prepare for IMPACT

For this article, "interpersonal skills" (IPS) includes such topics as communication, decision making, emotional intelligence, and negotiation -- what many people today unfortunately label "soft skills." Fortunately, the impact of IPS training can be measured efficiently and with little or no cost, and the process for doing this begins long before training is ever delivered. Despite the emphasis put on the importance of IPS, ASTD's 2012 Stare of the Industry Report notes that IPS training ranks among the bottom three content areas for the Fortune Global 500 grouping and is absent from the top three content areas in its remaining two industry classifications (Consolidated and BEST). The topic of alignment of the training function with the business strategy is a hot topic precisely because many in the C-suite are challenging the value that training organizations provide. If you've decided to proceed with an impact evaluation, be prepared to move out of your comfort zone.