Improving Management Skills
What Kind of Effect? Copyright 2004

Therapists, and others who devote their work to effecting change, talk about two kinds of change: Prosthetic change, and therapeutic change.

Prosthetic change is relatively easy to effect, and usually short-lived. It is exemplified by the sales force attending an inspirational sales seminar, and then breaking new records for sales...for a few weeks.

Therapeutic change, difficult to produce and long-lasting, is what business owners and managers usually seek, but seldom find. In using 360° assessments to produce change, look for ways to produce therapeutic change in management behavior.

Research shows this to be more likely if development activities are tied to "on-the-job" training and change, rather than traditional classroom learning. As you implement training and development to improve your managers ' competencies, produce therapeutic change with an "on the job" focus to your programs.