Will Your Next Training Change People and Culture or Fail?

Three Tools to ELAvate Training Success

Companies spend billions of dollars around the globe to train people to change on skill, attitude and process. Most of it is event driven and usually ends up with the training program going on the resume of the employee with no discernible change that lasts in the person, team, company or culture. Why?

“Most companies see training as an event rather than a process of lasting change.”

Think about it. Can you learn golf, swimming, or any sport in one lesson? The same with competence, skill and attitude. Your competence only changes over time with a process that gets results.Dr. Tim Elmore of Growing Leaders eloquently describes the differences between a “training event” and “training process.” Both have a place in changing people. Let’s read what Tim says below:

Events and Process

“People enjoy events because they stimulate and motivate—but we all know we need a growth process following the event, if we hope to make it last. In other words, after attending a training event, most people require an on-going journey; a community of relationships where the discussion (and learning) expands. In the process, people continue to talk about and apply the principles that were introduced at the event. This is how good habits begin. This is how life change occurs. Every one of us needs a process that follows the event to seal what was learned. Look at the value of both:

Events	Process
1. Encourage decisions	1. Encourages development
2. Motivate people	2. Matures people
3. Create a calendar issue	3. Creates a consistency issue
4. Challenge people	4. Changes people
5. Become a catalyst	5. Becomes a culture
6. Usually influence a big group	6. Usually influences a small group
7. Typically are easy	7. Typically is difficult

There is nothing wrong with events. I believe, however, that both students and adults require the combination of events and process in order to grow. They often need a catalyst (at an event) to spark a decision. Then they need a week by week process to follow through and implement that decision into their life. The process must be specific and intentional. Sadly, for most students (and organization) —this is a luxury. “

“If organizations spent more effort on coaching and reinforcement after training events, their training return on investment would more than double.”

How best to get an ROI from your organization’s training? Let’s review three tools I have used over the years to help companies get real long term skill and attitude change in their people, teams and culture.

The Six Box Model for Training Success

This model was developed by Xerox Learning Systems as an answer to many Board of Directors’ question “How do we ensure results from training?” The six box model gives decision makers a handle on how to integrate training into organjzational change: if one box or component is missing or weak, the training initiative many not be effective. If your organization is competent and committed to each ‘box” the training initiative will result in lasting change. Review the “Six Boxes” below:

I Know – I Care – I Can

The second tool ensures a process to get training results. It is called the “I Know – I Care – I Can” model. AchieveGlobal used this model as a process check to ensure training and change programs were successful. Looking at the model across the top, you see the three parts of the model, each with two components. “I Know” is executive commitment, “I Care” is getting employee commitment, and “I Can” are the skills taught and the coaching/reinforcement needed to sustain long term success.If you look on the right hand column, you see the negative effect if any of the six components are missing, the training may fail.

Growing Leaders Event Versus Process Video

The third tool is a fun video tool. Growing Leaders has produced a funny yet powerful video on “Events versus Process.” View it on Youtube and show it to your managers and leaders next team meeting. This can lead to a very eye opening discussion on moving your training initiatives from events to getting and ROI and long term change that keeps your organization productive.Employing these three simple tools can significantly boost your organization’s return on training investment, and improve employee loyalty and skill with lasting effect.We at ELAvate would be happy to discuss how to use them in your organization at no obligation. Have a great week, a great year growing the people you lead to new levels of success!Gong Xi Fa Cai!