The Learning Brain and Changing Behavior

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• The Learning Brain and Changing Behavior

What it takes to create permanent, measurable
improvements in performance
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Well cover

• The transfer of training problem
• How the learning brain changes behavior
• What it takes to improve performance
• Three actions to begin making a difference

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The transfer of training problem

• We agreed that our managers knew the
  business, but most of them weren't very effective
  with people. We noticed friction and a lack of
  cooperation. Disagreements and arguments
  festered. You could sense the tension out there.
  Morale was low in many areas. It wasn't the
  positive, high-energy culture we wanted. We lost
  several of our best people.

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The transfer of training problem

• We concluded that our managers needed to be
  better leaders, and we decided to bring in a
  top-flight leadership effectiveness program. The
  trainers were fantastic and our managers raved
  about it. We were satisfied that it was money
  well spent.

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The transfer of training problem

• In the months afterward, we saw an
  improvement in several managers, but we noticed
  that most of them werent using the new skills.
  To be honest, these were the same folks doing the
  same things.

• A year later, I look around and cant say
  theres been much change at all. Its hard to
  believe that a program of such high quality
  didnt get better results in the long run. Id
  have to say its been a disappointment.

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The transfer of training problem

• Baldwin Ford, Personnel Psychology (1982)
• 100B spent, 10 transfer
• Broad Newstrom, Transfer of Training (2001)
• 50B spent, 50 transfer
• Brinkerhoff Apking, High Impact Learning (2001)
• 15 transfer

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The transfer of training problem

• Has your organization ever invested in training
  that did not change behavior as hoped?
• Do you know why it was not as successful as
  hoped?
• What did it cost your organization (time,
  resources, money)?

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The transfer of training problem

• In your experience, why is it is so difficult for
  training and development programs to produce
  permanent changes in leadership behavior
  on-the-job?

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The transfer of training problem

• It takes time to develop new work habits
• Development time is in short supply
• Follow-up reinforcement almost never happens
• On-the-job priorities conflict with reinforcing
  new skills
• Few direct managers know how to support ongoing
  development
• Almost nobody appreciates what it takes to change
  a behavior pattern

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The learning brain and changing behavior

• Learning a new skill is a physical process.
  Repeated behavior (skill application) stimulates
  the dendrites of neurons (brain cells) to grow
  connections with other

neurons. Eventually an efficient pathway forms
that enables the skill. This process can take
months of consistent reinforcement.
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The learning brain and changing behavior

• Before Ingraining
• Old neural pathway
• New skill is hard work
• Effort is conscious, concentrated

• After Ingraining
• New neural pathway
• New skill feels like second nature
• Automatic and efficient

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The learning brain and changing behavior

• Interaction Skills
• Mostly learned in life, ingrained for decades
• Old patterns compete with new learning
• New patterns feel awkwardlearners fall back on
  comfortable old patterns

• Technical Skills
• Mostly learned at work
• Few old patterns to compete with new technical
  skills
• With repetition, new technical skills become
  ingrained habits

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The learning brain and changing behavior

• Without extensive reinforcement, new neural
  pathways wont establish themselves.
• Without new neural pathways, new behaviors wont
  become comfortable and habitual.
• If new behaviors dont become comfortable and
  habitual, people will fall back on old behaviors.
• If people fall back on old behaviors, the new
  skills wont be ingrained or used in the
  workplace.

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The learning brain and changing behavior

• After being told to change behavior or die of
  heart disease, 90 fail to change. Fast Company
  (May 2005)
• They must make changes to live, but they
  cant seem to do it. Dr. Edward Miller (Dean of
  Medical School at John Hopkins University)
• Knowing what to do isnt enough. Using
  weekly reinforcement group meetings, 77 changed
  behavior. Dr. Dean Ornish (Founder -
  Preventative Medicine Research Institute)

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The learning brain and changing behavior

• At the beginning of 2004, Tiger Woods made
  several changes in his swing to improve his game.
• But in 2004 he struggled, winning only one
  tournament and finishing fourth in total
  winnings.
• Finally in 2005 he won his fourth Masters,
  placed second in the U.S. Open and won the
  British Open.
• It took a full year of persistent practice to
  ingrain the new patterns.

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The learning brain and changing behavior

• It takes months of reinforcement to ingrain
  interaction skills, which are more complex than
  golf skills.
• Assessment or a training event by themselves
  arent enough to create permanent changes in
  behavior.
• But assessment and training followed by a
  structured program of reinforcement can ingrain
  new workplace behavior.

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The traditional approach
The learning brain and changing behavior
Performance Problem
Development Program
Improved Performance
Why doesnt this model deliver the intended
results?
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What it takes to improve performance
A reinforcement-centered way to achieve
permanent, measurable improvements in workplace
performance
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What it takes to improve performance

• Make learning an ongoing process, not an event
• Begin with up-front assessment
• Implement training that is integrated with the
  assessment and provides tools for reinforcement
• Include reinforcement after training to ingrain
  behavior
• Involve direct managers as performance coaches

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What it takes to improve performance
When these critical elements are integrated and
managers are involved
This result is achieved
On-the-job Behavior Change
Reinforcement
Training

Assessment
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What it takes to improve performance
The Learning Triangle
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What it takes to improve performance

• Assessment

• Direct managers set the priority, focus and tone
• Pre-assessment identifies strengths and
  weaknesses, focuses learner for training
• Post-assessment measures improvement, providing
  accountability and motivating learner to change

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What it takes to improve performance

• Training

• Direct managers support learners during training
• The power of training is multiplied when
  integrated with assessment
• The training is behavior-based and concentrates
  on what to do,why to do it, and how to do it
• The training is reinforcement-centered,
  introducing reinforcement resources
• The training is efficient and effective as
  blended, combining E-learning and workshop

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What it takes to improve performance

• Reinforcement

• Direct managers ensure that reinforcement is a
  priority and is implemented
• Coaching is provided by direct managers to guide
  learner reinforcement
• Continued learning is available to refresh skills
• Ongoing assessments measure performance,
  improvement and ROI
• Accountability means managers, learners and
  trainers are responsible for improved performance

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What it takes to improve performance

• COMMITMENT
• Support follow-up reinforcement
• COACHING
• Prepare direct managers for their staff
  development role
• FOLLOW-UP
• Integrate program of reinforcement with
  assessment and training programs
• ACCOUNTABILITY
• Measure performance improvement and calculate
  ROI

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What it takes to improve performance

• TRAINING FOR TRANSFER
• Incorporate learning strategies that promote
  application and reinforcement of skills
• LEARNING NETWORKS
• Coordinate support for reinforcement
• FOCUS
• Target training needs that will have a
  positive impact on business results
• CULTURE
• Align organizations policies and practices
  to support performance improvement

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Three actions to begin making a difference

• Acquire integrated assessment and training
  technologies
• Involve direct managers in the learning process
• Measure performance improvement
• Then build on the foundation of these successes
  by optimizing the eight critical areas

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Three actions to begin making a difference
When these critical elements are integrated, and
direct managers are involved
This result is achieved
On-the-job Behavior Change
Reinforcement
Training

Assessment
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• The Learning Brain and Changing Behavior

What it takes to create permanent, measurable
improvements in performance