2 | The Morning After: How to Making Training Stick After the Event
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So how do we avoid it, or lessen the likelihood of
it happening? How do we make all those training
outcomes stick and make a real difference?
Several key factors and behaviors can help with
training "stickiness," and virtually all of them can
be managed with the right upfront planning. To
quote a somewhat overworked saying: "If you fail
to plan, you're planning to fail."
The Power of Outcomes and Minding the Gap!
Start "where" you mean to continue. In other
words, start with the end in mind when planning
and designing a learning and development
initiative – keep your focus on outcomes. Get a
clear understanding of the gap between current
behaviors/performance and those needed
for future improved performance. And, more
importantly, what business goals or initiatives
will be supported by the future improved
performance.
Avoid the "input trap." Too often, as learning
and development professionals we have to
respond to requests such as: "we need more sales
training" or "our call center professionals need
communication skills training." This can set off
a race to find the solution for the need, before
understanding the real reasons behind it. We
go in search of training focusing on content or
"input" that the business partner likes before fully
comprehending what the output or outcomes of
such training need to be.
Asking "Why?" or "Why is that?" can go a long
way to ensuring the outcomes of your training
initiative are effective, valued, and acted upon in
a sustained way. Or, to be really sure you know
what the gaps are and what key outcomes are
necessary, consider a pre-training assessment.
Organizational Impact: Enhancers, Influencers,
and Inhibitors
We all know that training and performance
improvement doesn't happen in a vacuum.
The organizational culture and mindset of
the target audience play a significant role in
whether learning outcomes are sustained and
transformative.
Learning and development is all about change: a
change in skillset, a change in level of knowledge,
and a change in attitude or mindset. When
individuals return to their day-to-day activities
after training, we want the new mindset, skillset,
and knowledge to return with them, but if the
working environment doesn't support this, those
much-hoped-for improvements will simply
not happen.
So, when planning and designing a training
initiative, identify the enhancers, influencers, and
inhibitors that exist within the organization. These
can be found within the organizational culture, an
individual's job function, and the team leadership.
They will work to support the implementation of
the newly learned knowledge and skills, or they
will work against it.
Enhancers and influencers are those elements
of an organization's culture, job functions, and
individuals that will positively and actively support
the adoption of new skills and behaviors or that
act as a catalyst to influence others. A potential
enhancer or influencer might be a positive culture
of coaching within the organization/team or a
senior executive who is actively promoting and
sponsoring a new initiative.
An example of an inhibitor can be seen when
managers and team leaders attended a series of
events encouraging them to provide balanced
and constructive feedback; however, the
organizational culture was lacking in trust and
openness.
