This book provides human resource development (HRD) professionals with a practical approach for improving the way they practice their profession and presents a four-part framework for improving HRD practice. Each of the book's four parts is dedicated to one part of the framework: examining HRD strategy; improving perceptions of HRD; improving performance results; and improving HRD roles and client relationships. Chapter 1 is an overview of each of the framework's four parts, and chapter 2 discusses the importance of shifting training from "fixing" employees' weaknesses to developing their strengths. Four practical approaches to addressing issues and problems commonly encountered by HRD professionals are detailed in chapters 3-6. These approaches include: a 3-step technique to eliminate negative perceptions of HRD programs by demonstrating their values and benefits; a 9-step strategic marketing planning method to help HRD programs obtain their objectives within organizations; a 4-step approach to developing a transfer of learning strategy for organizations; and a 12-part performance management system. Chapter 7 examines the evolution from trainer to performance consultant, and chapter 8 focuses on the strategies for building collaborative client relationships. The bibliography contains 27 references. (MN)