Building Business Acumen for Trainers: Skills to Empower the Learning Function - Rilegato

"The topics explored throughout this book bring much-needed knowledge to learning-industry professionals in a pragmatic, yet highly informative manner. The timing of this volume could not possibly be better for learning professionals seeking to communicate the important bridge between organizational learning and the success of strategic business imperatives."
--Kathy Watt, manager, Business Development, College of Extended Learning, University of New Brunswick
 
"This book admirably fills a serious gap in the professional practice of learning and performance--lack of business savvy. It is clearly written, case-based, concrete and comprehensive. I especially appreciated the financial and return-on-investment content. I was also delighted that it contains material on Human Performance Technology. I will recommend this volume to my students, colleagues and corporate clients."
--Harold D. Stolovitch, emeritus professor, Université de Montréal, principal, HSA Learning & Performance Solutions LLC, and author Telling Ain't Training and Training Ain't Performance
 
"This engaging book is absolutely essential for human resource professionals! It should be required reading for everyone in our field."
--Jill Russell, principal and founding director, TPO HR
 
"Some of the jewels of this book are it explains the language of finance; it provides practical advice on how to communicate the case for investing in development initiatives, and it is full of guidance on how to collaborate with the business to determine the payback of investing in development solutions. The case studies used throughout the book brings ideas to life in an exciting way. This is one of those books every HR, HRD, and training professional should have."
--Judith A. Hale, author,Outsourcing Training and Development: Factors for Success
 
"Relevance is in the eye of the beholder. And for training professionals who want to earn a seat at the strategic planning table, nothing can help build corporate relevance better than applying the skills outlined in this book which will show you how to turn training into business results."
--Marty Fisher, vice president, Stores HR and Training, Abercrombie and Fitch
 
"If today's aspiring Learning professionals don't read this book, they will miss an opportunity to gain that ultimate competitive advantage that will revitalize their career into becoming a true business player. The primer on financial tools, business partnering and dynamic communication strategies described in this book are excellent. The book has integrated a number of innovative learning concepts, tools and methodologies that weave a comprehensive business learning roadmap for Learning professionals to attain greater business acumen and be on top of their game."
--Francesca Bleck, director, human resources, Technical Learning & Development, Lafarge North America and Latin America, Corporate Technical Services
 
"Changes in our industry have revealed the critical need for knowledge and skills in business acumen--the area Business Acumen for Trainers specifically and uniquely addresses. This is a must read book for anyone in a training position today or in the future."
--Wes Parker, national curriculum manager, Management & Employee Development, Verizon Wireless

ERRENCE L. GARGIULO has spent over fifteen years helpingpeople working in training and development acquire the skills theyneed to be significant contributors to the businesses that havehired them. He holds a master of management in human servicesdegree from the Florence Heller School at Brandeis University, andis a recipient of Inc. magazine’s Marketing MasterAward.
Among his past and present clients are GM, DTE Energy, DreyersGrand Ice Cream, UnumProvident, the U.S. Coast Guard, BostonUniversity, Raytheon, the City of Lowell, Arthur D. Little, KANACommunications, Merck-Medco, Coca-Cola, Harvard Business School,and Cambridge Savings Bank.
His previous books include Making Stories: A Practical Guide forOrganizational Leaders and Human Resource Specialists (alsotranslated into Chinese);The Strategic Use of Stories inOrganizational Communication and Learning; On Cloud Nine:Weathering Many Generations in the Workplace (with RobertWendover; also translated into Korean, and Spanish); andStoriesat Work: Using Stories to Improve Communications and BuildRelationships.
He is a frequent speaker at the international and nationalconferences of such organizations as the American Society forTraining and Development (ASTD), International Society forPerformance Improvement (ISPI), Academy of Management, andAssociation of Business Communications, and he is a field editorfor ASTD. His articles have appeared in American Executivemagazine,Communication World, the ISPI journalPerformance Improvement, and ASTD Links.
Also visit his Web sites: http://www.makingstories.net;http://www.oncloudnine.org

AJAY M. PANGARKAR is president of CentralKnowledge, aleader in comprehensive and measurable strategic learningsolutions. He is recognized for his experience in the“business and strategy side of training,” helpingcompanies implement training evaluation and ROI strategies,developing balanced and performance scorecards, training andcertifying new trainers and subject experts, and supporting thosewith responsibilities for managing the training function. He is aregular contributing writer for several prominent HR and trainingpublications, is a recognized published author, is governmentaccredited in professional learning, and delivers learning programsfor professional organizations and business institutions. He ishighly involved in the Montreal community, serving on the board ofdirectors of nonprofit groups and committees. Nominated for theErnst & Young/Canadian Business of the Year award, he isregularly interviewed by business and news media for newspaperarticles and radio broadcasts. He is a founding member and chair ofthe Quebec chapter of the Canadian Society for Training andDevelopment (CSTD), the founder of the Quebec ROI Network, a memberof the CSTD national board of directors and the Canadian ROINetwork, and is extensively involved with and speaks to the globallearning and performance industry. He can be contacted atinfo@centralknowledge.com or www.centralknowledge.com

TERESA KIRKWOOD is founding partner of CentralKnowledge,brings over eighteen years of industry and training experience toher work, and is recognized for her experience in helping companiesimplement training evaluation and ROI strategies, training newtrainers and subject experts, and supporting those withresponsibilities for managing the training function. She writes forseveral major HR and training publications, is a published author,is government accredited, and delivers learning programs forprofessional organizations and business institutions. She isexceptionally involved in community activities, including mentoringbusiness start-ups for youth, and she regularly speaks towomen’s entrepreneurial groups. She was nominated for theErnst & Young/Canadian Business of the Year award and isregularly interviewed by business and news media for newspaperarticles and radio broadcasts. Afounding member a