• Reviews from Professional Organizations
• Reader's Comments about Managing a Small HRD Department
• Reader's Comments about In Action: Managing the Small Training Staff

The first thing that strikes me about the book is that it exudes the same warmth and personal quality that Carol projects. She easily connects with the reader, affirming the normal events, frustrations, ups and downs that small HR departments have in common. The book as a "real people" quality resulting from Carol’s descriptions of the trials, tribulations, and success stories of many people she interviewed who are in the positions of her target audience.

Carol’s target audience for the book includes virtually anyone in an HRD role: HRD and training managers, trainers, human resource generalists with responsibility for training, and those who have found themselves in a human resource development role with little or no training for it. While focused toward "small HRD departments" (one to three people), the principles are appropriate for departments of all sizes.

Carol emphasizes that the reader with limited resources needs to focus efforts on business priorities, and shows how to do so through assessment processes. She coaches the reader along in building credibility with senior management and within the organization using essential strategies of planning and communication. She helps the reader develop a resource strategy (including cost-effective delivery methods, creation of a budget, and various methods of program development) to provide excellent HRD support without the benefit of a large staff. And she talks about the importance of effective marketing and communication so that employees will know clearly what to—and what not to—expect.

Throughout the book, Carol shows a great degree of objectivity by detailing advantages and disadvantages of methods and options. She gives the reader many opportunities to learn from others’ mistakes and successes by describing her own and others’ experiences.

I can’t emphasize what a useful, practical, comprehensive and user-friendly book this is! Carol takes the reader, step-by-step, through the entire process of Human Resource Development, from creating a vision to ensuring and evaluating program effectiveness, to self- and staff-development, to addressing future challenges within organizational trends.

As much as I appreciate the entire book, the words that accompany Carol’s autograph most move me to action: "To Bobbi—Thanks for your support and encouragement. Keep the faith—you can do more than you think!" Doesn’t that go for all of us?

Bobbi Buisman, Norway Savings Bank

HRD and training managers can add this terrific little spiral-bound workbook to the list of resources they’ll need to help them establish and run a small but effective human resource development department.

Carol McCoy says that more can be accomplished in a one- to three-person department than people think, but that careful planning and a constant focus on business priorities are essential to success.
In Part 1 of Managing a Small HRD Department, McCoy presents several basic strategies to use to make sure departmental efforts support the company’s goals and enhance your credibility throughout the organization. Among the strategies discussed are building partnerships, creating a business-focused HRD plan, selecting the best delivery methods for your programs and services, and developing a sound budget. With only limited resources, it is particularly important to focus your efforts on business priorities. You need to build credibility with senior management and within the organization. You must also develop and implement a resource strategy that provides HRD support without the benefit of a large staff. And you must be skillful in marketing your HRD programs and services so that employees will know clearly what you can and cannot do.
Part 2 addresses the implementation how-tos. Specifically it explains how to define departmental staff roles, market your services to managers and employees, make the most of available resources, and track program effectiveness.
Part 3 addresses management issues: for example, how to manage the training budget, how to become an effective training manager, how to develop your staff’s skills, and how to assess trends and forecast needs.
There is also a reference section that includes a detailed action plan and other reproducible worksheets that can be used to help readers plan, produce, deliver, and evaluate training activities systematically.

"Managing a small HRD department can be a tremendously challenging and rewarding experience. You may never learn more from any other assignment."

Carol McCoy is director of corporate training and development at UNUM Life Insurance Company of America and lives in Falmouth, Maine.