Training 2012 Conference & Expo speaker Carl Eidson answers the question, “What can we do to make training stick?”
I’m frequently asked this question by new contacts who are frustrated with a lack of behavior change from sales, leadership, or customer service training initiatives. I’d like to share the advice I give them, which is based on best practices from companies that get the optimal results from their learning transfer.
Three strategies to make training stick and increase performance:
1. Have managers complete the same training as their direct reports (or at least get an executive overview of the skills being taught).
2. Train managers in a specific approach to coaching that involves clarifying expectations, but at the same time listening carefully to input from their direct reports.
3. Equip managers with a coaching tool that makes it easy to plan for and deliver an effective coaching conversation where the direct report is engaged and motivated to take action.
Research by one of my colleagues indicates that when this approach is taken, learning transfer is 42% higher than when managers are not involved in supporting learning.
What actions have you taken to make training stick? What role do you see managers taking when it comes to supporting new skills learned in training? What advice do you have for making it easy to get managers involved in coaching skills learned in training?
To learn how prepared your managers are to support the training you provide, attend Carl’s Wednesday morning session at the Training 2012 Conference & Expo, “Five Keys to Improving Learning Transfer: Lessons from the Best Coach Ever . In this hands-on workshop you will receive a Learning Transfer Audit you can use to assess your managers’ ability to support and coach their people for increased application, reinforcement, and—ultimately—improved performance.
For more information on this session, check out the conference brochure and session description.
About Carl Eidson
Carl Eidson, Ph.D., VP, Business Development, Distributor Network, Wilson Learning Corporation. Eidson leads and coaches a virtual team of over 100 independent distributors stretching from Toronto to Buenos Aires. To influence and impact results remotely, he leverages innovative communication technologies and virtual leadership skills to create systems for salesforce development, marketing campaigns, and client-centered promotional events.
With a Doctorate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology he has co-authored articles on selecting top talent published in scholarly journals including Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Performance, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, and the Journal of Business and Psychology. Eidson is a frequent speaker on human performance improvement research and practices at professional conferences. To find more tips on Learning Transfer Made Easy, click http://bit.ly/ngvEJV for an article published in TrainingMagazine.com, or visit www.wilsonlearning.com
