Using methods that are known to influence behavior will increase on-the-job application of learning.
According to research, a mere 20 percent of training content ultimately is used at work. The extent to which it is used is referred to as "training transfer." Many assume that to increase training transfer, trainers must focus on what to do within the training environment (for example, the classroom or meeting room). However, focusing only on those factors will achieve modest results at best.
What trainers are attempting to do when delivering training is influence their audience members' behaviors back in their local environment, after the training event. Therefore, successful training requires an understanding of how to influence behavior and a focus on coaching people during, before, and after training.
Effective training is about creating the conditions for successful training transfer, and leaders can help create those conditions. Increasing the likelihood that employees are using what they've learned can have an enormous downstream impact on the entire organization. Imagine the potential impact in going from 20 percent transfer of training to 50 percent or more.
By using certain behavior management techniques (BMTs), leaders can increase the impact—and the return-on-investment—of training.
What it is
Research in behavioral science suggests that the environment people live and work in is set up to support the behaviors they are exhibiting. The best way to keep people doing the same things is to keep their environment the same. So, the best way to influence behavior, and thus training transfer, is to create an environment in which exhibiting the taught behaviors receives support.
BMTs allow you to arrange your environment in a way that supports and sustains new behaviors. These techniques blend behavioral science with project management techniques, and are used to get people to do things because they want to, not because they have to. To properly use BMTs, identify the results you want, the behaviors necessary to achieve these results, and how to manage the environment to support change.
Guidelines
Although the following guidelines were written with training in business and industry in mind, they also apply to teaching new skills to virtually anybody in any setting. Some of the most successful leaders are people who have taken their knowledge of behavioral science and applied it outside of the workplace.
Some common situations where BMTs have been applied outside the workplace include at home (parenting), school (child education), coaching (athletics or otherwise), and even in personal relationships.
Clarify expectations. Meet with members of your team on a one-on-one basis at least a week before the training event and set clear expectations. Discuss why they are attending the training program, what they should learn, and what expectations you have of them once training is complete.
Coach, support, and follow up. As a leader, you should review the training material first. If the training is longer than a day, you may want to consider supporting the trainees by holding brief meetings to discuss any barriers to training transfer.
As a rule of thumb, face-to-face meetings are most effective. Follow up with employees after the training event to keep the momentum going. Be sure to observe and reward the use of their learned behaviors. Also, ask trainees how they are using the training and how often.
Consistent follow-up is critical because it reinforces the training content and holds trainees accountable for actually using it. If necessary, formalize your follow-ups by scheduling short weekly meetings.
Collect data. One of the simplest yet most underused practices to promote training transfer is data collection. Gathering and interpreting data on training transfer allows for better feedback to trainees, which is absolutely necessary for behavior change.
Metrics let trainees know where they stand, and how they compare with others. It also leaves no doubt about the trainer's expectations of them regarding how they apply their training on the job.
Allow for deliberate practice and feedback. Create an environment where deliberate practice is reinforced, not punished. Employees shouldn't be afraid of the consequences of making mistakes as they practice what they've learned back on the job.
Facilitate deliberate practice by consistently providing feedback on performance, and creating a reward system to motivate employees to use what they have learned. Remove any barriers (including fear of failure) and build in opportunities for review.
Knowledge of behavior and the environment. The better you understand how consequences influence behavior, the better equipped you are to influence behavior. Don't make the mistake of "rewarding" training completion instead of training transfer.
Results
By considering how you influence behavior, you'll be better equipped to influence the success of your training. Our experience and research indicate that it takes more than adjusting the actual training environment to achieve success.
The environment in which trainees will apply what they learn is just as critical for success as the training itself. It takes knowledge of behavioral science, a thoughtful strategy, and a purposeful effort to create the conditions for success before, during, and after training.
The approach outlined above is based on more than 80 years of research in behavioral science. BMTs have been used by thousands of leaders around the world with significant results.
When leaders understand behavioral science as it applies to adult learning, they are able to create and maintain work environments that promote learning and progress.
