However, it is increasingly evident that the range of interventions undertaken by the trainer extends far beyond the design and delivery of the training course. There has been a huge increase in coaching and in ways of promoting group learning. Action learning is undergoing a resurgence. Generally there has been a growth of non-directive forms of intervention; a shift in emphasis from instruction to the facilitation of the learning process. Many practitioners are proceeding effectively to redefine their roles in a variety of different ways. However, it is now time to offer a formal expression of the new training and learning role.Martyn Sloman is highly respected intermationally within the field of learning and development, with experience as a practitioner in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

When the first edition of Martyn Sloman’s Handbook appeared, it made an immediate impact on the HRD community. Its starting point was the idea that traditional approaches to training in the organization were no longer effective. The Handbook introduced a new model and set out the practical implications. The world of HRD has moved on, and Martyn Sloman has now drastically revised the text to reflect the increased complexity of organizational life and the many recent developments in the field. His aim remains the same: to help readers to develop a framework in which training can be effectively managed and delivered. In Part I of the text the author draws attention to the opportunities created for training by the current emphasis on competition through people. In Part II he poses the question: ’What should training managers be doing to ensure that training in their organization is as good as it can be?’ Here he stresses the need to keep training aligned with business objectives, and to encourage line managers to work alongside the human resource professionals. The third and final Part considers the trainer as a strategic facilitator and examines the skills required. Martyn Sloman writes as an experienced training manager and his book is concerned, above all, with implementation. Thus the text is supported by questionnaires, survey instruments and specimen documents. With its combination of thought-provoking argument and practical guidance, the Handbook will continue to serve all those with an interest in organizational training.

The �Changing World of the Trainer� considers how the human resource development professional should undertake his or her role in today�s organization. It offers a new framework which reflects the business reality of the modern world. This practical work proceeds through a series of tools, checklists, questionnaires and instruments and presents an extensive series of illustrative case studies, drawn from organizations throughout the world.The book argues that the problems that trainers face are fundamentally the same. Their objective is to put a process in place to ensure that employees are able to acquire the knowledge and skill required by the organization. The acquisition of individual and collective knowledge and skills is not the primary purpose of the organization � skills are a means to the end of profitability and service delivery. Hence training is a derived or secondary activity. In the world economy a global model of human resource development is emerging. In one form or another, organizations are seeking to develop what are known as high performance working practices. What the customer requires drives business processes: staff must be recruited, retained and motivated. Effective learning, training and development is now essential.This does not mean the end of the traditional off-the-job training course. There are many occasions, and these are illustrated within the book, when a training course delivered by a subject-matter expert is an effective way of promoting the organization�s objectives through individual learning. However, it is increasingly evident that the range of interventions undertaken by the trainer extends far beyond the design and delivery of the training course. There has been a huge increase in coaching and in ways of promoting group learning. Action learning is undergoing a resurgence. Generally there has been a growth of non-directive forms of intervention; a shift in emphasis fro