Behavioral change in a professional setting is an ongoing process that requires efforts both inside and outside the classroom. Business Training Works’ Training Wheel serves as a model for understanding what classroom training can achieve and the additional activities necessary to sustain meaningful change.
Understanding the Training Wheel
The Training Wheel highlights the collaboration needed between training facilitators and organizations to support behavior change. It assigns responsibilities across three areas:
- Criteria for Success: Preconditions that must exist for the Training Wheel to work effectively.
- Shared Responsibilities: Actions co-owned by training facilitators and organizations.
- Organizational Accountability: Steps that fall entirely within the organization’s domain.
Where gaps exist, management training can help organizations address their responsibilities effectively.
Assumptions Underpinning the Training Wheel
The following assumptions must be in place before starting the cycle:
- Right Fit: Employees are matched to roles that align with their skills and interests.
- Supportive Policies and Processes: Organizational systems back up desired behaviors.
- Proper Tools: Employees have the resources needed to do their jobs.
- Realistic Goals: There is a clear understanding of what can reasonably be achieved within a given time.
Step One: Define What’s Important, Desired Behaviors, and Areas for Improvement
The first step is identifying the behaviors that matter, setting improvement goals, and determining priorities. Instructional design plays a pivotal role here:
- Define Learning Objectives: Specify the behaviors you want employees to exhibit. For example, “Handle customer complaints empathetically and efficiently.”
- Engage Stakeholders: Work with leaders to ensure the objectives align with business needs.
- Design Pilots: Before full-scale implementation, test training content with small groups to refine materials and identify gaps.
Example: A company aiming to improve project manager communication runs a pilot workshop with five managers. After gathering feedback, they adjust the scenarios to make them more relevant to the participants’ daily challenges.
Step Two: Train Employees to Exhibit Desired Behaviors
Training isn’t just about delivery; it’s about building a learning experience that translates to real-world application. Effective instructional design should include:
- Interactive Learning: Incorporate activities like role-plays, case studies, and simulations to mimic on-the-job situations.
- Performance Checks: Use assessments or peer feedback to ensure participants can demonstrate new skills before leaving the classroom.
- Post-Training Evaluation: Gather data to assess whether the training achieved its objectives.
Additionally, it’s essential to establish a plan for transitioning classroom learning to on-the-job performance. If employees demonstrate skills during training but fail to apply them afterward, organizations need to investigate. Common reasons for this disconnect include:
- Insufficient Practice: The employee hasn’t had enough opportunities to internalize the new behavior.
- Lack of Reinforcement: Leaders aren’t modeling or encouraging the behavior.
- Environmental Barriers: Organizational systems or culture are working against the desired change.
Example: A sales team excels in classroom training on active listening but doesn’t practice it with clients. A follow-up analysis reveals that performance metrics focus solely on closing deals, not building relationships, discouraging the use of active listening.
Step Three: Provide Multiple Opportunities for Practice
Skill development requires consistent practice in different settings. This step involves:
- Structured Classroom Activities: Practice scenarios that closely mimic real work challenges.
- On-the-Job Application: Encourage immediate use of new skills with ongoing feedback.
- Reinforcement Programs: Create reminders, checklists, or coaching sessions to sustain the new behaviors over time.
Example: After training on conflict resolution, employees practice handling difficult conversations in role-plays during class. Post-training, managers observe and provide feedback on how well employees apply these skills in team meetings.
Step Four: Hold Leaders Accountable for Modeling Behaviors
Leaders set the tone for what behaviors are valued. To be effective, they must:
- Demonstrate the desired behaviors in their daily actions.
- Reinforce training outcomes by providing positive feedback and coaching.
Example: If team collaboration is the focus, leaders can model it by actively seeking input during project discussions and highlighting team contributions in meetings.
Step Five: Hold Employees Accountable
Change is more manageable when employees focus on one behavior at a time. Managers should establish clear expectations and provide regular check-ins to track progress.
Example: A customer service representative working on empathy starts by rephrasing one customer statement per call. As they master this skill, additional expectations are layered on.
Step Six: Recognize and Praise Success
Acknowledging small wins is essential to building momentum. This step can include:
- Public recognition during team meetings.
- Incentives such as awards or time off for consistent application of behaviors.
Example: A team member who consistently follows through on commitments receives a thank-you note from their manager and recognition during a department meeting.
Step Seven: Coach to Improve Deficiencies
When desired behaviors don’t appear, coaching can help employees overcome obstacles. Effective coaching includes:
- Identifying specific issues (e.g., a lack of confidence, misunderstanding of expectations).
- Working collaboratively to create an improvement plan.
Example: An employee who struggles with time management receives one-on-one coaching, starting with a review of their current workload and identifying ways to prioritize tasks effectively.
Closing the Loop
The Training Wheel is more than a classroom activity—it’s a system for sustained behavioral change. By designing thoughtful training programs, creating opportunities for practice, holding leaders and employees accountable, and addressing roadblocks, organizations can ensure that training investments lead to meaningful outcomes.
When gaps are identified, revisiting each step in the cycle and refining the approach can help organizations achieve their goals more effectively.