Research is at the core of all Gallup's learning and development programs. Research into the science of human behavior is a growing and dynamic field, and Gallup has led the way in gaining a better understanding how individuals, teams, and organizations can improve their performance in the federal government. Gallup University has provided learning and development opportunities to thousands of federal government employees, with excellent results. One of Gallup's most widely-known discoveries in the field of learning and development is that an individual's greatest opportunity for growth is his or her areas of strength, not weakness. More than 4 million people worldwide have taken the Clifton StrengthsFinder, a Web-based assessment that identifies the talents and strengths of individuals.
Gallup is combining scientific advances in the fields of psychology, sociology, neuroscience, computing and statistics to achieve new insights on organizational performance. Our researchers are advancing the world's knowledge on how best to understand and maximize the perceptions, talents, and behaviors of employees, consumers, constituents, and citizens. The key insights from this research have been the basis for a series of bestselling books, including First, Break All the Rules, Now Discover Your Strengths, and Follow This Path. You can keep up to date with our latest work by reading the Gallup Management Journal , which is available at no charge to all agencies and departments of the U.S. federal government.
Sometimes, our clients need reliable research data to understand where they are today. Others need to achieve a specific organizational outcome and measure that achievement. Many organization improvement efforts -- whether they are related to strategy, process, or information technology -- have people issues at their core. We help clients make the most of their people and help them solve the people component of their current challenges. At Gallup, we call this HumanSigma -- the human difference.
Technical
Gallup has studied human behavior for more than 70 years. This wealth of experience has enabled us to develop a sound scientific research methodology for the development of leaders that is predictive of job success. Our methods for assessing and developing employees have been refined through our work with hundreds of thousands of employees in a wide variety of organizations and industries. The way to understand success -- and increase the probability of replicating success -- is to study success. Gallup's research demonstrates that top performers in all jobs think, talk, and act differently from their counterparts -- average and poor performers. Gallup has leveraged this deep understanding of human behavior to develop research-based measurement tools, development programs and strategic advisory services with one purpose in mind: to help organizations and individuals maximize their performance.
Learning
Gallup's Learning Approach Has Five Steps:
- Incorporate Gallup Research and Discoveries Into Programs
Gallup's superior survey research and analysis differentiates us from every other provider of learning solutions. Our programs are based on legitimate and groundbreaking findings regarding human behavior.
- Introduce Talent to the Learning as Soon as Possible
Gallup recommends that each person receive learning and development based on their unique and enduring talents. We recommend the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment and the accompanying e-learning course for every learning and development program. In so doing, learners discover that their unique and enduring talents are key to developing the strengths necessary to achieve their performance objectives. Learners will see that by leveraging their talents, skills, and knowledge, they will be able to identify their path to the desired outcomes.
- Build a Sustaining Component for Every Course
After learners leave the classroom experience, Gallup provides support and resources to help create patterns of behavior for the participants that apply the new concepts and theory. Gallup recommends an ongoing sustaining strategy with every program. This might include but is not limited to synchronous learning sessions via Web, telephone coaching calls, e-mailed activities, homework, or team meeting topics and activities. Learners have the opportunity to build their capabilities through practice and feedback after a learning event. Repeated and regular exposure to Gallup's theory and concepts will make the learning program effective.
- Measure the Performance Change
Accurate reporting data is a key principle at Gallup. Our philosophy regarding data applies to our educational offerings as well. We measure participants' reactions and applications throughout our learning programs.
- Bring Coaching Into the Learning as Soon as Possible
Gallup recommends that each learner be paired with a Gallup Performance Coach in an effort to support the learner in understanding and leveraging his or her talents toward specific performance objectives. Gallup recommends multiple meetings with a coach. The coach provides individualized feedback on how the participant can apply his or her individual strengths at work and in organizations. The learner and the coach jointly create a plan with a set of actions for leveraging talents. This plan strategically aims to engineer success for the participant.
Special Programs
- Great Manager Program
Based on the bestselling books, First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently and 12: The Elements of Great Managing, the Great Manager Program reveals Gallup's discoveries from the largest management study in the world -- 80,000 managers in 400 organizations. The Great Manager Program is one of Gallup University's most popular programs, attended by thousands of managers and executives from the world's most prestigious organizations in both the private and public sectors. Managers gain a greater understanding of themselves and their management styles. They discover the employee-engaging concepts, strategies, and tools that assist them in turning the Four Keys to Great Management and unleashing the human potential within their organizations.
- Demands of Leadership
After decades of research and thousands of interviews with great leaders, Gallup research discovered seven factors crucial to leadership success. Built on Demands of Leadership, this strengths-based leadership program offers leaders the opportunity to adopt new assumptions and a fresh approach to their personal leadership styles. This program helps senior leaders who possess cross-functional or general leadership responsibilities to enhance their strategy and decision-making processes. Leaders learn innovative new ideas and re-energize their vision for the future. Learning outcomes include developing a comprehensive understanding of their talents and strengths and how to apply them to increase their leadership impact; examining how their leadership and management styles influence workgroup culture and employee engagement, which ultimately affects organizational outcomes; and assessing their leadership effectiveness across the Demands of Leadership -- the challenges that leaders must meet to maximize their leadership impact.
Events
Gallup hosts events that cover a broad spectrum of today's issues, from small, intimate discussions, to large-scale affairs such as the annual Global Well-Being Forum. The Government Practice is planning more events focused on the federal sector, and is incorporating government-relevant material into the numerous private-sector events we hold each year. If you have suggestions for future government-centric events, or if you would like to be a speaker at one of Gallup's upcoming events, please contact Norah Burdette.
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