Throughout this article, you've seen the phrase "tracking progress" used to describe training measurement. The word "progress" is the Latin root of the English word "evolution". Ultimately, the idea is to track the evolution of your organization from its current state of performance to a higher, more productive, more efficient future state. In measurement, we gather evidence that progress is taking place.

Listen to the discussions in your management meetings. People are asking, "Will we make our numbers this year? Are margins improving?" They're looking for indicators of progress toward a goal. The real questions to be answered by measurement are "How has this helped?" and "In what ways?" This common-sense approach works beautifully.

For example, the direct sales force in one midsize telecommunications company was plagued with extremely high turnover (80 percent) and low performance. The vice president of operations said, "It was painfully obvious to me that we had a big problem." Part of his company's solution was to implement a consultative selling skills program.

Three months into the performance development effort, our tracking showed that the company's sales reps had steadily increased their productivity by 42 percent. A group of new reps achieved their quota in just two months rather than the usual six months or longer. The turnover rate fell steadily to an acceptable 28 percent, well below industry norms. When compared to the baseline and to reps not yet trained, those were compelling signs of progress.

Along the way, the company also trained managers to coach more effectively, tweaked its compensation plan, and reinforced new skills consistently. All of those factors undoubtedly contributed to the stellar results. We never proved that the sales training worked. But, as Kirkpatrick would say, we found "a lot of good evidence."

Tracking progress, not obtaining proof, takes pressure off the people doing the tracking and shifts it onto the people doing the performing, where it belongs.

Lesson 4: You're Probably Already Doing Measurement

There is a widely held perception that bottom-line measurement is arduous and expensive. That's not surprising. So often, we've heard that this level of measurement is the most difficult by far. But, professionals concerned with sales performance development are discovering that it's just not true.

Recently, I was swapping notes with the person responsible for measurement at a major U.S. computer company. He had successfully completed four bottom-line tracking projects - three more than originally planned. As we talked after a meeting, he confided, "I've realized it's easier than doing a survey." I agree.

You can complete a fairly rigorous analysis of bottom-line performance before lunch, with a spreadsheet and a cup of coffee. It's possible if you align performance development with the business, if the line and training folks work together, and if your aim is to track progress - not obtain proof. And if you tap into existing data, solid results are easily within your grasp.

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